2016 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems
Owners have filed 302 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 52,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine power” (40% of reports).
- 302engine complaints
- 52,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 63%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 120 of 302 complaints (40%)
- Shift park: mentioned in 21 of 302 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 172 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 302 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 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 2016 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.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid LT 1.8L - current mileage 147,059 miles The factory exhaust heat exchanger failed internally, leaking engine coolant into the exhaust system. This caused check engine codes P0401 / P26BE, loss of cabin heat, coolant loss, and exhaust fumes entering cabin. GM has…
Vacuum pump failure causing hard brake pedal which made near to impossible to brake safely and properly that lead to timing chain issues
The brake vacuum pump broke, causing my brakes to go rock hard and pieces fell down into the camshaft, causing engine damage
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 Chevrolet Malibus have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 302 owner complaints about engine for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu (36% of the 838 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 2016 Chevrolet Malibu engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 52,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 120 of 302 complaints, followed by “shift park” (21).
Other 2016 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2016 Chevrolet Malibu problems or engine problems across all Malibu years.