Your vehicle report
2020 Chevrolet Malibu
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 199
- Received Feb 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Gear shifter fails to register Park55 complaints · 28% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal13 complaints · 6.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates11 complaints · 5.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #21V649000General 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Gear shifter fails to register ParkFirst signal: Jun 2022
- Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedalFirst signal: Jun 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 10 crashes, 0 fires, 7 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 17 |
| 2022 | 23 |
| 2023 | 36 |
| 2024 | 40 |
| 2025 | 46 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 32 |
| Total | 199 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 55 | 28% | 40.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2022 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 3.3% |
| Brake booster fails, leaving stiff pedal | 13 | 6.5% | 12× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 4.0% |
| Chevrolet Silverado loses power and hesitates | 11 | 5.5% | 3.2× | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 9 | 4.5% | 6.4× | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 9 | 4.5% | 2.1× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 8 | 4.0% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 7 | 3.5% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 7 | 3.5% | 2.3× | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 3 | 1.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #21V649000August 20, 2021402 vehicles affected
seat belts: critical fasteners; seat belts: rear/other: retractor
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.
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN