2018 Chevrolet Malibu reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,196
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- ENGINE
- 272 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 6
- see below
- Reported harm
- 35 reported crashes · 26 injuries · 6 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#287
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Chevrolet median
+888
median 308 across 473 Chevrolet records
Vs 2016-2020
+909
median 288 complaints in 538 records
Top component share
23%
Engine: 272 complaints
What owners report fails — 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
- ENGINE 272
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 187
- POWER TRAIN 158
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 148
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 109
6 recalls on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
- NHTSA 21V649000 · 2021 · SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER:RETRACTOR An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 20V668000 · 2020 · POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION Missing bolts on the start-stop accumulator endcap could result in a transmission oil leak and may progress to a loss of
- NHTSA 19V642000 · 2019 · ENGINE Disabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 18V358000 · 2018 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
- NHTSA 18V576000 · 2018 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COM A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2018 Chevrolet Malibu units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
NHTSA has 1,196 consumer complaints on record for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu and 6 recalls. The most-reported problem area is engine (272 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2018 Chevrolet Malibu units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners most often report problems with: engine (272), electrical system (187), power train (158), unknown or other (148). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.