2013 Chevrolet MALIBU

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2013 Chevrolet MALIBU has 1382 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 17.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (27% of all complaints), specifically: our malibu was just purchased with 9 miles new on january 31st and has the easiest eco feature which is supposed to shut down the vehicle at stops. our vehicle is not shutting down. the dealership states there is no known issue, bulletin, or recall for this. any information would be helpful thank y. ⚠️ 9 fire reports filed.

9 fire reports 42 crash reports 38 injuries

1382

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

17.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

375 complaints

27%

• OUR MALIBU WAS JUST PURCHASED WITH 9 MILES NEW ON JANUARY 31ST AND HAS THE EASIEST ECO FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE AT STOPS. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO KNOWN ISSUE, BULLETIN, OR RECALL FOR THIS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL THANK Y
• TRUNK OPENS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN KEY FOB IS CARRIED IN PANTS POCKETS..I'VE TRIED SHIELDING THE FOB, BUT IT IS JUST TO SENSITIVE FOR NORMAL USE!!! I GOT DIFFERENT FOB, BUT IT STILL OPENING MY TRUNK, & I DON'T REALIZE IT, TILL I RETURN TO CAR... MY CAR IS NOT IN A GARAGE, & IN MORNINGS, THE TRUNK IS W
• WHEN GETTING GAS AFTER STARTING CAR HOT AIR COMES OUT OF THE HEATER VENT'S EVEN WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF.AT TIMES DOES THIS MOST OF THE TIME WHEN GETTING FUEL' WHEN I TURN OFF ENG.ITS STOPS. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 6 crashes

“OUR MALIBU WAS JUST PURCHASED WITH 9 MILES NEW ON JANUARY 31ST AND HAS THE EASIEST ECO FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE AT STOPS. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO KNOWN ISSUE, BULLETIN, OR RECALL FOR THIS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL THANK Y”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

215 complaints

16%

• OUR MALIBU WAS JUST PURCHASED WITH 9 MILES NEW ON JANUARY 31ST AND HAS THE EASIEST ECO FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE AT STOPS. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO KNOWN ISSUE, BULLETIN, OR RECALL FOR THIS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL THANK Y
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DOWNSHIFTING, THE VEHICLE RODE VERY ROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. AFTER INSPECTION, THEY ADVISED HIM THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PUT 500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE FOR IT TO LEARN HIS WAY OF DRIV
• PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN APRIL 2012 AND NOTICED AFTER A WEEK THAT MY AC HAD A BAD SMELL EVERY TIME I TURNED ON THE AIR CONDITIONER. ALSO NOTICED AFTER ABOUT THREE DAYS OF PURCHASING MY VEHICLE THAT THE CARPET WAS COMING UP ON THE PASSENGER SEAT IN THE FRONT. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 4 crashes

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

181 complaints

13%

• MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE CARS STEERING DRASTICALLY PULLED HIM TOTALLY OFF THE ROAD !!!! LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE TO THE RIGHT OF HIM THEY WOULD OF BEAN KILLED .THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! THE DEALER IS TRYING TO BRUSH IT OFF LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. NILES SALES & SERVICE KEY WEST F
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, HE APPROACHED A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE WHERE THE STEE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE EXACT REPAI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 6 crashes

“MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE CARS STEERING DRASTICALLY PULLED HIM TOTALLY OFF THE ROAD !!!! LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE TO THE RIGHT OF HIM THEY WOULD OF BEAN KILLED .THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! THE DEALER IS TRYING TO BRUSH IT OFF LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. NILES SALES & SERVICE KEY WEST F”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

90 complaints

• ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO CALL ONSTAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPARE OR JACK IN THE TRUCK. ONCE I CALLED ON STAR IT TOOK THEM THREE TIMES CALLING ME BACK TO GET ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE PHONE. I WAS STUCK FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK EV
• WHILE DRIVING THE CAR, ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO DEALER FOR REPAIR ON JULY 11 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE MOTOR FOR THE FAN THAT COOLS THE BATTERY. DEALER REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO ME ON JULY 13. NOTED COVER ON AIRBAG ON STEERING WHEEL IS MALALIGNED, WHICH IS A
• I BOUGHT A NEW 2013 CHEVY MALIBU IN DECEMBER, 2012. SINCE THEN, THE CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED FOUR TIMES FOR FOUR DIFFERENT POSSIBLE MALFUNCTIONS. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT THE CAR MANUFACTURER WOULD RELEASE A VEHICLE THAT WAS RECALLED NO LESS THAN FOUR TIMES IN LITTLE OVER TWO YEARS DUE TO THEIR MISTAK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO CALL ONSTAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPARE OR JACK IN THE TRUCK. ONCE I CALLED ON STAR IT TOOK THEM THREE TIMES CALLING ME BACK TO GET ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE PHONE. I WAS STUCK FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK EV”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

72 complaints

• 3/20 I WAS GOING 35 WHEN IT LOST POWER AND BRAKE.ONSTAR TOWED TO DEALER 4 DAYS LATER WAS TOLD IT WAS TRACTION CONTROL AND FIXED. 4/29 GOING 50 AND LOST POWER, AND BRAKED TO 28 MPH. ONSTAR AGAIN TOWED TO DEALER HAS SAT THERE FOR 24 DAYS AND COUNTING WITH NO RESOLUTION FROM GM. THIS IS A 2013 CHEVY MA
• WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR KEPT SHUTTING OFF AND THROWING IT INTO THEFT MODE...THIS HAPPENS ON DAILY BASIS NOW AND I'M SCARED IT WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE CONTINUOUS SHUTTING OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING IN CERTAIN SPEEDS...I SEE THERE IS RECALLS ON THIS WHICH I DO KEEP GETTING THE ANTI THE
• MY FAN KEEPS STAYING ON AFTER MY CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES NOW. THIS WEEK MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MY CAR SIGNALED THAT IT WAS OVERHEATING, AND I NEEDED TO IDLE MY ENGINE. THE TEMPERATURE GUAGE WENT BACK AND FORTH FROM COLD TO HOT. I WAS TOLD AT THE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“3/20 I WAS GOING 35 WHEN IT LOST POWER AND BRAKE.ONSTAR TOWED TO DEALER 4 DAYS LATER WAS TOLD IT WAS TRACTION CONTROL AND FIXED. 4/29 GOING 50 AND LOST POWER, AND BRAKED TO 28 MPH. ONSTAR AGAIN TOWED TO DEALER HAS SAT THERE FOR 24 DAYS AND COUNTING WITH NO RESOLUTION FROM GM. THIS IS A 2013 CHEVY MA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 1382 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: OUR MALIBU WAS JUST PURCHASED WITH 9 MILES NEW ON JANUARY 31ST AND HAS THE EASIEST ECO FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE AT STOPS. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO KNOWN ISSUE, BULLETIN, OR RECALL FOR THIS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL THANK Y
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: OUR MALIBU WAS JUST PURCHASED WITH 9 MILES NEW ON JANUARY 31ST AND HAS THE EASIEST ECO FEATURE WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE AT STOPS. OUR VEHICLE IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN. THE DEALERSHIP STATES THERE IS NO KNOWN ISSUE, BULLETIN, OR RECALL FOR THIS. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE HELPFUL THANK Y
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE CARS STEERING DRASTICALLY PULLED HIM TOTALLY OFF THE ROAD !!!! LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE TO THE RIGHT OF HIM THEY WOULD OF BEAN KILLED .THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! THE DEALER IS TRYING TO BRUSH IT OFF LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. NILES SALES & SERVICE KEY WEST F
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY I HAD A FLAT TIRE, WHICH RESULTED IN ME HAVING TO CALL ONSTAR BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SPARE OR JACK IN THE TRUCK. ONCE I CALLED ON STAR IT TOOK THEM THREE TIMES CALLING ME BACK TO GET ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE ON THE PHONE. I WAS STUCK FOR TWO AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE THE TOW TRUCK EV
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)