2021 Chevrolet Malibu: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
78
Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
1
Injuries
17.9
Severity index
Severity index 17.9 - Low. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 89 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 1% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 26 | 33.3% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 25 | 32.1% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 24 | 30.8% |
| ENGINE | 13 | 16.7% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 | 10.3% |
| AIR BAGS | 5 | 6.4% |
| SUSPENSION | 3 | 3.8% |
| BACK OVER PREVENTION | 3 | 3.8% |
The single most-reported system is POWER TRAIN, cited in 26 of 78 complaints (33.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 24 |
| 2025 | 23 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 18 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 11.0x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| 22V359000 | 19/05/2022 | SEATS | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism. |
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.