2016 Chevrolet Malibu Limited: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 810 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
810
Complaints
0
Recalls
20
Crash reports
2
Fire reports
11
Injuries
22.2
Severity index
Severity index 22.2 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 140 2016 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Limited ranks 127 of 140 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 9% of its model-year peers. See the full 2016 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 291 | 35.9% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 217 | 26.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 170 | 21.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 169 | 20.9% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 152 | 18.8% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 92 | 11.4% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 75 | 9.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 44 | 5.4% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 291 of 810 complaints (35.9%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 17 |
| 2017 | 38 |
| 2018 | 95 |
| 2019 | 203 |
| 2020 | 148 |
| 2021 | 98 |
| 2022 | 78 |
| 2023 | 54 |
| 2024 | 54 |
| 2025 | 24 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.