2017 Chevrolet Malibu: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 720 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 4 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
720
Complaints
4
Recalls
17
Crash reports
4
Fire reports
16
Injuries
30.6
Severity index
Severity index 30.6 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 136 2017 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 112 of 136 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 18% of its model-year peers. See the full 2017 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 255 | 35.4% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 171 | 23.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 150 | 20.8% |
| POWER TRAIN | 143 | 19.9% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 136 | 18.9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 71 | 9.9% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 58 | 8.1% |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 54 | 7.5% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 255 of 720 complaints (35.4%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 52 |
| 2019 | 147 |
| 2020 | 142 |
| 2021 | 95 |
| 2022 | 98 |
| 2023 | 55 |
| 2024 | 46 |
| 2025 | 58 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 14 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18V400000 | 14/06/2018 | AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION | 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 pa |
| 18V358000 | 31/05/2018 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP | 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 |
| 16V870000 | 02/12/2016 | AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Malibu vehicles manufactured on November 10, 2016. The right-hand rear side air bag inflator manifold may have insufficient welds. |
| 21V649000 | 20/08/2021 | SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS | 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. |
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.