2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Above average

Owners filed 705 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine. It has been recalled 4 times.

Not among the Chevrolet Malibu years to avoid. Which Chevrolet Malibu years to avoid →

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
48,000 milesMedian miles at failure

396 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 60,000–75,000 miles.

Most common 2017 Chevrolet Malibu problems

165 of the 705 complaints (23%) are about the engine.

ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine161
203
Electrical System108
010
Unknown or Other82
220
Power Train · transmission76
000
Service Brakes · brakes61
202
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · stability control49
100
Vehicle Speed Control · throttle and acceleration41
000
Steering25
203
Fuel/Propulsion System · fuel and propulsion system24
000
Structure › Body · body and frame15
010

2017 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems

23% of all complaints

165 of the 705 complaints are about the engine. This is what owners describe:

  • turns on the check engine light39% · 64
  • sets off warning lights on the dash36% · 59
  • loses power30% · 49
  • stalls11% · 18

Share of the 165 engine complaints whose text describes each symptom. One complaint can describe several.

Typical mileage
60,000 mi
median of 96 reports
Peak year of filing
2019
30 engine complaints that year
Crashes · fires · injuries
2 · 0 · 3
in these complaints
Recalls on the engine
None
“The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Due to the issue, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the contact was forced to pull over and turn off the vehicle.”
Owner complaint, filed Apr 14, 2026
“The Reduce Power to Engine keeps happening. It shuts my car down and lights up the traction control light, check engine light and its a serious hazard because I travel highway to and from work and its very dangerous when you loose power to your vehicle at high rates of speed. Also my emissions is bad due to a supposed fixed recall for the catalytic converter.”
Owner complaint, filed Feb 5, 2026

Complaints and recalls over time

By year of filing
2016: 0 complaints, 0 about the engine'162017: 11 complaints, 1 about the engine'172018: 49 complaints, 8 about the engine'182019: 143 complaints, 30 about the engine'192020: 139 complaints, 28 about the engine'202021: 91 complaints, 29 about the engine'212022: 96 complaints, 26 about the engine'222023: 53 complaints, 13 about the engine'232024: 46 complaints, 13 about the engine'242025: 56 complaints, 12 about the engine'252026: 21 complaints, 5 about the engine'26Recall 16V870000 (airbags)Recall 18V358000 (fuel system)Recall 18V400000 (airbags)Recall 21V649000 (seat belts)
All complaintsAbout the engineRecall (red: the engine)

Complaints about the 2017 Malibu peaked in 2019, with 143 filed that year. No recall on file covers the engine, the subject of 23% of the complaints. In 2026 owners filed 21 so far.

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Rear/Other › Retractor21V649000
Filed Aug 20, 2021402 vehiclesGeneral Motors, LLC

Defect. General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.

Risk. An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. 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.

Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification18V400000
Filed Jun 14, 201866 vehiclesGeneral Motors LLC

Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.

Risk. In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump18V358000
Filed May 31, 2018895 vehiclesGeneral Motors LLC

Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

Risk. A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

Air Bags › Side/Window16V870000
Filed Dec 2, 2016113 vehiclesGeneral Motors LLC

Defect. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Malibu vehicles manufactured on November 10, 2016. The right-hand rear side air bag inflator manifold may have insufficient welds.

Risk. Insufficient welds could cause the inflator to separate and propel air bag debris into the cabin during a crash. Also, the inflator could fail to inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy. GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16146.

All 4 campaigns on file, newest first.

Technical service bulletins

1,331 on file

Repair instructions the manufacturer sent its dealers for the 2017 Malibu. Not recalls: the fix is usually free only while the car is under warranty.

equipment 385electrical system 249engine 231transmission 98equipment adaptive/mobility 37wheels 36fuel system 30tires 28
General CommunicationService campaignAug 26, 2024electrical system

Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need updating and then proceed to updating affected modules (with some exceptions). The updating of modules is completed in parallel instead of the technician needing to …

22-NA-244Warranty extensionMay 3, 2024electrical system

This service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories - Dealer-Installed, Repaired or Replaced During Warranty Coverage Period.

N182195660 01Service campaignJun 16, 2020engine

Customer Satisfaction Program (Added Customer Letter) - The 1.5 L LFV engines in certain 2016 and 2017 model year Chevrolet Malibu vehicles may have a pre-ignition condition that requires immediate repair. This condition may cause the engine to perform poorly, misfire, run rough, and/or excessively consume oil. It may also illuminate the vehicle?s service …

N192218430Service campaignAug 13, 2019equipment adaptive/mobility

N192218430 - Customer Satisfaction Program. During service, certain vehicles equipped with OnStar (RPO UE1), may have received an incorrect and partially programmed/configured replacement OnStar module. This condition will disable certain OnStar features, including Remote Access (remote start, door lock/unlock, etc.), Connected Access (vehicle diagnostics, …

00-06-01-026RService Bulletin/Repair InstructionsJun 5, 2025engine

This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.

23-NA-153Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsMay 15, 2025engine

The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal for the delay.

15-NA-010Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsMay 7, 2025engine

This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel for new vehicles with less than 1,000 miles that may not pass California smog inspection or smog inspection in other states.

25-NA-100Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsApr 18, 2025engine

This warranty administration bulletin provides policy information on vehicles outside of a California Emissions State who move to and register their vehicle in a California Emission State may be entitled to the 7 year, 70,000-mile Emission Select State Component Limited Warranty.

21-NA-139Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsApr 2, 2025engine

This service bulletin provides a repair procedure to correct a customer concern of a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) Illuminated - DTC P3055 Set.

25-NA-052Service Bulletin/Repair InstructionsMar 25, 2025engine

This bulletin advises the technician to flush the cooling system multiple times if oil has been found in the cooling system and replace the parts that may be contaminated due to oil in system.

Showing the newest 6 of 231 bulletins about the engine, and any warranty extensions or service campaigns.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA 5-star safety ratings
Version testedOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
2017 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★10.2%

New Car Assessment Program results for this model year. Ratings compare cars of similar size and weight only.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Tires
Filed Oct 26, 2026NJ

Noticed a sidewall bulge in my tire upon parking. 245 40 R 19

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 23, 2026CA

I have two separate incidents regarding the vacuum pump on my 2017 Chevy Malibu. About two years ago, I was driving on the freeway, my brakes locked up, Car was dying, turns out my vacuum pump had exploded internally, causing metal pieces to go into my engine, it was in my oil as well. I had to replace the vacuum pump, and because it broke, it threw off the timing on my camshaft. I had a mechanic look at it and he had to tap the camshaft back into timing. Today, October 2026, I was on my way home from work, and my brakes were locking up and grinding. I had to use a lot of pressure for the brakes to even work. The break is very hard. Again, another vacuum pump failure. I’m hoping this time it does not lead to another camshaft issue as that is an expensive repair.

Service Brakes
Filed Oct 7, 2026TX

I was driving on the tollway at 75 mph when I saw stopped traffic ahead of me, and when I tried to apply the brakes, they went from soft to hard and completely stopped working; I had to swerve across lanes into the grass to avoid a massive accident and to save my life, as well as the lives of my passengers and the people who would have been involved. The vacuum pump had completely blown up, causing the brakes to fail, and it also destroyed my camshaft, so I lost engine power as well. I looked it up online and it is a very common issue that GM needs to address because of how severely dangerous it is.

Power Train
Filed Sep 9, 2026MI

Turbo cooler and turbocharger failure, diagnosis and replacement on February 4 and February 17, 2026 by a certified GM dealership. Replacement of these parts was not included in service bulletin N222372590 (issued 12/22/22), which covered 100% replacement for the exact parts for the exact engine for a number of other GM vehicles manufactured from 2016-2022. The total repair cost for these two part replacements was $4,951.11 for a car that was purchase just two months prior for $17,000. A great disappointment! Code for issue in both cases was P0299. The failed parts resulted in significant engine power loss, which made it unsafe to drive as acceleration away from intersections and on entering the highway was poor!

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Aug 29, 2026FL

The vehicle is experiencing an apparent fuel-system malfunction. The vehicle has a very strong raw gasoline odor, significant difficulty starting, and appears to be consuming fuel at an abnormally high rate. After filling the fuel tank completely, I drove approximately 20 miles at most and the fuel gauge decreased by approximately one-quarter of a tank. The engine oil also has a strong gasoline odor, indicating that fuel may be entering the engine oil. The exact failed component has not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The strong raw gasoline odor and apparent rapid loss of fuel create a concern for a fuel leak and potential fire hazard. The vehicle also has difficulty starting and shuts the engine off when the automatic stop/start system activates while stopped at a traffic light. This creates a safety concern because the vehicle may not restart normally when traffic begins moving. I am concerned that the vehicle may have a fuel-system defect similar to the high-pressure fuel pump/fuel-line issue previously recalled on certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibus. No. The problem has not yet been diagnosed or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The symptoms have been personally observed while operating the vehicle. This was my first step as this happened at 10:30pm. No. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or another official representative. I am reporting the problem b

Steering
Filed Aug 26, 2026NY

I have a 2017 Chevy Malibu that in 2022 had a shift malfunction causing it to become stuck in reverse and roll backwards. It ended up having to be towed and was repaired in May 2022. On August 25 and 26, 2026 the car is now experiencing another SHIFT TO PARK malfunction whereby the vehicle DOES NOT detect that the shifter is in the park position. It shows a "shift to park" error on the car's dashboard and will not let me turn the car off until it detects it is in park which takes multiple times of shifting and cycling the car through the gears or repeatedly jiggling the gear selector. This is a temporary workaround and NOT a safe or satisfactory solution as this can cause a serious or even fatal accident! This Malibu seems to have a continuing problem with the shift malfunctioning and GM needs to recognize this is a continual problem and resolve it by recalling this issue AGAIN before someone is hurt or killed. I am requesting GM repair this at their expense or replace my vehicle as it seems to be a LEMON!

Service Brakes
Filed Aug 15, 2026IA

While driving my 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine, the brake vacuum pump failed due to the pump’s mechanical drive/tang shearing. The failure resulted in loss of vacuum assistance to the power brakes, creating a significantly harder brake pedal and a serious safety concern because braking assistance can be reduced and stopping may require substantially more effort. After removing the failed pump, I found that part of the pump’s drive mechanism had sheared off and had to be retrieved from the camshaft area. I am retaining the failed pump and broken component. I am requesting that this failure be investigated as a potential safety defect because a failure of a component responsible for brake-assist vacuum can affect the vehicle’s ability to stop safely.

Seats
Filed Jul 10, 2026WI

Transmission has been slipping since the day I bought the car in 2023 approximately at 90,000 miles, I have been keeping up with the manufactured recommendations on the transmission and march of 2026 I went to move the passenger seat and it no longer moves

Electrical System
Filed Jul 9, 2026TX

When the vehicle is shifted into Park and the ignition button is pressed, the vehicle fails to shut down. The dashboard displays a "Shift to Park" warning message, indicating the vehicle does not recognize that the gear selector is physically in the Park position.To shut the engine off, the driver must repeatedly wiggle, slam, or cycle the gear shifter back and forth into Park until the electrical sensor finally registers the connection. This creates a severe safety hazard, as the vehicle can roll away if left unsecured, drains the car battery, and prevents the doors from locking properly.Crucially, this defect traps drivers inside an operational vehicle for extended periods while they repeatedly struggle to force it to shut down. This poses an immediate risk of heat-related illness or death (hyperthermia), especially in high-temperature environments, during heatwaves, or for vulnerable occupants like children and the elderly who cannot exit the vehicle safely until it is off.

Service Brakes
Filed Jul 7, 2026IL

I have a 2017 Chevy Malibu 2.0 T. The incident involved the braking system. I was driving and as traffic came to a stop, I pressed the brake to stop and my brakes gave out. I immediately lifted my foot and press extremely hard on my brake pedal and was able to stop though the stopping distance was much further and nearly caused an accident. I have now taken the vehicle to a Chevy certified dealer and it has been identified as a brake vacuum pump failure. GM has had many issues with the brake vacuum pump across many of its models.

Engine
Filed Jul 3, 2026LA

I was driving back home and stopped at a red light. When the light turned green I started driving, but my car was jerking a little too much. I pulled over and turned my car off. When I cut my car back on my brake became very hard to the point I had to push down extra hard to stop my car. I started back driving home once I realized my car needs to be turned completely off and sit. While I'm driving I see a message on my dashboard saying "Engine power reduced." Luckily I made it home safely with no wrecks, but when I had to brake my car was still moving jerking while in place. Also when I made it home and turned my car off I heard a fan like noise that eventually stopped.

Engine
Filed Jun 25, 2026SC

The trottle body position sensor just started acting up. took it to mechanic. they stated they can try to fix it but it may only work for a month then go back out. may end up paying over 6k and the car isn't worth it

Electrical System
Filed Jun 7, 2026AZ

Shift to park error on dash. GM is aware of this issue and won't do anything about it. This causes stress and can cause battery drain. The issue lies within the microswitch that reads that the shifter is in park. The metal arm that activates the switch wears down or the wiring is faulty. Several Malibus, as well as other models have this issue and Chevy dealerships want hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix this. If it's a known, repetitive issue on several models, it should be a recall. This causes owners to try to fix this issue themselves, which can cause more damage and more money.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 14, 2026NJ

MY BACK-UP CAMERA HAS NOT WORKED IN ABOUT 3-4 YEARS. THE SCREEN IS COMPLETLY BLANK. MY MECHANIC WILL NOT TOUCH IT AND I'M AFRAID TO GO TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THE COST. I DID NOTICE THERE IS A RECALL ON NEWER MODELS OF THIS VEHICLE.

Power Train
Filed May 12, 2026SC

The SHIFT TO PARK warning light comes on when shifting to park and WILL NOT allow you to shut the vehicle off. This is a WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT in multiple GM vehicles and yet there’s still no recall! WHY?! It causes the vehicle to not completely shut down, killing the battery and could potentially cause the car to roll. It’s been WIDELY REPORTED and it’s absolutely a defect with a part inside the shifter! It’s an expensive repair that consumers SHOULD NOT have to pay when it’s a DEFECT on GM!!! PLEASE RECALL!!!!!! After researching this issue, there’s MULTITUDES OF COMPLAINTS and even a class action lawsuit (of which I wasn’t aware of) but it shouldn’t have to turn into a lawsuit when the NHSTA has the ability to force GM to MAKE THIS RIGHT by REPAIRING IT!

Engine
Filed Apr 14, 2026OR

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Due to the issue, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the contact was forced to pull over and turn off the vehicle. The contact waited approximately 30-40 minutes before restarting the vehicle and resuming normal driving. The vehicle was previously taken to a dealer; however, no codes were found. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be caused by the floormat being under the accelerator pedal. The contact had the floormat removed; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure, and another appointment was scheduled to service the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 3, 2026TN

When car is in park. Shift to park is on dashboard. Car won't fully turn off. It's been doing it for years. Was worked on at dealership. It's still doing it.

Service Brakes
Filed Feb 16, 2026GA

In the last 6 months I’ve had to put 3 Brake Boosters on my 2017 Chevy Malibu and it’s NOT cheap…. I don’t know what else to do.

Engine
Filed Feb 5, 2026MI

The Reduce Power to Engine keeps happening. It shuts my car down and lights up the traction control light, check engine light and its a serious hazard because I travel highway to and from work and its very dangerous when you loose power to your vehicle at high rates of speed. Also my emissions is bad due to a supposed fixed recall for the catalytic converter.

Engine
Filed Feb 3, 2026IL

I was driving my car on the highway and the car begin to feel like it was about to shut off. Shortly after, the car check engine light turned on with a warning sign on dashboard stating “engine reduce.” the check engine is still on and my mechanic states my turbo needs to be replaced. I have an appointment for second consult with chevy dealer to verify.

Electrical System
Filed Jan 28, 2026NY

The GM Shift to Park recall has been an issue that has affected various General Motors (GM) vehicles. The primarily impacting Chevrolet models like the Malibu, Traverse, Volt, and the 2019 Chevrolet Blazer. It’s essential to be aware of the problem, its implications on vehicle’s safety, and the steps required to address it. In simple terms, the Shift to Park defect prevents drivers from shutting off and locking their vehicles, even after putting the car in park. This situation poses a potential safety concern, as drivers might mistakenly assume their cars are securely parked and powered off while walking away. The issue has been prevalent enough for the company to issue a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on June 7, 2021. The TSB specifically targets the 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, while also mentioning the Malibu, Traverse, Volt, and other 2016-2019 Chevrolet models. The bulletin provides guidance on diagnosing and addressing the “Shift to Park” problems, although it does not present a definitive solution to the underlying issue. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSES TO FIX IT

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Dec 31, 2025OK

I have had experience with the "SHIFT TO PARK" error and I have had the "reduced engine power" error message resulting in an UNEEDED $2200 dollar repair only for it to break down 2 months later, same message this time with fuel spraying under the hood. I NEARLY BLEW MYSELF UP TRYING TO START MY CAR! How is it that I cant find this DANGEROUS defect on the recall list when I easily found the RECURRENT problem online? HELP

Engine
Filed Dec 23, 2025NY

While driving at highway speeds, my vehicle suddenly experienced a loss of engine power and reduced acceleration. The traction control light and engine light illuminated, and a “Reduced Engine Power” message appeared. The vehicle would not respond to the accelerator, creating a serious safety hazard. This occurred shortly after authorized dealer service involving the PCV system and related components. The vehicle did not have this issue prior to dealer service. I returned the vehicle to the dealer, and they stated they could not replicate the issue. The sudden loss of power could have resulted in a serious accident. I believe this may be related to improper dealer service, disturbed electrical connectors, or throttle body/engine management components. I am reporting this as a safety concern. I also would like to mention this safety issue has occurred now multiple times with my car on multiple separate occasions with the last prior occurrence being 12/20/2025.

Unknown or Other
Filed Dec 15, 2025TN

Lose power while driving

Unknown or OtherCrash
Filed Dec 14, 2025OH

Was driving on highway and starting to exit and my engine light came on and it alerted reduced engine power. I had to slam on my brakes but they were very hard to press and almost non existent and steering was also difficult. Managed to get car to side of road but due to very hard to non existent brakes I did graze a truck and damaged my rear drivers side fender. I am very lucky I didn’t get injured and was able to mostly miss the cars stopped in front of me. I also have the shift to park issue happen at least 4 times a week.

Engine
Filed Dec 13, 2025MI

Reduced engine power. Car will not accelerate over 35 mph. Almost rear ended. Will be the second time in dealer for same problem. Also, Shift to Park. Also second time at dealer for same problems. You cannot get out of car until you keep moving the shifting handle.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Dec 11, 2025VA

Fuel is leaking and it is messing up my emissions. I had the emissions fixed for my safety inspection. But soon after 2 days later fuel keeps leaking and the smell of gas is so strong in my car. This is a safety hazard of not only becoming inflammable but also the smell is toxic to my health and my grandchildren. I have asthma and all of the following i have experienced headaches, dizziness, and respiratory problems, and long-term like asthma exacerbation that is flaring up my asthma and i am afraid it will cause potential cancer.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Dec 1, 2025NV

Engine light is on, message pops up stating "engine power is reduced" and pedal acceleration is limited. I received a message from Onstar stating there is a recall on some GMC vehicles regarding this issue, however my vin is not part of the recall, but it should be, as all the elements stated in the recall are the exact issues in my vehicle.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 30, 2025IL

Last year I started getting the dreaded shift to park issue. Takes usually about 30 seconds to realize its in park, even though the dashboard days its in park. WHY is there no recall? I see hundreds of thousands of complaints for this. Plus im constantly getting the P1101 code. I know this is a common issue with this car for the dirty throttle body or MAF sensor. Why isnt this under recall? I dont have the money to pay for repairs that the dealership should be recalling. The shift to park issue is so common. This is getting ridiculous. Plus the code. Please fix this ASAP.

Air Bags
Filed Nov 13, 2025NC

When I accelerate and try to stop brakes goes down to the floor. I’ve had my rotors. Brakes changed and it’s impossible to stop at times. Purchase vehicle. 2018 and the check engine light came on shortly after I purchased it. It’s been on. I’ve got diagnostics. It’s unknown why! Tire sensors has been changed, including with new tires and none of them work and the airbag light is illuminated. I am concerned about my safety in this vehicle. I reported many times and I’m unaware of any recalls. Please help.

Engine
Filed Nov 6, 2025PA

Engine Power Reduced, My car then loses the ability to pickup speed I’ve even had my break tighten up on my in the middle of trying to stop my vehicle

EngineCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 24, 2025IL

The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while backing out of the driveway, the engine revved up and accelerated independently. The contact's vehicle accelerated independently in reverse(R) and clipped the tow hitch of a vehicle parked on the street, and that was where the vehicle came to a stop. No air bags deployed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was inspected. However, no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while parking in reverse into the contact's assigned parking space, the engine revved up and accelerated independently. The vehicle accelerated in reverse(R) and hit a tree, where it came to a stop. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the back windshield was shattered, the rear bumper fell off, and smoke was emitting from under the hood. A police report was not filed. The contact was taken to the hospital by a family member later that day. The contact sustained minor injuries; a contact had a CT scan due to hitting the steering wheel. The contact sustained minor cuts from the flying glass from the back windshield. The contact stated that the day after the accident, her daughter turned on the vehicle, and the air bag warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was left at the residence pending an inspection from a mobile independent mechanic. The contact stated that prior to the accident, the gear shift failed to function as intende

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 25, 2025GA

I tried to shift the car from drive to park but a message appeared saying I needed to put the car in park. The lights and radio were still on and I could not get the message to disappear even after several attempts to start/restart the car and moving through the gear shift. I will be taking the car to a dealership asap. There wasn’t any prior error or problem before this message started appearing. After numerous attempts “park” is recognized and the car shuts off completely.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Sep 16, 2025FL

The car smells strongly of gas. And has a problem accelerating. Check engine light came on and I got a code p1101 which is a code for the MAF SENSOR. This is not the first time that this has happened. It happened less than a year ago maybe 9-10 months ago. I don’t drive the car in fear of it catching a fire. The car has stalled before in the middle of a turn. I had to turn the car off and turn it back on. I called onstar who have no idea what was wrong with it.

Engine
Filed Sep 13, 2025CA

The transmission stalls to get up and go after it has been driven for a short while causing it to slow down traffic and causing a slight risk trying to pull over to the side to allow drivers behind pass by. Once the driver stops at more than 5 stops is when the vehicle begins to hesitate to work properly.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Sep 8, 2025OH

I was driving my car on the highway doing 65 mph when all of a sudden my car started rapidly jerking losing the power to accelerate and entering “limp mode“ there was multiple cars behind me when my car lost the power to accelerate. I was in the far left lane and couldn’t even go higher than 7 miles an hour and had to cross across three lanes at 7 mph on a 65mph highway to pull over. I had my children in the car and almost caused a huge accident dude to this issue. The issue in hand is the vacuum pump. It completely shattered in my engine, causing severe engine damage. And it caused my brake pedal to become hard as a rock. I couldn’t break without using my emergency break. I had no brake power at all. My car had to be towed.

Service Brakes
Filed Sep 5, 2025WI

Shift to park issue. While is in park after driving. I turn vehicle off and action required message pops up on dash stating shift to park but it’s in park.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 30, 2025PA

Okay so my car had 2 recalls but the they were not repaired the same problem reoccurred . Which was the car engine not turning on and electrical problems etc. I don’t really know how to explain it but yes it’s having the same problems .

Power Train
Filed Aug 27, 202550,000 milesNY

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted to park, but failed to turn off. The shift to park message was displayed. The contact wiggled the gear shifter, and the vehicle eventually turned off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the gear shifter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no warranty coverage and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

Electrical System
Filed Aug 16, 2025WA

Currently I am having issues putting my car in park. Even when it shows that it is parked there is an “Action Required” that pops up saying “Shift to Park”. This has been happening all week and as I am able to toggle the shift stick it is no longer allowing me to which leaves my car somewhat on when I leave. I’ve contacted the dealership for repairs since I’ve seen this is a common recall issue with my model vehicle. However, they informed me that it would be an out of pocket expense even though research shows that this should be an expense paid by the dealership since they’ve had many complaints on this issue and can cause certain safety issues for members. I’m getting ready to PCS soon and need to pay out of pocket expenses for my move so trying to pay for something that the dealership should pay for is truly inconvenient.

Engine
Filed Jul 16, 202575,000 milesNC

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the message to depress the brake pedal and shift to park(P) was displayed. The vehicle was restarted but stalled again. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the failure only occurred while driving at speeds below 40 MPH. The vehicle was returned to the same mechanic, and it was determined that the oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the PCV valve and the valve cover were replaced; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and advised that the oxygen sensor was not OEM and replaced the Oxygen sensor with an OEM part. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and reprogramed the hybrid engine control module. The vehicle was repaired but the failure reoccurred. The contact had not taken the vehicle back to the dealer or to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact informed the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Power Train
Filed Jul 16, 2025FL

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions after shifting the gear shifter to park(P), and turning off the vehicle, the contact observed a dinging notification and the message "Shift to Park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 16, 2025MD

I shift the car in park I then turn off the car and then an alert comes up on the dash saying shift to park I then shift it back and forth nothing happens and then it automatically goes off after I wait awhile with it in park. This has occurred several times in the past year. I’m not sure if it is in park it does roll slightly then catches

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 5, 2025FL

The shift to park is defective. Having a hard time to turn car off constantly. It takes more than five minutes or more for the car to turn off without the shift to park ringing. This needs immediate attention. This part is defective so why is there not a recall on this?

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 18, 2025MS

The brakes failed the vacuum pump went work while driving the car

Unknown or Other
Filed Jun 12, 2025MI

Car is indicating I need to “SHIFT TO PARK” when it’s in park.

Electrical System
Filed Jun 5, 2025AL

The shift to park sensor will become stuck and not register that the car is in park causing the battery to drain.

Service Brakes
Filed Jun 1, 2025MO

Vacuum pump came apart inside the engine causing metal pieces to enter the engine

Structure › Interior Trim
Filed May 29, 2025MI

The center high mount stop lamp cause water to leak through onto the headliner of my vehicle and I found a special coverage adjustment for my specific, year ,make and model of my vehicle and this will be my second time paying Berger Chevrolet here in Grand Rapids mi for this repair that should be covered under this policy #[XXX] but dealership will not honor this even though this is my second time repairing this exact same issue with my specific vehicle but since it’s not tied to my VIN # the dealership will NOT HONOR please advise INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Unknown or Other
Filed May 20, 2025AZ

The shift to park won't turn off but allowing vehicle to turn off it killed our family.

Complaints 1-50 of 705, newest first, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2009
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
202512100Routine
202444200Routine
202372210Routine
202299100Routine
202190210Routine
2020200101Fatalities reported
2019193110Routine
2018700640Above average
2017 — this page705440Above average
2016841921Fatalities reported
2015270391Fatalities reported
2014351681Fatalities reported
201383710100Above average
20129073130High concern
20119784170Above average
20101,3634140Above average
20091,511693Fatalities reported
2008989552Fatalities reported
2007977620Above average
20061,118960Above average
20059756343Fatalities reported
20041,148970Above average
2003569341Fatalities reported
2002567410Above average
2001721412Fatalities reported
2000922563Fatalities reported
1999789320Above average
1998976553Fatalities reported
1997443602Fatalities reported

Compare every Malibu year →

2017 Chevrolet Malibu: questions buyers ask

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu a good car?

It is not among the Malibu years to avoid. Owners filed 705 complaints, against about 755 for a typical Malibu year. The most common complaint is about the engine (23%). In NHTSA crash tests it scored 5 stars overall.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

The engine: 165 of the 705 complaints (23%) are about it. Owners most often say it turns on the check engine light (39%), sets off warning lights on the dash (36%) and loses power (30%). The typical report comes at 60,000 miles.

How many recalls does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu have?

4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA, the most recent filed Aug 20, 2021. The largest, 18V358000, covered 895 vehicles. Recall repairs are free at a dealer; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

At what mileage do 2017 Chevrolet Malibu problems start?

Half of the complaints that record an odometer reading came in before 48,000 miles. For the engine the midpoint is 60,000 miles.

Are there service bulletins for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

The manufacturer filed 1,331 technical service bulletins and other notices for it with NHTSA, most of them about the electrical system (249), the engine (231) and the transmission (98). They include a service campaign, General Communication, filed Aug 26, 2024. A bulletin is a repair instruction to dealers, not a recall: the fix is usually free only under warranty.

Reading this record

Complaint volume is well above typical for a single model year.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Aug 20, 2021. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.