Lemon Law Check › 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

2018 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Complaints

The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns and 684 owner complaints filed with federal regulators, with complaints concentrated in power train. Owners whose Malibu has needed repeated repairs for the same warranty problem may qualify for a buyback or compensation under state lemon laws.

Most-reported problem areas

Complaint counts by vehicle system, from 684 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu:

Power train159 complaints
Electrical system122 complaints
Unknown or other92 complaints
Engine88 complaints
Vehicle speed control68 complaints
Service brakes38 complaints

What owners told federal regulators

"Taking my fianc to the airport so that he can report for duty and the vehicle abruptly comes to a speed of 20mph on the highway cause a vehicle behind me to come to a close contact with my car. replaced sensor and pedal as instructed because i am fresh out of my warranty and a…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/30/2020
"My car randomly displayed a message on the dashboard that said "engine power reduced" traction light and check engine light appeared and it brought my speed limit to around 20 while i was on a busy street. i turned the car off and got the power back but has done it 3 more time…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/30/2020
"In may of 2020 i took my vehicle to a chevrolet dealership in woodbridge,va for a ecm recall on my vehicle. after waiting for them to do the recall they stated nothing was wrong with my vehicle. from october to current my vehicle has been doing everything that was stated in th…"
— owner complaint filed with NHTSA, 12/29/2020

NHTSA recall campaigns (6)

Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
14/06/2018 · 18V400000
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, th…
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
30/08/2018 · 18V576000
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 Ma…
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
31/05/2018 · 18V358000
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. …
Electrical system:software
06/09/2019 · 19V642000
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.
Power train:automatic transmission
29/10/2020 · 20V668000
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, Chevr…
Seat belts:critical fasteners
20/08/2021 · 21V649000
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.

Recall repairs are performed free of charge at franchised dealers. Check your specific vehicle with the free VIN recall checker.

Has your Malibu been in the shop repeatedly?

If the same warranty problem has needed 2+ repair attempts — or your Malibu has spent 30+ days out of service — it may qualify for a buyback, replacement, or cash compensation under your state's lemon law. Manufacturers pay the legal fees in most states, so the case review costs you nothing.

Check My Malibu — Free →

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?

Based on 684 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu are power train, electrical system, unknown or other.

How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. Recall repairs are always free at franchised dealers regardless of warranty status.

Is the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu a lemon?

A specific vehicle qualifies as a lemon based on its own repair history, not the model's overall record. If your Malibu has had power train or other warranty problems repaired 2–4 times without success, or has spent 30+ days in the shop, it may qualify under your state's lemon law — attorneys evaluate this free of charge.

Researching this car as a buyer instead? Read the full Carivo review of the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu.

All recall and complaint figures on this page come directly from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) federal records for this make, model, and year, fetched at page build time and cached daily. Complaint excerpts are owner-submitted reports to NHTSA, lightly truncated. Carivo is an independent data site, not a law firm; lemon law eligibility is determined solely by attorneys under your state's statute.