2020 Chevrolet Malibu
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 198 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 20th highest complaint count among 26 Malibu model years with reports.
Of the 2020 reports, 10 involved a crash. 7 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Seat belts, critical fastenersAug 20, 2021
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.
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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.
Campaign 21V649000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
61 reports, newest first. Show all
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Oct 5, 2023
This issue started at approximately 19,500 miles. While accelerating to enter a highway or to pass a vehicle going less than 55mph on a two-lane, Service ESC light appeared on dash. Loss or power was also immediate and if I tried to accelerate to maintain speed, engine was very rough in responding with no acceleration. Engine continued to run. Within 30 seconds or so, acceleration is restored, and check-engine light was flashing. Check-engine light stopped flashing after a minute or so. Initially, this only occurred occasionally during fast acceleration as mentioned above. Lately this has happened during continuous acceleration, such as using cruise control, while climbing a low incline hill (~15˚). Over the past year or so, Chevy dealer has replaced, pistons, fuel injector, and did a carbon cleaning of engine. No solution yet.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 4, 2023
Car has stalled out, or acted like it's going to stall out several times. No check engine light on so unable to identify the issue. There are recalls for other Malibs for similar problems, but it states this model is not affected.
Engine, Sep 20, 2023
The ingine turns off while driving.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 13, 2023
The vehicle goes to ESC mode loses power an all gauges go frantic. All warming lights come on and the brakes go stop working. Speed decreases while in motion, unable to go past 40 mph. Warning messages such as put car in park will appear while the car is in park, steering unstable , low fuel a many others . This is a hazard and I only had the vehicle for 1 year, however I reported the first issue in April 2023 to dealer of purchase an no fix at this time .
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Aug 24, 2023
I purchased a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu with 38,000 miles. I experienced a faulty air vacuum pump (first experience was at 45,000 miles and was replaced in August of 2021, two months after purchasing the vehicle in June of the same year), and then the replaced air vacuum pump again in February of this year (2023). This issue being brake related was unsafe. I experienced an intermittent reduced engine speed message on dashboard, with immediate reduction of speed down to 20 mph or less while driving. This made me and others unsafe. I experienced brake booster failure, among other issues stemming from all aforementioned. The car is now said by dealership to have indication of an internal engine issue and affected PCV lines dealing with a defective orifice (Kiriacopoulos, et al. v. General Motors LLC, Case No. 2:22-cv-10785, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan) The car remains at a dealership and has now been there for over 30 days. There was no warning lamps, messages prior to the air vacuum Pump/Brake booster issue. I got in the car to try driving, and it was hard to push the brake with foot, so for I knew something was wrong. In taking it in to service, was when it identified to be that issue. Those issues have been manufacturer inspected (dealership) and confirmed. I experienced these issues since purchasing the vehicle in June of 2021. I believe that GM knows of these issues and has put me at risk on the road, along with some other symptoms of the car failures that are also well documented, and that GM is aware of, with no recalls. These car parts/issues put me and others in further danger, the car's air vacuum pump and brake booster affecting car's ability to operate, damaging other parts (Johnson vs. GM). Consumer rights to be protected and safe are at risk, not deserving to have faulty auto parts sold, further exacerbating issues with the car being dangerous on the road with defective brake related parts, and rendered inoperable.
Service brakes, Engine, Jul 21, 2023
Car demonstrates random full vehicle power loss while in drive mode both at stop and while actually in motion and driving. Vehicle had a catastrophic loss of all break power while going downhill. Luckily while leaving the Lincoln Memorial in DC driver was traveling slow enough and able to get vehicle stopped without immediate injury. Car brakes would not reengage without 3k repair to import/export value(see receipt). 2 days later check engine light returned. 2 weeks later dealer is still in discussion with GM to identify cause of engine failure.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Jul 19, 2023
The sensor for my gas cap was the first thing to malfunction, then My check engine light came on. Then the power steering sensor have me notice to drive carefully my drive assistance was malfunctioning. During my drive last night the power steering went out and the dashboard went dark several times.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, May 24, 2023
I bought a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu LT on April 26, 2023 from Lake Hartwell Chevrolet in Toccoa Ga. It drove fine for 3 days. Then a chirping started in the steering wheel. On May 3rd. While I was taking my wife to our baby doctors visit, as I turned into the parking lot, the engine light came on, and the steering failed. I was able to safely get it into the parking lot and out of the way of the other cars. I called the dealership and they had it towed to their shop. They charged the battery saying that's all that was wrong with it. However, as the clean up guy at the shop was bringing it to me, the engine light came on again and he took it back to the shop. Within the next 14 days from then, they replaced the steering module, battery terminals, which seemed burnt, they said, and realigned it. However, all of this is word of mouth as I was not given any paperwork verifying this repair. The next day, the chirp returned. It has very loose steering and sways easily from side to side. Also, upon a diagnostic check by another certified mechanic, the computer would not link and give codes. He told me one of the computers in the car was bad, but not sure which one. I checked and I can not qualify for the lemon law, so I contacted the general manager and said I wanted to return the car and my bank returned their money. Or, another chevrolet car, from Chevrolet, not from this lot. This car is unsafe for me and my family. He said that was not possible as the tag and title has been processed. So I am ready to pursue legal action. The cars they let me drive during my cars repair were junky, too. One wouldn't drive over 30mph and the other had a ticking motor. I feel this business presents a danger to anyone who in need of and buys a car from them. Date of ownership: April 26, '23-present. Today is May 24,'23. They have also failed to give me the paperwork verifying the Chevrolet Lifetime Warranty on the Powertrain and Transmission. That was promised on the day of sale.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Dec 17, 2022
Shift to park error, No power to car, reduced engine power, camshaft positioning error, brakes failed (completely went hard unable to press) almost causing crash.
Service brakes, Engine, Nov 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu E2. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at the stop sign, the auto START/STOP mode engaged, however the vehicle failed to restart upon releasing the brake pedal. The message "Engine Reduced Power" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vacuum pump had failed and the camshaft reluctor was in improper position. The dealer diagnosed that the vacuum pump and camshaft needed to be replaced. The parts were replaced. However, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated while driving at 80 MPH and merging lanes, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly and the message "Engine Reduced Power" was displayed. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, Vandergriff Chevrolet (1200 W Interstate 20, Arlington, TX 76017), who informed the contact that he would need to tow the vehicle to the first dealer to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to tow the vehicle back to first dealer for additional diagnostic tests. The failure mileage was approximately 55,634.
Service brakes, Engine, Nov 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and depressing the brake pedal to slow the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the oil change service light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the vacuum pump and engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine, Power train, Oct 14, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the odometer and tachometer readings were incorrect. The Services ESC, power steering, power steering assist, and check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restated and operated normally; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became stiff and the vehicle lost power brakes functionality. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed by an authorized dealer. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 7, 2022
Sometimes when I drive my car it loses power especially when I’m turning into on coming traffic it will lose speed and I’ve almost been hit on numerous occasions. I’ve taking the car to Chevy dealership 4 times already the last time they discovered transmission issues they repaired it. They tell me they don’t see anything else wrong. I have read reviews from other owners and they are experiencing the same exact problem
Fuel system, Gasoline, Engine, Jul 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH the vehicle was jerking and then inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over safely. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle immediately; however, eventually, the vehicle restarted and was driven to the residence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Power train, Engine, Jun 16, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would intermittently hesitate and stall with the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated. Once the vehicle stalled, the contact had to wait a few minutes before successfully restarting the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on multiple occasions however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate or determine the cause of the failure. The contact had the pistons, battery terminal, transmission, and wiring harness replaced; however, the failure persisted after each repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, May 14, 2022
Reduce engine power warming lamp. Cars just suddenly loses power when driving at high rate of speed. Car slows abs f won’t go over 2ph causing hazardous situations and endangering occupants and other drivers. This issue has been repaired twice abs is now the third time.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Apr 20, 2022
while driving down a mountain in monterey tenessee from visiting a friend the car started blowing white smoke and all dash lights flickered before car shut off no brakes or steering while coasting down mountain almost got rear ended by pickup this was around 9pm it was dark i coasted into a gas station after a few attempts to start car . i called roadside assistance that night and got towed to dave kirk chevy dealer next town over after having issues with car i encountered issues with manager of dealer ship and roadside assistance neither could help til i started raising my voice i was stranded there in town for 2 days my friends felt bad the paid for my motel since i was so stressed out they didnt want to look at my car that manager said he knew nothing about after diagnosing my car they found a bad fuel injector that he said was open 100 percent so after 2 days i was on my way back to florida bad experience all the way around
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Apr 20, 2022
I was at a stop light ready to take off while driving for lyft with a passenger in back and the car just quit running as i took off when light turned green no warning whatsoever no dash lights no brakes no steering i had to wait til car stopped rolling so i put car in park then i couldnt put in neutral to push car out of traffic lane. so while i was trying to call a friend for help about 5 minutes passed and i tried the ignition i had a reading on dash that said batterry saver on so i waited and tried again after 5 minutes and car started with battery saver on not knowing how that really works i called nearest chevy dealer about issue they said it was out of warranty for them to look at so i drove to autozone a local parts store to get car checked out for car not starting and the guy found battery was good and charging system ok so there was no code or nothing after getting it looked at to this date of report i had no issues so far but im worried and hoping it wont happen while im driving on highway and get rear ended if it quits running on me again i heard and read about a sotware issue on chevy malibu so im puzzled and afraid to drive this car that i bought new on january of 2021
Engine, Apr 1, 2022
Vehicle lost power after trying to go around a truck on the highway. Car will decline in power and traction light and engine light blinks for a period of 60 minutes some times longer. While in traffic you can not press the gas to go, leaving your car to decline in speed on the highway. Please recall the 2020 Malibu before someone get seriously hurt. Dealerships are aware. Do i need to get the news people involved? Mine has been happing since my purchase. ( New car purchase) service departments dont understand it either. Had my first cylinder and injectors replaced February 2022 , Second Cylinder and all injectors replaced April 1st. 2022. Horrible car
Engine, Mar 13, 2022
Engine loses power while driving. This happened the first time on 8/24/21 I was on the NJ Parkway in highspeed traffic . The vehicle would not drive over 25 miles an hour putting all occupants in the car at risk. The dealership repaired the vehicle The same loss of engine power re-occurred on 3/12/22 while driving at over 50 miles an hour. the car just slowed without warning, and I was unable to increase speed on a busy roadway
Engine, Mar 13, 2022
Engine loses power while driving. This happened the first time on 8/24/2. I was on the NJ Parkway in highspeed traffic . The vehicle would not drive over 25 miles an hour putting all occupants in the car at risk. The dealership repaired the vehicle The same loss of engine power re-occurred on 3/12/22 while driving at over 50 miles an hour. the car just slowed without warning, and I was unable to increase speed on a busy roadway
Electronic stability control (ESC), Engine, Mar 2, 2022
The contact owns 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle started shaking and inadvertently decelerated. The contact stated that the Service ESC and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer nor independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.
Engine, Dec 23, 2021
Engine Light came on before a full year of having the car. Started August 23 2021 the car will take forever to move like engine was lock up or something then when you put the car in drive it was go backwards and when you put it in reverse it will go forward. Car has a head of its own. I am pregnant I don’t feel safe In this car and this car is not safe for my baby to be in I spoke to different people who has the same car as me they experiencing the same thing 2019 and 2020 ..
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 24, 2021
Was traveling at about 58 mph down the highway when all my warning gauges starting going off. My digital dash went blank and the car started accelerating on its own. I kept hitting the brakes trying to make it slow down and I could hear the abs function and feel it thru the brake while trying to slow down. After about a 1/2 mile of fighting the car the dash turned back on the check engine light stayed on and the car stopped trying to accelerate but wouldn’t change gears and was stuck at 3500 rpms when I limped it off the road and had a tow truck come get it.
Electrical system, Engine, Oct 21, 2021
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with the Auto START/STOP safety feature. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the engine failed to start up while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and normal vehicle operation returned. The contact called the dealer and dropped off the vehicle to be inspected. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 21,647.