The Used Car Index

2015 Chevrolet Malibu problems

NHTSA lists 270 complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, 18 of them mention a crash and 9 mention a fire. 10 complaints mention an injury, with 13 injuries and 1 deaths reported.

Data build 2026-10-09.

NHTSA lists this vehicle as CHEVROLET MALIBU.

At a glance

Complaints
270
With crash
18
With fire
9
With injury (complaints)
10
Injuries
13
Deaths
1
Recalls
3
Do not drive recalls
0
Park outside recalls
0
Recall potential units (maximum)
87,063
Investigations
0
Open investigations
0
Manufacturer communications
1,482

Complaints per 100k sold: 138.565. Units sold: 194,854; sales year: 2015; basis: calendar_year_us_sales_proxy_for_model_year. goodcarbadcar.net.

Where the complaints are

Top systems
SystemComplaintsShare of this vehicle's complaints
ENGINE7025.9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM6825.2%
AIR BAGS4918.1%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER3513.0%
POWER TRAIN3111.5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2810.4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM197.0%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)165.9%
SERVICE BRAKES165.9%
STRUCTURE134.8%
Top subsystems
SystemSubsystemComplaints
STRUCTUREBODY13
VISIBILITYSUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMIGNITION2
POWER TRAINAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION2
VISIBILITYDEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM2
AIR BAGSAIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE1
AIR BAGSSRS MALFUNCTION WARNING LAMP/LIGHT1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGCOOLING SYSTEM1
EQUIPMENTAPPLIANCE1
EQUIPMENTELECTRICAL1

One complaint can name several systems, so shares can add to more than 100 percent.

Model-generated complaint tags

These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.

Failure modes
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
electrical electronic8029.6%0.83
loss of control5620.7%0.77
restraint or airbag5219.3%0.88
mechanical failure4215.6%0.76
fire or overheating93.3%0.95
noise or comfort93.3%0.65
structural or corrosion83.0%0.56
visibility or lighting83.0%0.77
fluid or fuel leak31.1%0.49
unclear31.1%0.62
Severities
LabelCountShare of taggedMean confidence
moderate15958.9%0.80
low8130.0%0.71
high2710.0%0.90
critical20.7%0.42
none10.4%1.00

Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 270 tagged complaints of 270 complaints (100.0%).

Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.

Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.

Recalls

See new recalls and investigations this week.

3 recalls.

16V502000

Date: 2016-07-05. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN.

Defect: General 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, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC T (excerpt)

Consequence: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury. (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

15V666000

Date: 2015-10-16. Systems: AIR BAGS.

Defect: General 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. (excerpt)

Consequence: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

15V164000

Date: 2015-03-23. Systems: VISIBILITY.

Defect: General 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 pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. (excerpt)

Consequence: The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury. (excerpt)

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176. (excerpt)

Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.

Investigations

0 investigations; 0 open.

Manufacturer communications

1,482 manufacturer communications.

Communications by system
SystemCount
EQUIPMENT648
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM334
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING151
ENGINE126
POWER TRAIN100
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY97
UNKNOWN OR OTHER67
WHEELS65

11037555

Date: 2026-09-26. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.

11037253

Date: 2026-09-04. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11035340

Date: 2026-07-21. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

PI to help diagnose A/C concern

11032947

Date: 2026-05-19. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This document provides the technician with a diagnostic tip if the vehicle stalls and set diagnostic trouble code P0191 and may also set P0172. The diagnostic tip has the technician inspect the high pressure fuel pump body markings to confirm it is an original manufacture part. If it is not an origi

11030974

Date: 2026-04-01. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

11030091

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11030092

Date: 2026-03-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

11027601

Date: 2026-01-08. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

11025755

Date: 2025-11-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customera s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If

11023091

Date: 2025-09-09. Type: Other. Systems: UNKNOWN OR OTHER.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

Notes on this record

  • Complaints from the API and bulk file are merged and deduplicated by ODI number; the API alone misses records.
  • System and subsystem counts are numbers of distinct complaints, recalls or communications that name them. One record can name several systems, so shares across systems can add to more than 100 percent; a single share never exceeds 100 percent.
  • Recalls are counted once per campaign, investigations once per action and manufacturer communications once per NHTSA id, even when NHTSA lists several model names for the same record.
  • A sales denominator is a calendar-year proxy, not the population of vehicles still in use. Rates are copied from verified pipeline output.

Other names NHTSA uses

None listed.

Matched NHTSA models

Matched labels and complaints
NHTSA model labelComplaints
MALIBU270

Same model, other years

All model years | All Chevrolet models

Other Chevrolet models, 2015

Sources

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