1,182 of the
29,413 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Malibu
are about the throttle and cruise control —
4% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2016.
1,182
Complaints
4%
Share of all complaints
60
Crashes
4
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
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 to accelerate on numerous occasions the parking brake release light comes on and it will not release and the car will not accelerate in drive or reverse. It has happened while driving and at stop lights on major highways. Once I shut the car off I have to wait for 10 minutes to reset by restarting it. The whole electric system screen a/c steering lighting has blacked out while I am driving on the interstate and residential streets. I brought it to two dealerships and they state number one they cannot remedy the open camera recall because there is no remedy at this time and number two the esc light is related to a wheel sensor which makes no sense to remedy the parking brake accelerator issue. Can you please help me find a dealership to remedy these serious recall issues and provide me a loaner while they are repaired? I am paying $600 per month for a vehicle with major safety issues. I am attaching the two dealership invoices. God bless, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11754609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A software error in 1.5L turbo model disable fuel injectors, preventing the engine from starting or causing a sudden stall while driving. It’s been confirmed to be an previously opened recall that was fixed by previous owner. But, is happening again to me. Yet I’m being told It has been closed and cannot be fixed unless I pay out of pocket. There are warning signs that pop up like reduced speed while I am driving etc. which reduces my speed and is incredibly unsafe.
NHTSA complaint #11753826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after driving for 5 miles, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, with the message "Service Traction" displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as intended after cooling down; however, the failure recurred after driving 5 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with high resistance in the BCM harness. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC); which was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the recall repair was a one-time free-of-charge repair. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #11752487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the ESC and traction control warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while the cruise control was activated and the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact stated that the gear shifter was able to be moved without the brake pedal being depressed. The cause of the failures were not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failures, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 122,000.
NHTSA complaint #11744231 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
REDUCED ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TICKING NOISE STOPPED 2 TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY REPAIR LOT RAN A DIAGNOSTIC UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE CAR IS NOT WORKING FOUND MANY CODES STILLUNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE
NHTSA complaint #11743065 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This all started when i had my car serviced for an oil change and began to hear some clicking sounds when I would start my vehicle. The fuel sealant is defective, the fuel caps were corroded, leaks oil, and causes the turbo on the engine to lag. I found this out as I was driving and tried to make a turn. When pressing the accelerator the vehicle lagged almost causing me to be involved in an accident on more than one occassion. When conducting on-line research I am not the only owner that has experienced this issue. It would appear that Chevrolet is aware that this is happening in its turbo models. I have an extended warranty that was purchased through the dealership. This issue caused them to replace the fuel sealant, the fuel caps, and the fuel pump. However, 2 weeks later my vehicle is still leaking a significant amount of oil. When I took the vehicle to be serviced, I was told that the sealant is broken again and gaskets have to be replaced. Upon researching this online other owners have experienced the same issues. I did share my online research with the service technicians. Their reactions were dismissive.
NHTSA complaint #11741105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The first problem with my car was the tire pressure monitor. The location of each tire was wrong on the informant section. Soon after purchasing the car when ever I would park the car would not shut off and the DIC would display Shift to park message. Around 6 months after the purchase the brake pedal was getting harder the press down on and within a week from that while driving home from work the car completely shut off in the middle of traffic. It wouldn't start leaving me stuck on a busy street with heavy traffic blocking use of the lane. After 10 minutes it started back up and I barely made it into a parking lot of a shopping center with it shutting off again before I can park. I had to get a tow. I didnt go to an authorized dealer. I took it to a certified mechanic and had to replace the brake vacuum booster. The motor had to be cleaned out due to broken metal that got inside. After that repair car seemed okay until March 2026. The car now is in high idle and struggles to pick up speed. The message on DIC says engine power reduced. On the freeway the car can be going with the flow of traffic then suddenly engine power is reduce rpms go up high and it drops speed struggling to pick up. I paid the loan $16,000 off using what I had saved. I cant go out and purchase a new or used car.
NHTSA complaint #11738236 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My cars check engine light keeps coming on and the first time it came on with an engine under boost failure and I took it to a 3rd party shop to get fixed and they had to replace the turbo charger. I paid $2500.00 for that. 2 weeks later the same light came on and they had to replace it again. Well now the light came on again after a month for the same thing and I am taking it back into the shop again. That will be 3 times.
NHTSA complaint #11737070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
May 7, 2026 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Safety Defect Complaint – Brake System / Vehicle Control Concerns 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding persistent braking and vehicle control issues involving my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Prior to December 31, 2025, the vehicle exhibited jerking during braking, all dashboard gauges go to the left, warning lights, reduced power (20-25mph), and inconsistent braking behavior. This situation happens without warning, at any given time, even in the flow of traffic. An independent inspection indicated the brake system was in proper condition, suggesting a more complex underlying safety issue. The vehicle was taken to Reed-Lallier Chevrolet for diagnosis and remained there for approximately five months. During that time, I was not provided documentation confirming completion of a brake system diagnostic or a clear resolution path. Due to the extended delay without diagnosis, I no longer feel safe operating the vehicle. I am also concerned that prolonged inactivity without proper repair may have worsened the condition and increased risk of failure. Given the nature of the symptoms involving braking and vehicle control, I request review for potential safety-related investigation. Vehicle Information: 2020 Chevrolet Malibu VIN: Mileage:
NHTSA complaint #11736449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The check engine light keeps coming on and off with a warning that the engine power is being reduced. The dealership's service center can't locate the issue. The car's traction warning went off and the car's speed was reduced while driving. This happened twice in the same day. When you shut the car off and turn it back on the warning goes away and the car drives normal. This is very unsafe. Had this happened on the highway there could have been a serious accident.
NHTSA complaint #11735731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving very slowly into a parking space, the brake pedal was pressed to stop the vehicle, but the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration and suddenly accelerated forward at a very high rate of speed and crashed into a furniture store showroom window. During the incident, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged, but no air bags deployed. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene, and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11730355 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Reduced Engine Power Light: The car limits acceleration, often accompanied by a check engine light. Stalling or Hesitation: Engine stalls or acts sluggish when accelerating, particularly in traffic. Limp Mode: The vehicle restricts speed, making it difficult to accelerate. The car stop working in the middle of the freeway and I was in the car with my child when it stop acceleration all gages in the car were going crazy, car was shaking bad finally car turn off. I was able to make it to the emergency lane of the freeway. There's similar complaints for 2020 Chevy Malibu but no recall has been done. Per my research it looks like a lot of this type of vehicles have problems with throttle body causing Engine stalls. Do the right thing and open up a vehicle recall, thank you!
NHTSA complaint #11728914 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Year 2019, code P1101- vehicle hesitates while drive, will reduce power while driving, while sitting idle at a stop the car will die and I will have to restart the vehicle. Multiple times while driving on the highway at 70mph my car has all of a sudden either reduced power causing the car to jerk and shudder very hard or has lost all power completely and forced me to pull over while avoiding other drivers on the road. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AND RECALLED ASAP TO GET IT FIXED. I am not in a financial spot to just go buy a new car and I shouldn't have too either. I'm scared to even drive 10 miles down the road to take my children to daycare/school because of how bad it is.
NHTSA complaint #11725206 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
- started shutting shutting off at while in drive. - started having reduced power - started idiling high while driving - initially there was no codes - last night I drove, I put in drive gear but it was delayed so I had to keep moving from park to drive for it to full go into drive - the codes came P0325 P0505 P0507 P0700 P1101 P2714 After I was driving up an incline the car stopped moving forward and started reversing backwards. One other independent shop advised they were able to produce but couldn’t figure out the problem because no code were shown at the time. There has been many people having the same issues I started off with and I found the forum to file a report .
NHTSA complaint #11721239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Was driving home on the parkway and the headlights shut off on their own had to call for roadside assistance to get my vehicle home they will work on dim but brights will not work and if I drive for more than an hour and a half they will not work at all the speed sensor keeps going bad after having it replaced multiple times
NHTSA complaint #11719671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The Reduce Power to Engine keeps happening. It shuts my car down and lights up the traction control light, check engine light and its a serious hazard because I travel highway to and from work and its very dangerous when you loose power to your vehicle at high rates of speed. Also my emissions is bad due to a supposed fixed recall for the catalytic converter.
NHTSA complaint #11716053 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the RPM was unexpectedly elevated while driving, and the vehicle was hesitating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the throttle body needed to be cleaned. While driving approximately 35-40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered with white smoke coming from the tailpipe. The contact stated that the engine warning light was flashing with the reduced power message displayed. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: PIP5812. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who associated the failure with the turbocharger. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11715468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the message “Engine Power Reduced” was displayed, and the vehicle decelerated unexpectedly. The driver pulled over and was informed to turn off the vehicle and restart the vehicle with the assistance of a Police Officer. The vehicle was restarted but failed to exceed 10 MPH while driving. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no coverage for the repair and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
NHTSA complaint #11714125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Car started shaking in the middle of driving it about 30 mph and all the electrical like door locks were going up and down car wasn’t accelerating and an alert came up for stabilizing wheels i believe. It happened for about a couple seconds and then everything went back to normal and randomly happens while I’m driving.Check engine appeared and went to the mechanic shop i usually go to and found out I had ebcm and ecm modules bad. Do some research on the car and noticed it had a recall back in 2014 for EBCM. The problem has resurfaced
NHTSA complaint #11712837 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.