2018 Chevrolet MALIBU HYBRID problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
45,175 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2018 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 11 complaints (36.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 5 | 45.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 18.2% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Power Train | 4 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Unknown Or Other | 3 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
Electrical System: 4; Power Train: 4; Engine: 3; Unknown Or Other: 3; Fuel/Propulsion System: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2; Air Bags: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 7 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 2 |
2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 1; 2023: 3; 2024: 2; 2025: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 5 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11450678 · 2022-02-06 (February 6, 2022)
As I was driving with cruise control on a freeway at 70 mph the car suddenly displayed a warning to reduce speed. I continued to try to get to the next exit but almost instantly it started reducing my power and slowed me down to a crawl. I pulled over on the freeway and it would not restart. The tow truck to it to a chevy dealer and the next morning they called asking for details as the car started right up and they drove it around for 10 minutes without issue. They kept the vehicle all day but were unable to recreate the problem so they to…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11450678 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11539968 · 2023-08-22 (August 22, 2023)
Noticed the rear center mounted stop lamp was cracked on the left side and found there was a substantial leak of water into the trunk from said lamp. This particular vehicle is the hybrid which makes this dangerous as the water is dripping over the high voltage battery. Vehicle has not yet been inspected.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11539968 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11421044 · 2021-06-15 (June 15, 2021)
Engine lost power on interstate highway. While this did not result in a crash/ rear end collision, the potential for such injury seems high. 1-2 days prior there were some warning lights (check engine light). Called a dealership Tuesday morning and earliest service appointment was in one week but they assured me that the car was drivable in the meantime. On Wednesday afternoon my son was driving on the interstate and there was a new message “engine power reduced”, and a sudden loss of power. Eventually got the car to nearest Chevrolet dealers…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11421044 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11626907 · 2024-11-22 (November 22, 2024)
The car has a reoccuring problem where is stalls in the middle of driving the vehicle. A warning comes up to shift to park. The car then restarts, runs extremely rough and stalls out. It then signals to shift to park again. The car is extremely unsafe. I took the vehicle to GM dealer and they said the car is "confused" between running on the battery and combustible engine. I have seen several similar issues with the Cheverolt Malibu Hybrid. I think GM knows they have an issue and one of the reasons they discontinued the model.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11626907 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11647214 · 2025-03-09 (March 9, 2025)
One of my first problems with this car is the “shift to park” error message. This message on the dashboard indicating that my gear is not in P (park) when in fact it is . This error will not allow me to turn off my car even though I am parked. My second issue is just recently I have been experiencing from idle noise and small leakage looks as though it’s coming from the fuel injectors and I was stuck on the road at night because my car decided to stop and the “shift to park” message came back up and my car started to loose acceleration in the m…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11647214 at NHTSA ↗