2012 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems
Owners have filed 99 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 81,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine power” (15% of reports).
- 99engine complaints
- 81,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 41%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 15 of 99 complaints (15%)
- Traction control: mentioned in 10 of 99 complaints (10%)
- Service ESC: mentioned in 8 of 99 complaints (8%)
- Timing chain: mentioned in 7 of 99 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 73 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 99 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Malibu | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 13 | 18% | 63,810 |
| 2022 Malibu | 29 | 30% | 76,000 |
| 2021 Malibu | 15 | 17% | 36,500 |
| 2020 Malibu | 59 | 30% | 65,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 64 | 33% | 51,724 |
| 2018 Malibu | 281 | 40% | 50,000 |
| 2017 Malibu | 253 | 36% | 56,114 |
| 2016 Malibu | 302 | 36% | 52,000 |
| 2015 Malibu | 70 | 26% | 66,000 |
| 2014 Malibu | 125 | 36% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 204 | 24% | 78,825 |
| 2012 Malibu | 99 | 11% | 81,000 |
| 2011 Malibu | 160 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 115 | 8% | 76,000 |
| 2009 Malibu | 61 | 4% | 113,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 62 | 6% | 94,362 |
| 2007 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 92,434 |
| 2006 Malibu | 33 | 3% | 120,500 |
| 2005 Malibu | 49 | 5% | 107,261 |
| 2004 Malibu | 17 | 1% | 127,500 |
| 2003 Malibu | 47 | 8% | 85,600 |
| 2002 Malibu | 22 | 4% | 95,666 |
| 2001 Malibu | 26 | 4% | 109,740 |
| 2000 Malibu | 19 | 2% | 109,500 |
| 1999 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 86,950 |
| 1998 Malibu | 2 | 0% | 178,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 68,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 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 catalytic converter and exhaust manifold are suspected to be malfunctioning. These components are part of the vehicleâs exhaust system, and their failure is believed to be contributing to hesitation and skipping during operation. Both components are available for inspection upon request. The…
For 4 years the car intermittently would turn on all warning lights, shake, become hard to steer and steer in unintended directions. We paid $1500 for the dealer to fix it and we still had the problem. Today, the car will drive less then a mile and die. When we start the car all warning lights come…
Driving down the freeway and suddenly I get reduce engine power. I had to wait on the freeway until the car started up again
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Chevrolet Malibus have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 99 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu (11% of the 907 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 2012 Chevrolet Malibu engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 81,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 15 of 99 complaints, followed by “traction control” (10).
Other 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2012 Chevrolet Malibu problems or engine problems across all Malibu years.