2021 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Malibu years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 26th of 29 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. That ranks 26th out of 29 Malibu model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is unknown or other (31 complaints, 34%), typically at around 5,300 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
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- 90owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown or Other | 31 | 34% | 5,300 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 30 | 33% | 53,100 | — | — |
| Power Train | 28 | 31% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 17% | 36,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 9% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 2% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 2% | 5,300 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 8,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 5,300 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 Chevrolet Malibu recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seats
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism.
Risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212356050.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
This car has the same issues even after you get it replaced . this car is not a good car I have spent so much money replacing the oz sensor .the radio, and the turbo keeps going out . this car has a lot of recall that should be handle to make sure that this car is running good . they should replace…
Shift to park message
The problem with this model is the CVT Trasmission thats in the vehicle when put into drive mode it stalls to change gears and want change gears for about 5 min then it kicks in to go it does that very often i have took it to the dealership and spent tremendous mount of money the transmission are…
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed; however, the RPM was extremely elevated. The vehicle then lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to…
The Chevy Malibu is displaying a âShift to Parkâ message even when the gear selector is physically in the Park position. This indicates that the vehicleâs computer may not be recognizing that the vehicle has been placed in Park, which is commonly associated with a faulty or failing internal…
Other Chevrolet Malibu years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 11 | 1 |
| 2024 Malibu | 43 | 2 |
| 2023 Malibu | 71 | 2 |
| 2022 Malibu | 98 | 1 |
| 2021 | 90 | 2 |
| 2020 Malibu | 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 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners most often report unknown or other, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, unknown or other, accounts for 31 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 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 2021 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.