2011 Chevrolet Malibu Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 112 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 78,225 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine power” (8% of reports).
- 112power train complaints
- 78,225median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,550typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine power: mentioned in 9 of 112 complaints (8%)
- Service ESC: mentioned in 8 of 112 complaints (7%)
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 7 of 112 complaints (6%)
- Throttle body: mentioned in 7 of 112 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu at $5,550, and half of them between $2,100 and $5,750.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2021), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 98 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 112 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Malibu | 6 | 14% | 45,000 |
| 2023 Malibu | 8 | 11% | 30,310 |
| 2022 Malibu | 23 | 23% | 38,000 |
| 2021 Malibu | 28 | 31% | 60,000 |
| 2020 Malibu | 58 | 29% | 72,500 |
| 2019 Malibu | 67 | 35% | 48,000 |
| 2018 Malibu | 171 | 24% | 43,150 |
| 2017 Malibu | 139 | 20% | 48,875 |
| 2016 Malibu | 166 | 20% | 42,000 |
| 2015 Malibu | 31 | 11% | 83,000 |
| 2014 Malibu | 52 | 15% | 51,890 |
| 2013 Malibu | 54 | 6% | 66,500 |
| 2012 Malibu | 49 | 5% | 74,500 |
| 2011 Malibu | 112 | 11% | 78,225 |
| 2010 Malibu | 133 | 10% | 74,200 |
| 2009 Malibu | 121 | 8% | 88,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 86 | 9% | 88,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 47 | 5% | 88,921 |
| 2006 Malibu | 43 | 4% | 100,000 |
| 2005 Malibu | 65 | 7% | 88,500 |
| 2004 Malibu | 64 | 6% | 100,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 13 | 2% | 54,500 |
| 2002 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 114,045 |
| 2001 Malibu | 18 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2000 Malibu | 26 | 3% | 47,597 |
| 1999 Malibu | 21 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 50 | 5% | 60,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 9 | 2% | 57,800 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35â40 MPH, the vehicle experienced transmission failure. The contact stated that the RPM was elevated while driving, and the transmission shifted abnormally rough. The check engine warning light was…
Multiple times while driving this vehicle, get the message loss of engine power, ABS light displays, and steering becomes difficult. Will be calling the dealership for repair. Once it resolved itself enough to drive over 100 miles after changing the battery, but the issue occurred again. Many…
to begin with CD player stopped working the service tire light stays on the seat adjuster went out this is used to support your back while driving while driving on a residential road the car would not go in drive. The car just suddenly stopped while in drive. It goes in reverse and stays in park…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Chevrolet Malibus have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 112 owner complaints about power train for the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu (11% of the 978 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 78,225 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,550 (half paid between $2,100 and $5,750), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 9 of 112 complaints, followed by “service esc” (8).
Other 2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2011 Chevrolet Malibu problems or power train problems across all Malibu years.