What 689 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER WAS ON MY INFORMATION DISPLAY AND MY CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH. JUST HAPPENED OUT OF THE BLUE. I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 64,000 MILES ON MY MALIBU. THIS HAPPENED ON A CITY STREET AND NOT IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, BUT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS, IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY. THEN AFTER I LIMPED THE CAR HOME I TURNED IT OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND IT SEEMED NORMAL, BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. I AM GETTING RID OF THIS CAR HAS HAD 5 RECALLS OF VARIOUS PROBLEMS SO FAR. ON ONE OCCASION THE DEALERSHIP HAD MY CAR FOR 2 WEEKS...TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR.

NHTSA ODI 11394349

ON JANUARY 11 2021 WHILE DRIVING MY 2018 CHEVY MALIBU TO WORK I RECEIVED A CHECK ENGINE WARNING ON MY DASH, MY MESSAGE STATING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" CAME ON AND MY CAR SUDDENLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED SPEED FROM 50 TO 20MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER MOTORIST AND HAD TO MANUEVER MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, REESTARTED IT AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER AND BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR ISSUE AND IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RECEIVED THE CAR BACK ON JANUARY 13TH 2020.TODAY, FEBRUARY 1ST 2020 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY CAR EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID BEING HIT AGAIN AND STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY CAR IS NOW BACK AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. AFTER EXPECTING THE ISSUE WAS FIXED AND WOULDNT HAPPEN AGAIN, I AM EXTREMELY FEARFUL FOR MY SAFETY (AND THOSE AROUND ME) IN THIS CAR. I AM A WORKING MOTHER AND NEED TO RELY ON MY CAR TO GET MY FAMILY TO WORK AND SCHOOL.

NHTSA ODI 11390948

MY 2018 MALIBU HAS A FEATURE THAT WHEN THE CAR STOPS THE ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN WHEN YOU APPLY THE BRAKES AND ENGINE WILL START BACK WHEN YOU RELEASE THE BRAKE MY CAR HAS SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN WHEN I'VE COME TO A STOP ALL POWER SHUTS DOWN THE HEAT THE RADIO EVERYTHING

NHTSA ODI 11391115

WHEN I DRIVE I'M LOSING ENGINE POWER WHERE MY SPEED IS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I'VE LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS A RECALL ON MALIBU'S 2016-2018. I HAVEN'T GOT A RECALL ON MY CAR YET BUT THIS DEFECT IN THESE CARS ARE RIDICULOUS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ASAP ABOUT THIS DEFECT. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ON THE ROADS. MY SPEED IS REDUCED WHILE I'M DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11390897

WHILE IN MOTION THE ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED THEN THE CAR SLOWED TO A SPEED OF 20 MPH. UPON STARTING M VEHICLE A WEEK A LATER THE ENGINE REDUCTION WARNING CAME ON AGAIN. THE THROTTLE BODY WAS REPLACED NOW I'M BEING TOLD IT'S THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR . WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS.

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REDUCE ENGINE POWER CAME ON

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS FIANC WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE WITH THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE DRIVER COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL DRIVING HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ARMEN CHEVROLET SERVICE & PARTS DEPARTMENT (41 GREENFIELD AVE, ARDMORE, PA 19003) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

NHTSA ODI 11390057

I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN SUDDENLY CAR DECELERATED TO 20MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING POPPED UP ALONG WITH A ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS EVEN AFTER TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11390098

MY CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 62,000 MILES AT ABOUT 28,000 MILES THE WARNING WAS COMING ON REDUCED SPEED I'D BE ON THE ROAD AND THE CAR WOULD START SLOWING DOWN AND EVEN SOMETIMES ON THE INTERSTATE AND RECENTLY STARTED COMING ON AGAIN I COULD FEEL A POPPING LIKE IN THE GAS PEDAL. THEN THE OTHER DAY I WAS SITTING IN A PARKING LOT AND THE SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE CAME ON WHEN I WENT TO PULL OFF IT JUST JUMPED. THERE WAS NO WAY TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO BACK IT UP I WASN'T EVEN ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF. I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR RUNNING IN THE PARKING LOT FOR HOURS UNTIL IT DIED. THEN BEFORE THIS THE CAR MOVED SO SLOW IT HARDLY TOOK OFF. OTHER CARS HAVE TO GO AROUND ME. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR TWO YEARS AND JUST SEEMS LIKE ISSUE AFTER ISSUE. GM SHOULD BE ASHAMED AND REIMBURSE PEOPLE FOR THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11389595

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY SPEED WAS INSTANTLY REDUCED AS I WAS DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT GOES OFF AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION BUT I COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS AND IT WILL OCCUR, CAUSING A SUDDEN SLOWER SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 11388987

WHEN I'M SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT AWAITING MY TURN TO PROCEED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BREAK THE CAR IS FINE. AFTER SITTING AT THE LIGHT AND IT'S TIME TO DRIVE, I REMOVE MY FOOT FROM THE BREAK AND MY CAR SHUTS COMPLETELY OFF. WHEN I APPLY A LITTLE GAS THE CAR TURNS BACK ON AND IT MALFUNCTIONS EVEN MORE. MY DASH BOARD GOES HAYWIRE WITH DIFFERENT ERROR MESSAGES. IT SAYS THE FUEL IS LOW WHICH IT IS NOT, I COULD HAVE A FULL TANK. THE BACK DOOR IS UNLOCKED, I'VE NEVER SEEN THAT MESSAGE BEFORE UNTIL THE MALFUNCTION. MY BLINKER TONE EVEN CHANGES AND MY CAR IS RELUCTANT TO ACCELERATE. THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE NOW.

NHTSA ODI 11388545

I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 50 MPH AND I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND AS I HIT 55 MPH I GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE READING, 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND THE ABS LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT BOTH LIT UP. I ALSO COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY LONGER. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED ABOUT 3 MINUTES AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, I DID NOT GET A MESSAGE HOWEVER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL WAS LIT BUT NOT THE ABS LIGHT. I DROVE TO AN AUTOZONE GOT HE CODE READ AND IT WAS P2138. I LOOKED UP ONLINE AND IT SEEMS AS IF THOUSANDS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH 2016-2018 MALIBU'S AND CRUZES. I'M ALSO AWARE GM HAS HAD A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM OVER THIS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOUNTAIN VIEW CHEVROLET, INC. (1079 W FOOTHILL BLVD UPLAND, CA 91786, (909) 353-7103) WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

NHTSA ODI 11388353

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TRACKING LIGHT, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP , LOW ENGINE AND CAN'T EXCEED 45 ~ 50 MPH ALL HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION

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2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A FLAT SMOOTH ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WILL STICK IN THE STRAIGHT POSITION. IT REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT TO BREAK FREE FROM THIS POSITION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK AND EXTRA CORRECTION IS NEEDED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN CONTROL. IT HAS HAPPENED ALMOST EVERYDAY SINCE BEGINNING OF JANUARY 2021.

NHTSA ODI 11387276

WHILE GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS ON MY 2018 MALIBU, I RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION ON MY DASH THAT SAID MY ENGINE WAS LOSING POWER. AFTER CLEARING THE NOTIFICATION, MY CAR DROPPED IN MPH AND I COULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 60MPH. AFTER A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER THAT, MY MPH DROPPED AGAIN AND I COULDN'T GO FASTER THAN 25 MPH WHILE MY RPMS WERE SPIKING AT 4000. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THE ACCELERATION SENSOR IS BAD AND I HAD TO REPLACE MY ACCELERATOR AND WAS FOREWARNED THAT THIS IS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE IT'S A FACTORY DEFECT. I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM GIVEN THERE'S A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ALREADY OUT THERE. BUT I WANTED TO ADD TO THE MASSES SO CHEVY IS FORCED TO FIX THIS ISSUE BEFORE PEOPLE GET SERIOUSLY HURT.

NHTSA ODI 11387219

SO MANY ISSUES, CAR CURRENTLY NOT STARTING. CODES WERE FOR BRAKE BOOSTER AND MAF SENSORS, REPLACED BOTH. STILL WON'T START. OPEN RECALL EMC, CALLED DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED RECALL IS FREE BUT SINCE IT WON'T START I HAVE TO PAY 125 SO THEY CAN HOOK IT TO COMPUTER. SHIFT TO GEAR HAPPENS WEEKLY, CAR WILL BE IN PARK. STABILTRACK CAME ON A FEW TIMES, BUT GOES AWAY. IT TELLS ME ICY CONDITIONS ON EVAN WARM DAYS, DISPLAY WILL GO BLACK BU USUALLY RANDOMLY COMES ON. THE WORST IS THE REDUCED ENGINE MODE. THERE IS NO RHYME OR REASON. I HAVE BEEN ON THE STREET DOING ABOUT 35 MPH AND IT DOES IT ALSO ON HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEEDS WITH 4 KIDS IN THE CAR, TERRIFYING AND DANGEROUS. I AM SURE I'M FORGETTING THINGS I HAVE JUST COME TO NOT FEEL SAFE OR COMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR, LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS NO HELP. TOOK A PICTURE OF ONE OF THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED BUT THAT WAS 20000 MILES AGO, HAPRNS RANDOMLY AND ALMOST IN CLUSTERS. I CAN GO A MONTH OR 2 WITH NOTHING AND THEN IT'S 2-4 TIMES A DAY FOR A FEW DAYS OR WEEKS, AND THEN STOPS.

NHTSA ODI 11386895

TWO TIMES MY VEHICLE HAS DISPLAYED ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WELL AND MY VEHICLE SPEED WAS AUTOMATICALLY REDUCE TO ABOUT 20 MPH ALMOST CAUSING A CRASH WITH THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON THE ENTIRE DAY EVEN AFTER POWERING DOWN MY VEHICLE. ALSO THERE IS A LOUD WATER NOISE WHEN COMING TO A STOP LIKE WATER IS RUNNING THROUGH THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION SYSTEM. THIS WATER NOISE OCCURRED WITH MY 2013 MALIBU AS WELL AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.MY VEHICLE IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPERIENCING THESE TYPES OF ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11386553

WHEN DRIVING, MESSAGE WILL APPEAR ON DASH STATING THAT ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. MY CAR WILL GO IN TO LIMP MODE, AND WILL NOT INCREASE HIGHER THAN ABOUT 340 RPM, AND CANNOT ACCELERATE FASTER THAN 25 MPH. SOMETIMES I HAVE BEEN I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND RESTART MY ENGINE, AND THIS ERROR WILL GO AWAY. THERE WERE A COUPLE TIMES WHERE THIS ERROR DID NOT IMMEDIATELY GO AWAY AFTER RESTARTING MY ENGINE AND I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HOME AT 25 MPH. LUCKILY I HAVE NO BEEN REAR ENDED YET, BUT THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND IS FREQUENT WITH 2018 MALIBU'S ACCORDING TO SEVERAL ONLINE ARTICLES.

NHTSA ODI 11386378

REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND LOSS OF POWER OCCURED. THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING, BUT IT SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. BATTERY AND ELECTRIC SYSTEM WAS STILL ON, BUT THE DASH AND EVERYTHING ELSE DIMMED OUT AS WELL. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH.

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REDUCE POWER MESSAGE APPEARED WHILE IN TRAFFIC REDUCING SPEED DRAMATICALLY. WAS NOT ABLE TO GO MORE THAN 13 MPH IN A 50MPH ZONE.

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TAKING MY FIANC TO THE AIRPORT SO THAT HE CAN REPORT FOR DUTY AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY COMES TO A SPEED OF 20MPH ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSE A VEHICLE BEHIND ME TO COME TO A CLOSE CONTACT WITH MY CAR. REPLACED SENSOR AND PEDAL AS INSTRUCTED BECAUSE I AM FRESH OUT OF MY WARRANTY AND A MONTH LATER. THE ISSUE RETURNED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY 200 TO 500 EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS OR MO THE TO FIX THIS ISSUE. CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HAS ELECTED TO DO NOTHING. IT HAS BEEN REOCCURRING IN2016 TO 2018 VEHICLES.

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MY CAR RANDOMLY DISPLAYED A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD THAT SAID "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" TRACTION LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED AND IT BROUGHT MY SPEED LIMIT TO AROUND 20 WHILE I WAS ON A BUSY STREET. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND GOT THE POWER BACK BUT HAS DONE IT 3 MORE TIME IN 2 DAYS. VERY SCARY WITH 2 BABIES IN THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11385665

IN MAY OF 2020 I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP IN WOODBRIDGE,VA FOR A ECM RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. AFTER WAITING FOR THEM TO DO THE RECALL THEY STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. FROM OCTOBER TO CURRENT MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DOING EVERYTHING THAT WAS STATED IN THE RECALL WHICH LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THEY NEVER CHANGED THE PART. MY VEHICLE HAS SHUT OFF ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ALMOST CAUSING ME A ACCIDENT AND MOST DAYS NOW IT WON'T EVEN START. I GOT MY BATTERY CHECKED OUT AND MY BATTERY TESTED 100% SO I KNOW THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET THAT PART REPLACED. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY WHEN IT'S ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF MONTHS SINCE THE RECALL, SOMETHING ISN'T RIGHT. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. -THANK YOU!

NHTSA ODI 11385419

WHEN PUT IN PARK A MESSAGE SHOWS SHIFT TO PARK. I HAVE TO SHOVE IT INTO PARK BEFORE CAR WOULD TURN OFF. WHEN STOPPING AND MAKING TURNS THERE IS A SLOUSHING SOUND (WATER) COMING FROM THE DASH. I GOT BOTH ITEMS FIXED OUT OF MY OWN POCKET BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE AIR POCKET BUT IT DID COVER SHIFT TO PARK WITH A $50 DEDUCTIBLE. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW SO NOT SURE WHY ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE HAPPENING. I KNOW SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. THESE ITEMS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED SEEING THE CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD.

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