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ProblemsByVin Index / 2020-CHEVROLET-MALIBU / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2020 Chevrolet Malibu owner complaints

188 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 3 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

powertrain 8 complaints shown

48 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
12/19/2025 ODI #11706146.0

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) when going to pass a vehicle…all of a sudden power drops and rpms go up and car slows up. When it suddenly happens, pulling into traffic is very slow. The only way to get power back is to turn off traction control via a button. It is back at the dealer now. They have had it the last two weeks. They fixed a shift to park issue but cannot duplicate the loss of power. So they are saying it is ready to pick up. Once, recently, a check engine light come on along with a message saying something like low power mode. We w

12/19/2022 ODI #11497994.0

Shift to Park Alarm will not stop beeping. Looked into it on the internet found it to be a known issue with GM. Can prevent the doors from unlocking and would drain battery and annoyance. Replaced shifter assembly at a cost of $567.28 I believe GM knows of the issue and should recall the defective parts. I am making this complaint on behalf of my 85 year old Mother that purchased the 2020 Malibu with the remaining 3 year/36000 miles warranty. In November of 2022 she had the Alarm Shift to Park come up and would not stop. I return the car to the shop where she purchased it, expecting the issue to be covered by warranty. I found out the car was put in service in August of 2019 making the warranty expired. The mechanic that replaced the shifting assembly explained the problem to me and

12/17/2022 ODI #11497874.0

Shift to park error, No power to car, reduced engine power, camshaft positioning error, brakes failed (completely went hard unable to press) almost causing crash.

12/11/2024 ODI #11630078.0

Trouble going into forward gears. hard shifts into reverse. Hard idle, had transmission valve body replaced in october. Same issues before and after replacement

12/10/2024 75,000 mi ODI #11629833.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon parking and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed while the gear shifter was already in park(P). The contact stated that upon shifting out of park(P) and shifting back to park(P) several times, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, and the failure persisted. The contact stated that upon researching the failure online, the contact became aware that it was a common failure and that the battery needed to be disconnected. The contact disconnected the battery. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

11/25/2025 ODI #11701454.0

My vehicle displays a "shift to park" message on the dashboard, even when the gear selector is in the park position. This prevents the car from being shut off, and in sometimes, the doors may not be able to be locked. Not understanding the issue initially has thus caused me to have to replace my car battery numerous times for battery drainage.

11/24/2025 ODI #11701372.0

Problems with my transmission for over two years, I’ve searched the website and have taken it to a dealership since. The vehicle has had a hard shift and problems to accelerate. The issue continues to get worse and my car has stopped while in drive, only allowing me to go backwards. It was within warranty and low miles. I was told that that’s what new cars do. Transmission fluid has always been full and topped off. In order to know what is wrong I am told I would have to pull my transmission and was suggested to replace it because it would be an easier fix. The steering also pulls. I’ve contacted the dealership and was told to contact Chevy for recall and since it was not in their data they could do nothing for me.

11/18/2025 106,000 mi ODI #11700027.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal properly. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who discovered metal debris inside the transmission and advised the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 106,000.

brakes 5 complaints shown

25 total in this category · severe · avg repair $450 · see brakes cluster analysis →
12/31/2025 ODI #11707950.0

Vehicle vacuum pump failed I have changed it 4 times now. Saw there have been more cases

12/09/2024 57,000 mi Crash ODI #11629724.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH and approaching a stop light the braking system malfunctioned when pressing the brake pedal causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of a second vehicle. The contact indicated that the vehicle did not reduce speed when pressing the brake pedal and the collision avoidance feature did not activate. A police report was taken at the scene. The police officer also confirmed no skid marks at the crash site. During the crash, the contact sustained injuries to the left arm and right shoulder that did not require medical attention. Both the driver and front seat passenger of the second vehicle sustained undisclosed injuries and were transported to the hospital. The vehicle was towed away and later

12/02/2024 Crash ODI #11628427.0

I am writing to formally report a critical safety issue with my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, which resulted in a severe accident and posed significant risks to my safety and the safety of The issue involves the brake vacuum pump, which failed while I was driving. The component is currently with the vehicle, which is stored in a parking facility, and is available for inspection upon request. The failure of the brake vacuum pump caused a sudden and complete loss of braking power while I was driving. This malfunction put my life and the lives of others at immediate risk. On the first occasion, in April, I narrowly avoided a serious collision. Four weeks later, I experienced a second instance of brake vacuum failure, which led to a severe accident. The inability to stop the vehicle safely was dir

11/22/2022 55,634 mi ODI #11494612.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu E2. The contact stated that while at a complete stop at the stop sign, the auto START/STOP mode engaged, however the vehicle failed to restart upon releasing the brake pedal. The message "Engine Reduced Power" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the vacuum pump had failed and the camshaft reluctor was in improper position. The dealer diagnosed that the vacuum pump and camshaft needed to be replaced. The parts were replaced. However, the failure reoccurred while driving. The contact stated while driving at 80 MPH and merging lanes, the vehicle decelerated unintendedly and the message "Engine Reduced Power" was displayed. The contac

11/17/2022 90,000 mi ODI #11493934.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH and depressing the brake pedal to slow the vehicle, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the oil change service light was illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the vacuum pump and engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

engine 2 complaints shown

17 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
12/23/2021 ODI #11444814.0

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 its own. I am pregnant I don’t feel safe In this car and this car is not safe for my baby to be in I spoke to different people who has the same car as me they experiencing the same thing 2019 and 2020 ..

12/16/2025 ODI #11705304.0

Throwing code p1101 for the mass air flow sensor. This is a listed recall amongst other Malibu's but does not include my vin number. Check engine is on.

fuel system 1 complaint shown

4 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $1,200 · see fuel system cluster analysis →
12/20/2024 180,000 mi ODI #11631844.0

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 local dealer who serviced the throttle body, but the vehicle was not fixed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 180,000.

steering 1 complaint shown

13 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $700 · see steering cluster analysis →
12/15/2022 61,000 mi ODI #11497534.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the service ESC warning light and the steering assist reduced warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the traction control warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

lighting 1 complaint shown

12/08/2023 61,000 mi ODI #11559159.0

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that she became aware that the trunk was damp and wet. The contact stated that after having a flat tire, she noticed mold on the rear windshield. There was half-inch of water in the trunk. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the third brake light was leaking, and water was leaking into the vehicle. The mechanic informed the contact that the headliner and rear seat was wet. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.

airbags 1 complaint shown

4 total in this category · critical · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags cluster analysis →
12/06/2023 Crash ODI #11558832.0

When I was in a car accident, the airbag exploded. However, the airbag's balloon-like fabric material did not deploy, and a metal part even flew off the steering wheel and exploded, hitting me in the chin. So I lost about half of my lower jaw, most of my lower teeth, and some of my upper teeth. In the process, I underwent a total of three surgeries: emergency, infection, and reconstruction surgery. In the future, I may need to undergo additional implant surgery and additional reconstructive surgery as needed. There has been no formal component inspection by any agency since the accident and there were no relevant warnings or symptoms prior to the accident.

electrical 1 complaint shown

38 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/02/2024 ODI #11628415.0

Shift to park detected when I have gear in park

Showing 300 of 188 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2020/Chevrolet/Malibu#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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