2016 Chevrolet Malibu Complaint Log

I experienced a check engine light and a "reduced engine power" message in the middle of traffic in the stromy rain. I was driving 35 to 40 mph before vehicle slowed to almost a stop and when pressed gas pedal it excel slowly creeped to less than 30 MPH THANKFUL I wasn't rear-ended.Pulled into nearest Autozone part store and diagnostic scan showed the P2138 code. DC severity, sensor, and accelerator pedal position - see photos attached. Waited with engine off for approx over 30 minutes then started vehicle , engine lght off and proceeded to my destination excell with no issues.This has happened several times since purchase of vehicle began 2019. Throttle body repairs, ECM replacements and harness repairs later still reoccurring documented at dealships and repair shops. This is a serious and costly hazard.

Vacuum pump failure. Brakes failed while driving the car, brakes became manual power but was able to pull over safely. There was no previous warning or error codes. Car is currently at a Mr. Tire facility. The manager ran diagnostic code - "reduce engine power" error and found the cause as the vacuum pump. Due to the time of the failure, late Saturday 9/14/24, the part cannot be ordered until Monday from the local Chevy dealership. The facility will not know if there is additional engine damage until the part is remove and inspected. There is known issues with vacuum pumps failing and a class action lawsuit currently in ligation.

Update to claim #11614644. Car was inspected by Auto Lenders in Lakewood, NJ. Vacuum pump failed and cam shaft has to be replaced, was told the engine **SHOULD* be salvageable. They won't know until they start taking it apart. Was told it will take 12 hrs for each part at $180 an hr. Damage is estimated at $4500. Car is currently under an extended warranty, we are waiting to hear if the warranty will cover the damage. My son still owes $9000 on the car, we bought it 2 yrs ago. Beyond angry that Chevy/GM has not recalled this car!!!

I am having to replace the VACUUM PUMP for the second time. Each time the pump breaks it spreads contaminants inside the camshaft compartment causing further issues. This is a common problem according to the many complaints I've seen on auto sites. This should be a recall.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and attempting to fasten the seat belt, the seat belt failed to retract. The failure occurred with the driver’s and passenger’s side front seat belts. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the retracting mechanism had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

I am writing to report a serious and unacceptable issue with the exterior paint and clear coat on my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The clear coat has become dull and faded on the hood and roof, and the side panels are beginning to chip and peel, despite regular washing and maintenance. This paint deterioration started well before what would be expected in a properly manufactured vehicle finish, especially for one that has been well cared for and is only a few years old. The vehicle has never been in an accident, and the finish failure appears to be due to a defect in the clear coat or paint application process at the factory. This not only affects the appearance and value of the vehicle, but also raises concerns about long-term body protection. Once the clear coat is compromised, the base paint and metal underneath are more susceptible to rust and corrosion. There are countless reports online of other GM vehicle owners experiencing similar issues, and I believe this should be investigated as a widespread manufacturing defect. I request that GM address this issue, either through a recall or a goodwill repair/paint reimbursement program. Vehicle Details: Year: 2016 Make: Chevrolet Model: Malibu E2 Color: Black Thank you for your time and attention. I hope to see GM stand behind its product and take responsibility for this defect. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The car will not turn off when placed in the park position. A warning comes on that states "shift to park" when the car is already in park. I have contacted Chevrolet twice and was notified that their are no open recalls on this. This is a very common and known problem with 2016-2019 Chevy malibu as well as Chevy Cruze model. Chevrolet is no help in this matter. I feel this is a large safety issue as you cannot turn the car off. PLEASE HELP!

Brake vacuum booster failed resulting in the brakes failing.

“Shift to park” intermittently indicated when vehicle is in park. Power will not shut off while indicated. Was repaired twice but has returned

Brake booster vacuum pump failed and pieces of the pump broke off and in the engine..

Brake Booster vacuum pump failed and pieces broke off in the engine.. it failed in the middle of driving with my [XXX] daughter.. the brakes padel was hard and was hard to stop.. could have caused a real bad accident even caused death if happened while driving.. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

There’s a warning on the display that says ‘shift to park’ while the vehicle is already in park. This is causing the battery to drain/die and needs jumpstart everyday. Battery was tested and does not need to be replaced. I’m surprised this hasn’t been recalled yet. Online search ‘Chevy Malibu shift to park’ shows this is a common problem. Here’s a YouTube link that includes comments to prove this further. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The main head gasket fails on these vehicles causing oil to leak everywhere and on top of electrical wires. The lost of oil has caused the engine to reduce the engine speed randomly on the highway which had risk of accidents multiple times, by unable to move the vehicle off the road at a reasonable time. The oil sips land on top of electrical wires which creates the risk of fire.

Driving and the car does not shift correctly when speeding up onto the interstate and then engine light comes on and words engine power is reduced comes on. Called Chevrolet and can no longer drive vehicle.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while shifting into park(P), the vehicle failed to recognize that the transmission was in park(P). The contact had to manipulate and maneuver the gear shifter several times before the vehicle recognized that the gear shifter was in park(P). The message to "Shift-to Park" was illuminated. While receiving a routine oil change, the vehicle failed to start. The mechanic charged the battery; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was inspected, and it was determined that the was experiencing the "Shift to Park" failure. The contact found information of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train); and linked the failure to the recall. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Vehicle listed a warning "engine power is reduced" and check engine light came on. Vehicle was taken to local dealer shop to have issue resolved. Original thought from technician was the oil was low. Upon topping off the oil problem persisted. After having the engine tested it was determined to have a cracked piston.

My airbag light comes on intermittently and will show a passenger is not in my front seat when they are. I took my car to the dealer and they got a current and past code B0074 for the passenger presence module. There was a recall (18208) for this on certain 2016 Malibus but my vin was not included.

On may 23,2024 I was on a very busy highway going 66. All of a sudden my 2016 malibu lt aburtely slowed to 27 miles an hour and two warnings lights came on 1 -engine power is reduced 2 - speed reduced to 27 I barely avoided getting hit by two semi trucks, as well as a car. The car is available for inspection on request. An independent service person confirmed it was indeed a defective electron control and acceleration peddle position sensor. How very irresponsible of you not to put out a recall on the 2016-2018 models knowing very well of the many class action law suits that have arrived from this issue. I probably can guarantee none of you own a Malibu. How very incredious it is that you put people lives in danger knowing that there was issues with the problem. Unbelievable. I almost got killed because of the lack of responsibility because you dint make a recall.

Out of nowhere, a notification pops up and it says “engine speed reduced” and all of a sudden you can feel the car losing speed. Took the vehicle to the dealership multiple times and either they always say it’s a fuel injection problem or they have no idea what’s causing it but when they perform that service on the vehicle, it still happens. Dealership even told me once that my car computer system needed to be updated and once updated I wouldn’t have the issue and I still have the issue. Each time the engine speed is reduced, a notification pops up that the StabiliTrak needs to be serviced. My safety and life is at risk because I’m going 65 mph down the interstate and all of sudden my engine speed is reduced like I’m not in the middle of traffic with cars going at speeds between 60-75 mph. I almost got ran over by an 18 wheeler because of the engine speed reduction. I had to swerve hard to the side of the road and risk flipping or crashing to get off the road so I wouldn’t be hit

The car has a seat belt electrical problem it makes sound once in a while indicating for the driver to put their seat belt on. Also there is issues with the brake sensor. The #1 issue is the Transmission Accumulator Pressure Pipe, when it breaks all your transmission oil pours out from the bottom of the vehicle. The part is about $20 but if not installed right you will think that your transmission is dead but it's not.

while driving the engine lost power started idling rough and the MIL came on. The MIL was found to be cyl 1 misfire, mechanic tracked it down to a cracked piston. A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL YEAR AND ENGINE. the VIN does not show it as being included in any recall

While traveling at normal speed (55-60MPH) Engine Power Reduced message pops up and car will not accelerate until I pull over, turn it off, then back on after a period of time. Message is beginning to come up frequently. Occurred 3 times this morning on the way to work.

Vehicle check Engine light on, showing "Reduced Engine Power." Vehicle still able to be driven, but will not accelerate with any proper pace or power. Cannot get above 3000 RPM without losing power, has put me in two dangerous situations in the last two days that almost made me lose my life. On highway, trying to accelerate to match traffic speeds, lose power and had to dive to the emergency lane to not get plowed by a truck. Today, was city driving, at a red light, could not accelerate and had to dive to a crawl the vehicle into a turn lane where I ended up sitting for about 10 minutes till the engine offered enough power to keep driving. By all information I can find online, it seems it is similar to the issues presented by others online and might tie into "Special Coverage N182188250 Loss of Continuity within Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor Circuit" that I found here: [XXX] , this issue has been going for about 3 weeks to a month and is only getting worse. I did stop at McCarthy Chevrolet of Overland Park to have codes run about on [XXX], the codes showing do not show in the above link...codes: U1502, U0422, P06DE, C0760...those all present on the paper as "Current." I have not had it diagnosed yet, planning to, service is just so expensive. I have had the car in my car for 1 year and 1 month, purchased from MAX Motors in Harrisonville, Mo. Reporting here as I also saw online that others are facing the same symptoms, and that there is a suit that might be addressing these issues: [XXX] Every time the car is turned on, the warning mentioned above shows. See picture attached. Does not matter what type of driving or set "speed limit" issues show. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The electrical chip in my EBCM has a malfunction and the brakes will grab and grind at random times. Also at the time electronic stability control will mess up increasing the risk of a crash. Other malibu vehicles with the same year have had a recall on these parts. Mine however was not included but has the same malfunctioning part.

THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AN ALMOST DAILY BASIS SINCE 4/30/2024 stabilitrack warning on Ipc, security light, power steering goes out on freeway-while turning in an intersection-going 75 on the freeway while changing lanes, IPC displays ice warning when 90• outside, erratic shifting(being stuck in 2nd gear until it shifts to 4th), no start no crank condition ( I replaced the battery,had alternator tested, tested fuses, fuel pressure test, checked spark plugs and coil packs) key fob not unlocking doors or remote starting (battery was changed) passenger seat will only recline on one side, power mirrors erratically moving without user adjustment, Climate control sporadically disconnects (no lights in dash no power at all) I have not taken it to a dealership I can’t afford the outrageous prices. I have had my father (certified ford technician) inspect the car. This car has become unsafe for me to drive with my children and I am terrified that it’s going to cause us to wreck and cause serious injury or death

I'm adding to a complaint where I have found recall problems in the past on the model and the problem is still there the car shows the car is in park but it shows action is required shift the car to park and it's already in park I have a video I can't upload it.i purchased the car august 2023 for 28000 with a extended warranty that isn't right Hopefully someone will investigate.

MY SHIFT TO PARK LIGHT IS COMING ON

I bought this car August 2013 and I have been constantly having issues with it I contacted the BBB they showed them a check off list of the problem I was having to quiet them I was having rear in issues that they claim they did a full exspection of the vehicle which isn't true they tried to give me excuses now the car shows it's in part but it's saying action is required the car isn't in parking made a video on my phone so they can't make a excuse this should be a recall because I have read reviews with people having the same problem not once but two times after the first repair and it's not fair to the consumer someone need to investigate the dealerships.I can't get my video to upload I do have a short video on my cell phone

Our 2016 Chevy Malibu Hybrid intermittently began alerting of "Reduced Engine Power" and the accelerator would not allow the vehicle to accelerate. This happened twice, once on a busy highway that caused rapid deceleration of the vehicle. We brought the vehicle to the mechanic and there were a bunch of codes related to the accelerator position sensor. With parts and labor $415 to fix. Upon researching, there are a bunch of reports on car forums related to this. I believe there have been previous reports to the NHTSA. This problem needs to be fixed and a recall issued to have Chevy replace the Accelerator Position Sensor before someone gets hurt or killed. Once I pick up the vehicle, I will upload the invoice and see if I can get specific code numbers.

I had my vehicle for about 2 years. I noticed that after I went over a certain amount of mileage, my car went into an engine power reduce mode. With the engine power reduce mode my vehicle could only go 25 mph. This was happening to me when I was driving on major highways, etc.. I would have to pull over and stop the vehicle because after certain amount of time it also would tell me oil pressure low to stop engine. I took it to the Chevy dealership to have it looked at. I got the runaround with trying to figure out exactly what the issue was. They kept telling me that it was something else I spent over $1600 in repairs due to them, telling me that they found the issue and corrected it. After about another week or two, The same issue happened, engine power reduced stop engine oil pressure low. The most dangerous part about it is again I’m driving on interstates heading to work, etc. and the car is slows down on the interstate not allowing me to go over 25 mph again having to pull over on the interstate to give the car a break, crank it back up and get to a safe location. After having multiple mechanics look at it, still unable to fix. It started to get worse where once it pops up engine power reduce, oil pressure low stop engine, the car started jerking & shaking really bad. The only way to stop this from happening is to again shut the car down. I can’t keep shutting the car down in the middle of the interstate and on major roads. I took the vehicle to the Chevy dealership first they couldn’t find the issue. They said it was another issue that wasn’t even the issue so I paid over $1600 for nothing. I took it to Rick Hendrick, who couldn’t find an issue and all they could tell me was to trade it in. This vehicle issue needs to be recalled. My bf is now having the exact same issue that my car was having & after researching, others are as well. Same year, same model, just a different color. This vehicle needs to be recalled for this ongoing safety issue ASAP!

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 20 MPH with the "Engine, Reduced Power" message had displayed. After restarting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was driving rough. The vehicle was later taken to an independent mechanic. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 143,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after shifting to park, the message to shift to park was displayed. The failure occurred intermittently and had become more persistent over time. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag light was illuminated and there was a message displayed "Service Air Bag". The vehicle was not taken to a dealer and was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The approximate failure mileage was 174,000.

Reduce engine power warning ️ losing power on highway and shift to park warning ️

When I go down a hill the rpms jump up to 4, sometimes 5. I took the vehicle to the dealership and went on a drive, but no problem was determined. There was no warning lamps. To my knowledge, it started last year.

Vehicle engine light reported codes P050F, FE8:engine, and FE9. It was determined the Brake Booster Vacuum Pump was leaking oil and was faulty. It has been replaced and brakes better. Engine light went off. The other diagnostic by my mechanic showed the Oil Control Intake and Exhaust Variable Valve Timing (VVT) Solenoid needed to be replaced too.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle began shaking violently and she observed a loud noise emanating from the engine compartment. The vehicle was stopped but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that there was no oil in the vehicle, and several unknown codes appeared on the diagnostic machine. Oil was administered to the vehicle. The contact stated that two days later the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the blown head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 176,051.

I am very upset right because I purchased this Chevy Malibu 2016 from Vroom. It was fine at first and then things start to go downhill. For starters my tire light came on first only a week after having the car, then the shift into was appearing on the dashboard as well as the engine light. Then my husband spent almost 2000 on the brakes because the car was making this horrible sound and I almost couldn't stop the car because the pedal was stuck and would not push down. Thank God no one was hurt. Then my car just shut off twice one day at a busy intersection, it went completely dead with my children in the car. This is a ongoing issue. Now I had a diagnostic test ran on my vehicle and it was said I needed a new motor only after having the car for only a year. This car is very dangerous and I wish they would take it off the market, because it will also reduce your speed while driving out of nowhere. Chevrolet should be responsible for all problems before they are aware of these issues!

Car moves even in park due to faulty gear shifter. It’s made of plastic. Computer reads error message “shift to park” and still moves while in park. A danger to other cars and car battery.

My car was started shaking really bad and the stabili trak sensor came on. My engine had to be replaced in February 2023. My car was at 66K miles. I rarely drove it. I worked from home for 3 years due to the pandemic. I purchased the car with about 12K miles. I was on my way home and my car just shut off. I could not get it to start at all. The stabili trak light came on. This was in January 2024 with 75K miles. The tow truck driver told me he had picked up multiple Chevrolets experiencing this same issue. It took the dealership almost two months to figure out that the crank sensor needed to be replaced.

While driving at a fast pace a hazard message pops up on dash that states engine power reduced and the car goes slow unable to accelerate past 20 mph. It doesn’t happen all the time but it’s been happening quite frequently and it’s dangerous. I’m assuming there has something to do with the speed and or fuel function. The vehicle has not been inspected. I am willing to bring it for inspection if needed. I feel like this is a malfunction and I’m requesting this to be fixed.

Charged air cooler makes it so your car slows down to 20 on interstate

Engine power reduced defect, causing affected models to lose power while driving at highway speeds. My son’s was driving 55 mph and then all of sudden the car decelerated to 20 mph in minutes before his 2016 Malibu stalled on [XXX]. Unfortunately the car did not make it to the emergency lane and as a result a SUV hit his car killing my daughter who was 33 weeks pregnant. The baby survived with lifelong injuries. Despite this recall, GM failed to notify vehicle owners, including the owner of the vehicle involved in the fatal accident on [XXX], in Dallas, Texas, resulting in my daughter’s death. This defect has been found in several 2016 Malibus, prompting a class action lawsuit against GM. Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit reported having to restart their vehicles or replace faulty accelerator pedal position sensors to address the issue. GM's failure to notify vehicle owners of the safety recall constitutes negligence and gross negligence. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Warning display on dash reads "Engine power is reduced " and forces and abrupt reduction on vehicle speed, Especially on highway driving on commute. Noticed online multiple similar concerns and complaints. No recall or extended warranty?

*Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor- It is available upon request. * Due to the malfunction of the accelerator Pedal Position Sensor, the check engine light comes on and it flashes "engine reduced power" which slows the car down to a very low rate of speed not allowing the driver to go any faster. I was on the highway going speeds of around 75mph and that light came on and slowed my vehicle down which caused the car behind me to almost run into the back of my vehicle. I've had this occurrence with this problem several times. * UNKNOWN *UNKNOWN *No, absolutely nothing prior to the check engine light and "engine reduced power". The issue is sporadic and happens at any given moment. There is no warning that alerts when this happens.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brakes were inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle eventually stopped as needed. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was taken to two independent mechanics; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed brake master cylinder. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised that the parts to repair the vehicle were no longer in production. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

Shift to park message while in park position when attempting to shut off car; I can't cut off car without making many tries. this has happened before dealer repairing the problem and within two years dealer installing new "fix.".

When the auto shutdown feature on the car turns off the engine at a stop light; stop sign; or other reason, sometimes the cars entire electrical system shuts down. This happened twice to me. Once at a stoplight and once when freeway traffic came to a sudden stop. You cannot open the electrical trunk to get hazard lights or jumper cables; cannot get the car out of gear or out of park to move it safely out of traffic; cannot turn car hazard lights on; or even unlock a door that is locked. On freeway incident, I was in the middle of 3 lanes and traffic quickly got back up to ~60 mph. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the car and a few hundred feet away in case someone hit my car. This happened during the day and I cannot imagine how someone would see a stalled vehicle in the middle of the freeway in the dark with enough time to stop. My battery was brand new and in perfect order. The dealership said it is a known issue and they no longer sell cars with this auto shutoff feature.

I was driving about 70mph on a highway trying to pass a semi-truck. As I signaled right blinker to merge back into the right lane, the speed reduced to 40mph without notice. I then seen a notification on the dashboard saying "Engine Power Reduced". The car would not accelerate fast enough to clear the truck therefore almost causing a collision of 2 semi-trucks and myself. I was forced to drive off road to help avoid the collision. My fiancé was in the passenger seat when this happened on 11/25/2023. He then began telling me this happened to him a few months prior but he didn't mention it because it resolved itself. This was actually the 3rd time it had happened in this car over the last 2 years. I spoke to the chevy dealership about it the first time I experienced this and they advised that it had not been made a safety recall at that time yet, but the technician who helped me said his son experienced the same thing and it was becoming quite common. It still has not been recalled but there is currently a class action lawsuit because of this. I feel this is very dangerous and what I considered to be reliable transportation, is no longer the case for my family after this experience. This needs to be recalled immediately before people lose lives. Especially since the parts were Manufactured incorrectly and Chevrolet had knowledge prior to releasing 2016-2018 vehicles.

Bulletin 19-NA-122 that General Motors posted about my specific car having future engine issues happened to my car right after their mile limitation. They said due to my miles being pass the number and although I’m with in the 10 year window they cannot do anything for my car. I was driving in the high way using cruise control then my car just randomly slowed down on the highway, my stabilitrack sign came on and my check engine sign started to blink and my engine started to shake my car. Very dangerous and I was not notified about these issues a single time I took my car to the dealership when it was within the time frame.