Chevrolet Malibu
Owners filed 19,321 complaints across 29 model years of the Chevrolet Malibu. The 2009 drew the most (1,509); the 2025 the fewest (11).
Model years29
Complaints19,321
Recalls130
Fires166
Deaths23
Every Chevrolet Malibu model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 11 | 1 | — | 1 | Back Over Prevention | Routine | |
| 2024 | 39 | 2 | — | 3 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2023 | 69 | 2 | 1 | 3 | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2022 | 96 | 1 | — | 4 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2021 | 88 | 2 | 1 | — | Unknown or Other | Routine | |
| 2020 | 198 | 1 | — | 10 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2019 | 190 | 1 | 1 | 8 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2018 | 695 | 6 | 4 | 23 | Engine | Above average | |
| 2017 | 702 | 4 | 4 | 16 | Engine | Above average | |
| 2016 | 837 | 9 | 2 | 23 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2015 | 270 | 3 | 9 | 18 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2014 | 351 | 6 | 8 | 19 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 2013 | 835 | 10 | 10 | 33 | Electrical System | Above average | |
| 2012 | 906 | 3 | 13 | 50 | Electrical System | High concern | |
| 2011 | 977 | 4 | 17 | 40 | Electrical System | Above average | |
| 2010 | 1,360 | 4 | 14 | 41 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2009 | 1,509 | 6 | 9 | 41 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2008 | 987 | 5 | 5 | 30 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2007 | 977 | 6 | 2 | 37 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2006 | 1,115 | 9 | 6 | 41 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2005 | 975 | 6 | 34 | 46 | Steering | Fatalities reported | |
| 2004 | 1,147 | 9 | 7 | 47 | Steering | Above average | |
| 2003 | 569 | 3 | 4 | 35 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2002 | 567 | 4 | 1 | 18 | Electrical System | Above average | |
| 2001 | 721 | 4 | 1 | 36 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 2000 | 922 | 5 | 6 | 45 | Electrical System | Fatalities reported | |
| 1999 | 789 | 3 | 2 | 44 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor | Above average | |
| 1998 | 976 | 5 | 5 | 34 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor | Fatalities reported | |
| 1997 | 443 | 6 | — | 22 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Fatalities reported |
Which Chevrolet Malibu years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2009 is the weakest year on record, with 1,509 complaints concentrated in the steering. It carries 6 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.