2015 Chevrolet MALIBU

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2015 Chevrolet MALIBU has 395 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.9x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (18% of all complaints), specifically: i have been having numerous problems with a pause in the engine when i'm speeding up onto a highway or to pass on the highway . it's most dangerous when i enter the highway. the car instead of just speeding up has been known to pause.. and then speed up. this is very dangerous because it's hard t. ⚠️ 15 fire reports filed.

15 fire reports 20 crash reports 15 injuries

395

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.9x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

70 complaints

18%

• I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD T
• DRIVING DOWN I-65 SOUTH IN NASHVILLE TN MIDDLE LANE WITH NO COMPROMISING ROAD CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, I GOT A WARNING ABOUT THE STABILITRAC SYSTEM AND THEN WITHIN 25-30 SECONDS THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. I WAS NEARLY REARENDED BY NUMEROUS VEHICLES AS THIS IS A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE. I WAS FINA
• ON MAY 28, MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THESE FUMES IN THE CAR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. WHEN WE OPENED THE CAR TRUNK, WE FOUND THAT THE TIRE SEALANT IN THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS LEAKING ON IT'S OWN. HE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP'S AUTO SHOP AND THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS REPLACED

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports

“I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

66 complaints

17%

• WHILE DRIVING THRU HOUSTON, TEXAS ON INTERSTATE 10 WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE ANALOG INSTRUMENTS SHUT OFF, THE CENTER MY LINK SCREEN SHUT OFF AND THE DIGITAL READOUT ALTERNATED BETWEEN MPH AND MILES TRAVELED READOUT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, NO RESULT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS, INCLUDING THE HEADLIGHTS, POWERED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS RE-ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A ST
• DRIVING A LONG THAN STEERING GOES OUT WHEEL WILL NOT TURN DEALER SAID NEE NEW ELECTRIC MOTOR UNDER DASH 1.000 TO FIX

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“WHILE DRIVING THRU HOUSTON, TEXAS ON INTERSTATE 10 WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE ANALOG INSTRUMENTS SHUT OFF, THE CENTER MY LINK SCREEN SHUT OFF AND THE DIGITAL READOUT ALTERNATED BETWEEN MPH AND MILES TRAVELED READOUT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, NO RESULT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

48 complaints

12%

• CPSC: AIRBAG: 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU: CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER A COLLISON DURING A SPEED OF 60 MPH. *SS
• "TAKATA RECALL" DURING A SIDE IMPACT COLLISON AT 45MPH , THE SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY (NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED) AND THE STABILITRAK WAS DISABLED . AN ERROR MESSAGE OF SERVICE STABILITRAK APPEARED DURING THE ACCIDENT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT FAILED TO FILL UP. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO IN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 7 crashes

“CPSC: AIRBAG: 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU: CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER A COLLISON DURING A SPEED OF 60 MPH. *SS”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

36 complaints

• ON MAY 28, MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THESE FUMES IN THE CAR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. WHEN WE OPENED THE CAR TRUNK, WE FOUND THAT THE TIRE SEALANT IN THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS LEAKING ON IT'S OWN. HE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP'S AUTO SHOP AND THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS REPLACED
• WE WAS GETTING ON THE HWY. ON RAMP ENTERED HWY. HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE SUNROOF HAS EXPLODED LEAVING A 4 INCH HOLE IN SUNROOF AND 12 INCHES WIDE THE GLASS HIT TRUNK AND SCRATCH ON TRUNK OF CAR. BRAND NEW CAR 1416 MILES ON IT. ALSO I WAS 200 MILES FROM HOME. WENT TO POPLAR BLUFF MO CHEVY DEALE
• 2015 CHEVY MALIBU 1LT OPERATING VEHICLE AT NORMAL SPEED LIMIT IN CITY TRAFFIC AND USED INTERIOR HEAT FOR CLIMATE CONTROL MODES BUTTONS. A SUDDEN "CLICKING' SOUND CAME FROM FAN SPEED CONTROL WHEN SWITCHING TO THE CLIMATE CONTROL MODES. SOUNDED MOSTLY FROM THE DRIVER SIDE, AND LAST FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“ON MAY 28, MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THESE FUMES IN THE CAR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. WHEN WE OPENED THE CAR TRUNK, WE FOUND THAT THE TIRE SEALANT IN THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS LEAKING ON IT'S OWN. HE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP'S AUTO SHOP AND THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS REPLACED”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

31 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE MOVED IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12. UPDATED 1
• 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT FOR ENTIRE AMOUNT OF CAR. *TA THE CONSUMER STATED AS SHE DROVE AWAY FROM THE DEALER, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED SOME SLIGHT HESITATION, AND WHEN STOPPED AT THE VERY FIRST STOP LIGHT, THE IDLING OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SILENT, AS IF THE ENGINE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE AUTO STOP ENGAGED. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DISENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART IN A TIMELY MANNER AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED IN REVERSE DOWN A HILL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS IN THE DRIVE POSITION, THE VEHICLE MOVED IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12. UPDATED 1”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 395 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I HAVE BEEN HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH A PAUSE IN THE ENGINE WHEN I'M SPEEDING UP ONTO A HIGHWAY OR TO PASS ON THE HIGHWAY . IT'S MOST DANGEROUS WHEN I ENTER THE HIGHWAY. THE CAR INSTEAD OF JUST SPEEDING UP HAS BEEN KNOWN TO PAUSE.. AND THEN SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT'S HARD T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: WHILE DRIVING THRU HOUSTON, TEXAS ON INTERSTATE 10 WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, THE ANALOG INSTRUMENTS SHUT OFF, THE CENTER MY LINK SCREEN SHUT OFF AND THE DIGITAL READOUT ALTERNATED BETWEEN MPH AND MILES TRAVELED READOUT. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, NO RESULT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: CPSC: AIRBAG: 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU: CONSUMER STATED THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER A COLLISON DURING A SPEED OF 60 MPH. *SS
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: ON MAY 28, MY HUSBAND AND I NOTICED THESE FUMES IN THE CAR, BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THEY WERE COMING FROM. WHEN WE OPENED THE CAR TRUNK, WE FOUND THAT THE TIRE SEALANT IN THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS LEAKING ON IT'S OWN. HE BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP'S AUTO SHOP AND THE COMPRESSOR KIT WAS REPLACED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)