Chevrolet Malibu problems
188 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
- Brakes: 25 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 57,000–90,000 mi
- Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
Vehicle vacuum pump failed I have changed it 4 times now. Saw there have been more cases
Engine Light came on before a full year of having the car. Started August 23 2021 the car will take forever to move like engine was lock up or something then when you put the car in drive it was go backwards and when you put it in reverse it will go forward. Car has a head of…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the message "Transport Mode" was suddenly displayed, and the vehicle decelerated and stalled. After restarting the vehicle, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the…
This is a 2020 Malibu with only 18,000 miles on it now. We are having intermittent loss of power. Car will be moving fine when suddenly it looses power when pulling into traffic from a stop. It has also happened on the highway(right after leaving the dealer service department)…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Under investigation 1 open at NHTSA
NHTSA has an open defect investigation covering this vehicle — the step that can precede a recall, not a finding of fault. EA25005 on NHTSA →
How NHTSA investigations work, and what's open now →
Common questions
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.4 out of 10 based on 188 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Brakes: 25 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 57,000–90,000 mi; Reliability score 7.4/10 — around the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 48 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 73,909 miles. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The airbags is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $1,100 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 78,537 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Chevrolet Malibu has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 188 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $1,100, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.