2015 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
270 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
50,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2015 model year. Data snapshot: . 160 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 70 of 270 complaints (25.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 30 | 11.1% |
| Braking behavior | 28 | 10.4% |
| Steering behavior | 20 | 7.4% |
| Engine operation | 19 | 7.0% |
| Transmission and shifting | 16 | 5.9% |
| Fuel system concerns | 2 | 0.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Engine | 70 |
| Electrical System | 66 |
| Air Bags | 47 |
| Unknown Or Other | 35 |
| Power Train | 29 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 28 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 19 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 16 |
Engine: 70; Electrical System: 66; Air Bags: 47; Unknown Or Other: 35; Power Train: 29; Vehicle Speed Control: 28; Fuel/Propulsion System: 19; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 16
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 41 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 38 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 25 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 23 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 38; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 25; 100,000 to 149,999: 23; 150,000 and above: 9
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 110 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 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 15 |
| 2017 | 18 |
| 2018 | 40 |
| 2019 | 41 |
| 2020 | 52 |
| 2021 | 19 |
| 2022 | 28 |
| 2023 | 13 |
| 2024 | 8 |
| 2025 | 13 |
| 2026 | 8 |
2014: 3; 2015: 12; 2016: 15; 2017: 18; 2018: 40; 2019: 41; 2020: 52; 2021: 19; 2022: 28; 2023: 13; 2024: 8; 2025: 13; 2026: 8
Pattern summary
Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 30 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 20 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 10701616 · 2015-03-25 (March 25, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL LIGHTS, INCLUDING THE HEADLIGHTS, POWERED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT POWERED THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON SEVERAL TIMES AND ALL OF THE LIGHTS RE-ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIM…
Owner-reported narrative. 81 miles reported. Look up ODI 10701616 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10733534 · 2015-07-13 (July 13, 2015)
WATER ENTERED THE CAR FROM BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AND FLOODED THE CARPET AND ALL THAT IS UNDER IT. I PERSONALLY SUCKED GALLONS AND GALLONS OF WATER OUT OF IT FOR 4 DAYS BEFORE I GAVE UP AND TOOK IT IN. THE SERVICE DEPT PULLED THE PROBLEM UP ON THE COMPUTER IMMEDIATELY. THAT TELLS ME THAT SOMEONE AT GM KNEW ABOUT IT AND THIS WASN'T THE FIRST TIME. B/C IT CAME IN BEHIND THE DASH, THE ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL WILL BE AFFECTED B/C ALL THAT MOISTURE WILL NEVER GET OUT. RUSTING HAS ALREADY STARTED. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR A WEEK. I AM GOIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10733534 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10735786 · 2015-07-22 (July 22, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE AUTO STOP ENGAGED. WHEN THE BRAKE WAS DISENGAGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART IN A TIMELY MANNER AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED IN REVERSE DOWN A HILL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10735786 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10820883 · 2016-01-19 (January 19, 2016)
BOUGHT 2013 MALIBU MARCH 2013 NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL AT ABOUT 34,000 MILES. ON MY WAY TO WORK STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM LIGHT AND (ABS) BREAK LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER MY SHIFT AT WORK, I STARTED THE LIGHT WAS NOT ON. I THOUGHT JUST AN ERROR, MAY HAVE RESET IT'S SELF. AT ABOUT 46,000 MILES STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM, (ABS) BREAK LIGHTS ARE BACK ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. I AM CURRENTLY MAKING AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT.
Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10820883 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10722440 · 2015-05-30 (May 30, 2015)
DRIVING A LONG THAN STEERING GOES OUT WHEEL WILL NOT TURN DEALER SAID NEE NEW ELECTRIC MOTOR UNDER DASH 1.000 TO FIX
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10722440 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11124425 · 2018-09-04 (September 4, 2018)
I WAS BACKING UP AND CHANGED MY GEARS INTO DRIVE, TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, CAR JUST JERKED AND TOOK OFF AND I ENDED UP HITTING SOMEBODY'S VAN. WHEN I TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKE ALL THE CAR DID WAS SPED UP SO RIGHT BEFORE I WENT OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY UNCONTROLLABLY, I HAD TO PULL UP THE PARK BRAKE JUST TO STOP
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11124425 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11100208 · 2018-06-06 (June 6, 2018)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN ECO-BOOST MODE, THE AUTO STOP FUNCTION FAILED. ALSO, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CLASSIC CHEVY SUGAR LAND (13115 SOUTHWEST FWY, SUGAR LAND, TX 77478, [phone removed]) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNSURE OF THE ORIGIN OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44…
Owner-reported narrative. 44,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11100208 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11153262 · 2018-11-22 (November 22, 2018)
THE ABS SENSOR IS MALFUNCTIONING. THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND NOT GO OVER 11 MILES PER HOUR. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR UNDER $1000 AND SIMILAR ISSUE WAS RECALLED ON THE 2014 MODEL.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11153262 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10872164 · 2016-06-02 (June 2, 2016)
THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS INJURING OPERATOR AFTER IT WAS PLACED IN PARK. OPERATOR MOVED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEVER FROM DRIVE INTO PARK. THE DOORS UNLOCKED AUTOMATICALLY. KEYS WERE IN THE IGNITION. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. OPERATOR EXITED THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE SLIGHT >3% DRIVEWAY. GMC HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DONE A DOWNLOAD OF THE ECM. THIS VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT EITHER DOES NOT FULLY ENGAGE IN PARK BUT RELEASES THE DOOR LOCKS OR IT SPONTANEOUSLY COMES OUT OF PARK OR SOME OTHER FAILURE MECHA…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10872164 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11122885 · 2018-08-28 (August 28, 2018)
TAKATA RECALL- WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED THE CAR I NOTIED THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING ALOT OF TROUBLE GETTING SPEED, AND IT WAS TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO SHIFT. I IMMEDIETLY RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THE INFORMATION, THE DEALERSHIP CHECK THE PROBLEMS AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WILL THROUGH THE YEARS I HAVE GONE BACK TO THEM MILLIONS OF TIMES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NOT ONCE HAS IT BEEN PROPERLY ADDRESSED, THE PREVIOUS SERVICE ADVISOR I WENT TO FOR THE DEALERSHIP STATED I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSON/ENGINE BECAUSE THE ONE THE CAR HAS NOW WAS NOT GOOD.…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11122885 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11218525 · 2019-06-07 (June 7, 2019)
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, TURNED OUT IT WAS SOLENOID VENT VALVE, A $36 PART THAT COST ME A TOTAL OF $600 USD TO REPLACE AFTER DIAGNOSTIC FEES AND SHOP FEES. THEY HAD TO DROP THE GAS TANK TO ACCESS IT. THIS IS A PREMATURE FAILURE FOR A FOUR YEAR OLD VEHICLE WITH ONLY 48,000 KM. IF THIS IS A REGULAR MAINTENANCE ITEM THAT REQUIRES FREQUENT REPLACEMENT, GM SHOULD HAVE PUT IT IN A MORE ACCESSIBLE LOCATION SO IT DOESN'T COST $600 TO REPLACE A $36 PART!
Owner-reported narrative. 48,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 11218525 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11434625 · 2021-09-28 (September 28, 2021)
My 2015 Malibu continues to have problems. I have a constant P Code (P2635) that refers to the fuel pump (Low Performance). The Malibu has the auto stop but at times the vehicle wants to lunge forward. It also at a stop not only goes to the auto stop (engine ) but cut off all the way . Which this result in having to place the car back in park to re-start. I have seen a youtube video of a hotspot (wear) on the wiring harness that is located in the right rear fender well that this blue and white wire was worn and broken possible causing this pr…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11434625 at NHTSA ↗