Home · 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Limited · Complaints

What 720 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu Limited

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 (720)Crash / fire / injury (22)Engine (255)Electrical system (171)Transmission & drivetrain (143)Speed control (136)Brakes (70)Fuel system (61)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (54)Steering (46)Lights (22)Body & structure (21)

255 of 720 complaints match · Engine · clear filters · page 6 of 11

Mar 22, 2021Electrical systemLightsEngine

ON 03/10/21, I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I APPROACHED THE STOP LIGHT AND REDUCED SPEED. I CAME TO A FULL STOP AND THE CAR SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY, THEN LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. I HAD NO HAZARD LIGHTS, NO RADIO, NO DASHBOARD, NOTHING. AFTER BEING STRANDED FOR 5 MIN LIKE THAT AT A VERY DANGEROUS LEFT LANE STOP, THE CAR FINALLY RESTARTED. CALLED ONSTAR IMMEDIATELY TO SCAN THE CAR FOR CODES - THEY FOUND NONE. THE ISSUE OF THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY SHUTTING DOWN LIKE THAT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE OCTOBER OF 2020. TAKEN THE CAR TO CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES AND WAS TOLD THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I CURRENTLY HAVE IT AT THE DEALERSHIP AND AM BEING TOLD THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG DESPITE FOUR DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN MY CAR WITNESSING IT HAPPEN TO ME MORE THAN ONCE AND MY PROVIDING A LOG OF EVERY TIME IT'S HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 11404262

Mar 20, 2021Speed controlEngine

CAR WENT INTO LOW POWER MODE AND WOULDN'T DRIVE OVER THE SPEED OF 15-20 MILES AN HOUR.

NHTSA ODI 11404035

Mar 14, 2021Engine

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON STARTING AT 30,000 MILES HAS CONTINUED TO DO SO MORE FREQUENTLY AS I HIT 65,000IN TAKING IT TO MY MECHANIC HE STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR I COMMUTE EVERYDAY TO WORK AND EVERY DAY IMY CAR SAYS CHECK ENGINE REDUCE SPEED WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AND DROPS TO 20MPH I WORK IN BORDENTOWN 295 TO RT1 AND MY CAR REDUCED ENGINE SPEED IN A 55MPH ZONE TO 20

NHTSA ODI 11402850

Mar 11, 2021Engine

I PARK MY CAR BUT I GET A SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS IN PARK

NHTSA ODI 11400392

Mar 11, 2021Electrical systemLightsEngine

GOING TO WORK ON A CITY STREET CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. IT BLACKED OUT. NO HAZARDS NO LIGHTS AND THIS WAS AT 3:30 IN THE MORNING. AND IT'S HAPPENING MORE AND MORE. IT HAPPENED TO MY HUSBAND ON A BUSY STREET. ALL WE CAN DO IS WAIT AND TRY TO START IT UNTIL LUCKILY IT DID. BUT BEFORE THIS STARTED, THE CAR KEPT ON SHUTTING OFF ON ME WHEN I COME TO A STOP. IT'S HAPPENED AT LEAST 6 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS. AND TODAY IT STATED ON THE DASHBOARD THAT IT WAS REDUCING ITS SPEED. WHAT'S NEXT?! IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE I HAVE MY KIDS WITH ME AND I'M AFRAID SOMEONE MIGHT REAR END ME ONE DAY. OR IF IT COMPLETELY BLACKS OUT ON ME ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I HAVE NO ONE TO HELP ME AND I GET STRANDED. I WISH THEY WOULD DO A RECALL. I'VE SEEN ONLINE HOW IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

NHTSA ODI 11402508

Mar 1, 2021EngineDriver assistance

MY CAR KEEPS REDUCING ENGINE SPEED CHEVY FIXED IT ONCE NOW IT'S DOING IT AGAIN. I ALMOST DIED ON THE FREEWAY

NHTSA ODI 11398402

Feb 26, 2021Electrical systemEngine

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER POPPED UP ON THE SCREEN. THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE MORE THAN 20 MPH. LUCKILY I WAS NEAR THE SHOULDER, BUT IF I WASN'T I COULD'VE EASILY GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER VEHICLES AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD GET SOMEONE KILLED.

NHTSA ODI 11398035

Feb 24, 2021EngineFuel system

AS I'M DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, TRYING TO ACCELERATE, A REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT COMES ON AND MY CAR WILL SLOW DOWN TO 20 MPH. I HAVE TO SHUT MY CAR OFF TO GET IT TO ACCELERATE. IT IS DOING THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11397705

Feb 19, 2021Speed controlEngineDriver assistance

VEHICLE REDUCES POWER AT RANDOM TIMES. WITHOUT BEING SIGNALED TO DO SO. HAS HAPPENED ON THE HIGH WAY AND STREETS

NHTSA ODI 11396888

Feb 19, 2021Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY TRYING TO PASS ANOTHER CAR, BUT WHILE I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE ENGINE POWER REDUCE WITH ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR STARTED LOOSING IT'S SPEED. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND NOW MY REMOTE START(FOB) WILL NOT START. IT ATTEMPS TO START BUT THE ENGINE WILLNOT TURN OVER.

NHTSA ODI 11397057

Feb 17, 2021Engine

CAR IS SAYING 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED'. CAR WILL NOT GET UP TO SPEED LIKE NORMAL. DID HAVE EXTREMELY HEAVY SNOWFALL YESTERDAY 02/16/2021 WHEN IT STARTED SAYING THIS ON THE CLUSTER

NHTSA ODI 11396610

Feb 17, 2021Speed controlEngine

THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT IS CONTINUING TO APPEAR. I TOOK IT TO MY GM DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THEY CAN'T FIX IT. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. DROPPING FROM 60 MPH TO 30 MPH ON THE FREEWAY/HIGHWAY IS NOT SAFE.

NHTSA ODI 11396661

Feb 12, 2021Transmission & drivetrainEngine

POWER ENGINE REDUCED INDICATOR WARNING ACROSS SCREEN- NOW IT WILL NOT EVEN RUN 20 MILES WITHOUT BOGGING DOWN TO 20MPH WITH NO WARNING- THEIR IS A RECALL ON IT IT WAS AND ALWAYS IS IN MOTION WHEN THIS OCCURS. FIRST HAPPENED AT 30,000 MILES - CONTINUED TO HAPPEN MAYBE ONCE OR TWICE EVERY FEW MONTHS- NOW HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS RAN! I'VE HAD THE CAR SINCE MARCH 2018 IT NOW HAS 100000 MILES ON IT AND ONLY GETTING WORSE!!

NHTSA ODI 11395886

Feb 10, 2021Speed controlEngine

I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET WHEN MY ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED NOTIFICATION CAME UP ON MY DASH BOARD. MY ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45MPH WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT REDUCED MY SPEED TO 20MPH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME AT THE 20MPH SPEED. I PARKED IT OVERNIGHT AND CHECKED ON IT THE NEXT MORNING. WHEN STARTING MY CAR THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I WAS LOOKING ONLINE AND OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. WHAT IS GOING ON. I NEED HELP

NHTSA ODI 11395570

Feb 10, 2021Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH. THE FAILURE RECURRED ONCE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CARL BLACK CHEVROLET SERVICE (535 MURFREESBORO PIKE, NASHVILLE, TN 37210) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE THROTTLE PRESSURE SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ODI 11395646

Jan 31, 2021Speed controlBrakesEngine

II BOUGHT MY 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS IN AUGUST OF 2017, IN JANUARY OF 2018 MY FIRST ENGINE LIGHT WARNING CAME ON WITH MESSAGE "SHIFT TO PARK" CAME ON WHEN THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN PARK. I MOVED TO DENVER, CO IN JUNE OF 2018 , DURING MY LONG WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE ROCKIES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SHOWING "STABILITY TRACK ISSUES. IN NOVEMBER 2018 WHILE MY FAMILY WAS DRIVING HOME IN A SNOW STORM YET ANOTHER ENGINE LIGHT SHOWING "ENGINE POWEWR REDUCED" THE CAR WENT FROM A 45 MPH DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF HEAVY SNOW TO ALMOST 20 MPH TOO SLOW FOR FREEWAY SPEEDS EVEN IN SNOW. I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP THEY SAID IT WAS A DIRTY SPEED SENSOR. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH I WAS REACHING THE END OF THE FREEWAY WHEN THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, I REACTED BY HITTING MY BRAKES BUT THE PEDAL WAS HARD AS A ROCK, I LOOKED UP AND I WAS FASTLY APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION SO I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE GOT ON THE RIIGHT DIRT SHOULDER, AND WAS ABLE TO SLOW IT DOWN TO ABOUT 35 MPH BEFORE REACHING THE INTERSECTION WHERE I TOOK A SHARP RIGHT TURN TO AVOID HITIING CARS IN FRONT OF ME AND SPUN OUT. THE CAR ISHOWED A MESSAGE "NO REMOTE DETECTED: IT WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START . BEING THAT THE CAR WARRENTY WAS ALREADY EXPIRED I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANICS SHOP WHERE THEY DISCOVERED A CODE READING "BRAKE BOOSTER SENSOR" THEY DISCOVERED A SHATTERED VACUUM PUMP. I GOT IT REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AS WELL AS THE BRAKE SENSOR. I STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO START IT. BECAUSE OF COVID-19 AND MY FINANCIAL SITUATION I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO A DEALERSHIP. I AM SAVING TO HAVE IT TOWED THERE AND HOPEFULLY REPAIRING IT BUT I'M SURE IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WALLET FRIENDLY. WE WERE EXCITED WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR FIRST NEW CAR IT DIDN'T LAST LONG. NOW HOPEFULLY A RECALL AND SOME JUSTICE FOR US HARD WORKING PEOPLE THAT WANT ONLY A RELIABLE CAR WITH NO HIDDEN REPAIR SURPRISES.

NHTSA ODI 11390833

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 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

Dec 30, 2020Speed controlEngine

REDUCED SPEED ENGINE PROBLEM WILL REDUCE SPEED WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ODI 11385695

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 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 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 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

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Working with the data? Download all 720 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 26, 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 Limited verdict →