I was driving my 2013 Chevy, malibu with 46,901 miles at 80mph on the interstate when my car started loosing power and became uneasy to drive. The engine service light, stability track light, and engine power is reduced was illuminated on the dashboard. Prior to this incidence, my engine and stability track lighting would come on at random making the car difficulty to drive. I would take the…
2013 Chevrolet Malibu cruise control problems
severe 11 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $600 · see cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
2crashes
When does it fail?
Of the 11 cruise control complaints filed for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 9 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: Multiple 2013 Malibu owners report sudden loss of engine power at highway speeds, sometimes triggered by hard braking or occurring randomly, with warning lights that dealers cannot diagnose or resolve. Some owners also experienced unintended acceleration or complete cruise control failure, adding to safety concerns on this model.
The dominant complaint pattern across these 11 reports is sudden power loss during highway driving. Owners describe the engine losing power while cruising at 55–80 mph, causing the vehicle to decelerate sharply to 20–30 mph, sometimes accompanied by shaking, vibration, and transmission grinding in manual mode. The dashboard displays "Reduced Engine Power," along with Check Engine and Stability Track warning lights. These events occur at low mileage (3,000–46,900 miles) and repeat unpredictably, sometimes within weeks of initial occurrence.
Dealers have replaced spark plugs, battery, throttle bodies, brake pedal position sensors, and even brake components (master cylinder, rotors, pads), yet the power loss persists. One owner's power loss was preceded by hard braking while cruise control was engaged in manual mode; another occurred while driving city streets with no triggering event.
Two separate owners report unintended acceleration—one while idling at a stop resulting in collision, another while driving normally. Instrument panel lights flashed before acceleration in at least one case. Dealer inspectors found no mechanical failure.
One owner reports cruise control simply would not engage at 55 mph and remained inoperable after multiple attempts.
Across all complaints, dealers are unable to replicate faults and advise that no diagnosis or repair is possible without reproducible symptoms.
Same Chevrolet Malibu cruise control reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2015 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Power Loss and Reduced Engine Power Events
Vehicle loses engine power and throttle response during highway driving or normal operation. Dashboard displays 'Reduced Engine Power' message along with Check Engine and Stability Track warning lights. Car decelerates sharply from cruising speed (55–80 mph) to 20–30 mph, becoming difficult or unsafe to drive. Multiple owners report this happens repeatedly, sometimes with vibration and transmission grinding (manual mode). Dealers cannot replicate the issue and blame battery, spark plugs, throttle cleaning, or cannot identify root cause.
When: Varies: 3,000–46,901 miles; occurs during highway cruising and city driving
Symptoms owners cite: Engine power loss while maintaining cruise control; Sharp speed reduction (70+ mph down to 20–30 mph); Vehicle shaking or vibration; Reduced Engine Power display; Check Engine light illumination; Stability Track/Service StabiliTrak warning light; Rough idle and stalling in some cases; Transmission grinding (when in manual mode or downshifting); Poor acceleration after event
Codes mentioned: Reduced Engine Power message, Check Engine light, Service StabiliTrak/Stability Track light
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replaced brake pedal position sensor, master cylinder, rotors, pads, and spark plugs in some cases; throttle cleaned; battery replaced. Problem persisted in most cases. One owner reported issue recurred five months after initial service.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recalls or TSBs cited for cruise control or power loss. Dealers unable to replicate faults and advised no repair could be completed without reproducible diagnostics.
Unintended Acceleration
Vehicle accelerates on its own without driver input, sometimes while idling or at a stop. Instrument panel lights flash before acceleration occurs. Two separate incidents resulted in collisions with other vehicles. Investigators could not detect a mechanical failure. One owner also reported the car sped up on its own while driving.
When: 3,000–low mileage; one report during idle condition
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden, uncontrolled forward acceleration; Acceleration while vehicle is idling; Instrument panel lights flashing before acceleration event; Vehicle continued to accelerate across street after initial collision
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to dealer; investigator inspected but found no detectable failure. No repairs performed.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified in at least one case; no recall or TSB mentioned.
Cruise Control Inoperative
Cruise control button fails to activate or maintain function. Owner attempted multiple times to engage at 55 mph with no response. Vehicle was not taken to dealer for diagnosis.
When: 12,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control does not activate; Cruise control remains inoperable after multiple attempts
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2013 Chevrolet Malibu?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 9,600 and 94,137 miles, with the median around 46,901. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,600; a quarter make it past 94,137. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Chevrolet/Malibu.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.