RoadVitals

2015 Chevrolet Malibu Body & structure Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Body & structure 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.
13
Latest Apr 14, 2024
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.
5%
of 268 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.
3
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

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 body or structure

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

Body & structure
Filed Apr 14, 2024

My 2015 Chevrolet Malibu doesn’t have a key hole to lock it manually so I can’t close my trunk of my car. The latch assembly isn’t working properly so when I push the button it doesn’t lock. So I’m complaining about not having a key to lock the trunk of my vehicle.

NHTSA ID
11582891
Incident
Apr 14, 2024
Body & structure
Filed Nov 30, 2020

EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR I WASH THE CAR, WATER LEAKS INTO MY TRUNK. I'VE BEEN TOLD IT WAS DUE TO THE ANTENNA SEAL AND I HAVE HEARD THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS, BUT I HAVENT SEEN ANYWHERE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL.

NHTSA ID
11377024
Incident
Jul 5, 2020
Body & structure
Filed Nov 6, 2020

MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT STAY CLOSED AND OPENED WHILE DRIVING. I FINALLY GOT IT TO STAY SHUT BUT NOW IT WILL NOT OPEN. OUTSIDE HANDLE PULLS EASILY BUT THE INSIDE HANDLE DOES NOT

NHTSA ID
11373417
Incident
Oct 27, 2020
Mileage
88,500 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 6, 2020

UNKNOWN - EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR SNOWS, SOMEHOW WATER GETS IN MY CAR. THE WINDOWS ARE COMPLETELY SHUT, DOORS ARE CLOSED, AND TRUNK IS TOO. HOWEVER, THE AREA FOR MY SPARE TIRE FILLS UP WITH WATER. IT IS NOW CAUSING MY BACK SEAT AND SEAT BELTS TO GET SOAKED. THE TOP THAT COVERS MY SPARE TIRE HAS FALLEN THROUGH. MOLD AND MILDEW ARE DEVELOPING AND THE SMELL TAKES OVER MY CAR.

NHTSA ID
11307467
Incident
Aug 1, 2017
Body & structureInterior & seats
Filed Apr 9, 2019

THE PLASTIC TRIM ON DRIVERS SEAT WHICH HAS THE CONTROLS ON IT TO OPERATE AND HOLD THE SEAT UP ON THE SIDE CRACKED AND CONTROLS WERE NOT ACCESSIBLE AND PART WAS NO LONGER HOLDING UP THE SEAT. PURCHASED CAR MARCH 28,2015. ON OCTOBER 26,2017 I PAID FOR THE PART AND LABOR SINCE I WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. IT'S NOW APRIL 9TH, 2019 AND THE PART IS PULLING AWAY FROM THE SEAT AGAIN. I WAS TOLD THE WARRANTY FOR THE LAST REPAIR EXPIRED ON OCTOBER 26, 2018. MY OPTION WAS TO PAY FOR THE PART AND REPAIR AGAIN. THE PLASTIC TRIM SHOULD BE CONSIDERED DEFECTIVE SINCE IT HOLDS THE SEAT UP AND THE BUTTONS THAT ACCESS THE SEAT CONTROLS ARE ON IT. THE PART AND LABOR CHARGES SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART.

NHTSA ID
11195044
Incident
Apr 9, 2019
Body & structure
Filed Mar 23, 2019

CAR WAS PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL PARKING LOT. A WATER LEAK BEGAN. WATER WAS ON THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND ON THE FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BEHIND THE DRIVER. I TOOK THE CAR TO AN AUTO MECHANIC AND I WERE TOLD THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT AND THE WATER HAD BEEN SLOWLY LEAKING INTO THE CAR SINCE I FIRST HAD IT. THE WATER LEAKS IN BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AND THEN ACCUMULATES BETWEEN THE BODY FRAME AND THE CARPETING. HE SAID THE DEFECT WAS A MISSING SEAL IN THE CAR BODY FRAME. I WAS TOLD THE DEFECT CAN'T BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE FRAME IS WELDED TOGETHER AND THE AREA TO PUT THE SEAL IN IS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCESS. HE PUT ANOTHER TOP COAT SEAM IN THE COWL AREA, BUT STATED DUE TO THE FAULTY BODY SEAM THEY CANNOT GUARANTEE PERMANENT WATER TIGHT REPAIR. THE CAR WAS DRIED OUT FOR A WEEK IN THE AUTO SHOP. THEN THE CAR WAS RETURNED AND THE NEXT MORNING THE FLOOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD A WATER LEAK AGAIN. THE AUTO MECHANIC SAID THAT I SHOULD NOT KEEP THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID
11191080
Incident
Mar 7, 2019
Mileage
39,567 mi
Body & structureSteering
Filed Dec 17, 2018
Crash reported

ERROR MESSAGE CAME ON ABOUT POWER STEERING, AT THAT POINT STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE RESULT MY DAUGHTERS CAR STRUCK GUARD RAIL ON BRIDGE CAUSING EXCESSIVE DAMAGE TO FRONT END. THIS OCCURRED AS VEHICLE WAS GOING THROUGH CURVE ONTO BRIDGE AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. LOCATION WAS ON LA HWY 163 SOUTH OF DOYLINE, LA AT LAKE BISTINEAU

NHTSA ID
11161997
Incident
Dec 8, 2018
Mileage
100,000 mi
Body & structureBrakes
Filed Sep 4, 2018
Crash reported

I WAS BACKING UP AND CHANGED MY GEARS INTO DRIVE, TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE, CAR JUST JERKED AND TOOK OFF AND I ENDED UP HITTING SOMEBODY'S VAN. WHEN I TRIED TO HIT THE BRAKE ALL THE CAR DID WAS SPED UP SO RIGHT BEFORE I WENT OUT IN THE DRIVEWAY UNCONTROLLABLY, I HAD TO PULL UP THE PARK BRAKE JUST TO STOP

NHTSA ID
11124425
Incident
Sep 3, 2018
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Sep 4, 2018
Crash reported

BLIND SIDE..NOT EASY TO LOCATE VEHICLES ON EITHER SIDE.AND IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE CHILD IN REAR WITH REAR VIEW CAMERA.

NHTSA ID
11124199
Incident
Jul 6, 2017
Mileage
47,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jun 28, 2018

THE CAR TRUNK POPS OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT POPPED OPEN OVERNIGHT IN THE GARAGE. IT POPPED OPEN WHEN I WAS INSIDE A RESTAURANT.

NHTSA ID
11104477
Incident
May 1, 2018
Mileage
37,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Feb 22, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE DOOR JAM WAS STICKING AS WELL AS THE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (BOBBY LAYMAN CHEVROLET, 3900 W BROAD ST, COLUMBUS, OH 43228) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRIPS IN THE DOORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: SR8-3884990056. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000.

NHTSA ID
11074265
Incident
Dec 1, 2017
Mileage
53,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Sep 26, 2017

MY VECHICAL WAS IN MOTION DRIVING THRU AN ENTRANCE TO AN ARBY'S RESTAURANT . I HERD A LOUD NOISE N FELT LIKE MY VECHICAL WAS DRAGGING WITH A PULLING MOTION. WHEN I STEPPED OUT I WALKED AROUND TO THE FRONT N MY BUMPER WAS COMPLETELY PUSHED IN AND FOLDED INTO AN INWARDS POSITION. I PULLED WITH MY HAND FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BUMPER AND PULLED IT OUT ALMOST IN ITS ORIGINAL POSITION BESIDES SOME OF THE PLASTIC PEICES N FASCIA BEING CRACKED. WELL UPON FURTHER LOOKING AT IT WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THE PLATE OR COVER AS U WILL THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE AND RADIATOR PORTION OF THE VECHICAL CAME DETACTCHED FROM THE MOST INWARD POSITION OF THE VECHICAL( THE POINT CLOSEST TO THE CENTER OF THE CAR) HIT THE GROUND N FOLDED UNDER NEATH MY CAR SMASHING IN THE LOWER PART OF MY BUMPER. ONCE I LOOKED UNDER THEIR THIS PIECE IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO THE BUMPER IN ONE PIECE WHEN IT SHOULD BE DETACHED. THIS VECHICAL IS A VERY BAD DESIGN AND IS EXTREMELY LOW TO THE GROUND AND WHAT MAKES THIS BAD IS THIS PIECE IS CONNECTED DIRECTLY TO THE BUMPER WHICH WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY RIPPED OUT IN THE PROCESS. CURRENTLY I HAVE THIS END PIECE ZIPPED TIED TO MY FRAME AT THE POINT OF WHICH IT BECAME DETACHED. I APPROACHED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE N THEY LAUGHED AT ME LIKE I DID THIS WHEN CLEARLY IT WAS FROM THE COVER OR PLATE THAT SITS BELOW THE ENGINE. THIS PART IS A 79 DOLLAR PART BUT THEY WANT ME TO REPLACE THE WHOLE FASCIA N BUMPER WHICH THEY QUOTED AT AROUND 1500 DOLLAR. NOW IF MY BOTTOM FRONT HITS ANY DRIVEWAY OR ENTRANCE WAY CAUSE OF THE TWO LOW OF A DESIGN THIS PART CAN COME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME AND RIP MY BUMPER RIGHT OFF CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR SAFTEY SITUATION. TY! FOR LETTING ME VOICE MY CONCERN NOT SURE U CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. BEING KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CARS WHICH I'M GUESSING U R IT'S THE PIECE DIRECTLY UNDER MY ENGINE N I ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO THE BUMPER.

NHTSA ID
11030022
Incident
Jul 1, 2017
Mileage
30,000 mi
Body & structure
Filed Jul 15, 2015

AFTER WASHING CAR IN A DRIVE THROUGH CAR WASH WITH THE CAR ON A TRACK, THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOORBOARD IN FRONT AND BACK ARE WET UNDERNEATH THE FLOOR MATS. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES.

NHTSA ID
10734260
Incident
May 5, 2015
Mileage
6,500 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 .