Every time it rains or I wash the car, water leaks into my trunk. I've been told it was due to the antenna seal and I have heard this was a common problem with these cars, but I havent seen anywhere that there has been a recall.
2015 Chevrolet Malibu body problems
severe 12 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,500 · see body across all vehicles →
Complaints
12
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,500
2crashes
What stands out
No new NHTSA body complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2015 Malibu has persistent body issues: water intrudes through welded frame seams and trunk seals repeatedly, doors stick or fail to operate, the underbody shield detaches and damages the bumper, and trunk latches don't work reliably. Repair shops report some water leaks cannot be permanently fixed.
Water leaks dominate the complaints. Multiple owners report water entering the cabin through body seams during rain and snow, accumulating between the frame and carpet. One owner's mechanic stated the leak stems from a missing seal in a welded frame area that cannot be accessed for proper repair. Others describe water pooling in the trunk, spare tire well, and passenger floorboard during washing, with one attributing it to a faulty antenna seal. Mold and mildew have developed in several vehicles.
Door and latch problems are frequent: door jams stick and refuse to open, a rear door opened while driving then refused to open again, and the trunk latch does not engage when the button is pressed, leaving the trunk unsecurable. The trunk also pops open unexpectedly, even while the vehicle is parked.
One owner reported the underbody shield detaching and collapsing beneath the car, crushing the front bumper and creating a potential safety hazard; the dealer wanted $1,500 to replace the bumper despite the $79 shield being the root cause. Another owner's driver-seat trim cracked within warranty, failed again shortly after repair warranty expired, triggering a costly repeat fix.
Visibility limitations are noted, with significant blind spots and a rear-view camera that cannot effectively detect children or small objects behind the vehicle.
Same Chevrolet Malibu body reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2013 · 2016 · 2017
Failure modes owners describe
Underbody shield separation and bumper damage
The plastic underbody cover/shield beneath the engine detaches from frame welds at the center support point, strikes the ground, and folds under the vehicle, crushing the front bumper inward. The shield is integrated into the bumper design rather than modular, making replacement costly. Owner secured it temporarily with zip ties.
When: During normal low-speed driving through parking lot entrance
Symptoms owners cite: Loud noise and dragging sensation while driving; Front bumper pushed inward and folded; Bumper fascia and plastic pieces cracked; Underbody shield bent and folded underneath vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quoted ~$1,500 to replace full bumper fascia; shield itself is a $79 part. Owner claims permanent fix is not guaranteed due to vehicle's low ground clearance design.
Water ingress through body seams and frame joints
Water leaks into the interior from missing seals in the body frame, entering behind the dashboard and pooling between the frame and carpeting. The affected area is welded and inaccessible for proper repair. A mechanic applied topcoat seam sealer to the cowl, but the leak returned within 24 hours.
When: Began while vehicle was parked; had been leaking slowly since purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Water pooling on driver-side and passenger-side floors; Water accumulating between body frame and carpeting; Water returning after attempted repair
Repairs/costs cited: Mechanic applied topcoat seam sealer in cowl area; stated repair cannot be guaranteed permanent due to welded frame design and inaccessible defect location. Mechanic advised owner not to keep the vehicle.
Driver-side door jam sticking and door opening failure
Driver and passenger door jams stick and doors fail to open without warning. Dealer diagnosis indicated replacement of strips/seals in the doors was needed. Work was not completed; manufacturer case opened but no assistance provided.
When: At approximately 53,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Driver and passenger door jams sticking; Doors failing to open without warning
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed that strips in doors needed replacement; repair not completed. Parts not specified.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer opened case SR8-3884990056; no further assistance provided.
Trunk and rear water leaks
Water leaks into the trunk during rain, snow, or car washing, soaking the spare tire well, back seat, and seat belts. Owners report mold and mildew developing. One owner attributes leak to antenna seal; another reports the spare tire cover fell through. Multiple owners note this appears to be a common issue.
When: Occurs during and after rain or car washing events
Symptoms owners cite: Water filling spare tire well; Water entering trunk area; Back seat and seat belts soaked; Mold and mildew odor development; Spare tire cover deterioration and failure
Repairs/costs cited: One owner attributed to antenna seal defect. No repairs documented in narratives. Owners report this is known to be common across these vehicles.
Passenger-side floor water leaks after car wash
Water leaks into the passenger-side floorboard (front and back beneath floor mats) after drive-through car washing. Issue recurs repeatedly despite no obvious external damage.
When: After drive-through car wash on a track system
Symptoms owners cite: Wet passenger-side floorboard front and back; Water pooling beneath floor mats; Repeated occurrence
Driver-side seat trim cracking and separation
Plastic trim piece on driver seat that holds the seat structure and contains seat control buttons cracks and detaches from the seat frame. Repair was performed at owner's expense outside warranty, but the same piece began pulling away approximately 6 months after repair warranty expired.
When: First failure at approximately 2 years 7 months of ownership (October 2017); recurred April 2019
Symptoms owners cite: Plastic trim cracked; Seat control buttons inaccessible; Trim no longer holding up seat properly; Trim pulling away from seat
Repairs/costs cited: Paid for part and labor in October 2017. Repair warranty expired October 2018. Owner was quoted again for replacement.
Rear driver-side door operational failure
Rear driver-side door would not stay closed and opened while vehicle was in motion. After forcing it shut, the door would no longer open. Outside handle pulls easily but inside handle is inoperative.
When: Occurred during active driving
Symptoms owners cite: Door would not remain closed; Door opened unexpectedly while driving; Door subsequently stuck closed; Inside handle inoperative; outside handle functional
Trunk latch and release malfunction
Two distinct trunk issues: latch assembly fails to lock when button is pressed, leaving trunk unsecurable; separately, trunk pops open unexpectedly, including overnight in garage and while owner is in restaurant. Vehicle lacks manual key lock for trunk.
When: Various; popping occurs unexpectedly without specific trigger documented
Symptoms owners cite: Latch does not engage when button pressed; Trunk does not lock; Trunk pops open unexpectedly; No manual key lock available; Cannot secure trunk reliably
Limited visibility design and blind spots
Vehicle has significant blind spots on both driver and passenger sides that make locating adjacent vehicles difficult. Rear view camera has limited field of view and cannot effectively detect children or small objects in the rear area.
When: Inherent design issue; ongoing
Symptoms owners cite: Blind spots on both sides difficult to see; Vehicles in adjacent lanes hard to locate; Rear view camera cannot show children in rear area; Impossible to see child in rear with provided camera
Synthesized from 12 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
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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 body problem on the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu?
It's a meaningful issue. 12 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,500.
At what mileage does the body typically fail?
Based on the 12 complaints filed, body issues most often appear around 43,081 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,500 for body 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 body?
No active recalls currently cover body 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.