chevrolet Malibu problems
0 safety recalls. 183 owner complaints. We mapped every trouble spot before you sign the papers.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
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)…
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Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 183 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.
What's the most common problem on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 47 complaints filed. 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. 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 183 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 aren't always better value.