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2018 Chevrolet Malibu: Recalls, Complaints & Safety Ratings

6Safety recalls
698Owner complaints
5★NHTSA overall
Quick answer

The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns and 698 owner complaints on file, with an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Check a specific VIN to confirm whether recalls apply, whether repairs were completed, and what to verify before you buy.

2018 Chevrolet Malibu safety record graphic showing 6 recalls, 698 owner complaints and 5-star overall NHTSA rating.
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2018 Chevrolet Malibu pages show model-level safety data. A Carchieve VIN report checks the exact car before you buy.

Safety record reviewed October 2026 · sourced from NHTSA

The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 6 safety recall campaigns and 698 owner complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it earned an overall 5-star NHTSA crash-test rating. Below is the public model-level safety record. To see whether a specific Malibu had applicable recalls repaired and what its decoded VIN says, run that car's VIN.

Safety recalls

1

AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION

Campaign 18V400000 · 14/06/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.

RiskIn the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
RemedyGM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
2

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

Campaign 18V576000 · 30/08/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

RiskA reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
RemedyGM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
3

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Campaign 18V358000 · 31/05/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

RiskA damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
RemedyGM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
4

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Campaign 19V642000 · 06/09/2019

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles equipped with 1.5L turbo engines. An error in the Engine Control Module (ECM) software may result in the fuel injectors being disabled.

RiskDisabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
RemedyGM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-630-2438. GM's number for this recall is N192221960.
5

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Campaign 20V668000 · 29/10/2020

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse, 2018-2020 Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Terrain, 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, 2019-2020 Buick Encore, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT4, Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Acadia, and 2020 Cadillac XT6 vehicles. The start/stop accumulator endcap may have missing bolts.

RiskMissing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of propulsion, increasing the risk of a crash. A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source may increase the risk of fire.
RemedyGM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the start-stop transmission accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing, free of charge. The recall began December 15, 2020. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-888-988-7267, Buick Customer service at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N202313440.
6

SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS

Campaign 21V649000 · 20/08/2021

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.

RiskAn improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
RemedyDealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.

What owners complain about

The systems 2018 Chevrolet Malibu owners report most often to federal regulators:

Engine280
Electrical System192
Power Train170
Unknown Or Other151
Vehicle Speed Control113
Fuel84

NHTSA crash-test ratings

Frontal crash★★★★★
Side crash★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Overall★★★★★

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?

Yes. The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns associated with this model year. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer when the exact VIN is affected. Check your specific VIN to confirm applicability and completion.

What problems do 2018 Chevrolet Malibu owners report?

Owners have filed 698 complaints with the NHTSA for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about the engine, electrical system, power train.

How do I check a specific Malibu's history?

Enter the 17-character VIN into Carchieve. You get the recalls, owner complaints and crash ratings shown here for that exact vehicle, plus full decoded specifications and a guided title and odometer check.

Check a specific 2018 Chevrolet Malibu

This page covers the model. For one exact car, run its 17-character VIN to confirm recalls, decoded specifications and buyer checks.

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Other model years

2021 Chevrolet Malibu2020 Chevrolet Malibu2019 Chevrolet Malibu2017 Chevrolet Malibu2016 Chevrolet Malibu2015 Chevrolet Malibu