What 720 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Limited

Since purchase from dealer at 40,000 miles I have complained numerous times. Dealer can not reproduce and refuses to do anything about it. When driving vehicle with and sometimes with out AC on. The vehicle doesn't want to go. I could have the gas peddle to the floor and it won't accelerate. Does is whenever it wants to seems as if when AC is on it does it the most. This past week the vehicle has thrown a warning steering asist reduced please drive with care. It quickly comes on and then goes back off. The vehicle is also stalling out of no where. I come to a stop light it goes to auto stop then I go to start accelerating and the vehicle will shut down engine light comes on and vehicle will not start back up for a min or 2. Once engine shuts off I put in park and try and start it again it won't. A few mins go by it will start again. I notice if I keep foot on break at a stop light and foot on gas to keep the RPMs up and don't allow it to auto stop it won't shut down. I made a appointment with jud kuhn the dealer I purchased it from. For next week. Hoping they can do somthing about it but chances are they will look at me like I'm crazy like they do every time and tell me no codes or they can't reproduce. I still owe 14,000 on the vehicle I'm livid. My children drive this car and it's extremely unsafe. If dealer doesn't help I'm contacting a lawyer for lemon law please help The acceleration issue started the week I purchased it 2 years ago the stalling started last week. And the steering assist started last week

NHTSA ODI 11465399

Engine light continues to come on repeatedly. Resetting does not fix the problem. Engine shuts off while driving. Then suddenly the engine comes back on at an accelerated speed. Engine shuts off at traffic light when my foot is on the brake. When I remove my foot from the brake and press the accelerator the car jerks into gear. Sometimes the STABIL TRACK appears on my dash board. Also, STEERING REDUCE BE CAREFUL appears on my dash board. Sometime the driver side window will not go up or down. I have CAR SHIELD but I can not find a mechanic to accept it. They all say that CAR SHIELD is a rip-off.

NHTSA ODI 11463906

So basically when I'm driving it automatically I don't know where says engine power reduce which cuts the power down when you're on the highway and see if you're doing 70 miles per hour and all of a sudden that light comes on your check engine light comes on and it reduces the strength of the vehicle so ithe vehicle so we can cause multiple accidents

NHTSA ODI 11462719

I have Taken my car back and forth to the dealer so many times since ive had the 2017 Chevy malibu LT my car lost power once before and now it feels like it wants to lose power again my engine make this off noise it rides rough I have no warning lights on They told me it could be a computer problem and they could not fix it and the all of a sudden it was okay then my gas is running out quick and engine oil and i have a burning smell but they keep saying nothing is wrong it jerks when i shift gears sometimes and it makes a loud noise and no hazards light are on I feel like they are clearing codes and trying to sell me a new car because they keep telling me to trade it in they will buy it back Ive told them i feel like me and my child safety is at risk because I could be driveing and my car can shut down on me and get in a real bad accident im still making payments on the car and dont wanna get another loan for me to pay out more money for another car Ive had car in shop more than Ive drive it I got car with 34,000 miles and it has 54,000 now no car should have all these issues with these miles I have a 6 year old that rides in this car and something gotta be done this putting out lifes at risk

NHTSA ODI 11462211

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after his wife parked the vehicle, the "Shift to Park" message was displayed while the gear selector was shifted into park(P). The vehicle would not turn off until after several attempts; however, the failure recurred with the doors locking the contact's wife and 3 children inside of the vehicle. The contact's wife was able to turn off the vehicle while the brake pedal was depressed and the Start/Stop button was pressed and unlocked the doors with the key fob. The dealer was made aware of the failure and sent a tow truck to retrieve the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,733.

NHTSA ODI 11461784

After stopping and shifting to park and pushing the "Ignition Button". The button indicator light shows car is not in "park". The dash indicator also states "Shift To Park" even though it is in park. This can be resolved by many pushes on the shift stick lever. It is obvious to be a shabby mechanism inside the shift box that isn't connecting the circuit to show that the vehicle is actually in park. This problem began about a week ago and it seems to be somewhat worse as time goes on. When it first happened, I did not know what to do. Thank god for google that showed me how to "jerry-rig" a fix each time to show it actually in park (flipping the shift stick button). If left alone, I would possibly drain the battery. Also google comments and post indicated this is a complaint by many and should be a considered for a recall.

NHTSA ODI 11461577

When driving my vehicle at highway speed the vehicle slows down at about 15-20 mph a message on the dashboard states engine reduced power. The first time I was able to get over and cut the vehicle off and restarted it. But the vehicle did it again. The check engine light has been ever since. A few days later the vehicle did the same thing. I took it to Autozone and they gave me a code. Which is for the accelerator pedal sensor and the throttle electrical control. This is very dangerous to be driving at high speeds and all of a sudden the vehicle drops speed to 15-20 mph. I haven’t been able to find any place with the part to get the vehicle fix. Can someone help please?

NHTSA ODI 11460327

When vehicle is engaged in auto stop, it stalls out completely or bucks forward when at a complete stop(sign or red light). Upon review, two mechanics stated it has to do with the transmission and tork converter. Repair is upwards of $4000-$6000. 2017 Malibu has less than 75000 miles. Will be contacting dealership today 4/10/22.

NHTSA ODI 11460235

While I was driving my car went into engine saving mood. My speed was reduces rapidly.

NHTSA ODI 11457445

Car dash displays "shift to park message" when car is in park. Unable to shut vehicle off

NHTSA ODI 11457447

My 2017 Malibu suddenly had the "check engine" light come on, and a message indicating that a "reduced power mode" had been initiated. I drove the car immediately to the local dealer, who said I needed an appointment to have it checked. I checked the OBD2 codes with my personal meter, which showed a p2138 code, indicating a problem with a throttle body sensor. When I started my car the next morning the MIL light didn't come on. At the dealer I was told they couldn't do anything with the car because the light wasn't on. I pointed out that the failure codes were stored in the ECM, but they said diagnosis wasn't possible with the light off. The service writer indicated the problem was not uncommon on GM cars and that even his wife's car had similar problems. When this occurred I was fortunate to be on a local suburban road where reduced speed was not that great of a problem. Much of the time I am on freeways in several major Midwestern cities where aggressive drivers are packed together. I read a number of complaints on the NHTSA site indicating same complaints from Malibu owners. A sudden reduction of speed in a congested area is a recipe for disaster. The service writer even stated that GM had an extended warranty on the pedal assembly and TPI sensors. But he refused to try and diagnose the issue, unless I brought the car in immediately if and when the MIL light was illuminated, even if I was 500 miles away. As this intermittent behavior is a known and common issue I feel that GM should be compelled to do something to correct these defects before a truly dangerous incident occurs, causing devastating results. But I'm sure that this will go on until misfortune causes those in power to ask. Why didn't somebody do something?

NHTSA ODI 11454937

I purchased my vehicle in August of 2020, in October while driving down a main highway the engine light came on with a warning that stated "driving with reduced power". The vehicle slows to 20 mph and will not accelerate any faster. I called my dealers service center and was told this issue was a "quirk that happens" and to "turn my vehicle off and start it again" and that by doing this it would make it go away and it would not happen again. Approximately 8 months later this happened again, so I called the service department and was told that a line was freezing and that I could bring my vehicle in so they could empty & refill the frozen line costing $500, but it would not solve the problem, the dealer then recommended that I park in a heated space to avoid it freezing, but again it would not resolve the problem long term. A month later while driving home from work in a blizzard, my vehicle once again lost power, with the engine light on and a warning that I was driving with reduced power and slowing to 20mph. This put myself and other travelers on this busy main road at risk. When I reached out to my dealer they said that there was nothing they could do that would guarantee a fix, but they could try three different options, again with no guarantee of a fix. None of this is covered under warranty and costs roughly $1500.

NHTSA ODI 11451583

The vehicle constantly reduces speed when there are no issues with weather or any other issues on the road. This issues can potentially be fatal. I have had it checked and the diagnostic machine says it’s sensor issue that was reported for recall but my car was not part of the said recall. The car completely shuts off and will turn on by itself after 10 minutes. Uncertain what to do

NHTSA ODI 11450841

On January 2022, Wednesday the 19th. My husband, myself and our two daughters 12 & 4 are on the Northbound freeway 99 in the far-right lane and the car pops up with the warning “Engine Power Reduce” and then proceeded to decline in speed from 70 MPH to 15 Mph almost instantly almost causing an accident. WE all were so shaken up! Had we been in front of a big rig we would have been crush from the backseat as fast as the speed declined. WE just bought this vehicle 5 months ago no more than 10K miles on it. The dealership says its not there problem to contact GM. Nobody will help this is a death trap vehicle. There are already multiple class action lawsuits about this issue and the vehicle. We are simply being told to buy a newer vehicle rather then someone taking ownership of this issue. This is a deadly issue and why there is not a recall is outrageous, There are cars out there that are capable of causing a deadly crash and killing thousands of people and everyone is turning there head when the consumers are reaching out for help.

NHTSA ODI 11448652

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while she was driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a stoplight, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle suddenly lost electrical power. The warning message "Steering Assist Reduced, Drive with Care" was illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued to drive; however, the failure recurred increasingly while depressing the brake pedal at stoplights. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11448026

Start and stop function at a stop failed car turns off but when releasing the brakes car doesn't turn back on everything is intermittent and can't reproduce check engine code when car goes in to fix the problem when I put it on L gear so the start and stop function won't try to engage but it doesn't sense its on L gear also back up camera not longer work as well as a.c blower or heater doesn't kick on a lot of electrical problems like if the brain is slowly dropping everything it knows and forgetting how to function also engine reduce and abs light as well as a lot of oil cusumption with no leaks a lot of complaints on these cars and you tube videos why hasn't this been recalled please investigate in an honest investigation please.

NHTSA ODI 11446437

Engine Power is Reduced

NHTSA ODI 11445733

Car voltage stays very high (between 14.8 and 15 volts) for extended periods of time. At which point the windows have fogged up and there is a raw egg smell in the cabin - probably Sulfur. Both the hybrid and the 12v car battery are located in the truck and there are vents that draw air from the cabin to ventilate those batteries. The car voltage will also stay at 12.5 to 12.6 for extended periods of time. During both high and low periods numerous internal systems have failed, including bit not limited to steering assist, anti-locks bakes, Stabilitrack, On star, Hybrid Control Processor and ECM. Car has been brought to the dealer 3 times. First time (early November 2021) it was diagnosed with an hybrid inverter and a software update was installed. Issues continued. As of 12/28/21, Coggin Chevrolet (Jacksonville, FL) has had the car for 2 weeks and can't fix or confirm what is wrong with the car. I have received numerous e-mails from On-star with engine error codes as well as 5 messages saying there is an issue with the Electric Drive Unit in the car. The car has roughly 24K miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11445397

Was driving to work at 5:00 am today and merged onto a busy highway. After accelerating to 60 mph, there was a message that appear on my dashboard that read engine power reduced. It was not safe traveling at the speed that I was. The check engine light came on as well as the Stability Control symbol and my car reduced its speed and would not accelerate back to a safe speed. I am going to take it to the dealership and try to get the problem diagnosed. I really hope this issue gets resolved.

NHTSA ODI 11444789

My vehicle has been flashing the Shift to park warning for about 2 years now. It never happens when I take it in but I have made dealership aware. I am report it now because it starting to happen everyday and is taking longer to go away. They say they can’t fix it if they can’t see it when it happens

NHTSA ODI 11443716

STEERING ASSIST REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE message comes on car screen. The steering wheel jerks and acceleration is reduced. This is putting everyone in my car at risk as we are not able to accelerate fast enough if anything were to happen. Car has been taken to the dealership and they are unable to identify the problem. I checked online and multiple Malibus are having this problem. If you're looking for a safe car for your family member this is not the car. These cars have these errors built in the system and the dealership are unable to find the problem costing a lot of money on diagnostics to get no results. Please notice all the complaints I hope my word is heard. If mine is not heard I hope the next persons will be.

NHTSA ODI 11440155

Ever since I purchased my car I have had many issues under 36,000 miles. 1) locked out of my cars for the first 2 years and eventually there was a recall for a bad module, was replaced. 2) My gear is parked and getting notification not parked and had to fix it. 800 Switch 84733196 and harness 84955381. Parts $41.27 Labor $280.00 Total $321.27 @Gordon Chevrolet. 3) Engine light has come on and off since I purchased the car. Repaired ECM Calibration update and 02 sensor replacement 2 12701634 sensor Parts $143.92 Labor $420.00 Total $563.92. It was repaired on 8/26/2021, once again engine light is on again. 4) A/C needed a new replacement condenser which cost $907.39. I didn't buy a brand new car from now spending way too much time at the dealership to fix it and this needs to be investigated for recall. Dealership did inform me it happens a lot with 2017 Chevy Malibu. Please advise. Invoice No. [XXX], 33753 miles in / 33760 miles out. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11440023

I get a ‘Shift to Park’ message when car is placed in PARK and turn off ignition. This is not covered under the bumper-to-bumper warranty since it is over 3 years old, but I only have 28,800 miles on the car. This shouldn’t be failing after so soon. This happened about 2 years ago, but it stopped and has worked fine for two years. Now it's back and won't go away. There seems to be no way to shut off the car unless it is in PARK. Until I an able to get it fixed I am concerned it won't shut-off one of these times, and what happens if it won't shut-off? None of the options are good if I'm driving after hours and the dealer or service center is closed. This can easily turn into a dangerous situation. (Repair is scheduled for next week.) This seems to be a common error reported on many 2016 through 2020 Chevrolet vehicles. There are service bulletins with regard to this problem. Why has Chevrolet/GM not had a recall for this widespread issue of a faulty micro switch?

NHTSA ODI 11436583

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, the check engine warning light had remained illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would vibrate and stall without warning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer as well as several independent mechanics where various repairs were performed; however, despite each repair, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the independent mechanic. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.

NHTSA ODI 11434493

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light would remain illuminated. Additionally, after the auto start, the fuel-saving feature was activated, the vehicle was hesitant to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ignition switch was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 97,000.

NHTSA ODI 11431160