2015 Chevrolet Malibu: owner complaints and recalls

Complaints about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu include 1 report of a fatality, alongside 18 crashes and 9 fires across 268 filings.

268
Complaints
3
Recalls
18
Crash reports
9
Fire reports
13
Injuries
100.7
Severity index

Severity index 100.7 - High. It weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints, so a vehicle attracting serious reports scores above one attracting many trivial ones (how this is calculated).

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 100.7p25 35p75 96cleanestworst
Where the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu sits against the quartiles of every vehicle we track.

Among the 143 2015 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 39 of 143 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 73% of its model-year peers. See the full 2015 ranking.

What actually fails

EngineEngine: 69 complaints (25.7%)69 26%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 66 complaints (24.6%)66 25%Air BagsAir Bags: 49 complaints (18.3%)49 18%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 34 complaints (12.7%)34 13%Power TrainPower Train: 31 complaints (11.6%)31 12%Vehicle Speed ControlVehicle Speed Control: 28 complaints (10.4%)28 10%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 18 complaints (6.7%)18 7%Electronic Stability Co…Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 16 complaints (6.0%)16 6%
Systems named in complaints. One complaint can name several, so shares overlap.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE6925.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6624.6%
AIR BAGS4918.3%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3412.7%
POWER TRAIN3111.6%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2810.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM186.7%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)166.0%

Complaints filed per year

026522014: 32015: 122016: 152017: 182018: 402019: 412020: 522021: 192022: 282023: 132024: 82025: 132026: 6 (partial year)1415161718192052212223242526
Complaints filed per calendar year, not model year. The hatched bar is the current year and is still incomplete.
YearComplaints
20143
201512
201615
201718
201840
201941
202052
202119
202228
202313
20248
202513
2026 (year to date)6
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
16V50200005/07/2016ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITIONGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-20
15V66600016/10/2015AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOWGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
15V16400023/03/2015VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLYGeneral Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from inadvertently being pre
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.