2013 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Owners have filed 1,387 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 27% of complaints. After that come engine (16%) and steering (13%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,387 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 27% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 50 and 14
- Injuries and deaths
- 46 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 70,000 miles 995 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 153 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 86 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 147 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 187 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 168 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 126 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 68 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 32 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 10 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 12 |
| 200k+ miles | 6 |
What the data shows
Among the 995 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 70,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 77,000 miles (276 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 50 complaints mention a crash; 14 complaints mention a fire; 46 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2013 ranks 10th most-complained-about out of 28 model years of the Chevrolet Malibu with enough data (716 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 10 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
2013 chevrolet malibu. Attorney representing consumer writes in regards to vehicle seat belt and airbag sensors failure during an accident. *smd the consumer and his wife were involved in a head-on collision. The impact was so severe that the rear of both vehicles went up in the air and the consumer's vehicle rotated and landed with its tires over a guardrail. Occupants, from both vehicles suffered injuries. Updated 12/15/14.
I was riding in the car with my wife and cousin heading to her brothers house. We had just drove from out of town after visiting some family members and was taking my cousin back home. While driving I notice the car electrical system acting up it would say I needed to put air in the tire or the back tire was not functioning correctly. It also would say I needed to put my seat belt on when it was on. But this was not my biggest concern my wife while driving ran off the road a struck a tree head on.
The car shuts completely off when driving. The steering wheel starts to lock in different places as you turn. All electronics shut off and sometimes cannot be restarted for days. You can be sitting in park and turn the steering wheel and it will still lock up. Not at the stopping point of the steering. Even if you try. A little. I also have a video of it happening it will not let you turn it at all. Unlock losing power steering makes it harder to turn but still possible.
Car will power down while driving and it will stall at traffic lights. Have taken it in several times for this and diagnosed it but no codes display. Have paid 1000's of dollars for the things they say it is and still not fixed