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 8 of 11

Feb 22, 2020Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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

Feb 17, 2020Engine

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

Feb 11, 2020BrakesEngineFuel system

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

Feb 10, 2020Engine

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

Feb 7, 2020Speed controlEngine

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

Jan 23, 2020Engine

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

Jan 22, 2020Electrical systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

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

Jan 22, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

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

Jan 16, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

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

Jan 10, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

DRIVING AT ABOUT 55MPH THEN WITHOUT WARNING MESSAGE ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SHOWED LOW POWER ENGINE MODE WITH EMISSION WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. SPEED DROPPED ALMOST INSTANTLY FROM 55MPH TO ABOUT 35MPH!!!!! SETTING STAGE FOR POSSIBLE REAR END COLLISION BUT WAS LUCKY THIS TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11298435

Jan 6, 2020Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SLOWED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAULTY ACCELERATOR PEDAL. PART WAS REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE 14 MONTHS INTO THE LIFE OF THE CAR. 8 MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING FOR THE NEXT 5 MONTHS, SOMETIMES 3 TO 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY OR NOT AL ALL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS. CAR WAS AGAIN PRESENTED TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND IT SHOWED THAT THE SAME FAULT OCCURRED. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GENERAL MOTORS. FAULT CODES P2138 FOR ACCELERATOR PEDAL, C0242 AND U0401 FOR TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. NEITHER OF THESE FAULTS WERE ADDRESSED BY THE DEALER DURING THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11297372

Dec 27, 2019Speed controlEngine

THE CAR RANDOMLY WILL REDUCE ENGINE POWER, LOWERING SPEEDS TO 20MPH OR LESS. THIS HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS HAS OCCURED OVER 20 TIMES OVER THE PAST 7 DAYS, INCLUDING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70MPH AND THE IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO 20MPH, CAUSING ME TO SWERVE TO THE SHOULDER AND ALMOST WAS HIT BY THREE ON COMING VEHICLES AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11291498

Dec 21, 2019SteeringElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND I CAME TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND MY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT START BACK. IT WAS FRIGHTENING BECAUSE SOMEONE COULD HAVE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. AFTER THE OFFICER JUMP MY CAR OFF IT CRANK BACK UP BUT I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND PLACE ON THE MACHINE AND THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR IS FINE. THE CAR SINCE THEN HAVE SHUT DOWN 4 MORE TIMES AND AFTER SITTING FOR A WHILE IT STARTED BACK UP. ONCE AGAIN THIS HAPPENED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. PLEASE CHECK IF OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO A FEW TIMES THE DOORS CAME UNLOCK AT A STOP LIGHT OR STOPPING OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP. 2017 MALIBU EZ

NHTSA ODI 11290650

Dec 16, 2019EngineFuel system

ON NOVEMBER 27 ,MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE MALIBU AT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SHE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER,DOWN TO 20 MPH. . TRAFFIC BACKED UP AND CAME TO SCREECHING SLOW DOWN. SHE FERRIED FOR HER SAFETY AND PULLED OVER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. SHE SHUT ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTED VEHICLE TO CONTINUE DRIVE HOME AT NO MORE THAN 30 MPH. CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT GET TO IT TILL FOLLOWING WEEK. SHE DID NOT DRIVE IT ANYMORE. DIAGNOSIS AT DEALER WAS BAD ACCELERATOR SWITCH. THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY AND SAID IT MAYBE MONTHS BECAUSE OF THIS BIG PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS DOWN 15 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM BEFOR IT WAS FIXED.

NHTSA ODI 11289343

Dec 14, 2019Speed controlEngine

ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING CAME ON WITH ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHT CAR SPEED DROPPED

NHTSA ODI 11289032

Dec 3, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY SON IN THE CAR, THE DRIVER SCREEN DASH FLASHED A MESSAGE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED', THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNED ON, AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE SAFELY. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, MY CAR WOULD NOT EXCEED 45 MPH AND WOULD NOT SHIFT. AFTER PULLING MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE BUSY HIGHWAY AND LETTING IT SET, I WAS ABLE TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME. THIS HAS SINCE HAPPENED FIVE ADDITIONAL TIMES AND IS HAPPENING AT A MORE RAPID RATE. I TOOK MY CAR THE OREILLEYS AND AUTOZONE TO HAVE THEM RUN A GENERAL DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND THE ERROR CODE BEING RETURNED WAS 'P2138' - 'THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH D / E VOLTAGE CORRELATION'. I THEN SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, WHERE TECHNICIANS ALSO RAN A MORE THOROUGH DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND FOUND MY CAR NEEDED A NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. THIS PART IS NOT FUNCTIONING AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO AND AT THE VERY LEAST IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA ODI 11286721

Nov 26, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

CAR WILL INDICATE 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND WILL ABRUPTLY REDUCE SPEED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN NOT ONLY TO MYSELF BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD AS WELL. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? I SEE IT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THESE MODELS OF CHEVY MALIBU. HAPPENS EVERYDAY, MOST OF THE TIME MORE THAN ONCE. MY COMMUTE TO WORK IS ABOUT 25MIN AND IT DID IT 3 TIMES TODAY.

NHTSA ODI 11282402

Nov 26, 2019Speed controlEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND ENGINE REDUCED INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEVE RAYMAN CHEVROLET (678-269-7886, LOCATED AT 2155 COBB PKWY SE, SMYRNA, GA 30080) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 20,000.

NHTSA ODI 11282543

Nov 13, 2019SteeringElectrical systemEngine

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR SAYS "STEERING ASSIST REDUCED. DRIVE WITH CARE". IT HAS STARTED OUT OF NO WHERE

NHTSA ODI 11279895

Nov 10, 2019Electrical systemEngineFuel system

ENGINE LIGHT ON CONTINUALLY AND NEVER WENT OFF; I DROVE TO DEALER WHO SAID THE GAS CAP AREA OF FUEL LINE WAS LEAKING; NEEDS TO BE REPLACED THEY SAID AND TRIED TO ORDER IT FROM GM BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART; THEY ORDERED THE PART AND CANNOT TELL ME WHEN IT IS COMING. THEY COULD NOT ADVISE ME ON THE SAFETY OF THIS CONDITION. I KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THEIR MODEL CAR. CAN I DRIVE THIS OR SHOULD THE DEALER GIVE ME A LOANER? I AM STILL UNDER THE 3 YEAR BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD PROBLEMS FILLING THE CAR AND IT IS NEVER COMPLETELY FULL. WE HAVE BROUGHT IT TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT THIS WITH NO ADVISE. THEY DID RECALIBRATE ONE TIME. THEY SAID IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE DASH BOARD REPORTING LESS GAS THAN IS IN THE TANK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW ABOUT THIS AS WE CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11279239

Nov 1, 2019Electronic Stability Control (esc)Engine

THE VEHICLE DISPLAYS/FLASHES QUICKLY, STABILI TRACK SYSTEM ERROR (MAYBE NOT THE EXACT WORDS) AND AFTER A WHILE THE ENGINE SPEED DECREASES. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME 3 TIMES AND TWO HAPPENED TO BE WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 70MPH AND THE VEHICLE SPEED SUDDENLY DECREASES TO 30MPH DUE WITH ANY WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11277447

Oct 28, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

FOR THREE WEEKS I HAVE BEEN GETTING A "SHIFT TO PARK" ERROR WHEN I PLACE CAR IN PARK. IT PREVENTS ME FROM FULLY TURNING CAR OFF AND WILL NOT ALLOW DOORS TO LOCK. I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SHIFTER TO GET THE WARNING TO COME OFF. LAST WEEK IT WAS IN THE SHOP AT BASIL CHEVROLET IN DEPEW, NY AND THEY REPLACED THE SHIFT RELAY AND IT IS STILL DOING IT. TODAY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY MY CAR SUDDENLY SHOWED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT, SLOWED DOWN TO APPROXIMATELY 10-15 MILES PER HOUR AND SHOWED "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" WARNING ON THE DASHBOARD. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO A PARKING LOT BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AND THE "SHIFT TO PARK" WARNING SHOWED. FINALLY GOT THAT ERROR TO GO OFF AND SHUT OFF CAR. CAR WAS ABLE TO RESTART WITH ONLY THE ENGINE LIGHT ON. STAYED ON FOR THE NEXT 35 MILES. JUST WENT BACK OUT AT LUNCH TIME AND NOW NO LIGHTS AND IT WAS DRIVING FINE UNTIL I TRIED SHUTTING OFF AND THE "SHIFT TO PARK" WOULDN'T GO OFF NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRIED TO WIGGLE THE HANDLE. CAR GOING BACK TO DEALER AT 5PM.

NHTSA ODI 11271593

Oct 15, 2019Engine

ON JULY 22, 2019 WHILE OUT OF TOWN, MY CAR WENT INTO REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE, EVERYTHING LOCKED UP AND THE CAR CUT OFF. THE CAR WOULD NOT START BACK UP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE CLOSEST SHOP WHERE IT WOULD SIT FOR ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF. I WAS TOLD THAT INITIALLY IT WAS A SENSOR, THEN COME TO FIND OUT THE CAMSHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT TOOK A FEW WEEKS TO GET THE PARTS AS THEY SAID THEY WERE ON BACK ORDER. FINALLY I GET THE MONEY TO PICK THE CAR UP. UPON GETTING INTO THE CAR ON OCTOBER 12, WHILE STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NOW I AM TOLD THAT THE SENSORS AND PISTONS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS 89,000 MILES ON IT AND OVER ALL THE TOTAL REPAIRS WILL BE OVER SEVEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. I HAVE SENT SOME DOCUMENTATION TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH REGARDS TO CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM NUMBER N182195660 ATTACHED BELOW. THIS DESCRIBES EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN WRONG WITH MY CAR THIS TIME IN THE SHOP AND THE REPAIRS THAT THEY NEED DO WITH THE PISTONS AS OF NOW. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO GM TO OPEN A CASE TO SEE IF MY CAR COULD BE PART OF THIS NOTIFICATION, THOUGH THEY HAVE INITIALLY TOLD ME ITS NOT, ITS TOO OBVIOUS THAT THE CAR MEETS EVERYTHING THAT IS DESCRIBED IN THE NOTICE.

NHTSA ODI 11268644

Oct 12, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

REDUCED ENGINE POWER IS A NORM FOR THESE NEW CHEVY MALIBU'S MY ENGENDER IS REDUCING POWER AGAIN. THEY CHARGES ME $345 LAST DECEMBER 3018 TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THIS OCTOBER 2019, IT'S DOING THE SAME THING. IT WILL REDUCE SPEED ON HIGHWAY UNDER 50 MPH AND I COULD HAVE BEEN HIT BY OTHER CARS IF THEY DID NOT NOTICE.

NHTSA ODI 11268079

Sep 18, 2019Electrical systemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, IT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART INDEPENDENTLY AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STARTED TO BLINK AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT CALLED MORITZ CHEVROLET (9101 CAMP BOWIE, DR. WEST STE. # 1, FORT WORTH, TX 76116, (817) 696-2000) AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,211.

NHTSA ODI 11256381

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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 →