4,816 of the
29,413 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Malibu
are about the electrical system —
16% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2013.
The Chevy Malibu is displaying a “Shift to Park” message even when the gear selector is physically in the Park position. This indicates that the vehicle’s computer may not be recognizing that the vehicle has been placed in Park, which is commonly associated with a faulty or failing internal park-position sensor/switch. The issue is affecting the vehicle’s ability to shut down properly. It is necessary to turn the vehicle off and back on multiple times before the system will recognize that the vehicle is in Park and allow it to shut off completely. If the vehicle does not recognize the Park position, it may remain partially powered on and potentially drain the battery.
NHTSA complaint #11758225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
This complaint relates to NHTSA Campaign 26V212 / GM Recall N262551720, covering the rearview camera defect on 2023–2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. I own a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu. On XXX, the rearview camera began intermittently failing. On XXX, the camera failed completely while I was backing out of a space in a parking garage in [XXX]. With no rear visibility, I caused damage to the vehicle's passenger-side door handle. I contacted my dealership around XXX, and was told the camera issue was part of a known recall with a parts backorder. I received an official GM recall notification letter around XXX, confirming the camera required replacement. On XXX, my first day at a new job, I scratched the passenger side mirror against a building while attempting to parallel park without the rearview camera. On XXX, at approximately 5:15 PM, I nearly backed into a pregnant coworker's vehicle while she was seated inside it, in my employer's parking lot. I did not see her car in my path; the collision was avoided only because of her quick reaction, not mine. I have not been involved in a collision, but this defect has directly caused property damage on two occasions and a serious near-miss with another person within the past three months, all while awaiting the recall remedy. I'm submitting this report to document the real-world safety impact of this defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11758378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my 2015 Chevrolet Malibu on a four-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 70 mph, the vehicle displayed an “Engine Power Is Reduced” message and limited the vehicle to less than approximately 25 mph. This created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could no longer maintain highway traffic speed, resulting in a significant speed differential of nearly 45 mph below the posted limit and surrounding traffic flow, creating a high risk of being struck by other vehicles. The vehicle also experienced an alternator problem while being driven on the highway. It repeatedly acted like it was not getting enough power to maintain the speed of surrounding traffic, and we had to pull over on the side of the road. The vehicle has also had an engine-related issue discovered during repairs. When the valve cover gaskets were replaced, the vacuum pump was found to be severely damaged, and metal shavings were found in the engine oil. The reduced-engine-power problem has occurred in connection with the vehicle's electrical and engine problems. The vehicle and affected components may be available for inspection upon request. The vehicle has been inspected during repairs, and the damaged vacuum pump and metal shavings in the oil were observed during that inspection. These problems create a safety risk because the vehicle can suddenly lose engine power and become unable to maintain highway speed. The loss of normal power while traveling on a four-lane highway could make it difficult to accelerate, merge, or get out of the way of other vehicles.
NHTSA complaint #11757229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased this vehicle in April of 2026, 4 days after bringing it home it began displaying a “Shift To Park” message in the dash, essentially making it so the vehicle will not shut off even when the vehicle is in park. Took it to a shop and they diagnosed it as a common issue across the 2021 Malibus and stated the entire shifter assembly needed replaced. Have not had it replaced yet due to not having the funds to replace the entire assembly, but was informed eventually the problem will progress to a total loss of being able to turn the vehicle off resulting in the vehicle essentially dying and requiring a jump start where the issue will display on the dashboard again until the internal micro switch is replaced. I believe this issue should be brought to GMs attention and a recall should be issued, seeing as they are aware it’s a known issue in malibus. A chevy dealership specifically told me that replacing the entire assembly may likely not even repair the issue itself.
NHTSA complaint #11756187 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was driving my car my electrical system is throwing all kinds of code.my sftey restrain is coming on to check my seat belt .the car goes blank .it stop in the middle of the road.this car has a lot of issues.can some one help me with this I work at the cardiologist office .
NHTSA complaint #11756284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car has an issue recognizing that the car is in park when trying to turn off the vehicle. A message on the dash will appear “Shift to Park”. The car has not been inspected for this issue, but it does repeatedly happen, not every time I turn off the car, but it happens pretty frequently. If I am unable to get the shifter to fully engage the computer then it won’t let me completely power down the vehicle and drains the battery. I’ve had to get a battery replaced before due to a mechanic moving my car after inspecting it for a different issue and leaving the “Shift to Park” signal on and ignoring it. This left me stranded with no battery and a mechanic denying remediation for the dead battery. Many other similar gmc models have the same issue as me.
NHTSA complaint #11755166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The esc light came on, air conditioner fan speed went high then low and my screen flickered out momentarily. The esc light came on three more times, 10-15 seconds each time with no lights remaining on after and no other changes. The next time I drove, when turning the esc light came on and the steering locked up for about 5 seconds
NHTSA complaint #11755368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safety‑critical warnings including loss of power steering assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) faults, brake control faults, and reduced propulsion. A GM dealership inspected the vehicle, scanned the modules, and found more than a dozen network and chassis‑related diagnostic trouble codes, including: B3979, U0164, B1325, B3122, U0121, C0196, C0460, B1011, B097B, B3205, C056E, C056D, U0420, U1510, C0545, U0422. These codes indicate failures in the steering system, brake control module, stability control system, body control module, and multiple CAN‑bus communication networks. The dealership confirmed: – No physical damage – No evidence of collision or impact – No evidence of flood damage – The suspected failed component is the electric power steering rack (GM part 85621696) – The part is not available, meaning the vehicle cannot be repaired – I would be responsible for diagnostic and repair costs This is a major safety concern. The vehicle can lose steering assist, stability control, and braking support without warning. The inability to obtain the required steering component makes the vehicle unrepairable and unsafe to operate. I am reporting this because this appears to be a systemic electrical/network failure affecting critical safety systems. I believe this defect poses a significant risk to drivers, passengers, and other motorists. The attached photo is a is a picture of the printout the Chevrolet dealership Service Manager provided to me.
NHTSA complaint #11755071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
Unknown, I parked the vehicle, got out of it, left car running for AC, locked the doors. The car was in park. Locks unlocked door, rear view camera display cut off, AC still running. I am viewing a house, so I walk around house and car still in park, 0-5min. I go in the house, 10-15 later, out of habit hit the lock buttons on car again, because I couldn't see it. When we exit the house the car is gone. Went in reverse and rolled across a road into a fence. When I arrived at the car, the doors were locked and the car was in reverse.
NHTSA complaint #11754124 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
So while I was driving my car going 60 on the highway it seemed to be having electrical issues all the lights on my dash popped on then popped off and only a few lights actually stayed on I can't remember exactly but the check engine and my abs stayed on and then on my screen it read to me warning power steering fault my headlights were dimming on and off like my car was going to die, so I had to pull over for my safety and other drivers safety, so after I pulled over safely I shut my car completely off and waited about 5 minutes and turned it back on when it turned back on the only light that popped on my dash was the check engine light, but the check engine light had actually been on the dash for a while after I replaced the 21 fuses that were missing that I didn't know were missing when I purchased the vehicle as is from a dealership the only thing that made me decide to check my fuses was because my check engine light was popping on and off and would stay off for a while then come back on a code reader said it was something to do with my turbo that code it was just very odd and the car was shifting weird 3 or 4 months after the purchase date XXX also after I put all the fuses back in a ton of codes popped up others safety and mine were at risk as I didn't really have control of my vehicle when it was doing that and it started breaking itself when I wasn't even hitting the break it was like jolting it's self and stopping slightly. I took my car to AAMCO Total car Care for a free diagnostic test, and then I had recently took my car to a Chevy dealership in Nampa Idaho off garrity boulevard because online it had told me there was recalls for my car and that recall was exactly what I was thinking had started off as the original problem originally leading into the other problems I got told to bring my car in then the fed me information saying pretty much it was a bust and that specific Malibu has no recall I think they just didn't want to work on it
NHTSA complaint #11754086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Power door locks stopped working. Took to local dealer. Left car with them for a week and a 1/2 the first time. Dlr replaced BCM module stating this would fix issue. Picked up car and fix lasted 20 seconds. Took back to dlr they could not resolve issue. So I have been without power door locks for more than a year. No way to manually lock the door. Homeless people have opened the door at a stop light.
NHTSA complaint #11753961 — 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 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the electrical system failed inside the vehicle, causing the air conditioning system to fail to operate, and the window control buttons failed to roll the window down. The battery saver active warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the positive battery cable needed to be replaced. The battery cable was replaced, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
NHTSA complaint #11752683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The backup camera is failing to shut down when the vehicle is put into drive. The camera will stay on for 30 seconds to five minutes when the car is moving forward. The issue was reported to the local GM dealer and the vehicle was brought in for service. They were unable to replicate the problem, so nothing was repaired by the dealership. The problem used to occur once or twice a month. Its frequency has increased. In the last two weeks, while driving on vacation, the backup camera failed to shut off three or four times each day. Sometimes it lasted only 30 seconds and was mainly inconvenient. Several times it lasted longer. In one instance the camera stayed on for five minutes while driven down the Interstate at night. When the camera stays on, it is very distracting, especially at night. Also, you can use the touch screen to access any other vehicle features while the camera is on. There are no dashboard error lights associated with this issue. No codes are generated in the vehicle that can be scanned for. All the dealership that told us about the vehicle issue is that they can't replicate the stuck-on camera problem and won't do any diagnostic work. The car is still under warranty.
NHTSA complaint #11752738 — 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.
Electrical system problems that create unsafe driving conditions!! Vehicle has electrical glitches. Internal warning lights flicker on and off. Battery drains. Car randomly will not start. Multiple incidents. Car stalled on roadway without warning and would not crank. Luckily I was in a residential neighborhood with little to no traffic when this happened. I have had crank sensors replaced, fuel pump module replaced, fuses replaced and still problems occur. If this is a common issue with the 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, could you please issue a safety recall? Thank you
NHTSA complaint #11752135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
“Steering assist is reduced, drive with care” is showing up for a couple second and disappearing. When that happens my car seems to shut off and the steering wheel stiffens and pull to either the left of right side. All this happens while driving. After the 3rd time of it happening within 10min, my gas fuel level dropped but when back up to the “original” level
NHTSA complaint #11751404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE CAR IS RECEIVING ERROR: "SHIFT TO PARK". THIS APPEAR TO BE A KNOW ISSUE FOR 2018 CHEVY MALIBU HYBRID. CAR CUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC
NHTSA complaint #11751389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, all the lights on the instrument panel illuminated, and the engine started to choke. The Service Vehicle light remained illuminated after the other lights turned off. The engine started choking again and failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with an inoperable fuel pump power control module. The mechanic informed the contact about a recall associated with the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred the next two days. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the issue and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.