Home · 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 687 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (687)Crash / fire / injury (20)Engine (242)Electrical system (163)Transmission & drivetrain (137)Speed control (131)Brakes (62)Fuel system (55)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (54)Steering (45)Body & structure (21)Lights (21)

Newest first · 687 complaints · page 14 of 28

Jan 21, 2021Speed control

WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS THE VEHICLE HAS NOW FLASHED WARNING (REDUCED ENGINE SPEED) AND COMPLETELY DROPPED VEHICLE BELOW 40 MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE LAST WEEK WITH POSSIBLE RESULTS OF GETTING IN A CRASH. I SAFELY MOVED VEHICLE TO SHOULDER AND TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED VEHICLE. THE ISSUED RESOLVED ITSELF THE FIRST TIME THEN A WEEK LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN WITH NO FIX AFTER THE SHUT OFF AND RESTART. I HAVE READ FORUMS ON THIS ISSUE WITH 2016-2018 MODELS. I AM LOOKING TO SEE IF THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL TO GET THE DEFECTIVE PART FIXED FROM AN AUTHORIZED CHEVY DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11389183

Jan 15, 2021Speed control

WHILE I WAS AT THE HIGHWAY I WAS TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER CAR, BUT WHILE I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ENGINE POWER REDUCE WITH ENGINE LIGHT ON CAME UP WITH CODE P2138 AND MY CAR STARTED LOOSING IT'S SPEED. ITS NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENS , IT HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES. THIS CODE IS GETTING ANNOYING AND I HAVE SEEN MANY CASES WITH OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND THERE'S NO SOLVING TO THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11388308

Jan 15, 2021Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

THE VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF MORE THAN 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING REQUIRING A TOW AND WORK DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, AND SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE STILL TURNS OFF WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11388396

Jan 14, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE GEAR SHIFTING SYSTEM FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A MESSAGE RECEIVED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ADVISING THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. THE MESSAGE WAS RECEIVED EACH TIME THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON ONE OCCASION WHEN AT A GAS SERVICE STATION THEY PARKED THE VEHICLE PUT THE GEAR IN PARK AND THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY MOVED FORWARD. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DID NOT CRASH INTO ANY OBJECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION CHEVROLET GREENACRES, 5757 LAKE WORTH ROAD, GREENACRES, FL 33463 PHONE (561) 491-2969 TO HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC PERFORMED. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE THE DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $700.00 FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

NHTSA ODI 11388173

Jan 11, 2021Steering

WHILE DRIVING ON I-85 SOUTH AT 70 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND I COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE AND WHILE BRAKING THE STEERING CAME BACK ONCE I HIT THE EMERGENCY LANE. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON AND OFF FOR THE NEXT TEN MILES. I AM TURNING THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11387580

Jan 8, 2021Fuel system

FUEL TANK WILL NOT FILL COMPLETELY. IT WILL ONLY FILL TO 7/8THS AT BEST. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS IN ONLINE FORUMS.

NHTSA ODI 11387235

Jan 6, 2021Speed controlEngine

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR, IT SUDDENLY STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY AND DISPLAYS A 'LOSS ENGINE POWER CODE'. I NOTICED THAT QUITE A BIT OF OTHER MALIBU OWNERS HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE

NHTSA ODI 11386853

Jan 4, 2021Steering

IT'S GIVING ME A MESSAGE SAYING STEERING ASSIST REDUCE DRIVE WITH CARE

NHTSA ODI 11386412

Dec 30, 2020Speed controlEngine

REDUCED SPEED ENGINE PROBLEM WILL REDUCE SPEED WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11385695

Dec 29, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed control

REDUCED ENGINE POWER WARNING 12/29/20 PLUS NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES IN 2019 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY; VEHICLE SLOWS TO 40MPH WITHOUT WARNING SHIFT TO PARK WARNING WHEN VEHICLE ALREADY IN PARK, CAN'T SHUT OFF VEHICLE UNTIL IT RECOGNIZES PARK, OFTEN TAKING UPWARDS OF 10 MINUTES OF REPEATED SHIFTING STABILITRACK SENSOR WARNING AND LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS

NHTSA ODI 11385393

Dec 28, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

DASH WARNING SAYS ACTION REQUIRED....SHIFT TO PARK. BUT THE CAR IS ALREADY IN PARK. CAR WILL NOT SHUT OFF TIL YOU GET IT IN PARK. SOMETIMES NEED TO START AND RESTART CAR A DOZEN TIMES TO GET IT TO STOP THE ERROR. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH LATE MODEL MALIBU'S. TSB # 19-NA-206. REPAIR COST APPROXIMATELY $300. THIS HAPPENS AT RANDOM TIMES, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNRELIABLE. NEED TO DO A RECALL!

NHTSA ODI 11385250

Dec 23, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngineFuel system

VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN AFTER AUTO STOP ENABLED WHEN CAR COMES TO COMPLETE STOP AT LIGHTS, INTERSECTIONS, ETC. VEHICLE WILL ALSO SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. STALITRAK WARNING BLINKS BUT THE ELECTRICAL POWER INSIDE DOESN'T ALWAYS SHUT DOWN. CAR WILL START BACK UP ONCE YOU QUICKLY PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK , SHUT IT OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES 3-5 TIMES TO GET IT STARTED BACK UP. BATTERY HAS BEEN CHANGED AND SENSOR REPLACED BUT IT STILL HASN'T FIXED THE ISSUE. SEVERELY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR ANYWHERE.

NHTSA ODI 11384671

Dec 23, 2020SteeringBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING ASSISTANCE REDUCED WARNING MESSAGE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD INITIALLY TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM CHEVROLET AUGUSTA (2031 GORDON HWY, AUGUSTA, GA 30909) WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT SHE HAD A DEFECTIVE RACK AND PINION. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE WITH A DEFECTIVE TIE ROD AND HAD THE TIE ROD REPLACED. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ABNORMAL SCRAPING NOISE WOULD EMIT FROM THE VEHICLE UPON DEPRESSION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AS THE ABS WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO JOHNSON MOTOR COMPANY OF SOUTH CAROLINA (490 JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY, GRANITEVILLE, SC 29829) WHERE THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE FOR A DEFECTIVE PCV HOSE. AN HOUR AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONTACT, THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THE FAILURES AND SEVERAL CASES WERE FILED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,757.

NHTSA ODI 11384743

Dec 22, 2020SteeringEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED WITH MESSAGE TO DRIVE WITH CARE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11384601

Dec 22, 2020Electrical systemEngineFuel system

MY POWER STEERING ASSIST POPS UP AND DISAPPEARS. CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON ME AT A STOP SIGN(TWICE) AND WOULD NOT CRANK BACK UP

NHTSA ODI 11384597

Dec 15, 2020Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

I WAS ON THE EWAY AND I WAS GOING 80MPH IN THE LEFT LANE, AND MY CAR JERKED TO DECELERATE TO 20MPH. THE MESSAGE SAID, 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED'.

NHTSA ODI 11383512

Dec 15, 2020Speed control

STARTED LAST NOVEMBER 2019 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND SUDDENLY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN A ENGINE POWER REDUCE COMES ON AND MY CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN. TOOK TO CHEVY AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT TEST THE DIAGNOSTIC BECAUSE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON. FAST FORWARD TO THIS SEPTEMBER 2020 AND IT STARTED UP AGAIN AND HAS BEEN ON AND OFF SINCE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT HAPPENS AT ANY POINT IM DRIVING WHETHER IT'S ON THE FREEWAY OR SMALL ROAD. I'M HAVING TO PULL OVER AND TURN MY CAR OFF! I HAVE TEENAGE DAUGHTERS AND 2 SMALL BOYS THAT I HAVE IN MY CAR WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND IT'S VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS! SO TODAY DECEMBER 15, 2020 I TOOK IT BACK TO CHEVY AND GETTING IT CHECKED. I WAS TOLD IT COULD TAKE UP TO 5 DAYS AND I'M REALLY HOPING THIS IS A FACTORY RECALL DUE TO THE SAFETY OF THIS HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING AND DRIVING AT FAST SPEED ON THE FREEWAY!

NHTSA ODI 11383568

Dec 14, 2020

WHEN I SHIFT MY CAR TO PARK AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION, I RECEIVE A MESSAGE STATING "SHIFT TO PARK". IT KEEPS MY CAR IN THE ACCESSORY START POSITION THEREBY RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN IF I CANNOT GET IT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK AND THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT, ONGOING PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL GM DEALER ABOUT THIS BUT THERE IS NO RECALL.

NHTSA ODI 11383371

Dec 11, 2020Transmission & drivetrainEngine

ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, I WAS DRIVING IN THE INTERSTATE GOING ABOUT 70 MPH, WHEN MY VEHICLE DROPPED ITS SPEED TO 20 MPH ADVISING OF ' REDUCED ENGINE POWER ', THE SPEED DID NOT DECREASE WHICH CAUSED A HAULT & JERK. WHICH COULD HAVE TURNED FATAL IF THERE WAS A VEHICLE BEHIND ME. OCTOBER 30TH, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30MPH IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WHEN I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AND MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER, AFTER ABOUT 3 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO START THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE BATTERY AND A SENSOR HAD BEEN REPLACED. EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET AROUND 25-30MPH, APPROACHED A STOP AGAIN AND CAR POWERED OFF.. IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD, I DO NOT DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY OUT OF FEAR THAT THE CAR MAY SHUT OFF. I'VE BEEN TO AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIPS & HAD THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED OUT BY CERTIFIED TRANSMISSIONS SHOPS AND CAN'T SOURCE THE PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11382993

Dec 9, 2020SteeringElectrical system

"STEERING ASSISTANCE REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE" WARNING APPEARS ON DASH RIGHT BEFORE I'M GOING TO ACCELERATE AFTER BEING STOPPED.

NHTSA ODI 11382759

Dec 8, 2020Seat belts

SEATBELT LOCKING UP. WILL NOT RELEASE. WILL 'CORRECT' ITSELF. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME BUT THAT DOESN'T HELP OF THE SEATBELT IS NON FUNCTIONAL. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WOULD BE $400 TO FIX AND THE PART IS BACK ORDERED. LEADS ME TO BELIEVE I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF A YEAR THAT I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. I USUALLY NOTICE THE PROBLEM WHEN PUTTING THE SEATBELT ON BEFORE MOVING ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11378601

Dec 7, 2020Speed controlEngine

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE ROAD A MESSAGE DISPLAYED SAYING "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" AND I COULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR OVER 20 MILES PER HOUR. THIS THANKFULLY OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD SO I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PARK MY CAR. THROUGH RESEARCH THERE IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH A FAULTY ACCELERATOR SENSOR THAT CAUSES THIS. IT IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE GETTING THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2017. THIS IS SCARY BECAUSE IT WAS INSTANT AND I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

NHTSA ODI 11378199

Dec 3, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

I WAS DRIVING ON A ROAD AT 47 MILES AN HOUR. OUT OF NO WHERE, THE CAR SLOWED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 15 MILES AN HOUR. ON THE DASH BOARD A NOTICE FLASH STATING "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" I WAS BARELY ABLE TO NAVIGATE OUT OF TRAFFIC WITHOUT BEING HIT. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN SEVERAL HOURS LATER WHEN I WAS ON MY WAY HOME, I HAD TO CONSTANTLY KEEP PULLING OVER.

NHTSA ODI 11377726

Nov 29, 2020SteeringElectrical system

WHEN DRIVING AT AUTO STOP, WHEN BEGINNING TO ACCELERATE, CAR ACTS LIKE IT SHUT OFF AND SAYS STEERING ASSIST REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE. I NOTICED THE BATTERY VOLTAGE GOES DOWN TO 11.0 V. ALSO THE RADIO SCREEN FLICKERS BLACK. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN MULTIPLE DAYS.

NHTSA ODI 11376980

Nov 27, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

CAR HAS SHIFT TO PARK WARNING WHEN PARK IS ENGAGED, CAR WONT SHUT OFF ,HAVE RESTART CAR

NHTSA ODI 11376693

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Working with the data? Download all 687 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →