2018 Chevrolet Malibu Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 171 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 43,150 miles. The words owners use most often: “shift park” (47% of reports).
- 171power train complaints
- 43,150median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 45%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.
- Shift park: mentioned in 80 of 171 complaints (47%)
- Engine power: mentioned in 33 of 171 complaints (19%)
- Turn off: mentioned in 24 of 171 complaints (14%)
- Gear shifter: mentioned in 10 of 171 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 78 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 171 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 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 (1)
Power train:automatic transmission
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
Risk: Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
On 10/8/26 My vehicle failed in the middle of traffic as I was driving the car forcefully slowed down. When I proceeded to press the gas the car began driving in reverse putting me in immediate danger causing 2 different car to almost hit me from behind. I put the car in park , turned on my hazard…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle while in park(P), the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact shifted in and out of park(P) and wiggled the gear shifter several times, but the failure persisted and the vehicle could…
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The gear shifter was shifted back into drive and then back into park to turn off the vehicle. The contact also stated that while driving…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Chevrolet Malibus have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 171 owner complaints about power train for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu (24% of the 700 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 2018 Chevrolet Malibu power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 43,150 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “shift park”, in 80 of 171 complaints, followed by “engine power” (33).
Other 2018 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2018 Chevrolet Malibu problems or power train problems across all Malibu years.