402 of the 29,413 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Malibu are about the body and structure — 1% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2010.
402
Complaints
1%
Share of all complaints
40
Crashes
8
Fires
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.
STRUCTURE:BODY
The rear camera comes “loose” and does not register all the time. It seems to be a simple electric issue; possibly an electrical short. I believe it can be easily “fixed” (temporarily) by opening the trunk and running fingers over the camera, it should not happen. I purchased my Malibu new and seldomly drive, approximately 25k miles. I maintain proper maintenance and ensure cleanliness to avoid dust or particles inside the camera or electric components. This should not happen. The wiring should not become loose nor cause the camera to turn off. Chevy dealerships do not acknowledge the issue and expect the car owners to repair the entire electrical system. Definitely should be a recall item!
NHTSA complaint #11722672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
On December 24, 2025, the contact's 2023 Chevrolet Malibu was involved in a severe side-impact collision. The vehicle was struck on the rear passenger side by a full-size pickup truck traveling at high speed (est. 60 mph) that failed to stop at a red light. The impact caused the contact's vehicle to spin approximately 180 degrees and strike a concrete median sideways, generating high lateral G-forces. FAILURE 1: AIRBAG NON-DEPLOYMENT. Despite the severity of the impact and the violent spin into a curb (rollover trip point), the side curtain airbags and front seat-mounted side impact airbags failed to deploy. The failure of the restraint system caused the driver to be thrown against the driver-side door structure, striking their head on the window and B-pillar. The driver sustained a concussion, cervical strain, and lumbar strain. Medical records confirm the injuries are consistent with impact against the vehicle interior due to non-deployment. FAILURE 2: EMERGENCY TELEMATICS MALFUNCTION. Immediately post-collision, the driver attempted to manually activate the OnStar/SOS emergency buttons. The system failed to connect to an advisor. Instead, the vehicle's infotainment screen malfunctioned, opening a voice-to-text transcription application. The system then bypassed the vehicle's internal telematics module and attempted to route the emergency call to the owner's personal cell phone, indicating a complete failure of the vehicle's emergency communication hardware. This resulted in a 34-minute delay in coordinating professional assistance. Contact notes; while this vehicle currently shows 0 open recalls, the failure mechanism (sensor non-response during side impact) mimics the defect described in NHTSA Campaign 22V923000 (GM Recall N222392300), where improper welding of the front impact bar causes crash sensors to fail. The vehicle is available for inspection. Police and medical reports confirm the incident details. No warning lights were illuminated prior to crash.
NHTSA complaint #11707356 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
The brake caplier screw came out why driving the vehicle and broke the brake line and the vehicle lost control try to use the emergency brake and it didn't work vehicle crash
NHTSA complaint #11703616 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I own a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu (VIN: [XXX] , black, approx. 56,310 miles). The paint and clearcoat are failing prematurely, with peeling, cracking, and delamination appearing on the hood and roof panels. A repair estimate confirmed the need for full refinishing and corrosion protection to restore the exterior condition 2016 Chevrolet Malibu . This is not normal wear. The defect stems from faulty paint materials, defective clearcoat, or improper factory application. Although it manifests over time, GM knew or should have known of these issues but sold the Malibu without disclosure and refuses to provide assistance. The defect lowers the resale value, leaves the vehicle exposed to premature corrosion, and requires costly resanding and repainting. I respectfully request NHTSA investigate paint and clearcoat defects in the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu and determine whether a recall, service campaign, or consumer restitution is warranted. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11690120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Water leaking and running into spare tire compartment in truck. Due to no recall alert and dealership won't do anything, now my dome light shorts out and water stain on ceiling liner by rear window.
NHTSA complaint #11679455 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:INTERIOR TRIM
The center high mount stop lamp cause water to leak through onto the headliner of my vehicle and I found a special coverage adjustment for my specific, year ,make and model of my vehicle and this will be my second time paying Berger Chevrolet here in Grand Rapids mi for this repair that should be covered under this policy #[XXX] but dealership will not honor this even though this is my second time repairing this exact same issue with my specific vehicle but since it’s not tied to my VIN # the dealership will NOT HONOR please advise INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11663830 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I am writing to report a serious and unacceptable issue with the exterior paint and clear coat on my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The clear coat has become dull and faded on the hood and roof, and the side panels are beginning to chip and peel, despite regular washing and maintenance. This paint deterioration started well before what would be expected in a properly manufactured vehicle finish, especially for one that has been well cared for and is only a few years old. The vehicle has never been in an accident, and the finish failure appears to be due to a defect in the clear coat or paint application process at the factory. This not only affects the appearance and value of the vehicle, but also raises concerns about long-term body protection. Once the clear coat is compromised, the base paint and metal underneath are more susceptible to rust and corrosion. There are countless reports online of other GM vehicle owners experiencing similar issues, and I believe this should be investigated as a widespread manufacturing defect. I request that GM address this issue, either through a recall or a goodwill repair/paint reimbursement program. Vehicle Details: Year: 2016 Make: Chevrolet Model: Malibu E2 Color: Black Thank you for your time and attention. I hope to see GM stand behind its product and take responsibility for this defect. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11656612 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was rusted underneath at the midway point to the rear of the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact referenced DTC: TPOA90, indicating a failure with the drive motor "A" performance. The contact called an independent mechanic. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
NHTSA complaint #11650076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
After parking the car says I need to shift the car into park even though it is.
NHTSA complaint #11644414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Rear high mount brake light is loose allowing water to leak I. And around the electrical connections, rear speakers in vehicle have moisture around them, potentially causingin a short and fire hazard
NHTSA complaint #11615919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
I was under this car inspecting the exhaust system when I noticed the steel rear impact beam was rusty. Upon further inspection, I found that it was completely rusted and rotted out and was being held up by the wire for the license plate light. The car has quite a few miles on in but no other parts of the car are rusted like this. An automotive Engineer inspected it and advised us to replace it. There is no way for customers to know of this issue or easily watch out for it and I am concerned that this may be an issue in other Malibus. This is a huge safety issue as there was no rear protection during a crash due to the severity of the rust on this rear impact beam.
NHTSA complaint #11615209 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Upper center brake light leaked allowing moisture and mildew to accumulate. Safety issue in how it affects my severe asthma.
NHTSA complaint #11607714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
On March 18, 2024, I noticed that water began to enter the car when it was in the carwash. I opened a claim with the insurance company and an investigation was carried out that lasted approximately 3 months. On June 11, the body shop received my car to diagnose and provide a quote to the insurance company for the necessary repairs due to this water damage. The workshop considered it to be a problem in the upper rear brake light and mentioned that this is a Chevrolet recall on these cars. The insurance company called me and told me that I had to go directly to the dealer to have the necessary repairs made to my car that were caused by this water problem. However, I cannot find information about this recall online.
NHTSA complaint #11594698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
My 2015 Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t have a key hole to lock it manually so I can’t close my trunk of my car. The latch assembly isn’t working properly so when I push the button it doesn’t lock. So I’m complaining about not having a key to lock the trunk of my vehicle.
NHTSA complaint #11582891 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Water was leaking through the center high mount stop lamp and pooling into the spare tire well. Water was also soaking through the rear headliner. Condensation was building up inside the vehicle due to the pooled water and water soaked headliner. Condensation buildup inside the vehicle with numerous electrical components is not safe. The vehicle has been taken to the Galleria Chevrolet dealership in Dallas, Texas for repairs. Galleria Chevrolet failed to repair the issue even after giving them notice of the service bulletin [XXX] Center High Mount Stop Lamp Water Leak. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11560940 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Water has been leaking into my car from the roof and onto my seats. Today I discovered that I have black mold under my headliner. So water is somehow leaking through and had been for some time.
NHTSA complaint #11547147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
When I’m driving straight sometimes my lane assist will make the car swerve while my steering wheel is straight and even almost made me wreck into another car beside me trying to force the car to go right. Also the front crash assist goes off when I’m not even near a car. The front end of my car is rattling and I don’t know why.
NHTSA complaint #11541949 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
This vehicle was purchased on February 10, 2023 under false pretenses, deceit, and fraudulent activities by Frank Leta Honda of Missouri. Frank Leta Honda and its Salesman failed to disclosed that this vehicle was in a major accident prior to me purchasing it. The front-end bumper and the front quarter-panel on the passenger side were damaged. This car was re-painted with non-factory paint, and it shows. Most importantly, the procedure and process required in painting a vehicle was not followed. I even questioned the salesman whether or not this vehicle was in a major accident, and the salesman said, "no." I had taken this vehicle to two professional auto body businesses, and two owners/auto body workers informed me without me asking that the vehicle had been in a major accident. Can you please give me a report on whether or not the previous owners of this vehicle reported an accident with this vehicle being involved in, and the original color of this vehicle. The dealer is calling it red. However, this vehicle is a deep dark burgundy.
NHTSA complaint #11518864 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STRUCTURE:BODY
Front damaged
NHTSA complaint #11516843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.