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What 191 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

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 (191)Crash / fire / injury (10)Engine (59)Transmission & drivetrain (56)Electrical system (54)Brakes (45)Fuel system (18)Speed control (18)Steering (13)Airbags (4)Engine & cooling (3)Body & structure (2)

4 of 191 complaints match · Brakes · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Mar 3, 2025BrakesEngine & coolingCrash

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 15 MPH, and the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The vehicle crashed into a building before coming to a stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact shifted the transmission to park (P) and turned off the vehicle. When the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, the brake pedal was extremely firm and unable to depress. The vehicle failed to restart. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact did not sustain any injuries, and medical attention was not received. There was no police report filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was determined that the vacuum brake booster and camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

NHTSA ODI 11646026

Dec 9, 2024BrakesDriver assistanceCrash3 injuries

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching a stop light the braking system malfunctioned when pressing the brake pedal causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. The contact indicated that the vehicle did not reduce speed when pressing the brake pedal and the collision avoidance feature did not activate. A police report was taken at the scene. The police officer also confirmed no skid marks at the crash site. During the crash, the contact sustained injuries to the left arm and right shoulder that did not require medical attention. Both the driver and front seat passenger of the second vehicle sustained undisclosed injuries and were transported to the hospital. The vehicle was towed away and later deemed destroyed by the insurance company. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The manufacturer was notified of the incident. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11629724

Dec 2, 2024BrakesCrash

I am writing to formally report a critical safety issue with my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, which resulted in a severe accident and posed significant risks to my safety and the safety of The issue involves the brake vacuum pump, which failed while I was driving. The component is currently with the vehicle, which is stored in a parking facility, and is available for inspection upon request. The failure of the brake vacuum pump caused a sudden and complete loss of braking power while I was driving. This malfunction put my life and the lives of others at immediate risk. On the first occasion, in April, I narrowly avoided a serious collision. Four weeks later, I experienced a second instance of brake vacuum failure, which led to a severe accident. The inability to stop the vehicle safely was directly caused by this malfunction. I contacted General Motors (GM) in April 2024 to report the initial brake vacuum failure. At that time, the issue had not yet been reproduced or inspected by a dealer or service center. Following the accident, I have been unable to confirm whether GM or any other party has The vehicle and component have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives since the accident. I reported the issue to GM prior to the accident, but they have not provided any assistance or resolution. Prior to the initial brake vacuum failure in April, I did not observe any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms indicating a potential problem. The failure occurred suddenly and without warning, making it impossible to anticipate or avoid. This situation is incredibly distressing, and I believe the brake vacuum pump defect poses a serious threat to public safety. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this issue thoroughly and take any necessary steps to ensure the safety of other drivers who may be at risk.

NHTSA ODI 11628427

Apr 25, 2023Body & structureBrakesCrash

This vehicle was purchased on February 10, 2023 under false pretenses, deceit, and fraudulent activities by Frank Leta Honda of Missouri. Frank Leta Honda and its Salesman failed to disclosed that this vehicle was in a major accident prior to me purchasing it. The front-end bumper and the front quarter-panel on the passenger side were damaged. This car was re-painted with non-factory paint, and it shows. Most importantly, the procedure and process required in painting a vehicle was not followed. I even questioned the salesman whether or not this vehicle was in a major accident, and the salesman said, "no." I had taken this vehicle to two professional auto body businesses, and two owners/auto body workers informed me without me asking that the vehicle had been in a major accident. Can you please give me a report on whether or not the previous owners of this vehicle reported an accident with this vehicle being involved in, and the original color of this vehicle. The dealer is calling it red. However, this vehicle is a deep dark burgundy.

NHTSA ODI 11518864

Working with the data? Download all 191 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 21, 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 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid verdict →