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
198 reports, newest first.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Oct 6, 2023
I was driving down the hwy and all of a sudden, my engine lost power and my brakes harden. I could not brake and nearly lost my life and my sons.
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 .
Service brakes, Aug 25, 2023
UNKNOWN Coming off a ramp to slow down and brakes were hard. Have to press down to brake.
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.
Electrical system, Aug 14, 2023
UNKNOWN- Complaint about Vehicle Turning Off While Reversing Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am writing to bring to your attention an incident that occurred on August 9, 2023, involving my vehicle unexpectedly turning off while I was reversing. I believe this incident raises concerns regarding the safety and reliability of my vehicle, and I would appreciate your assistance in addressing this matter. On the mentioned date, as I was reversing, my vehicle suddenly shut off, leaving me with no choice but to place it in park and restart it. This unexpected shutdown created a hazardous situation and caused inconvenience. To ensure the safety of myself and others on the road, it is crucial to identify the underlying cause of this issue and take appropriate measures to prevent its recurrence. I have already taken some initial steps to investigate the problem, such as checking the battery terminals for security and corrosion. However, as a layperson, I am not equipped with the necessary expertise to accurately diagnose the problem. Therefore, I kindly request your expertise and resources to conduct a thorough investigation into this matter. It is my understanding that the NHTSA plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and reliability of vehicles on the roads. I believe that by investigating incidents like mine, you contribute to the overall safety and well-being of drivers and passengers nationwide. I urge you to consider this incident as an opportunity to identify any potential defects or safety concerns that may exist within my vehicle model or its components. I would greatly appreciate it if you could guide me on the appropriate steps to take in order to initiate an investigation into this matter. If there are any specific forms or documents I need to complete, please let me know, and I will be prompt in providing the necessary information. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your guidance and support
Steering, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jul 22, 2023
Since last year I am having this problem in this car, even after parking the car, it is giving an error of "shift to park', I have already taken it to the car dealership twice to fix this problem and still the problem is not getting fixed in the car. Not even that I live in California and while coming back from Vegas last year, this car suddenly stopped working while on the freeway, luckily I was near truck station so I stopped the car. This is a new car and I didn't even drive 36000 miles on it and it is giving me problems. This car is a serious problem and I would request nhtsa to please step in and take action regarding the manufacturers.
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.
Other or unspecified, Jul 12, 2023
This car locked up about 2 Years Ago. It Told Me To Put The Car In Neutral While Driving It. The Brakes No Longer Worked And Neither Did The Steering. The Car Just Rolled Backwards No Matter The Gear It Was In Other Than Park. I Took It To Two Dealerships Who Told Me It Was A Problem With The Computer of the Car. I Seen About Three Lights on The Dashboard On And Off Typically When The Car Was Turned of And Restarted They Went Away. I Was Told That Since Nothing Was Showing Up It Couldn’t Be Diagnosed And That Since The Lights Were No Longer On The Dashboard It Was Fine. If I Seen Something Bring It Back In. Well Two Years Later It Happened Again On 7/3/23. I Had It Towed To Be Serviced Again. Just For Them To Give Me The Same Answer. It Has Been Driven 4 Times Since Then. As Of Today (7/12/23) I Got I Got In My Car And Literally Drove To The Stop Sign Of My Complex Before Having To Turn Back Around. The Car Was Smoking From The Inside Something Was Burning. The Car Is Having Issues That I Cant Even Get Resolved Because The Computer Of The Car Is Malfunctioning Some How & Its Costing Me Money & Putting Me Out Of A Vehicle. Something Is Wrong With The Computer System. & Now Ultimately Something Else Now.
Steering, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jul 11, 2023
Service ESC ABS I just had a 2009 Chevy Malibu and now a 2020 and I’m having the same exact issues loss of power steering braking and at first my gas gauge was off check engine light came on now today “Service ESC w ABS LIGHT” on dashboard
Power train, Jun 27, 2023
After you shift the car into park and shut the motor off, the car flashes a warning on the instrument panel to shift the car into park. Which it already is. Appears there was a recall for this for 2016-2019 cars, but not the 2020 year like mine. Happens consistently.
Air bags, Jun 16, 2023, crash
Officer [XXX] filed on behalf of the deceased. The deceased owned a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the deceased had a rear end crash with another vehicle which was stopped at a traffic signal. The contact stated the estimated speed of the crash was 30 MPH. The air bag deployed and had shredded, the contact stated that a steering wheel support had been sheared from the steering wheel. The contact stated that most of the damage to vehicle of the deceased was on the left front end and the leading edge of the hood was slightly buckled. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The deceased was alive at the time of the accident and transported to a shock trauma unit. The contact stated that the driver was pronounced dead at the hospital. The contact stated that she had suffered neck trauma to her jugular vein and blunt force trauma to her chest. The contact stated that the vehicle had been involved in another crash where the air bag had deployed in Sept. 2022. The contact stated that the vehicle was a rental fleet vehicle and following the accident had been sold by the rental company at auction. The origin and type of the replacement air bag had not yet been determined. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Electrical system, Service brakes, Jun 8, 2023
About 3 months ago, I started experiencing the shift to park problem where my car would turn off completely and would be still and solid but the car wouldn't register being in park.
Other or unspecified, Jun 6, 2023
There have been four incidences (11/21, 10/22 (2x), 5/23) where my vehicle has completely stopped running while I am driving. The dash lights come on, it says to service ESC, it will say to put vehicle in park (even if I have done so already), it says I have low fuel (even with a full tank) and I lose power steering. This has happened when driving on city roads and at high speed on the freeway ( which is extremely dangerous). This puts me in danger because my vehicle stops accelerating and I must coast to the shoulder, which could very easily cause a collision, especially on the freeway. My vehicle has been to the dealership for each instance and they find nothing wrong.
Electrical system, May 26, 2023
When shifting into park the display will show the car is in park but there will be an alarm informing me to put the car in park.
Power train, May 24, 2023
My vehicle malibu2020. When I park sometimes It says shift to park sign. On dash board. The makes it difficult for car. To shut. off i have to keep pressing the plus and minus sign on the gear shift to cut off.
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.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Service brakes, Apr 30, 2023
While driving on many occasions the last incident happened Friday April 28th 2023. My 2020 Malibu lost all communication on 231 Hwy. All dash gauges went haywire power dropped on vehicle RPM was accelerated but vehicle speed would not change engine light and traction light came on. I then had to pull over brakes made a loud thud noise when stopping. Turned vehicle off sat for about 15 minutes and restarted my vehicle engine light was still on but I was about four miles from home turned my hazard flashers on and made it home. When the car loses power it gives me NO warning at all it just happens. I've taken it to both Chevy dealers in my area Mr. [XXX] at Gilland GMC Ozark, Al explained to me that yes he saw the codes where car lost power and because they couldn't pinpoint the problem GMC had to be called and he was told that GMC has a team of engineers working on the Loss of Control problem but at this time they don't know anything. I'm risking my life on every day driving this vehicle in which I do have an extended warranty on but they can't fix what they can't find but yet KNOW for Fact that there is a problem. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Structure, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Apr 25, 2023, crash
This vehicle was purchased on February 10, 2023 under false pretenses, deceit, and fraudulent activities by Frank Leta Honda of Missouri. Frank Leta Honda and its Salesman failed to disclosed that this vehicle was in a major accident prior to me purchasing it. The front-end bumper and the front quarter-panel on the passenger side were damaged. This car was re-painted with non-factory paint, and it shows. Most importantly, the procedure and process required in painting a vehicle was not followed. I even questioned the salesman whether or not this vehicle was in a major accident, and the salesman said, "no." I had taken this vehicle to two professional auto body businesses, and two owners/auto body workers informed me without me asking that the vehicle had been in a major accident. Can you please give me a report on whether or not the previous owners of this vehicle reported an accident with this vehicle being involved in, and the original color of this vehicle. The dealer is calling it red. However, this vehicle is a deep dark burgundy.
Electrical system, Mar 22, 2023
My 2020 Malibu was placed taken to Chevy dealership before with same issues in October 2022, now today 3/22/23, while driving car lost power while driving on freeway. Completely shut down with same warning stating Service battery charging system, once I place car in park it started up and had the battery saver active warning with voltage of 9.2 My car only has 38098 miles. In October it only had 35k. They did replace a fuse on the battery and stated everything was good but I’m confused what keeps making it cut off when it’s brand new car. I don’t understand how this car is even safe if everyone states the same thing. Wishing I kept my other reliable car instead of putting up with this.
Air bags, Mar 12, 2023, crash
WHEN I BOGHT THE CAR WAS WITH OUT AIRBAGS
Electrical system, Mar 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that she noticed that water had intruded into the vehicle. The contact then stated that water had leaked from the inner lining of the roof and entered through the rear center brake taillight. The contact stated that the vehicle was saturated with water. As a result, the check engine warning light, parking brake light, and alarm system warning lights intermittently illuminated and started to malfunction. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer however, the vehicle had not yet been diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 53,000.