Home · 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Eco · Complaints

What 689 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

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 (689)Crash / fire / injury (29)Engine (275)Electrical system (190)Transmission & drivetrain (168)Speed control (110)Fuel system (99)Brakes (67)Steering (40)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (21)Airbags (14)Suspension (13)

190 of 689 complaints match · Electrical system · clear filters · page 3 of 8

Oct 21, 2023Electrical system

My turbo failed while I was on a very busy highway, causing me from going 70mph to 35mph in a matter of seconds and almost being hit. This put my life and my friends life at risk since we were in the left lane. Now that I’ve been fighting with the dealership ti help make this right they found a GM warranty that fixed and updated electrical sensors. We fixed that first because at the time we thought that was what it was. My turbo gave out again up in the mountains almost killing me and my friend a second time on a busy road. We made it to a parking lot and called a tow truck. Now the stabiltrak is showing up and the car refuses to start, it makes a whooshing sound and doesn’t start completely. (There is fuel, oil, etc). I was sold an unsafe vehicle and now I’m stuck paying 500$ a month for a car that’s unsafe and refuses to work even when it’s been fixed. The dealership is refusing to help me, I’m at a loss. I still owe 18k and I can’t have an in working car sitting in my apartment complex, it will get towed and cost me more money.. I need help. I was sold a car that almost killed me twice and no one seems to care.

NHTSA ODI 11551208

Oct 19, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now car drove rought made it home to shutting down shift to park message came on I was not on the first recall list

NHTSA ODI 11550822

Oct 18, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now coming home my car made noises when I parked it said shift to park Friday GM said I'm to repair the problem with my studies it's gm hidden defects I was not on the first recall I seen on goggle NHTSA please help me with this car problems and please help 513 complaints as well on the 2018 Chevy Malibu breakdowns

NHTSA ODI 11550719

Oct 16, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Wanted to shut off just now at the stop intersection and when I got home shift to park message came on

NHTSA ODI 11550169

Oct 12, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

While waiting at the stop just now my car made noises to wanting to stop on me luckily I made it home when I parked again it gave me shift to park message

NHTSA ODI 11549628

Oct 9, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now my car made odd noises to wanting to stop I got home and shift to park message came on well NHTSA help me GM don't want to help

NHTSA ODI 11548947

Oct 3, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just not my car drove very odd to noises to shift to park message

NHTSA ODI 11547913

Oct 1, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Coming to Walmart at the stop waiting for the light to turn green my car made noises parking at Walmart shift to park message came on. I was not on the first recall list I need help GM should fix the problem repurchase my car or replace it

NHTSA ODI 11547558

Sep 30, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now I got back from leaving my son to work at the stop loud loud loud noises in my hood to sound like transmission noise to wanting to shut down again luckily I made it home again shift to park message came on I have a month half calling GM to asking to speak to a supervisor no response to emailing gm CEO to no reply who do I run to nhtsa for help yet no help who do I run to that can help me before I get injured or killed in this car this is my only car I'm asking it be fixed replace or repurchase I was not on the last recall list help help help help

NHTSA ODI 11547461

Sep 29, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Today is 41 days with noises coming out of my car to 41 days to shift to park message again today my car wanted to turn off at the stop luckily I made it home to parking and again shift to park message came on GM supervisor never called me to NHTSA never helps so who do I run to for help I don't want to be injured or killed in this car on August 18,2023 while driving lost power to no gas no brakes to driving like this for five minutes to shutting down I'm I to be injured or killed in that when nhtsa gonna help me GM should be shut down and NHTSA should not say there helping you both are jokes....Help me and help all of us that have making complaints on these dam cars.....

NHTSA ODI 11547424

Sep 28, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

At the traffic light my car made noises headed back home as I parked again I got shift to park message I read on goggle that there been a recall my car was not on that recall list and I keep getting shift to park message GM shut them down NHTSA what are you here for no one has called me on these complaints I've been doing NHTSA to should shut down well you ever help me or help us all hello help us.....

NHTSA ODI 11547227

Sep 27, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Yesterday my car was acting out at the stop I did to wanting to turn off and again shift to park message came on my car has never been on the recall I need help to gm fix problems or replace or repurchase my car

NHTSA ODI 11546763

Sep 22, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Today my car made noise at the stop then getting home at drive way more noise to turning off the car shift to park message came on if GM is keep this defect hidden why NHTSA not making them implement recall or replace or repurchase this car help me and help owners that own 2018 Chevy Malibus I don't want others to get injured or killed in there car help me and help owners that own 2018 Chevy Malibu why have NHTSA if I or no one else gets the help we need make GM do what they need to do or close gm down like my car shuts me down

NHTSA ODI 11546118

Sep 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now I got out from church and again shift to park message came on please help me it's my only car

NHTSA ODI 11545750

Sep 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just got here to savemart my car made noises to again shift to park message to scary see if I make it home something needs to be done gm needs to fix this car or close gm down id love to see gm shut down like this car shuts down this is my only car please help me by then fixing my car or replace it or repurchase it is hate to be injured or killed in this car

NHTSA ODI 11545768

Sep 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Just now my car made noises shift to park message came on I called general Motor just now they refuse to fix my car and refuse to replace or repurchase my car who can help me with this please NHTSA help me or referred me to who can help me this is my only car please help me

NHTSA ODI 11545853

Sep 21, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Made noises out while I was driving at right now I drove home to again shift to park message omg this is to much please help me today again gm said no to replacement no repurchase this is my only car please help me

NHTSA ODI 11545938

Sep 20, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBrakes

Just now getting to Walmart my shift to park message came on my 2018 Chevy Mailbu

NHTSA ODI 11545553

Sep 19, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBrakes

Again today my shift to park message came on to some odd noise help me please

NHTSA ODI 11545309

Sep 19, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBrakes

Today again shift to park message came on

NHTSA ODI 11545474

Sep 17, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Warning lights never come up for the five years I've had it On August 18, 2023 while driving I lost power to no gas no brakes to driving like this for five minutes at the end shift to park message came on I was scared thank God I didn't die. On September 15,2023 Ed Denas dealership stated my car fine I disagree with them as again shift to park message comes up. On September 17, 2023 when I parked at my driveway I got the message shift to park. Please help me and please help 2018 Chevy Mailbu customers. That gm implement the recall or gm replacement or gm repurchase these 2018 Chevy Malibu this is the only car I have please help me. Thank you

NHTSA ODI 11545077

Sep 13, 2023SteeringSuspensionElectrical system

My car has auto stop and every time it cranks back up my radio blinks off, my lights blink off, all the lights on my dashboard come on and the error message Steering Assist is Reduced comes on the message center. Sometimes it doesn’t want to crank back up. Today when all that happened the message service stabilitrac also came up. I can’t find any recalls.

NHTSA ODI 11544208

Aug 24, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

No warnings was given.it was scary.my car lost power to 20 mph it drove to where I was able to safely get off the road gave me error messages to shutting down. I sure don't want this happening to others

NHTSA ODI 11540451

Aug 24, 2023Electrical systemBrakes

When I put my car in park a notice comes up in my dashboard saying “shift to park” even though when I take my foot off the break it’s in parked. I took it to a Chevy dealer and said it will $500+ to fix. I have asked 5 other people with my same car (2018 or 2019) and they have the same issue. Now my car is having issues when shifting gears. There seems to be a delay in gear shifts when I go from drive to reverse or to park.

NHTSA ODI 11540520

Aug 22, 2023SteeringElectrical systemEngine

My check engine light will come on, a message will pop up on the screen saying, "steering assist reduced drive with care." When i come to a stop and my car goes into auto stop the car will completely shut down. This can be in the middle of the street or during traffic. It will take my car awhile to start back up. I was told it is a sensor that is going bad consistently, this has happened to me 3 times. This is a known issue with a lot of Chevy Malibu.

NHTSA ODI 11540051

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Working with the data? Download all 689 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 24, 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Eco verdict →