2020 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Malibu years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 23rd of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 198 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. That ranks 23rd out of 29 Malibu model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (59 complaints, 30%), typically at around 65,000 miles. Complaints mention 10 crashes, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 198owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 10complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 59 | 30% | 65,000 | “vacuum pump” (15%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 58 | 29% | 72,500 | “shift park” (59%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 57 | 29% | 22,324 | “shift park” (39%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 44 | 22% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 42 | 21% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 18 | 9% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 16 | 8% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 14 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 3% | 95,774 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 2% | 78,537 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | 100,200 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 1% | 13,650 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 1% | 57,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 1% | 61,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 8,300 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 61,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:rear/other:retractor; seat belts:critical fasteners
Problem: 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.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA25005) — opened Oct 21, 2025, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking brake. The contact was able to pull over while awaiting tow truck assistance. The vehicle was towed to a…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. In addition, the message…
The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park" position and attempting to shut off the engine, a warning message reading "Action…
I have a failed vacuum pump which caused my braking ability to be 100% reliant on my own strength to be able to âsafelyâ stop the car. This is an ongoing and common problem with GM yet they have not recalled or given any solution. This is unsafe and should be illegal. I have now an underwater…
My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safetyâcritical warnings including loss of power steering assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) faults, brake control…
Other Chevrolet Malibu years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 11 | 1 |
| 2024 Malibu | 43 | 2 |
| 2023 Malibu | 71 | 2 |
| 2022 Malibu | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 Malibu | 90 | 2 |
| 2020 | 198 | 1 |
| 2019 Malibu | 192 | 1 |
| 2018 Malibu | 700 | 6 |
| 2017 Malibu | 703 | 4 |
| 2016 Malibu | 839 | 9 |
| 2015 Malibu | 270 | 3 |
| 2014 Malibu | 351 | 6 |
| 2013 Malibu | 836 | 10 |
| 2012 Malibu | 907 | 2 |
| 2011 Malibu | 978 | 3 |
| 2010 Malibu | 1,363 | 3 |
| 2009 Malibu | 1,509 | 5 |
| 2008 Malibu | 989 | 4 |
| 2007 Malibu | 977 | 3 |
| 2006 Malibu | 1,116 | 6 |
| 2005 Malibu | 975 | 3 |
| 2004 Malibu | 1,147 | 6 |
| 2003 Malibu | 569 | 2 |
| 2002 Malibu | 567 | 2 |
| 2001 Malibu | 721 | 2 |
| 2000 Malibu | 922 | 3 |
| 1999 Malibu | 789 | 1 |
| 1998 Malibu | 976 | 3 |
| 1997 Malibu | 443 | 4 |
See all Chevrolet Malibu problems by year, every Chevrolet model, or the Chevrolet VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners most often report engine, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 59 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Malibu model years, the 2020 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.