This Preliminary information communication provides information to the technician with diagnostic tips for diagnosing reduced or low engine power with no Driver Information Center messages, that may be caused by an inaccurate brake pedal position sensor.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2015 Chevrolet Malibu airbags problems
critical Owners of the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu have filed 45 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 48,000 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
45
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Malibu | 67 |
| 2012 Malibu | 73 |
| 2013 Malibu | 52 |
| 2014 Malibu | 8 |
| 2015 Malibu (this page) | 45 |
| 2016 Malibu | 10 |
| 2017 Malibu | 8 |
| 2018 Malibu | 11 |
| 2019 Malibu | 3 |
7crashes
6injuries
1fatality
When does it fail?
Of the 45 airbags complaints filed for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 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
Owners have filed 45 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, and/or B3935. Technician should not replace any parts for this concern. If unable to duplicate the concern ask if the customer uses any Radio Frequency Identification Devices when the concern is present. Dealer should also direct their customers to the appropriate section in the Owner manuals that references that the device complies.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin provides information on Passenger Presence System (PPS) May Command Seat Belt Reminder Chime and Passenger Airbag Indicator On or Set DTC B101D When Electronic Devices or Conductive Objects are Placed on Front Passenger Seat
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This informational bulletin provides Information on Passenger Presence Sensing System (PPS or PSS) Concerns with Custom Upholstery, Accessory Seat Heaters or Other Comfort Enhancing Devices
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This technical bulletin provides a procedure to perform a wire to wire repair on the SRS/SIR harness on the passenger seat to correct a condition of intermittent airbag indicator light on
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant complaint is a service airbag warning light that comes on between 23,800 and 106,000 miles, usually caused by a failed airbag control module (SDM). Owners take the car to GM dealers, get a diagnosis of module failure, and receive repair quotes of $700 to $1,000—almost always out of pocket, since dealers say the mileage exceeds warranty coverage. Multiple owners discovered via online forums and discussion boards that this is a pattern affecting many 2015 Malibus, yet GM has not issued a recall.
Beyond warning-light failures, owners report actual deployment failures during collisions. One owner was T-boned at 23 mph with no airbag deployment, resulting in a broken neck; another hit a deer at 65 mph with no passenger-side airbag deployment; a third experienced a 45 mph side-impact with zero airbag deployment and disabled StabilTrak. GM denied or refused to clarify these cases. One owner also reports airbags deploying but failing to fill properly.
A smaller group reports intermittent warning lights with no retrievable diagnostic codes, making diagnosis impossible, and one owner describes a passenger-side airbag sensor that reads "OFF" even when a passenger is seated. Water intrusion into sensors is mentioned as a possible root cause that owners believe warrants a recall.
Same Chevrolet Malibu airbags reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2016 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag Control Module / SDM Failure
The airbag sensing diagnostic module (SDM) or central control module—the 'brain' of the airbag system—fails, disabling both driver and passenger airbags and triggering a service airbag warning light.
When: Typically between 38,000 and 106,000 miles; some owners report failures within 4 years of ownership with relatively low mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Service airbag warning light illuminates on dashboard; Light comes on immediately upon starting the vehicle or appears intermittently; Both driver and passenger airbags disabled once module fails; No airbags functional until repair completed
Codes mentioned: B101D, C0186, C0196, C0287, B0081
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement of airbag control module; owners report repair estimates ranging from $700 to nearly $1,000 CAD. Many dealers want owners to pay out of pocket, citing mileage outside warranty coverage.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM has stated that failures are not covered under warranty after 40,000 miles or 4 years. No widespread recall issued for this module failure; owners reference campaign 15V666000 as related to airbag issues but note their specific vehicles are not covered.
Airbag Non-Deployment During Collision
In actual accidents, one or more airbags fail to deploy when impact is detected, leaving occupants unprotected.
When: At collision impact; mileage varies from 17,440 to undocumented.
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light off or normal before accident; No deployment of front driver airbag, front passenger airbag, and/or side curtain airbags during side-impact or front-impact collision; Vehicle impacts documented as significant (T-bone at 23 mph, deer strike at 65 mph, vehicle-to-vehicle at 40–45 mph, 60 mph collision)
Repairs/costs cited: No repair documented in narratives; vehicles were towed or examined post-collision.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: In at least one case (narrative #2), GM claimed 'the system had not failed' despite no airbag deployment in a T-bone collision resulting in broken neck and knee injury. In another (narrative #17), manufacturer stated airbags 'operated as designed' and refused to share diagnostic report with owner.
Airbag Deployment Failure—Insufficient Fill
Airbags deploy during collision but fail to inflate fully, reducing occupant protection.
When: During collision at 40 mph right turn.
Symptoms owners cite: Both driver and passenger airbags deployed but did not fill up; Collision occurred; no injuries reported in this specific case
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer was unable to determine cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Passenger-Side Airbag Sensor Malfunction
Passenger-side airbag sensor incorrectly reports no occupant in seat or sensor itself fails, causing passenger airbag to be disabled even when seat is occupied.
When: Intermittent issue; timing varies.
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag turns on and off intermittently; Dashboard display shows passenger airbag 'OFF' even when passenger is seated; Service airbag warning light illuminates
Repairs/costs cited: No specific repair details in narratives.
Intermittent Service Airbag Warning Light—No Diagnostic Code
Service airbag warning light illuminates but diagnostic tools fail to retrieve any fault codes, making root cause diagnosis difficult or impossible.
When: Can appear at any mileage; documented at 23,800 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Service airbag warning light appears on dashboard; Light comes on upon startup or while driving; Light may come and go intermittently; No diagnostic code retrieved by scan tool or GM's monthly diagnostic report
Repairs/costs cited: Unable to diagnose or repair without codes.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM's diagnostic report shows no problem despite warning light.
Water Intrusion Causing Sensor Failure
Water ingress into airbag sensors under the hood causes sensor failure, triggering service airbag light.
When: Timing depends on exposure to moisture; mileage varies.
Symptoms owners cite: Service airbag warning light illuminates; Sensors under the hood fail
Repairs/costs cited: Sensor replacement required; owners note multiple sensors have been replaced for this reason.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owners believe this should be a recall issue due to design flaw allowing water ingress.
Driver-Side Seat Recline Mechanism Fault Linked to Airbag
Driver-side seat back fails to recline or recline mechanism breaks, and mechanic diagnosis attributes fault to a defective airbag in the driver seat.
When: Vehicle less than 10 years old.
Symptoms owners cite: Driver seat back will not recline to normal driving position; Airbag light may illuminate
Repairs/costs cited: New driver seat required due to faulty airbag component.
Synthesized from 45 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the service air bag warning indicator illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to several unknown Chevrolet dealers in the texas and new mexico areas, but they were unable to officially diagnose the vehicle. The contact used a code reader and determined that the air bag control module was defective. The contact spoke with the…
Service airbag light came on with no warning. I just started my car and the display said to service airbag. Car has never been in a wreck. After some research, I found multiple people having this issue. They all turned their vehicles in to a gm dealership and almost all had a faulty air bag control module. I hope that safety investigates deeply on this so no one will have a deadly wreck. The…
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 injuries. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,440
Air bag came on all at once about a mounth ago I put in shop to fix . Shop said it was fix they reprogramed the air bag they say. One week later was back on . Took back to shop shop say need a new computer. Was" 700.00 to fix it.
Had airbags trouble with your 2015 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 airbags problem on the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu?
It's a serious issue. 45 complaints have been filed, including 7 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 24 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 36,800 and 85,000 miles, with the median around 48,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 36,800; a quarter make it past 85,000. 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 $1,100 for airbags 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 airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags 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/2015/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.