Shift to park detected when I have gear in park
2020 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems
moderate 38 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $850 · see electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
38
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
What stands out
Owners have filed 38 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Electrical accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 8 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: A 2020 Malibu with an electrical problem needs serious vetting before purchase. Owners report sudden power loss at highway speeds, brake booster failure making brakes inoperative, and shift-to-park sensor glitches that won't let the car turn off—safety issues that dealers sometimes can't diagnose or fix even under warranty.
Owners of 2020 Malibus describe unpredictable electrical failures that put lives at risk. The most dangerous: sudden, complete power loss while driving at highway speeds with zero warning. The engine shuts down, all gauges go haywire, and brake and steering power vanish. Multiple owners have had this happen in traffic or on freeways. Dealers acknowledge the problem but say GM's engineering team has no fix yet.
Brake booster and vacuum pump failures are widespread and recurring. The brake pedal becomes rock-hard and nearly impossible to depress—in one case, an owner needed both feet to stop the car in heavy traffic. One pump replacement failed again within six months. Owners cite a defective orifice in the PCV line as the root cause and reference active class-action litigation.
The "shift to park" electronic shifter fault prevents the car from turning off. The dash shows "shift to park" even when the vehicle sits in park. Owners must restart the engine 3–15 times and repeatedly shift in and out of park to clear the message, or the car stays in accessory mode and drains the battery overnight. GM recalled 2019 and earlier Malibus for this, but 2020 owners are still waiting.
Additional failures include unexpected engine stalls without warning, battery drain causing no-start conditions on brand-new cars, and water intrusion from the roof triggering electrical faults. No check engine light or warning precedes many of these events, leaving owners stranded mid-drive with no indication something was wrong.
Same Chevrolet Malibu electrical reports on nearby years: 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2021 · 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Loss of Engine Power and Complete Shutdown
Vehicle loses all motive power while driving, engine stalls, and in some cases all electrical systems lose communication simultaneously. Occurs without warning. Can happen at highway speeds or traffic lights.
When: Various mileages: 23,000 to 73,000 miles; instances reported at 1-2 years of ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Complete loss of power and engine stall while driving; All gauges go haywire and become unresponsive; No steering or braking power; Check engine light and traction control light illuminate; Service battery charging system warning; ESC mode activation; Speed drops below 5-40 mph and cannot accelerate; No warning before failure occurs; Vehicle must be restarted to function again; Battery saver mode activates after restart
Codes mentioned: U0073 - Control Module Communication Bus A Off, U0100 - Lost Communication With Engine Control Module, U0121 - Lost Communication with Electronic Brake Control Module, U0140 - Lost Communication With Body Control Module, P0700 - Transmission Control Module Requested MIL Illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Front wiring harness replacement reported in one case. Dealer replaced battery and system reset in another case but failure recurred. Dealership in one case stated they have a team of engineers investigating but cannot pinpoint problem or provide fix.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: General Motors aware of issue per multiple owner reports; case filed by manufacturer in at least one instance; engineers reportedly working on loss of control problem but no solution identified yet
Brake Booster and Vacuum Pump Failure
Air vacuum pump and power brake booster fail, causing brake pedal to become extremely hard to press or non-functional. Involves defective orifice in PCV lines and vacuum sensor. Safety-critical component affecting braking ability.
When: 45,000-53,000 miles in early failures; recurring within 6 months to 6 years; one case at 38,000 miles with replacement in August 2021, failure again February 2023
Symptoms owners cite: Brake pedal becomes hard as a rock and difficult to depress; Reduced or no braking power; Brakes do not stop vehicle effectively; Loud thud or grinding noise when braking; Intermittent reduced engine speed message displayed; Hard brake pedal without warning lights beforehand; Brake failure requires two feet to depress pedal
Codes mentioned: Power Brake Booster Vacuum Sensor fault, Power Brake Booster Vacuum Pump fault
Repairs/costs cited: Air vacuum pump replacement ($700-$1500 range implied by class action context). Power brake booster vacuum sensor replacement. Power brake booster vacuum pump replacement. PCV line orifice tube cleaning. Repeated failures in same component noted—pump replaced in August 2021 failed again by February 2023.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealership confirmed defective orifice and PCV line issue; referenced Kiriacopoulos et al. v. General Motors LLC class action suit; Johnson v. GM also referenced; owner states GM aware of issues but no recall issued
Shift to Park Detection Failure
Electronic shifter fails to recognize when vehicle is in park, displaying persistent 'Shift to Park' message even when gear is correctly positioned. Vehicle will not turn off or lock until message clears. Requires multiple restarts and gear adjustments.
When: Throughout ownership; one case after 1 year of ownership; incidents reported from 2021 onward
Symptoms owners cite: Dashboard displays 'Shift to Park' message when vehicle is already in park; Vehicle will not turn off completely while message displays; Vehicle enters accessory mode instead of off mode; Requires 3-15 restarts and repeated shifting in/out of park to clear message; Cannot lock doors while message active; Battery drains if vehicle left in accessory mode; Intermittent occurrence, no predictable pattern; Jiggling shift lever sometimes clears message temporarily
Repairs/costs cited: Shifter jiggling temporary workaround mentioned by owners. Electronic shifter replacement may or may not resolve issue per dealer feedback. Transmission may be affected if shifter not repaired.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: GM recall on 2019 and earlier Malibu models for this issue (not yet extended to 2020 in some reports); owners hopeful recall will cover their 2020 VIN numbers; issue is known per multiple dealer confirmations
Water Intrusion and Electrical Malfunction
Water leaks from roof interior lining and enters through rear center brake taillight, saturating interior. Causes intermittent electrical system malfunctions including warning light failures.
When: 53,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Water visible inside vehicle from roof; Check engine warning light intermittently illuminates; Parking brake light malfunction; Alarm system warning lights malfunction; Electrical system degradation
Battery and Electrical System Drain
Battery drains despite no apparent load, and vehicle fails to start after sitting overnight. New vehicles with minimal miles experience repeated dead battery condition. Dealership claims vehicles activate electrical components randomly when other cars drive by.
When: 600 miles (3 weeks after purchase); 1000 miles; recurring within 1-2 year ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Car will not start, only clicking noises heard; Battery dead after overnight parking; Battery saver mode activates; Vehicle electrical components activate randomly while parked; Lights flash without key in ignition
Codes mentioned: Error codes on battery reported by dealership
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership recharged battery (initial service). Dealership blamed external activation by passing vehicles as cause. No permanent repair provided.
Hard Start and Engine Stall on Restart
Vehicle engine fails to start or fails to keep running after restart, particularly after sitting overnight. Requires multiple restart attempts. Battery saver mode engages after failure.
When: Various points in ownership; reported within first 1-2 years
Symptoms owners cite: Engine will not start after sitting overnight; Clicking noise when attempting to start; Engine starts but immediately shuts off (4-5 seconds); Battery saver mode activates after stall; Multiple restart attempts required
Codes mentioned: Battery error codes, Battery charging system fault codes
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replacement performed in some cases. No permanent fix identified.
Check Engine Light and Intermittent Faults
Check engine light illuminates frequently and persistently, occurring 75% of the time in one case. Often accompanies other electrical or powertrain faults but diagnostic scans may not reveal repeatable codes.
When: Early in ownership; one case within 1-2 weeks of purchase
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light on continuously or intermittently; Service engine light illumination; Power steering reduced message; Service ESC message; Low fuel warning light
Codes mentioned: Carbon buildup diagnostic (one case), Various pending codes noted but not always repeatable
Repairs/costs cited: Orifice tube cleaning performed in one case. No consistent repair identified.
Auto Start/Stop System Failure
Start/stop safety feature fails to restart engine after automatic shutdown, leaving vehicle unable to move when accelerator pressed.
When: 21,647 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Engine fails to start when depressing accelerator after automatic stop; No warning light illuminated; Vehicle must be manually restarted
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner referred to NHTSA hotline by manufacturer
Engine Shake and Stall Without Warning
Vehicle exhibits violent shaking and vibration after startup, sometimes progressing to complete stall. No warning lights or messages precede failure.
When: Early in ownership; 21,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Body shakes violently all over after startup; Hard vibration throughout vehicle; Engine idle feels shaky; Acceleration slows down on its own; Speed drops to unsafe levels; Complete engine stall; No warning lights or messages
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership inspection found nothing; no repair performed
Reduced Engine Power and Speed Limiter Activation
Engine power reduces suddenly while driving, vehicle speed drops dramatically or becomes limited. Often accompanied by warning messages. Can occur multiple times during single drive.
When: Various mileages throughout ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent reduced engine speed message on dashboard; Engine power drops suddenly; Vehicle speed limited to 20 mph or less without operator control; Unable to maintain highway speeds; Speed limited to 40 mph in some cases; Engine does not respond to accelerator input
Codes mentioned: Power steering reduced message, Service ESC message
Synthesized from 38 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had electrical trouble with your 2020 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 electrical problem on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 38 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 38 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 38,129 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2020/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.