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)

6 of 689 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Dec 1, 2025BrakesCrash1 injury

The brake booster unit, vacuum pump , brake light switch failed and malfunctioned and it is available. My safety and others on the road was at risk due to brakes being stiff and hard as a brick. Possibly nearly hit an other vehicles on the road. No warning lamps or other symptoms prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI 11702328

Aug 2, 2023BrakesCrash

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed with the brake pedal depressed all the way to the floorboard, the vehicle failed to reduce speed. As a result, he collided with the vehicle in the right lane on the rear driver's side. No air bags were deployed. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed, but no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the engine vacuum pump, resulting in a lack of vacuum for the brake booster. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number 18V576000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11536111

Jan 14, 2020BrakesCrash

WELL I GOT IN A WRECK YESTERDAY AROUND 4 PM IN CITY LIMITS IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC AND THE LADY HAD STOP SOMEWHAT ABRUPTLY SO I HAD TO STOP ABRUPTLY AND MY BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME AND THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME AT THESE BRAKES HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE JUST A SECOND WREAK I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE IN EIGHT MONTHS AND I DON'T HAVE WRECKED VEHICLES THIS IS ALL NEW SO I WANT TO GET MY CAR CHECKED OUT SEE IF THERE'S SOMETHING MALFUNCTIONING WITH MY BRAKES BECAUSE BOTH TIMES THE BRAKES LOCKED UP ON ME WHEN THEY SHOULD'VE STOPPED BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO FAST

NHTSA ODI 11299183

Oct 28, 2019BrakesEngineCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE WERE NOTIFIED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A REPORT WAS GENERATED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE PELVIC AREA AND AROUND HER WAIST FROM THE SEAT BELT THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,500.

NHTSA ODI 11271586

Oct 24, 2019Fuel systemTransmission & drivetrainElectrical systemBrakesCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT'S STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO PARK; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, BUT IT CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND LOW POWER MODE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL AS THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP AND IT CRASHED INTO A BOULDER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH CRAIN CHEVROLET (9911 I-30, LITTLE ROCK, AR 72209, (501) 436-4484) AND WAS INFORMED TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS SENT TO THE COLLISION DEPARTMENT AND THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO HER APARTMENT FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT NOT TO TOUCH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED CHEVROLET DEALER SO THAT IT COULD BE ASSESSED BY AN INVESTIGATOR. AFTER SOME BACK AND FORTH WITH THE ORIGINAL DEALER, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GWATNEY CHEVROLET (1301 T P WHITE DR, JACKSONVILLE, AR 72076, (501) 295-4448) WHERE AN INVESTIGATOR DETERMINED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAULT WITH THE VEHICLE. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V642000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE) THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,196.

NHTSA ODI 11270641

Aug 20, 2019BrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING AT A LOW SPEED INTO A DRIVEWAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIGHT FOOT, WHIPLASH, AND SEVERAL BRUISES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WEIL TOWING AND STORAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED OR NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V576000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11245197

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 →