2021 Chevrolet Malibu problems and complaints
Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The most-reported areas: Unknown Or Other (30), Electrical System (29), Power Train (28).
Key takeaways
- 88 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 0 involve a crash, 1 a fire, 1 reported injury.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown Or Other | 30 | 34% |
| Electrical System | 29 | 33% |
| Power Train | 28 | 32% |
| Engine | 14 | 16% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 7% |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 3% |
| Fuel System | 2 | 2% |
| Gasoline | 2 | 2% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% |
| Structure | 2 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Unknown Or Other - filed 2026-09-02
The problem with this model is the CVT Trasmission thats in the vehicle when put into drive mode it stalls to change gears and want change gears for about 5 min then it kicks in to go it does that very often i have took it to the dealership and spent tremendous mount of money the transmission are crapy and stalls the c...
Power Train - filed 2026-08-21
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed; however, the RPM was extremely elevated. The vehicle then lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on three sep...
Electrical System,engine - filed 2026-08-20
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....
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More for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.