REDUCED ENGINE POWER STARTED POPPING UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND FORCEFULLY REDUCES SPEED TO 20MPH. HUNDREDS OF CHEVY OWNERS ARE REPORTING THIS ABNORMALITIES RECENTLY AND CHEVROLET IS CONCEALING THIS MANUFACTURE DEFECT.
NHTSA ODI 11310722
Home · 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Hev · Complaints
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.
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REDUCED ENGINE POWER STARTED POPPING UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND FORCEFULLY REDUCES SPEED TO 20MPH. HUNDREDS OF CHEVY OWNERS ARE REPORTING THIS ABNORMALITIES RECENTLY AND CHEVROLET IS CONCEALING THIS MANUFACTURE DEFECT.
NHTSA ODI 11310722
HYBRID BATTERY CORROSION DUE TO FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT LETTING WATER INTRUDE INTO TRUNK. I WAS OUT OF COUNTRY FOR MOST OF 2019 AND WHEN I RETURNED I WENT THROUGH MAIL AND DISCOVERED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THAT WATER CAN GET INTO TRUNK AND CABIN FROM A CHMSL. I CHECKED MY TRUNK AND IT WAS FULL OF WATER AND METAL ITEMS ARE AND WERE OXIDIZED AS WELL AS THE HYBRID BATTERY IN THE TRUNK. THIS CORROSION WILL NOT STOP ONCE ESTABLISHED ESPECIALLY WITH CHARGED ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS. AND PREMATURELY SHORTENING THE LIFE OF THE HYBRID BATTERY DUE TO POOR QUALITY AND DEFECTIVE NUTS USED TO SECURE THE CHMSL.
NHTSA ODI 11310278
THE RADIO PANEL SCREEN WENT OUT JUST BLANK BUT THE RADIO STILL WORKS JUST YESTERDAY MY GIRLFRIEND GOT IN THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START SO WE TRIED TO JUMP IT IT WENT DEAD. SO I HAD TO TOW IT HOME WHERE IT SITS
NHTSA ODI 11310220
I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 47MPH ON A MAJOR STREET IN DENVER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DISPLAY READ "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED" AND I LOST ALL ACCELERATION. MY SPEED DROPPED TO ABOUT 20MPH VERY QUICKLY (5 TO 8 SECONDS). LUCKILY THERE WAS RELATIVELY LIGHT TRAFFIC. I PULLED INTO AN AUTOZONE THAT WAS AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION AND THEY READ THE ERROR CODE P2138. COME TO FIND OUT THIS SHOWS AN ERROR WITH THE THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION CENSOR. I GOT BACK IN MY CAR TO DRIVE HOME AND WITHIN 30 SECONDS, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF AND MY CAR RAN LIKE NORMAL. I'M STILL VERY WORRIED ABOUT THIS SENSOR HOWEVER. WHEN I LOOKED THIS UP ONLINE TONIGHT, I CAME TO FIND OUT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM YET CHEVY HAS DECIDED NOT TO RECALL THIS PART. DOING MORE RESEARCH LEAD ME TO THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WHICH HAS BEEN BY ROTHSCHILD V. GENERAL MOTORS LLC, CASE NO. 1:19-CV-05240, IN THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK. FROM WHAT I READ, AND KNOWING THAT I DRIVE 35,000 MILES PER YEAR FOR WORK, I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A HUGE IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN WHEN I'M DOING 75+MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. I URGE THE NHTSA TO REVIEW THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION CAREFULLY AND STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU HAVE CHEVY DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET THIS PART FIXED AND REPLACED TO KEEP US DRIVERS SAFE!!
NHTSA ODI 11309576
MY CHEVY MALIBU CURRENTLY HAS ABOUT 20K MILES ON IT IN ADDITION TO THAT IT IS UP TO DATE ON OIL CHANGES ETC. ABOUT 20 MINS AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE MESSAGES ME SAYING "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLES POWER WAS REDUCED. THANKFULLY I WASNT DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OR ANYTHING BUT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND ALARMING TO ME. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS FOR MY PARTICULAR MODEL AND FIND THAT VERY IRRESPONSIBLE OF GM TO NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ON THIS ISSUE AND FIX IT. I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET HURT. THANK YOU
NHTSA ODI 11309714
WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE DOWN THE ON-RAMP ONTO A HIGHWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST POWER AND COULD NOT EXCEED 40MPH. I ALMOST GOT SIDESWIPED WHILE TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC BUT COULDN'T GAIN SPEED. BEFORE ABRUPTLY PULLING ONTO THE SHOULDER THE ANTI-SKID AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON ALONG WITH A DASH WARNING THAT STATED :"ENGINE POWER REDUCED". I TOOK IT TO A VENDOR WHO SEARCHED THE CODE MY CAR PRODUCED AND IT WAS "P2138", WHICH IS "THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/ SWITCH D/ E VOLTAGE CORRELATION". I SEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE TO FIND A TON OF SIMILAR IF NOT THE EXACT SAME ISSUES WITH OTHER CHEVY MALIBUS.THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE! I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED.
NHTSA ODI 11309369
I WAS DRIVING 35MPH ON CITY STREET GOING STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN TO 10MPH. A POP UP SAYING CAR ENGINE POWER REDUCED CAME UP ON THE DASH BORED ALONG WITH MY ENGINE LIGHT
NHTSA ODI 11309277
MY CHEVY MALIBU HAS STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY MORE OFTEN DURNING TRAFFIC TIME IT ALWAYS STOPS WHEN IT ENTERS AUTO STOP THEN IT CUTS ALL THE WAY OFF AND I HAVE TO RESTART IT I CALLED IN ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR . ALSO IT MAKES IT REALLY TOUGH TO PUSH MY BREAKS WHEN I START THE CAR UP IT DOES MAKE THE SOUND LIKE IT WANTS TO START THEN IT DIES OUT
NHTSA ODI 11308588
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, A WARNING WILL RANDOMLY APPEAR SAYING 'REDUCED ENGINE POWER' AND WILL REDUCE SPEED TO ABOUT 20MPH AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE ANY FASTER.
NHTSA ODI 11308348
I WAS DRIVING IN THE MOUNTAINS WHEN ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AND CARS MAX SPEED TOPPED OUT AT 20-25 MPH. STARTED THE CAR AN HOUR LATER AND EVERYTHING WENT OFF. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE TOLD NOTHING IS WRONG. A MONTH LATER SAME EXACT ISSUE. THIS TIME I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY AT 30MPH WHEN ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND SPEED WAS AFFECTED AGAIN. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT IS REMAINING ON.
NHTSA ODI 11307970
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED APPEARS ON INFO DASH WORD AND CAR SLOWS DOWN TO SLOW SPEED WHILE ON HIGHWAY
NHTSA ODI 11308012
I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING 35MPH WHEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A NOTIFICATION CAME ON MY DASHBOARD SAYING "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED". THE CAR IMMEDIATELY WENT FROM 35MPH TO 20MPH; I'M LUCKY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT. I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 8 DAYS AGO AT 35,000 MILES. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE ACCELERATION PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. THE CAR IS LESS THAN 36,000 MILES NOW.
NHTSA ODI 11307927
WHEN DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY TO DROP OFF KID AT SCHOOL, THE CAR SOMETIMES SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN AND A MESSAGE COMES ON STATING ENGINE POWER REDUCED. AT 6:30 AM IN THE MORNING WHEN IT'S STILL DARK, THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE A CAR CRASH SOONER OR LATER. BUT DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL.
NHTSA ODI 11307774
WHEN YOU SHIFT TO PARK A LIGHT COMES ON THAT SAYS IT ISN'T IN PARK . SO THE LIGHTS WILL NOT SHUT OFF . YOU HAVE TO REPEATEDLY SHIF FROM DRIVE TO PARK UNTIL IT TURNS OFF . THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE . IT COST ME 286.00 TO FIX IT I WAS 1000 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY.
NHTSA ODI 11306851
YESTERDAY I WAS DRIVING AND PULLED UP TO A RED LIGHT. THE CAR SHUT UP AS NORMAL FOR THE ENERGY SAVER FEATURE, BUT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE CARE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONTO THE SCREEN. I WAITED 2 MINUTES, TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND IT WAS FINE AFTER THAT. THE RADIO'S SOUND STOPPED WORKING AFTER THAT. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL ON THE DISPLAY SCREEN, BUT NO SOUND WAS COMING OUT, EVEN WHEN I PUSHED THE ON-STAR BUTTON. I PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR 10 MINUTES AND BACK ON AND THE RADIO WORKED AGAIN LIKE NORMAL.
NHTSA ODI 11306266
SIDE SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. A WARNING LIGHT COMES ON EACH TIME THE CAR IS TURNED ON.
NHTSA ODI 11302438
AT LESS THAN 32K MILES I"VE HAD ISSUE WITH THE SHIFT TO PARK INDICATOR, THE RADIO RANDOM ON AND OFF REGARDLESS IF CAR IS RUNNING OR PARKED AND OFF AND NOW MULTIPLE INDICATORS FOR AN EMISSION ISSUE CAR WILL SUDDENLY LOOSE POWER OR STOP. I HAVE TAKEN CARE FOR SERVICE ON REGULAR BASIS AND HAVE HAD SERVICE REPAIRS DONE TWICE TO SUPPOSEDLY FIX COMPUTER BOARD. UNFORTUNATELY, SERVICE EITHER SAYS THEY HAVE REST IT OR CAN'T FIND ISSUES I DESCRIBE. I WILL PARK THE CAR AND LET GM HAVE IT BEFORE I GET KILLED IN TRAFFIC!!!!
NHTSA ODI 11302366
I BOUGHT MY 2017 MALIBU IN JULY OF 2019 FROM A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. SINCE I'VE BOUGHT IT MY CAR HAS RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN WITH NOW WARNING AND MY DASHBOARD READING ENGINE POWER REDUCED. IT'S HAPPENED 5 TIMES SINCE I GOT THE CAR ONE BEING I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND ALMOST GOT HIT BY A SEMI ON MY WAY TO WORK IN MORNING TRAFFIC. I LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE TO SEE WHAT COULD BE CAUSING IT AND TURNS OUT OTHER 2016-2018 MALIBU'S HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND IT'S THE THROTTLE PEDAL POSITION BEING FARTHER APART THAN ALLOWED. THE DEALERSHIP IS CHARGING ME $200 TO FIX THE ISSUE AND I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 6 MONTHS.
NHTSA ODI 11301315
WHEN PARKING THE VEHICLE AND TURNING OFF THE IGNITION THE DASH LIGHTS UP "SHIFT TO PARK" HAD TO WORK AND WORK WITH IT TO GET THE CAR INTO PARK TO WHERE IT COULD BE EXITED FROM. TOOK TO DEALER AND WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD TO PAY $200 DEDUCTIBLE FOR A FIX THAT I HAVE HEARD MANY ARE HAVING WITH THE 2016 AND 2017 YEAR MODEL GM PRODUCTS.
NHTSA ODI 11301390
THE CAR WILL NOT START SOMETIMES. YESTERDAY THE LIGHTS AND RADIO CAME ON RANDOMLY WHILE SITTING IN THE GARAGE WITH THE FOB IN THE HOUSE. RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING. THE LAST TIME IT WAS HALF WAY THROUGH AN BUSY INTERSECTION. HAD TO PUSH THE CAR OFF THE ROAD.
NHTSA ODI 11301109
I WAS TRAVELING IN MY VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AT LEAST 65 TO 75 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY VEHICLE BEATS TWO OR THREE TIMES AND ACROSS THE SCREEN CAME THE WORDS 'REDUCE ENGINE SPEED'. AT THAT MOMENT I WAS TRAVELING IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND I HAD TO SAFELY GET OVER TO THE FAR RIGHT MEDIAN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC SAFELY TURN OFF AND WAIT AT LEAST 10 MINUTES TO START IT BACK UP. WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE BACK UP AGAIN I STILL RECEIVED THE SAME MESSAGE. I THEN WAITED EVEN LONGER AND EVERYTHING WAS OK BUT EVENTUALLY THE SAME ISSUE CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO GET CODED AND THE CODES THAT WERE GIVEN TO ME WERE 2122, 2123, 2101. IT'S UNSAFE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY I HAVE A CHILD THIS IS NO SAFE FOR ME.
NHTSA ODI 11301237
TWO TIMES IN 24 MONTHS AND APPROXIMATELY 62,000 MILES THE PRIMARY 12 VOLT BATTERY HAS FAILED. THIS FAILURE CAUSES THE TRUNK LOCK TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE TRUNK CANNOT BE ACCESSED IN THIS SITUATION. BECAUSE THE TRUNK WILL NOT OPEN THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE FAILED 12 VOLT BATTERY. ALSO THERE IS NO WAY TO FOLD THE REAR SEAT BACKS AS THE RELEASE LEVERS ARE LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. THIS SITUATION IS BOTH A SAFETY DANGEROUS HAZARD AND INCONVENIENCE. BOTH OF THESE OCCURRENCES HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE.
NHTSA ODI 11300988
FOR 3 MONTHS MY 2017 CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, AND VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOOSE ACCELERATION. AT SLOW AND HIGH SPEEDS WITH MY 2 YEAR OLD IN THE CAR. WHEN THE CODE IS READ IT STATES IT'S THE ECM P2138. THIS LAST TIME ALMOST CAUSED MY VEHICLE TO WRECK WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. CHEVY HAS YET TO HANDLE THE ISSUE AND LIKE MOST CARS IT'S NOT COVERED ON WARRANTY SO BECAUSE CHEVY HAS PUT OUT A FAULTY PRODUCT WE ARE BEING PUNISHED WITH HIGH MECHANICAL COSTS. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ISSUE, I HAVE HAVE MY CHEVY ALMOST 3 YEARS AND HAVE HAD IT IN FOR SENSOR ISSUES READING THE KEY FOB AND MY CAR STRANDING ME HOURS FROM HOME AND NOT STARTING, AND AGAIN FOR SENSORY ISSUES PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. WHEN CONFRONTING CHEVY THEY STATE THE ISSUE WITH HIGH COST TO FIX.
NHTSA ODI 11300245
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY GOING 70 MPH, MY TRACTION CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, AND A WARNING FLASH ACROSS MY DASHBOARD SAYING ENGINE SPEED REDUCED. MY CAR WENT FROM GOING 70 MPH TO 40 MPH AND WOULDN'T GO ANY HIGHER. I IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE FREEWAY TOOK PICTURES OF THE LIGHTS. LUCKILY I HAVE A ANTI LEFT DEVICE THAT READS OFF CODES FOR MY CHECK ENGINE LIKE CODE P2138 IS WHAT CAME UP. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, I HAD MY [XXX] CHILD IN THE CAR WITH ME AND WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED DUE TO LOSS OF POWER FROM SUCH A HIGH SPEED. *DL PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA ODI 11299798
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR, IT WILL SUDDENLY DECELERATE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE "ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED". THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS AND HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BY GM.
NHTSA ODI 11299447
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