2018 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/14/2026

273Engine complaints

39.7%Of all 687 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE273 · 39.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM187 · 27.2%

POWER TRAIN158 · 23%

Unspecified / other148 · 21.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL109 · 15.9%

Share of the 687 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE DOING 74 MILES AN HOUR WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR JERKED AND STARTED SLOWING DOWN. THE DISPLAY…”NHTSA complaint 11289975 — filed 12/18/2019

“2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING DISCONNECTED FUEL INJECTOR. CONSUMER ALSO EXPLAINS VEHICLE STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND IT NOT ACCELERATING.”NHTSA complaint 11277890 — filed 11/04/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V642000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). THE RECALL REPAIR…”NHTSA complaint 11271080 — filed 10/25/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu: 273 of 687 complaints on file (39.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

687 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 23 involved a crash, 4 involved a fire, 17 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.