What 188 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

The first problem with my car was the tire pressure monitor. The location of each tire was wrong on the informant section. Soon after purchasing the car when ever I would park the car would not shut off and the DIC would display Shift to park message. Around 6 months after the purchase the brake pedal was getting harder the press down on and within a week from that while driving home from work the car completely shut off in the middle of traffic. It wouldn't start leaving me stuck on a busy street with heavy traffic blocking use of the lane. After 10 minutes it started back up and I barely made it into a parking lot of a shopping center with it shutting off again before I can park. I had to get a tow. I didnt go to an authorized dealer. I took it to a certified mechanic and had to replace the brake vacuum booster. The motor had to be cleaned out due to broken metal that got inside. After that repair car seemed okay until March 2026. The car now is in high idle and struggles to pick up speed. The message on DIC says engine power reduced. On the freeway the car can be going with the flow of traffic then suddenly engine power is reduce rpms go up high and it drops speed struggling to pick up. I paid the loan $16,000 off using what I had saved. I cant go out and purchase a new or used car.

NHTSA ODI 11738236

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon shifting to park(P) and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. While investigating the failure online, the contact became aware that it was a common failure, and there was an ongoing Class Action Lawsuit related to the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

NHTSA ODI 11727912

Year 2019, code P1101- vehicle hesitates while drive, will reduce power while driving, while sitting idle at a stop the car will die and I will have to restart the vehicle. Multiple times while driving on the highway at 70mph my car has all of a sudden either reduced power causing the car to jerk and shudder very hard or has lost all power completely and forced me to pull over while avoiding other drivers on the road. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AND RECALLED ASAP TO GET IT FIXED. I am not in a financial spot to just go buy a new car and I shouldn't have too either. I'm scared to even drive 10 miles down the road to take my children to daycare/school because of how bad it is.

NHTSA ODI 11725206

- started shutting shutting off at while in drive. - started having reduced power - started idiling high while driving - initially there was no codes - last night I drove, I put in drive gear but it was delayed so I had to keep moving from park to drive for it to full go into drive - the codes came P0325 P0505 P0507 P0700 P1101 P2714 After I was driving up an incline the car stopped moving forward and started reversing backwards. One other independent shop advised they were able to produce but couldn’t figure out the problem because no code were shown at the time. There has been many people having the same issues I started off with and I found the forum to file a report .

NHTSA ODI 11721239

The component that failed is the internal microswitch/sensor within the gear shifter assembly. The specific part that requires replacement is often documented in General Motors Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-NA-206 or 23-NA-119. The faulty component is available for inspection if the dealership removes the old part and retains it. My safety and the safety of others are put at risk because the vehicle often fails to register that it is fully in "Park," which prevents the vehicle from shutting off properly, potentially leaving it in accessory mode. This could lead to a dead battery, leaving me stranded. More importantly, the failure to confirm the 'Park' state introduces a risk of the vehicle not being securely immobilized, creating a roll-away hazard if parked on an incline. The problem has been confirmed by local Chevrolet dealership service centers (receipts available). The issue is identical to the defect that prompted official safety recalls for numerous other GM models, including the 2017-2018 GMC Acadia. Furthermore, the symptoms described match those outlined in the active class-action settlement for 2016-2019 Malibu owners (STPLawsuit.com).

NHTSA ODI 11704338

My 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has severe safety defects involving the engine, powertrain, and speed control. The vehicle will sometimes accelerate on its own with my foot off the gas, and other times it loses all power while pulling into traffic. This creates an immediate risk of a crash. Multiple diagnostic codes appear repeatedly, including P0299 (turbo underboost), P0101 (mass air flow performance), P1101 (intake airflow performance), and P0506 (idle control RPM too low). The charge-air hose repeatedly blows off the throttle body while driving, causing sudden loss of power. The vehicle was sold to me by a dealer as safe and reliable, but these defects appeared shortly after purchase. The unintended acceleration and sudden loss of power make the car dangerous to drive. This appears to be a serious mechanical and safety-related defect that could cause an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11701612

I was traveling down i-25 at 75 mph because that is what the speed limit here in Colorado. I was traveling south heading to Colorado Springs to visit family and i was entering near Castle Rock and my vechile would not go at all forward and it seemed as if I lost power to acceleration and I believe it was 2 or 3 lanes to exit off an off ramp as cars pasted me by honking their horns it was very scary as I pulled over to the side of the road letting it glide or coast to a stop very slowly I finally came to a stop.. as I have been reading some recalls due too a transmission issues for these types of vechiles I really hope I'm going about it right and someone reaches out to me about what it is that might be going on because even though my car does not have it listed by a Vin number I still believe that my 2019 Chevy Malibu has been subject to recalls for issues including a faulty rear seat belt retractor and a transmission problem that could lead to a loss of propulsion. The rear seat belt recall involves improperly secured retractors, and the transmission recall is due to a start-stop accumulator endcap with missing bolts, which could cause a leak and a loss of propulsion or a fire risk. And would like to have this addressed and or hits the right people concerning this not only for myself but safety for other people traveling at high speeds like myself that night... I was 5 days past my dealership warranty when I purchased the vechile from them and made it 6 days because I could get ahold of anyone on the 5 day when this incident occurred and then I called GM because I believe it would of fell under a drive train warranty but they said which was only 5 years warranty on this vechile from the day it was purchased its first time my vechile only has 82000 miles on it and I got it from a dealership here in Colorado with 64 or 62000 miles and since then I'm paying on a vechile that is no longer in service parked Sincerely and hopefully this reaches the right person...

NHTSA ODI 11700712

Sunday, September 21, 2025, while on my way to church around 8:40am, while driving in traffic, car began to slow and then stopped (CAR WAS IN DRIVE, NOT IN PARK). The "Shift to Park" and ABS light appeared on dashboard. After the car completely stopped, and with other motorists blowing their horns behind me, I put the vehicle in park and was able to restart it. I immediately returned home and called a church member for a ride. I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN THE CAR STOPPED IN MOVING TRAFFIC WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING IT! I scheduled an appointment for a diagnostic and brought it in to the dealership on Monday, September, 22, 2025. It was kept overnight and two diagnostics were performed (they charged me for two diagnostics). They informed me that the solenoid assembly had to be replaced and that after performing a road test for the ABS, they did not find anything. Its very stressful in remembering what happened and that I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEONE ELSE INJURED AS WELL, IF SOMEONE HAD RUN INTO ME AFTER THE CAR KILLED WHILE DRIVING IT!!!

NHTSA ODI 11692593

IN DECEMBER 2024, DRIVING TO WORK WHEN CAR ABRUPTLY STOPPED (NO POWER). WAITED FOR A WHILE FOR MY HUSBAND TO ARRIVE. VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN, DROVE TO TROPICAL CHEVY AT 8880BISCAYNE BLVD, MIAMI SHORES, FL FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING (PAID $160. RESULT - TRANSMISSION PROBLEM ESTIMATED AT $1,800). DID NOT HAVE VEHICLE FIXED. DECIDED TO HAVE VEHICLE EXAMINED AGAIN IN SEPTEMBER 2025; PAID $160 DIAGNOSTIC FEE, ESTIMATE A WHOPPING $8,400!!!!! DID NOT HAVE CAR FIXED.

NHTSA ODI 11690402

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Shift to Park" was display on the instrument panel while the gear shifter was in park. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and stated that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 53,500.

NHTSA ODI 11676879

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to shift into drive. The contact had to shift into neutral, depress the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle responded as intended. The check engine warning light illuminated for 45 minutes and then stopped being illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure but offered no assistance. The contact was referred by the manufacturer to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11670197

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions while shifting into park(P), the message “Shift to Park” displayed on the instrument panel. The driver was forced to shift the gear shifter several times before the vehicle recognized that park(P) had been selected. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact stated that the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN. The manufacturer then referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 11666276

The clutch solenoid started failing without warning or notice. This was finally confirmed by a transmission shop after a warning lamp related to the issue finally popped up after months of issues. My safety was put at risk due to the sudden and intermittent failure to shift into drive. This would sometimes lead to the engine stuttering then shutting off while still in drive. Attempts for dealers and private shops to nail down the issue were unsuccessful due to the system not reporting or recording any information related to this failure to shift. Again the danger came intermittently and suddenly when, shifting from park to drive, shifting from park - reverse - then drive. It would cause my vehicle to “stall out” in an active lane of traffic. This issue occurs from probably 60,000 - 90,000 miles when the system finally threw P0700 and P2714 codes to point to the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11658353

so when im driving my chevy every thing is all fine and about like 30 minutes of driving the trash cvt won’t accelerate from a complete stop. I have two mass of gas pedal all the way down and the car will hit 4000 RPMs till it accelerate and that’s very dangerous. It happens all the time especially when it’s hot outside when a car has a stop sign or at a red light and I’m getting ready to takeoff. The car won’t even take off now. I’m going 5 mph pass in intersection is very dangerous and especially go on the highways.

NHTSA ODI 11650633

My car keeps showing the “shift to park” code when I try to turn off my car even though it’s already in park. I have to wiggle the shifter and turn the car repeatedly on and off to try to get it to stop.

NHTSA ODI 11649363

The contact owns 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, after removing the foot from the pedal brake and turning off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact was unable to exit the vehicle while the message was displayed. Additionally, the doors were unable to be locked during the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was contacted, and the contact was provided the cost for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,555.

NHTSA ODI 11611170

SHIFT TO PARK ISSUE - CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK AND MESSAGE KEPT COMING UP ON DASH DISPLAY. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND MORE OFTEN NOW. DONT KNOW IF VEHICLE IS IN PARK OR NOT. BATTERY WAS DRAINED AND REPLACED. GM CAR DEALER MIKE SAVIOE AND GM BOTH SAY BULLETIN 19-NA-206 WILL NOT BE HONORED BECAUSE 2019 MALIBU IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. GM KNEW THIS ISSUE ON 5/21 AND WILL NOT HELP OUT ON CORRECTING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11610812

Car Will stop moving forward or reverse randomly while driving. This plays a p2714 code with the check engine light. It is available for inspection if requested. This has happened while driving on the road. Vehicle stalls out and does not move which could cause severe accident and bodily injury. This issue seems to be a known issue among GM vehicles with the CT40 CVT transmissions. I do have a short video that can be provided. It shows a check engine light on the vehicle's in drive but will not move.

NHTSA ODI 11604881

Vehicle would not shift into park on multiple occasions. Shift to park message appeared on dashboard and vehicle could not be shut off or locked. Contacted Chevrolet dealer for repair and was told this is a known issue but this vin was not included in the recall that was issued for this very problem with thes Chevrolet Malibu. Reported to Chevrolet and was again told it is not covered under the recall for this issue. We paid $237.53 out of pocket to repair a defect that Chevrolet knows is an issue and has effected Years 2016-2019 Chevrolet Malibus. This is a safety concern. Chevrolet needs to stand behind this defect and pay for the repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11604137

I have been driving this car for three years, and it performed exceptionally well until Friday, July 12, 2024. While driving on the highway, the "Engine Power Reduced" warning light activated. I pulled over, placed the car in park, waited a few seconds, and restarted the engine, but the issue persisted. Consequently, I took the car to the nearest auto shop, where they identified and repaired a throttle issue. On July 16, 2024, the car's brake system failed, preventing the vehicle from stopping properly. I utilized the emergency brake and once again brought the car to the nearest auto shop. The diagnosis revealed a broken vacuum, which was identified as a manufacturer's defect. My car is currently in the shop for the second repair due to these manufacturing defects, which have incurred significant costs. It raises concerns about the safety and quality of the parts used in the manufacturing process. Why are low-quality components being installed in these vehicles? This poses a serious safety risk.

NHTSA ODI 11602993

I was informed by Chevrolet dealership on Tennessee St. in Tallahassee, Florida, that the issue was with the battery monitor sensor. The car will, however, suddenly cut off at a stoplight when you release the brake to apply the gas, with no error lights to populate on the dash, which puts myself, my kids, and others at serious risk of being rear-ended by a car behind us.

NHTSA ODI 11596967

Vehicle occasionally hesitates to accelerate past 1st or 2nd gear & produces no power until the turbo & gears finally kick in. Has put myself & my passengers (my children) in danger of traffic’s way while trying to merge into traffic from a stop. Have had to pull to the side until the car is able to go past 5-15 miles per hr. Have taken the vehicle for inspection to Chevrolet of Watsonville & the tech there was unable to replicate the issue & was told to take it back when present. The issue recently happened again late evening but then resolved on its own when I planned to take the following morning. The vehicle has horrible MPG ranging from 18-24MPG when the rated MPG is 27-36MPG. I don’t understand how I am supposed to resolve this issue if the problem doesn’t persist when I am able to finally get an appointment for the vehicle to get seen. This issue is very concerning & would like help as I am nearing the manufacturer 100k warranty expiration mileage. Also There are no service lights present on the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11588968

1. Couldnt turn off engine due to shift to park issues 2 If I can't turn the engine off there is a risk that the vehicle could suddenly move and I cannot leave the vehicle with the engine running. 3. Yes it has been confirmed and inspected. 4 See #1.

NHTSA ODI 11587394

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was shifted into park(P), the “Shift to Park” message was displayed. The gear shifter was shifted several times before the vehicle recognized the gear that was selected. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the gear selector needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,400.

NHTSA ODI 11584716

I am making a complaint because there is a major deficiency that has put my safety at risk. The component of the vehicle that has a defect is the transmission. When the car is shifted in drive it will either stall and jerk forward, not jerk forward and not move forward from seconds to minutes at a time, and/or move forward about 50ft and stall again. I was making a right turn on a major road, speed limit being 40 MPH and the vehicle stalled and did not go forward until 20-30 seconds later. Vehicles were able to see me before getting closer and were able to change lanes however this is unacceptable. I had my two year old nephew in the car and this could have been a fatal accident. I have taken it to twice to be repaired and this problem has yet to be a fix. I can get invoices and documents to show the “repairs” however this problem exist and needs an solution.

NHTSA ODI 11584800