RoadVitals

2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jun 16, 2025
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
33%
of 24 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming powertrain

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 16, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID
11667071
Incident
Jun 16, 2024
Mileage
72,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 24, 2022

I was driving my car home from work and all of a sudden my car starting showing in the dash engine power reduced. My car literally couldn't go anywhere. So I pulled over and shut the car off for a minute started it back up and it was running great and then I happen again a few minutes later. So I took it to the dealership were i purchsed it and they replaced the gas pedal they said a sensor was bad and that was causing the problem.So picked up the car a couple days later and it happen again about two weeks later...

NHTSA ID
11458179
Incident
Jan 13, 2022
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 24, 2022

May car loses power when acceleration I don't why but there is something going on

NHTSA ID
11458124
Incident
Feb 3, 2022
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 1, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. The contact stated while driving at 55 MPH, electrical system, power steering, and battery warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle proceeded to decelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The battery saver warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to the radio and an electrical failure. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V084000 (Electrical System) or 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted and informed of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 49,000.

NHTSA ID
11435131
Incident
Aug 26, 2021
Mileage
49,000 mi
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 28, 2021

Car will randomly stall. I see GM recalled 500+ Malibu Hybrids for this problem, but mine is not one of them. This is the worst car I have ever owned.

NHTSA ID
11430832
Incident
Aug 27, 2021
Powertrain (other)
Filed Oct 19, 2020

WHILE DRIVING EVERYTHING IS FINE, AS SOON AS I STOP AND PUT MY CAR IN PARK IT WILL SHOW AN INDICATION TO (PUT THE CAR IN PARK). I CAN LITERALLY SPEND 30 MINUTES JIGGLING THE SHIFTER BACK AND FORTH UNTIL THAT NOTIFICATION GOES AWAY. IF I DON'T MAKE IT GO AWAY, ALL THE LIGHTS STAY ON AND MY CAR WILL BEEP AT ME ONCE I CLOSE THE DOORS, THE DOORS WILL ALSO NOT LOCK DUE TO THIS. SO SPENDING 30 MINUTES TO MAKE IT GO AWAY SO IT DOESN'T KILL THE BATTERY AFTER A 12HOUR WORK SHIFT IS ALL I CAN DO.

NHTSA ID
11365172
Incident
Oct 18, 2020
Mileage
50,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Aug 17, 2018

5/4/2018 TOOK THE CAR TO SERVICE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THEY REPROGRAMED THE HYBRID POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE 2 - PER A FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN BUT IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM, LIGHT CAME BACK ON. 5/26/2018 - 100 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 40 MPH ON CITY STREET. RESTARTED IN SOME KIND OF DEFAULT MODE WITHOUT EV COMPONENTS AFTER 30 MIN. NEXT DAY IT WORKED FINE. 8/12/2018 - 86 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON CITY STREET GOING 30MPH. RESTARTED AND DROVE FINE BUT LATER THE SAME DAY AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND SHIFTING TO REVERSE THE CAR MOVED FORWARD, CAR WAS IN EV MODE. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND CAR STILL MOVED FORWARD, STILL IN EV MODE. SHIFTED TO REVERSE AND NEUTRAL AGAIN THE CAR STILL MOVED FORWARD, STILL IN EV MODE. TURNED OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED AND WORKED FINE, STILL IN EV MODE. 8/16/2018 - 85 DEGREES. CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, RESTARTED AND WORKED. BUT LATER THAT DAY I STARTED THE CAR AND SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AND THE CAR MOVED FORWARD, CAR IN EV MODE. I SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL BUT AT THE SAME MOMENT THE ENGINE STARTED AND I FELT AND HEARD A SHIFTING NOISE AND THE CAR WORKED FINE. 2ND APPOINTMENT WILL DEALER ON 8/20/16, APPEARS A COMMON FACTOR IS WARM DAYS WHEN I PARK THE CAR OUTSIDE IN THE SUN. NO MATTER WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY BE THERE IS A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY SYMPTOM OF A PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND COULD BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM. THE NEXT STEP THE DEALER WILL DO IS REPLACE A WIRING HARNESS, AGAIN PER A SERVICE BULLETIN SO THE MANUFACTURER DOES KNOW OF A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
11120561
Incident
Aug 12, 2018
Mileage
9,400 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed Mar 6, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED INDEPENDENTLY AFTER FIVE SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ECM MAY HAVE POSSIBLY FAILED. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS WERE FLASHED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE SENSORS BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS WAS 9,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10958850
Incident
Feb 26, 2017
Mileage
9,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .