BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2021 Chevrolet Malibu

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
90
Received Apr 2021 to Oct 2026
Official recalls listed
2
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
1
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Gear shifter fails to register Park38 complaints · 42% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Ignition key sticks or will not turn8 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips8 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #22V359000General 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.
  • 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 0 crashes, 1 fire, 1 person injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 6 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

2 more problems

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

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.

Complaints received about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu
10
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
April 20212
May 20211
June 20210
July 20210
August 20210
September 20210
October 20211
November 20210
December 20210
January 20220
February 20220
March 20220
April 20220
May 20220
June 20220
July 20220
August 20221
September 20220
October 20220
November 20220
December 20220
January 20230
February 20230
March 20230
April 20230
May 20230
June 20231
July 20232
August 20231
September 20231
October 20231
November 20232
December 20230
January 20241
February 20240
March 20243
April 20242
May 20243
June 20244
July 20241
August 20244
September 20240
October 20244
November 20241
December 20241
January 20251
February 20253
March 20251
April 20251
May 20253
June 20252
July 20252
August 20251
September 20251
October 20255
November 20250
December 20253
January 20261
February 20260
March 20262
April 202610
May 20261
June 20260
July 20267
August 20266
September 20262
October 20261
Total90

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Gear shifter fails to register Park3842%41.9×BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jul 2023 · Recent surge
Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 13%
Ignition key sticks or will not turn88.9%16.1×
Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips88.9%2.4×
Check engine light comes on repeatedly33.3%3.1×
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving33.3%–
Transmission fails or loses power while driving33.3%–

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 #22V359000May 19, 2022221 vehicles affected

    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.

    An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212356050.

  • 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 2021 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