Should I buy a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu with documented airbags problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented airbags issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2016 Chevrolet Malibu airbags problems

severe 10 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$1,100

2crashes

1fire

2injuries

What stands out

All 3 active airbags recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 16V781000 October 26, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured November 18, 2015, to June 7, 2016

If the air bag tears during deployment, the air bag may not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 27, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16079.

severe NHTSA 16V151000 March 11, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Malibu vehicles manufactured February 16, 2016, to March 5, 2016

Fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 31820.

severe NHTSA 16V125000 March 2, 2016

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorado vehicles manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016, Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016, and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 28030.

The failure pattern owners describe

Buyer takeaway: The 2016 Malibu airbag system is prone to warning light issues and passenger detection failures, sometimes with no clear resolution through recalls. More critically, some owners report non-deployment in collisions and premature deployment in minor impacts—reliability concerns that warrant a thorough pre-purchase inspection at a Chevy dealer, not a third-party shop.

Owners report recurring passenger airbag indicator malfunctions—the warning light cycles on and off unpredictably, sometimes illuminates when no passenger is present, and occasionally displays "ON 2" status before reverting to off mode. Multiple warning chimes often accompany these events. One owner with code B0074 (passenger presence module) found that recall 18208 addressed the issue for some VINs but not theirs.

The service airbag light also appears frequently without obvious cause. One dealer quoted $481 for steering airbag replacement on a vehicle with no driver-inflicted damage.

More concerning are collision-related failures. One owner reports airbags did not deploy during a rear-end collision, resulting in passenger injuries. Another describes both driver-side airbags deploying at bumper-tap speeds (under 5 mph). A third discovered that prior third-party repairs masked serious SRS problems—wrong seat belts, loose bolts, spliced wiring, and improper module installation that cost $4,050 to correct at a dealership.

One complaint references an engine speed reduction issue and dashboard warning lights that created highway safety risks, though the core failure remains the airbag system inconsistency.

Same Chevrolet Malibu airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2015 · 2018

Failure modes owners describe

Passenger airbag on/off indicator malfunction

Passenger airbag warning light illuminates and extinguishes intermittently or remains on when no one is seated in the passenger seat. In some cases, the indicator shows 'ON 2' status and may revert to off mode unexpectedly. Owners report warning bells accompanying the display. Associated with failures in the passenger presence detection system.

When: Intermittent; reported at various mileages including 174,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag light coming on and off repeatedly; Warning indicator showing 'ON 2' when seat is empty; Multiple warning bells/chimes sounding; System toggling between on and off modes without driver input

Codes mentioned: B0074 (passenger presence module fault)

Repairs/costs cited: One owner reported recall 18208 exists for certain 2016 Malibus but their VIN was not included

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 18208 issued for certain 2016 Malibu models (not universal across all VINs)

Service airbag warning light activation

Service airbag message displayed on dashboard with no immediate apparent cause. Occurs in vehicles with no driver-inflicted damage. One case specifically cited steering airbag as the fault component with dealer repair estimate of $481.

When: Unknown exact mileage for most reports; one case at approximately 174,000 miles

Symptoms owners cite: 'Service Air Bag' message on dashboard; Airbag warning light illuminated

Repairs/costs cited: Dealer quoted $481 for steering airbag replacement; owner states no prior damage to vehicle

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer referred one complainant to NHTSA Hotline; one owner received an unspecified recall letter

Airbag non-deployment in collision

During a rear-end collision at unknown speed, the airbags failed to deploy. Passenger sustained rib, back, and neck injuries. This is an unverified consumer allegation of failure to function as designed during an actual impact event.

When: Failure mileage 113,537 miles

Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy despite rear collision impact; Passenger injuries (rib, back, neck) resulting from crash

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed to salvage lot; no repair attempted

Airbag inadvertent deployment on low-impact collision

Both driver-side airbags deployed during a very low-speed rear bumper contact (under 5 mph) with another vehicle. This represents an allegation of overly sensitive deployment threshold.

When: Unknown mileage

Symptoms owners cite: Both driver-side airbags deployed during minor rear bumper contact; Collision speed minimal (under 5 mph)

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall designated as 'TAMARA' (designation unclear from narrative)

Improperly repaired airbag system after prior collision

Vehicle purchased post-collision with improper repairs made by third-party dealer, including incorrectly installed bolts on SRS, wrong seat belt replacements, missing pigtails spliced together, and faulty airbag control module installation. Repairs masked problems until subsequent collision revealed the unsafe work.

When: Prior wreck, then subsequent wreck in December 2021

Symptoms owners cite: Airbag light stopping after repairs masked underlying issues; Seat belt deployment failures in subsequent collision

Repairs/costs cited: Corrective repairs cost $4,050 total: $2,250 for seat belt replacement, pretensioners, and airbag control module; $1,800 for dealership splicing correction and module programming

Synthesized from 10 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 0 most recent

Had airbags trouble with your 2016 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 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?

It's a meaningful issue. 10 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.

At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?

Based on the 10 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 82,979 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 $1,100 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?

Yes — 3 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

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/2016/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.