FaultScore

Worst years for a Chevrolet Malibu

Owners have filed 29,413 complaints about the Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA across model years 1964 to 2025. More of them are about the steering than anything else.

Avoid

2010 Chevrolet Malibu

2,204 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly steering.

Cleanest on record

2022 Chevrolet Malibu

149 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Chevrolet Malibu year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2025 B 15 2 0 Electrical System
2024 A 59 5 0 Electrical System
2023 B 103 5 1 57,619 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2022 A 149 6 0 62,000 Engine & Cooling
2021 A 132 0 1 34,200 Electrical System
2020 B 332 16 0 68,000 Engine & Cooling
2019 B 307 15 1 41,875 Transmission & Drivetrain
2018 C 1,215 35 6 46,000 Engine & Cooling
2017 C 1,174 25 7 51,000 Engine & Cooling
2016 C 1,443 39 3 50,615 Engine & Cooling
2015 C 399 31 17 50,000 Engine & Cooling
2014 C 563 32 12 60,800 Engine & Cooling
2013 C 1,383 50 14 70,000 Electrical System
2012 C 1,472 93 24 87,000 Electrical System
2011 C 1,526 71 25 80,000 Electrical System
2010 D 2,204 72 17 82,000 Steering
2009 D 2,356 64 13 100,000 Steering
2008 C 1,489 54 9 80,000 Steering
2007 C 1,253 53 2 100,000 Steering
2006 C 1,475 59 6 85,142 Steering
2005 C 1,386 67 38 89,000 Steering
2004 D 1,639 78 11 69,000 Steering
2003 C 773 52 5 70,000 Electrical System
2002 B 755 28 1 68,900 Electrical System
2001 C 1,005 51 1 70,000 Electrical System
2000 C 1,379 71 8 65,000 Brakes
1999 C 1,227 61 2 60,000 Brakes
1998 C 1,480 53 6 70,000 Brakes
1997 B 693 34 0 82,750 Brakes
1989 3 0 0 Engine & Cooling
1986 1 0 0 Seat Belts
1983 1 0 1 Windows, Mirrors & Wipers
1982 3 0 0 Fuel & Propulsion
1981 3 0 0 Brakes
1980 6 0 1 Fuel & Propulsion
1979 4 0 0 Brakes
1978 2 0 1 Engine & Cooling
1975 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
1974 1 1 0 Suspension
1964 1 1 1 Transmission & Drivetrain

What breaks on a Chevrolet Malibu

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Steering 5,713 19.4%

Worst in 2004

Electrical System 4,816 16.4%

Worst in 2013

Engine & Cooling 3,161 10.7%

Worst in 2016

Brakes 2,824 9.6%

Worst in 1998

Lights 2,060 7.0%

Worst in 2000

Worst in 2018

Worst in 2009

Other & Unspecified 1,290 4.4%

Worst in 2016

Worst in 2016

Fuel & Propulsion 1,151 3.9%

Worst in 2018

Airbags 1,027 3.5%

Worst in 2010

Suspension 643 2.2%

Worst in 1998

Worst in 1998

Body & Structure 402 1.4%

Worst in 2010

Exactly what failed on a Chevrolet Malibu

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Rotor 412 17.1%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 380 15.7%
Control Module 280 11.6%
Disc 255 10.6%
Body 244 10.1%
Engine 195 8.1%
Electric Power Assist System 181 7.5%
Turn Signal 170 7.0%
Cooling System 154 6.4%
Switch 144 6.0%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Chevrolet Malibu, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Apr 1995 peak 407 Aug 2026

Chevrolet Malibu problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Chevrolet Malibu

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.