Chevrolet Malibu 2018 recalls, problems, complaints and safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls issued for the Chevrolet Malibu 2018 and 700 complaints filed by owners. It has 134% more complaints than the average Chevrolet Malibu from 2016–2025 (299 per year).

These are recalls issued for this model and year, not for your specific car. A car may already be repaired or may not be included. Confirm with your VIN on NHTSA.

Recalls issued for the Chevrolet Malibu 2018

Seat belts
NHTSA campaign 21V649000 · 2021-08-20

What happens

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.

Consequence

An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 21V649000

Powertrain and transmission
NHTSA campaign 20V668000 · 2020-10-29

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

Consequence

Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 20V668000

Electrical system
NHTSA campaign 19V642000 · 2019-09-06

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles equipped with 1.5L turbo engines. An error in the Engine Control Module (ECM) software may result in the fuel injectors being disabled.

Consequence

Disabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192221960.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 19V642000

Brakes (hydraulic)
NHTSA campaign 18V576000 · 2018-08-30

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

Consequence

A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 18V576000

Air bags
NHTSA campaign 18V400000 · 2018-06-14

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.

Consequence

In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 18V400000

Fuel system
NHTSA campaign 18V358000 · 2018-05-31

What happens

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

Consequence

A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

The repair is free at any dealer of the brand.

NHTSA 18V358000

Complaints from other owners

700 complaints filed with NHTSA by owners of this model.

23 with a crash · 4 with a fire · 17 injuries

Most reported problems on the Chevrolet Malibu 2018

• Engine: 281 (40% of complaints)
• Electrical system: 191 (27% of complaints)
• Powertrain and transmission: 170 (24% of complaints)
• Throttle and cruise control: 114 (16% of complaints)
• Fuel and propulsion: 84 (12% of complaints)

Complaints are written by owners and NHTSA doesn't verify each one. They're useful to spot trends.

What to check before buying a Chevrolet Malibu 2018

• Confirm by VIN on NHTSA that the recalls on this list were repaired.
• Start it cold, listen for noises, look for oil or coolant leaks and exhaust smoke.
• Test lights, windows, locks, the screen and dashboard warning lights; have trouble codes scanned.
• On the test drive, check for smooth shifts with no jerks, slipping or noises; check the transmission fluid condition.
• Get an inspection from an independent mechanic before paying.

Safety rating (NCAP)

Chevrolet Malibu recalls by year

• 2016 : 9 recalls · 861 complaints
• 2017 : 4 recalls · 725 complaints
• 2018 : 6 recalls · 700 complaints
• 2019 : 1 recalls · 192 complaints
• 2020 : 1 recalls · 198 complaints
• 2021 : 2 recalls · 89 complaints
• 2022 : 1 recalls · 98 complaints
• 2023 : 2 recalls · 70 complaints
• 2024 : 2 recalls · 42 complaints
• 2025 : 1 recalls · 11 complaints

Frequently asked questions

How many recalls does the Chevrolet Malibu 2018 have?

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls issued for the Chevrolet Malibu 2018. That doesn't mean every car has them open: confirm with the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The repair is free at the dealer.

What is the most common problem with the Chevrolet Malibu 2018?

In complaints filed with NHTSA, the most mentioned component is: engine (281 of 700 complaints). Complaints aren't verified one by one, but they show trends.