Chevrolet Malibu Vehicle Speed Control Problems
Owners have filed 1,181 complaints with NHTSA about vehicle speed control problems on the Chevrolet Malibu across 28 model years. The 2016 model year has the most (152). The words owners use most often: “engine power” (25% of reports).
- 1,181vehicle speed control complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 60mention a crash
- 28mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $720typical repair cost reported by owners
- 53%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 299 of 1,181 complaints (25%)
- Cruise control: mentioned in 169 of 1,181 complaints (14%)
- Electronic stability: mentioned in 69 of 1,181 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical vehicle speed control repair on the Chevrolet Malibu at $720, and half of them between $360 and $820.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2023), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do vehicle speed control problems happen?
Based on 771 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 1,181 complaints, 60 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 28 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu vehicle speed control complaints by model year
| Model year | Vehicle Speed Control complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Malibu | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 2 | 3% | 38,706 |
| 2022 Malibu | 4 | 4% | 60,000 |
| 2021 Malibu | 1 | 1% | 5,000 |
| 2020 Malibu | 18 | 9% | 80,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 12 | 6% | 26,115 |
| 2018 Malibu | 114 | 16% | 51,670 |
| 2017 Malibu | 135 | 19% | 58,000 |
| 2016 Malibu | 152 | 18% | 60,100 |
| 2015 Malibu | 28 | 10% | 85,000 |
| 2014 Malibu | 17 | 5% | 45,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 72,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 52 | 6% | 56,700 |
| 2011 Malibu | 87 | 9% | 72,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 116 | 9% | 69,750 |
| 2009 Malibu | 73 | 5% | 82,500 |
| 2008 Malibu | 42 | 4% | 93,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 31 | 3% | 99,840 |
| 2006 Malibu | 35 | 3% | 95,750 |
| 2005 Malibu | 27 | 3% | 150,000 |
| 2004 Malibu | 27 | 2% | 91,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 85 | 15% | 70,000 |
| 2002 Malibu | 6 | 1% | 84,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 25 | 3% | 82,000 |
| 2000 Malibu | 21 | 2% | 73,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 7 | 1% | 92,000 |
| 1998 Malibu | 22 | 2% | 60,410 |
| 1997 Malibu | 13 | 3% | 95,797 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electronic stability control (esc); vehicle speed control:cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; electrical system:wiring
Model years: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.
Risk: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Model years: 2003
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 124, 'accelerator control systems.' in hot ambient conditions, the accelerator pedal arm may stick at the attachment to the bracket and not return to the engine idle position when the operator lifts his foot from the accelerator pedal.
Risk: Failure to return to idle could result in a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the accelerator pedal arm and replace the accelerator and brake pedal assembly with a new assembly, if necessary. The recall began on december 20, 2004. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My chevy stopped while driving. The engine light came on and engine power reduced. The brakes locked up and I could not go anywhere. Code P1101, Vacuum Pump Failure and ECM came up. Financing this vehicle. Have not been able to drive it in 3 weeks.
I was driving in town through a stoplight when I noticed my brakes stopped working. Also when I had stopped the car still in drive and the car had shut off completely in the middle of the road and was not able to turn back on. The car would keep trying start but none were successful. My car also…
Examatory mark appears on the dashboard say that engine speed as reduced
I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicleâs dashboard and the car jerks back and forth while decelerating. This has happened twice on the highway putting me in danger of crashing or making cars around me crash. On a seperate occasion my brakes failed…
On several occasions in [XXX] and while traveling to [XXX] my vehicle has reported esc codes after starting the vehicle. The ignition light, esc light, parking brake lights come on and do not go off while operating the car until I turn the car off and restart it. When I am at a stop light and try…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Chevrolet Malibus have vehicle speed control problems?
No. NHTSA has 1,181 owner complaints about vehicle speed control for the Chevrolet Malibu. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Chevrolet Malibu vehicle speed control?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list vehicle speed control. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix vehicle speed control problems on the Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners report a typical cost of $720 (half paid between $360 and $820), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about vehicle speed control problems on the Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 299 of 1,181 complaints, followed by “cruise control” (169).
Other Chevrolet Malibu problems
- Steering problems (5,556)
- Electrical System problems (4,722)
- Engine problems (2,168)
- Exterior Lighting problems (1,924)
- Power Train problems (1,666)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (1,315)
- Electronic Stability Control (esc) problems (1,236)
- Service Brakes problems (1,102)
See all Chevrolet Malibu problems.