2013 Chevrolet MALIBU ECO
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2013 Chevrolet MALIBU ECO has 154 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (32% of all complaints), specifically: auto stop will not engage unless rpm's are under 500..seldom will "auto stop" engage !!!! vehicle motor will not go slow enough to engage this feature..i have talked to service at chevrolet dealer, & they said the problem can happen at anytime & they don't know what to do about it????? i do, k. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.
154
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
1.9x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
ELECTRICAL
49 complaints- • AUTO STOP WILL NOT ENGAGE UNLESS RPM'S ARE UNDER 500..SELDOM WILL "AUTO STOP" ENGAGE !!!! VEHICLE MOTOR WILL NOT GO SLOW ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THIS FEATURE..I HAVE TALKED TO SERVICE AT CHEVROLET DEALER, & THEY SAID THE PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME & THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT????? I DO, K
- • NEW CHEVY MALIBU 2013, CONTINUALLY FAILS TO RUN NORMAL. ELECTRIC SYSTEM AS WELL, AS ANY ELECTRONIC POWERED SYSTEMS TURN OFF WHILE "MID-DRIVING" RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE WITHOUT ANY GAUGE READOUTS AND OR LIGHTS AS WELL AS EXTERIOR LIGHTING. POTENTIALLY RENDERING DRIVERS( MY FAMILY) UNSAFE. VEHICL
- • TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V173000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED. SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL CRACKLING NOISE FROM TH TRUNK
“AUTO STOP WILL NOT ENGAGE UNLESS RPM'S ARE UNDER 500..SELDOM WILL "AUTO STOP" ENGAGE !!!! VEHICLE MOTOR WILL NOT GO SLOW ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THIS FEATURE..I HAVE TALKED TO SERVICE AT CHEVROLET DEALER, & THEY SAID THE PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME & THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT????? I DO, K”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ENGINE
23 complaints- • THE VEHICLE RPM'S DON'T GO LOW ENOUGH, TO INITIATE THE AUTO STOP.. IT ONLY GOES DOWN TO ABOUT 500 RPM'S, WHEN BRAKE, & NOT LOW ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE AUTO- STOP!! EVIDENTLY, THE MOTOR HAS TO GO TO ALMOST ZERO, TO KICK -IN... DEALER SERVICE DEPT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR TELL ME ??? WHAT SHOULD I DO N
- • GM REPLACED MY GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE ON JUNE 13 BECAUSE OF A RECALL. THE PROPER TESTS WERE NOT PERFORMED DUE TO THEM HAVING IT IN SHOP FOR 45 MINUTES (SEE RECALL DOCUMENTS). GCM WAS REPLACED AND I WAS SENT HOME WITH IT ON JUNE 13. ON JUNE 14, I STARTED THE CAR AND AN ERROR CODE APPEARED ON DIC FO
- • WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED WITH ONLY 5600 MILES AND HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE EXCEPT FOR SLIGHT SMELL IN REAR AREA. WE DROVE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND IT WAS OK, BUT THE NEXT MORNING THE BATTERY WAS ABSOLUTELY DEAD. NO LIGHTS, HORN, WIPERS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, GOT THE VEHICLE PUSHED OUT OF THE GARAGE BUT NO
“THE VEHICLE RPM'S DON'T GO LOW ENOUGH, TO INITIATE THE AUTO STOP.. IT ONLY GOES DOWN TO ABOUT 500 RPM'S, WHEN BRAKE, & NOT LOW ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE AUTO- STOP!! EVIDENTLY, THE MOTOR HAS TO GO TO ALMOST ZERO, TO KICK -IN... DEALER SERVICE DEPT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR TELL ME ??? WHAT SHOULD I DO N”
— NHTSA complaint filing
STEERING
16 complaints- • WHILE DRIVING STEERING SEEMS TO FEEL AS IF IT IS LOCKING UP. I HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TUG TO FREE IT AND THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE A LITTLE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS HOLDING THE STEERING IN THAT POSITION, WHILE DRIVING THERE IS MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING. *TR
- • WHEN DRIVING THE MALIBU AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING STICKS, ALMOST LIKE A DEAD SPOT AT THE CENTER POSITION. MINOR CORRECTIVE INPUTS ARE DIFFICULT, TAKE MORE FORCE THAN NEEDED. *TR
- • PURCHASED 2013 CHEVY MALIBU ECO IN AUGUST 2013, AND RECENTLY STARTED NOTICING THAT STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY STIFF AND FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH AND IN A 12 O'CLOCK STEERING POSITION. I HAVE TO JERK IT WHEN MAKING SLIGHT TURNS OR CHANGING LANES, AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE
“WHILE DRIVING STEERING SEEMS TO FEEL AS IF IT IS LOCKING UP. I HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TUG TO FREE IT AND THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE A LITTLE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS HOLDING THE STEERING IN THAT POSITION, WHILE DRIVING THERE IS MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS
12 complaints- • I HAD FOUR RECALLS DONE ON 3/17/17 AT EMERSON CHEVY IN AUBURN, ME. 15176, 12212, 13142, AND 13342. CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT DIED ON SIDE OF ROAD. THEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, IT DIES ON SIDE OF ROAD AGAIN (BATTERY NOT CHARGING AGAIN!!). PAID OVER $1,000 TO GOODWIN CHEVROLET IN OXF
- • DASHBOARD NOTIFICATION RECEIVED INDICATING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" AND TO "SERVICE STABILITRAK". THIS LEADS TO STALLING AND/OR LOSS OF POWER TO VEHICLE. LOSS OF VEHICLE POWER HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS LEAVING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN UNSAFE LOCATIONS SUCH AS ON THE FREEWA
- • CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC....BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHT CAME ON. AS WELL AS VARIOUS OTHER LIGHTS...DOORS LOCKED...NO HEADLIGHTS OR BLINKERS WORKED. NO POWER STEERING...WOULD NOT STAY RUNNING AFTER IT WAS JUMPED...REPLACED BATTERY...RAN FOR 2 WEEKS... SAME THING HAPPENED...DEALER WOULD NOT LO
“I HAD FOUR RECALLS DONE ON 3/17/17 AT EMERSON CHEVY IN AUBURN, ME. 15176, 12212, 13142, AND 13342. CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT DIED ON SIDE OF ROAD. THEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, IT DIES ON SIDE OF ROAD AGAIN (BATTERY NOT CHARGING AGAIN!!). PAID OVER $1,000 TO GOODWIN CHEVROLET IN OXF”
— NHTSA complaint filing
AIR BAGS
10 complaints- • I HIT A DEER GOING 55 MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I GOT A STATEMENT ON THE SCREEN RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED SAYING AIRBAG SERVICE. I WOULD THINK HITTING SOMETHING GOING THAT FIRST WOULD DEPLOY AN AIRBAG. *TR
- • I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ON FEBRUARY 7, 2013. BEFORE DRIVING OFF OF THE DEALER LOT, WE ASKED WHY AN AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FLASHING. THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED US IT WAS FINE AND DID NOT LOOK INTO IT. THEY LET US DRIVE THE CAR HOME. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF THE LIGHT CONTINUING TO FLASH AND THE CAR NOT RECOGNIZI
- • NOV 2014 I GOT A SAFETY STEERING ISSUE WITH IS CALL TOOK IT TO THE DEAL ACTION CHEVY 2 TIMES THEY DID NOTHING ABOUT LETTER # 14232 ON 6/21/2015 I HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS STEERING SAFET ISSUE THAT GM/CHEVY DID NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEY DID NOT DO A RECALL BECAUSE IT WOULD COST MILLONS OF
“I HIT A DEER GOING 55 MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I GOT A STATEMENT ON THE SCREEN RIGHT WHEN IT HAPPENED SAYING AIRBAG SERVICE. I WOULD THINK HITTING SOMETHING GOING THAT FIRST WOULD DEPLOY AN AIRBAG. *TR”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 154 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐ELECTRICAL: AUTO STOP WILL NOT ENGAGE UNLESS RPM'S ARE UNDER 500..SELDOM WILL "AUTO STOP" ENGAGE !!!! VEHICLE MOTOR WILL NOT GO SLOW ENOUGH TO ENGAGE THIS FEATURE..I HAVE TALKED TO SERVICE AT CHEVROLET DEALER, & THEY SAID THE PROBLEM CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME & THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT????? I DO, K
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ENGINE: THE VEHICLE RPM'S DON'T GO LOW ENOUGH, TO INITIATE THE AUTO STOP.. IT ONLY GOES DOWN TO ABOUT 500 RPM'S, WHEN BRAKE, & NOT LOW ENOUGH TO ACTIVATE AUTO- STOP!! EVIDENTLY, THE MOTOR HAS TO GO TO ALMOST ZERO, TO KICK -IN... DEALER SERVICE DEPT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, OR TELL ME ??? WHAT SHOULD I DO N
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐STEERING: WHILE DRIVING STEERING SEEMS TO FEEL AS IF IT IS LOCKING UP. I HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TUG TO FREE IT AND THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE A LITTLE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS HOLDING THE STEERING IN THAT POSITION, WHILE DRIVING THERE IS MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS: I HAD FOUR RECALLS DONE ON 3/17/17 AT EMERSON CHEVY IN AUBURN, ME. 15176, 12212, 13142, AND 13342. CAR HAD BEEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT DIED ON SIDE OF ROAD. THEN ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, IT DIES ON SIDE OF ROAD AGAIN (BATTERY NOT CHARGING AGAIN!!). PAID OVER $1,000 TO GOODWIN CHEVROLET IN OXF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Chevrolet MALIBU ECO — Year Comparison
How does 2013 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 154
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 1
- Crash reports
- 7
- Injury reports
- 4
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2013 Chevrolet MALIBU ECO