There are 7 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Bulb - Third Brake Light Assembly: replace the third brake lamp asm. its broken. Common issue with Chevy malibus 2016-2018. The bulb in the back of the rear window which is an added indicator that the vehicle is braking. Cars are almost crashing my car when i break to turn. I have a young son in the car and this is dangerous especially if this is a common issue amount chevy malibu drivers. There is a GM forum where numerous people are complaining about being given $400-$700 repair estimates when it should be a recall from the manufacturer.
3rd brake light cracked on both sides.
Third brake light cracks on left side, resulting in damage to the brake light and letting water leak in through the roof damaging the car's interior, including the rear curtain airbags.
THE PASSENGER SIDE LED LIGHT (DAY TIME/FOG LIGHT) HAS GONE OUT. I SEARCHED ONLINE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND RAN ACROSS A LOT OF CHEVY OWNERS WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AT THE EXACT SPOT. IF THERE ISN'T A RECALL THEN ONE SHOULD DEFINITELY BEEN IN ORDER. LED LIGHT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT AND I SHOULDN'T BE CHARGED AN ARM AND A LEG TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM.
The rear liner had water indications, with an odor of mildew in the car. I couldn't drive around with mildew in my car. I notuved shortly after i purchased yhe vehicle that the brake light was cracked. I didmt think much of it, thought it was just a cosmetic thing. It was taken to my dealership and they confirmed the water was getting in through the cracked brake light. I did a little research and it seems to be a common issue with Malibu's. No warning other than the smell, that made me check the back seat.
HEAD LAMP LOW BEAM GOES OUT AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES. I HAVE CHANGED THE BULB TWICE. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE.
WHILE DRIVING DURING NIGHTTIME:HEADLIGHTS LIGHTBEAM REACHES ONLY 12 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR. LEVEL ADJUSTMENT IS AT MAXIMUM HIGH. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ADJUST LIGHTS TO A HIGHER LEVEL
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026