AI Damage2020 Chevrolet Malibu: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu filed 199 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and powertrain. The maker issued 733 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 199
- involving a crash
- 10
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 733
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 30% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 29% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 29% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 2% of all complaints
- Engine: 59 complaints (30% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 77.
- Powertrain: 58 complaints (29% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 101.
- Electrical system: 57 complaints (29% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 193.
- Service brakes: 49 complaints (25% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 14.
- Vehicle speed control: 18 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- 2 L · petrol · turbo · 4 cyl
- automatic, 9-speed
- CVTnamed in 2 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 199 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 59 | 0 | 77 |
| Powertrain | 58 | 0 | 101 |
| Electrical system | 57 | 1 | 193 |
| Service brakes | 49 | 4 | 14 |
| Vehicle speed control | 18 | 1 | 2 |
| Steering | 16 | 0 | 14 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 14 | 0 | 5 |
| Fuel system | 4 | 0 | 24 |
| Air bags | 4 | 4 | 2 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 1 | 118 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 33 |
| Suspension | 2 | 1 | 12 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Got this car Oct 16 2025 and check engine lights on the place in Greenbriar dreka passed emmission and the shop explicit auto sold me car for 7500 been having problems with car since owner told me to do what I need to do no refund nothing in writing saying as is this car needs axles ball joint lower arm control and…
The check engine warning light was illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The contact shifted the transmission to park (P) and turned off the vehicle. When the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, the brake pedal was extremely firm and unable to depress. The vehicle failed to restart.
The contact indicated that the vehicle did not reduce speed when pressing the brake pedal and the collision avoidance feature did not activate. A police report was taken at the scene. The police officer also confirmed no skid marks at the crash site.
The failure of the brake vacuum pump caused a sudden and complete loss of braking power while I was driving. This malfunction put my life and the lives of others at immediate risk. On the first occasion, in April, I narrowly avoided a serious collision.
The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the vehicle was forced to crash into the guard rail. The contact's daughter was knocked unconscious and sustained a concussion due to hitting her head on the driver's door glass.
When I was in a car accident, the airbag exploded. However, the airbag's balloon-like fabric material did not deploy, and a metal part even flew off the steering wheel and exploded, hitting me in the chin. So I lost about half of my lower jaw, most of my lower teeth, and some of my upper teeth.
Officer [XXX] filed on behalf of the deceased. The deceased owned a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the deceased had a rear end crash with another vehicle which was stopped at a traffic signal. The contact stated the estimated speed of the crash was 30 MPH.
When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park" position and attempting to shut off the engine, a warning message reading "Action Required: Shift to Park" appears on the driver instrument dashboard display.This exact failure previously occurred in 2022, two years after purchasing the vehicle.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 328 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Malibu has 222 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 199, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it
- This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- PIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks
- This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size…
- This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a…
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
- This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered…
This PI advised dealer technicians of possible causes of diesel fuel contamination in gasoline powered vehicles and advises of warranty direction.
- This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic…
- This Preliminary Information addresses an issue with the odometer displaying dashes and provides direction…
This Preliminary Information addresses an issue with the odometer displaying dashes and provides direction for the dealership/technician.
- This service bulletin provides information on Tire Sidewall Irregularities
- This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced…
This service bulletin provides information on replacing the intake manifold when the engine is replaced after severe internal engine damage.
NHTSA lists 733 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 199. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (28%), loss of power / limp mode (13%), stalls while driving (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA lists 733 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-04.