FaultScore report

2022 Chevrolet Malibu problems

Owners have filed 157 complaints about the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA between 2022 and 2026. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 29 of 29 worst.

A

19/100

CleanWorst

Measured against the other years of the Chevrolet Malibu, never against another car.

How this is worked out

The numbers

157

Complaints

6

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

1

Injuries reported

63,500 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

24%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

NHTSA overall crash rating

From the agency's own crash tests

2

Safety recalls

1 US, 1 Canadian

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 8 vs 50 Severity 23 vs 50 Early failure 40 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 8
Against the median year of the Chevrolet Malibu. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 23
4.5% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 40
24% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2022 compares with every other Chevrolet Malibu

Click any bar 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

What breaks on a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Engine & Cooling 39 24.8%

Median failure at 79,583 miles

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 15,900 mi

1 crashes, 0 fires

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 38,000 mi

Fuel & Propulsion 9 5.7%

Median failure at 53,500 miles

Brakes 6 3.8%

Median failure at 29,901 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 4 2.5%

Median failure at 60,000 miles

Airbags 4 2.5%

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 90,000 mi

Seat Belts 2 1.3%
Wheels 2 1.3%
Lights 2 1.3%

Median failure at 1,900 miles

Steering 2 1.3%

Median failure at 29,901 miles

Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance 1 0.6%

Median failure at 1,900 miles

Tires 1 0.6%
Body & Structure 1 0.6%

Median failure at 38,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

1,000 – 9,999 miles 3 8.8%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 10 29.4%
50,000 – 74,999 miles 9 26.5%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 8 23.5%
100,000 – 149,999 miles 4 11.8%

NHTSA crash tests

The agency crash-tested this model year itself. These are its own photographs and star ratings.

Frontal crash test of a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD

Frontal crash test

Side barrier crash test of a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD

Side barrier crash test

Side pole crash test of a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD

Side pole crash test

Photographs taken by NHTSA during its own New Car Assessment Program crash tests of this model year. Public domain.
Configuration Overall Front Side Rollover
2022 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD
10.3% risk

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

May 2022 peak 13 Sep 2026

Recalls on the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

United States — NHTSA

22V923000

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.

Risk: An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 2022711 3 units in Canada

Structure

Issue: On a small number of vehicles, the front bumper impact bar may not be welded correctly. As a result, the front crash sensors may not work properly. This could cause the airbag system not to work properly in a crash. Safety Risk: Airbags that do not work properly could create an increased risk of injury in a crash. Corrective Actions: General Motors will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the welds on the front bumper impact bar.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Montgomery, TX Crash 1 injured

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While the vehicle was in motion, it unexpectedly shut down, resulting in a sudden loss of power. No warning lights, alerts, or malfunction indicators were displayed prior to or during the shutdown. Additionally, no crash detection or safety alert was activated. This sudden failure caused the vehicle to be rear-ended.

NHTSA complaint #11705743 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 90,000 miles Owasso, OK Crash

AIR BAGS

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her son was driving on an off-ramp at 20 MPH, he rear-ended the vehicle in front where it was brought to a stop. No air bags were deployed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local collision repair center and informed that the air bags should have deployed due to the frame being braced however, an unknown component was not welded. The vehicle was repaired. No police report was filed. The contact stated that her son was the only individual in the vehicle during the crash and was not injured. The driver of the other vehicle was injured. However, the contact was unaware of the injury sustained and required medical attention. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and transferred the caller to the NHTSA Hotline to be added to a recall. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

NHTSA complaint #11638899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milan, IL Crash

POWER TRAIN

Hit an animal on the roadway and the airbag didn’t deploy and my car is destroyed engine light is on I could have been hurt

NHTSA complaint #11585684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milan, IL Crash

AIR BAGS

Hit an animal on the roadway and the airbag didn’t deploy and my car is destroyed engine light is on I could have been hurt

NHTSA complaint #11585684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Milan, IL Crash

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Hit an animal on the roadway and the airbag didn’t deploy and my car is destroyed engine light is on I could have been hurt

NHTSA complaint #11585684 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westlake Village, CA Crash

POWER TRAIN

While my daughter was attempting to exit a parking lot, she put the car in drive pressed accelerator pedal and there was no response from car. Pressed accelerator again and car took off and hit a 13 inch curb causing major front end damage to vehicle. An initial diagnostic scan revealed a transmission fault code of P0826 Shift up and down failure. Vehicle is now body shop waiting for Chevrolet dealer to take car in for further diagnostics before repairs can be done.

NHTSA complaint #11509972 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Rialto, CA

SERVICE BRAKES

While driving my 2022 Chevrolet Malibu on the freeway, I experienced a loss of braking. This created a serious safety hazard because I was unable to stop the vehicle normally. The vehicle had previously displayed a check-engine warning. I brought the vehicle to the Chevrolet dealer. The dealer is requesting approximately $4,000 for repairs and has refused to perform the turbo-related recall/special coverage repair unless I pay for those repairs. I am requesting that NHTSA review this incident as a potential vehicle safety defect and review whether the braking problem may be related to the known turbo/engine issue Break vacuum pump is broken and diagnose by the dealer . Check engine light was on prior to incident due from Turbo charger failure

NHTSA complaint #11762044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saint James City, FL

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Driving along the highway the CEL light came on followed by reduced engine power warning. Vehicle abruptly slowed down to 35mph (limp mode). Were there to be another vehicle behind me, they would have to do emergency braking. My vehicle would not start after pulling over to the shoulder. A tow truck was dispatched, and after diagnosis from the service center; The fuel pump module was found to be defective.

NHTSA complaint #11761826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Phoenix, AZ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicle’s 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, causing the car to jerk abruptly in traffic, thankfully I was able to pull over. Some times the car will limit my speed to below 60mph for “safety” reasons. The same set of issues have happened to me at least six different times. Every time I take it into the dealership for repair they always charge me for something new saying they finally fixed it and yet I always keep coming back for the exact same thing. This car is not safe to drive and I’ve taken it to two dealerships with two very smart teams of people and none of them have been able to figure this out.

NHTSA complaint #11761214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florence, KY

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The car started giving warnings on the dash "SHIFT TO PARK" even though the shifter is in park. When it happens you can not shut the car off fully causing the battery to drain, you also can not lock the vehicle. The car only has 19K miles on it and GM refuses to fix because the car is out of the standard warranty period by six months.

NHTSA complaint #11761353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Phoenix, AZ

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicle’s 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, causing the car to jerk abruptly in traffic, thankfully I was able to pull over. Some times the car will limit my speed to below 60mph for “safety” reasons. The same set of issues have happened to me at least six different times. Every time I take it into the dealership for repair they always charge me for something new saying they finally fixed it and yet I always keep coming back for the exact same thing. This car is not safe to drive and I’ve taken it to two dealerships with two very smart teams of people and none of them have been able to figure this out.

NHTSA complaint #11761214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Phoenix, AZ

SERVICE BRAKES

I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicle’s 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, causing the car to jerk abruptly in traffic, thankfully I was able to pull over. Some times the car will limit my speed to below 60mph for “safety” reasons. The same set of issues have happened to me at least six different times. Every time I take it into the dealership for repair they always charge me for something new saying they finally fixed it and yet I always keep coming back for the exact same thing. This car is not safe to drive and I’ve taken it to two dealerships with two very smart teams of people and none of them have been able to figure this out.

NHTSA complaint #11761214 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,949 miles Richmond, KY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with Special Coverage Program: N252508360 (turbocharger replacement for up to 15 years or 150,000 miles); however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was included in the program. The approximate failure mileage was 82,949.

NHTSA complaint #11759251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,949 miles Richmond, KY

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with Special Coverage Program: N252508360 (turbocharger replacement for up to 15 years or 150,000 miles); however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was included in the program. The approximate failure mileage was 82,949.

NHTSA complaint #11759251 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,950 miles Breaux Bridge, LA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “Engine Power Reduced” was displayed. The failure was a persistent failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The contact was informed that the turbocharger needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 82,950.

NHTSA complaint #11753711 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,010 miles Wichita, KS

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 62 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the message "Reduced Engine Power" displayed, and the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a diagnostic scan retrieved DTC: P0299, indicating a failure with the turbo charger. The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that the vehicle was not eligible for the GM Special Coverage: N252508360. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,010.

NHTSA complaint #11752008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 82,010 miles Wichita, KS

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 62 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the message "Reduced Engine Power" displayed, and the check engine warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where a diagnostic scan retrieved DTC: P0299, indicating a failure with the turbo charger. The vehicle was then taken to the local dealer, who confirmed that the vehicle was not eligible for the GM Special Coverage: N252508360. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 82,010.

NHTSA complaint #11752008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florissant, MO

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Component: Air Conditioning – A/C Hose Assembly / Refrigerant Discharge Line The air conditioning refrigerant discharge line (A/C hose assembly) appears to have been improperly designed and/or installed during manufacturing. The rubber A/C hose was routed in a manner that caused it to rest against or press against the side of the engine. Over time, the engine heat and constant contact burned a hole through the hose, causing a rapid loss of refrigerant (Freon). As a result of the refrigerant leak, the air conditioning system stopped blowing cold air, and the HVAC system no longer functioned properly. This failure was not caused by normal wear and tear, but by the improper routing and placement of the A/C hose against the engine. The issue was confirmed by Meineke Service Center through a diagnostic inspection and UV dye leak test, which identified the damaged refrigerant discharge line as the source of the leak. A significant safety concern is that simply replacing the hose does not permanently correct the problem if the replacement hose is routed in the same location. Without a manufacturer-provided redesign or long-term repair solution that prevents the hose from contacting the engine, the replacement part is at risk of failing in the same manner. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications before the failure occurred. The air conditioning stopped blowing cold air after the refrigerant escaped through the damaged hose. I believe this is a manufacturing and/or design defect that could affect other vehicles with the same hose routing configuration. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and determine whether a safety recall or manufacturer corrective action is warranted.

NHTSA complaint #11750741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Florissant, MO

ENGINE

Component: Air Conditioning – A/C Hose Assembly / Refrigerant Discharge Line The air conditioning refrigerant discharge line (A/C hose assembly) appears to have been improperly designed and/or installed during manufacturing. The rubber A/C hose was routed in a manner that caused it to rest against or press against the side of the engine. Over time, the engine heat and constant contact burned a hole through the hose, causing a rapid loss of refrigerant (Freon). As a result of the refrigerant leak, the air conditioning system stopped blowing cold air, and the HVAC system no longer functioned properly. This failure was not caused by normal wear and tear, but by the improper routing and placement of the A/C hose against the engine. The issue was confirmed by Meineke Service Center through a diagnostic inspection and UV dye leak test, which identified the damaged refrigerant discharge line as the source of the leak. A significant safety concern is that simply replacing the hose does not permanently correct the problem if the replacement hose is routed in the same location. Without a manufacturer-provided redesign or long-term repair solution that prevents the hose from contacting the engine, the replacement part is at risk of failing in the same manner. There were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications before the failure occurred. The air conditioning stopped blowing cold air after the refrigerant escaped through the damaged hose. I believe this is a manufacturing and/or design defect that could affect other vehicles with the same hose routing configuration. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue and determine whether a safety recall or manufacturer corrective action is warranted.

NHTSA complaint #11750741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Indianapolis, IN

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was told the bcm on my vehicle is bad. It cause my car to go all out of wack. Multiple warning lights come on (ESC, ABS, power steering, check engine), the gauge controls flutter, my gear shift clicks on and off, the car has even shut down on me in the middle of traffic, wouldn’t start, wouldn’t shift, basically wouldn’t move at all even when it did start. How would a bcm shut down my whole vehicle?

NHTSA complaint #11750482 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sioux City, IA

ENGINE

My 2022 Chevrolet Malibu LT repeatedly and unpredictably enters a "Reduced Engine Power" state, causing sudden, dangerous drops in speed while driving in traffic. This intermittent loss of power happens constantly on and off, creating an ongoing and severe safety hazard. A diagnostic scan reveals codes P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost), P1101, and P2227. General Motors has an active Special Coverage Program (N252508360) covering this exact turbocharger failure for 2022 Malibus with the 1.5L engine. However, GM and the local dealership refuse to cover the repair, claiming my specific VIN is excluded from their automated list. I have already replaced the MAF and MAP sensors to eliminate electrical faults, had all hoses examined for leaks, and I've replaced the air filter under the hood and in the cabin twice, proving this is a chronic mechanical failure of the turbocharger system. GM is using arbitrary VIN boundaries to avoid repairing a known, widespread manufacturing defect that continually compromises vehicle safety.

NHTSA complaint #11750044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sioux City, IA

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My 2022 Chevrolet Malibu LT repeatedly and unpredictably enters a "Reduced Engine Power" state, causing sudden, dangerous drops in speed while driving in traffic. This intermittent loss of power happens constantly on and off, creating an ongoing and severe safety hazard. A diagnostic scan reveals codes P0299 (Turbocharger Underboost), P1101, and P2227. General Motors has an active Special Coverage Program (N252508360) covering this exact turbocharger failure for 2022 Malibus with the 1.5L engine. However, GM and the local dealership refuse to cover the repair, claiming my specific VIN is excluded from their automated list. I have already replaced the MAF and MAP sensors to eliminate electrical faults, had all hoses examined for leaks, and I've replaced the air filter under the hood and in the cabin twice, proving this is a chronic mechanical failure of the turbocharger system. GM is using arbitrary VIN boundaries to avoid repairing a known, widespread manufacturing defect that continually compromises vehicle safety.

NHTSA complaint #11750044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Na, GA

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Transmission misfiring.

NHTSA complaint #11749174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Na, GA

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Transmission misfiring.

NHTSA complaint #11749174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Na, GA

ENGINE

Transmission misfiring.

NHTSA complaint #11749174 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Amelia Court House, VA

POWER TRAIN

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN SLOW TO TAKE OFF AT A STOP LIGHT. SAFETY CONCERNS OF BEING REAR END DUE TO SLOW TAKE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO CHEVY DEALER FOR REVIEW AND THEY INDICATED AND SHOW A PICTURE OF THE TURBO BOOSTER BEING BROKEN. PER DEALER THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER AND NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. DEALER STATED I WAS 5k MILES OVER WARRANTY AND EXISTING SERVICE SPECIAL COVERAGE NOTICE N252508360 FOR 2022 MALIBU DID NOT COVER MY VIN.

NHTSA complaint #11747026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Amelia Court House, VA

ENGINE

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS SLOW TO ACCELERATE INTERMITTENTLY. OFTEN SLOW TO TAKE OFF AT A STOP LIGHT. SAFETY CONCERNS OF BEING REAR END DUE TO SLOW TAKE OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO CHEVY DEALER FOR REVIEW AND THEY INDICATED AND SHOW A PICTURE OF THE TURBO BOOSTER BEING BROKEN. PER DEALER THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER AND NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. DEALER STATED I WAS 5k MILES OVER WARRANTY AND EXISTING SERVICE SPECIAL COVERAGE NOTICE N252508360 FOR 2022 MALIBU DID NOT COVER MY VIN.

NHTSA complaint #11747026 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lockhart, TX

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I have a problem with parking, the warning comes on,”Shift Into Park” knowing that I’m in park, so it’s not registering. Have to move the shifter a couple of times before it comes off. My check engine light stays on and then comes off a week or two later and then comes back on and no code comes up, so I’ll clear it or let it clear itself.

NHTSA complaint #11746599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lockhart, TX

ENGINE

I have a problem with parking, the warning comes on,”Shift Into Park” knowing that I’m in park, so it’s not registering. Have to move the shifter a couple of times before it comes off. My check engine light stays on and then comes off a week or two later and then comes back on and no code comes up, so I’ll clear it or let it clear itself.

NHTSA complaint #11746599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 38,000 miles Brooklyn, NY

STRUCTURE

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that during inclement weather, the rear glass was leaking, causing stains on the ceiling of the vehicle. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.

NHTSA complaint #11746219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 65,000 miles Jonesboro, GA

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and entered reduced power mode. The Check Engine and the reduced power mode warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine seized later. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart, but the vehicle made an abnormal sound, and the failure was persistent. The contact stated that the failure occurred while driving on a busy highway, which was frightening. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who retrieved diagnostic trouble codes: P00C6, P0137, P0171, P0299, P089, and P2097. The contact was informed that the codes were associated with the fuel system failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA complaint #11742702 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.