severe NHTSA 21V649000 20/08/2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.8 out of 10 based on 73 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2021 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 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is powertrain, with 22 complaints filed. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The powertrain is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $2,500 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 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 73 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $2,500, 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.
Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database, last synced 19 hours ago. Editorial commentary written
by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics. We are not affiliated
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