The Verdict
Worst problem area
Engine
Engine leads by volume: 288 of 711 complaints (41%) mention it. Complaints mentioning Airbags & Restraints include more reported injuries (11) than those mentioning any other identified area.
Complaints filed fell from 727 in 2017 to 711 in 2018.
At a glance
- NHTSA complaints
- 711
- Recall campaigns
- 6
- EPA fuel cost per year
- $1,350–$3,000
- Combined MPG
- 26–46
Complaints by model year
Where owners report problems
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Cost, Fuel Economy & Complaint History
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | vs. 2018 Midsize Cars |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fuel cost ($) | 1,350–2,400 | 1,350–3,000 | 1,350–3,000 | 1,350–3,000 | 1,950–3,000 | |
| Combined MPG | 26–46 | 26–46 | 26–46 | 26–46 | 26–32 | |
| City / Highway MPG | 22–47 / 32–46 | 22–49 / 33–43 | 22–49 / 32–43 | 22–49 / 32–43 | 22–29 / 32–36 | |
| CO₂ tailpipe (g/mi) | 196–342 | 194–342 | 194–344 | 194–344 | 298–344 | |
| Complaints filed | 865 | 727 | 711 | 195 | 202 | |
| Recalls issued | 10 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | |
| Crash-involved complaints | 24 | 17 | 24 | 8 | 10 | |
| Fire-involved complaints | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | |
| Injuries reported | 17 | 16 | 17 | 7 | 7 | |
| Deaths reported | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| Configurations compared | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Not compared: this database has no vehicle sales or registration figures, so a raw count mostly reflects how many were sold, not how safe the vehicle is.
Common questions
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu have?
6 NHTSA recall campaigns as of Nov 7, 2026. Check your VIN with NHTSA to see whether one applies to your car.
What is the most common complaint about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
Engine: 288 of 711 NHTSA complaints (41%) mention it.
What gas mileage does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu get?
EPA rates it 26–46 MPG combined across 3 configurations.
How much does it cost to fuel a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
EPA estimates $1,350–$3,000 a year in fuel costs, using EPA's assumptions.
Similar Vehicles
EPA-Rated Configurations (3)
| Configuration | Transmission | Cylinders | Displacement | Drivetrain | Fuel Type | Vehicle Class | City | Highway | Combined | Annual Fuel Cost | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Configuration 1 | Automatic 6-spd | 4 | 1.5L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 27 mpg | 36 mpg | 30 mpg | $2,100 | 292 g/mi |
| Configuration 2 | Automatic 9-spd | 4 | 2.0L | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium | Midsize Cars | 22 mpg (low) | 32 mpg (low) | 26 mpg (low) | $3,000 (high) | 344 g/mi (high) |
| Configuration 3 | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 4 | 1.8L | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular | Midsize Cars | 49 mpg (high) | 43 mpg (high) | 46 mpg (high) | $1,350 (low) | 194 g/mi (low) |
Complaints by Category
| Category | Complaints | Crash-Involved | Fire-Involved | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 288 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 175 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel System | 104 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical | 196 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Brakes | 87 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Steering | 42 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension, Wheels & Tires | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Airbags & Restraints | 18 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Driver Assistance & Speed Control | 130 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Body, Seats & Latches | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility & Lighting | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 156 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
A complaint that names more than one category is counted in each, so the rows can add up to more than the total number of complaints.
Recalls (6)
SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS; SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR
- Defect
- General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
- Consequence
- An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.
- Consequence
- Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:INJECTORS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE; ENGINE
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles equipped with 1.5L turbo engines. An error in the Engine Control Module (ECM) software may result in the fuel injectors being disabled.
- Consequence
- Disabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192221960.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
- Consequence
- A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
- Defect
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
- Consequence
- A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.