RoadVitals

2015 Chevrolet Malibu Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts 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 Sep 20, 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.
3%
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.
1
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 seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. 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. 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 seat belt

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

Seat belts
Filed Sep 20, 2025

The slot in the B-Pillar where the seatbelt enters and exits the trim when it's extended or retracted has an unrounded and sharp edge. Under normal use, this plastic edge cuts nylon fibers on the sides of the belt, leading to a overall loss in integrity of the safety restraint. Vehicles should have rounded plastic edges or metal oblong loops to eliminate the belt rubbing against sharp surfaces. The belt is frayed on the side facing the forward part of the vehicle, which rubs the most as it's extended that direction when the driver pulls on the belt to fasten it. An independent mechanic says it seems to be a design flaw and my seatbelt is at a high risk of ripping in the event a substantial force is applied to it by an occupant during a crash.

NHTSA ID
11688570
Incident
Sep 20, 2025
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Apr 24, 2025
Crash reported

Unknown

NHTSA ID
11656637
Incident
Nov 14, 2022
Seat belts
Filed Apr 30, 2020

I WENT TO LEAVE MY OFFICE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON 4/29/10 AND MY SEAT BELT WOULDN'T RELEASE. I TRIED SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS TO GET IT TO RELEASE, NO LUCK. I HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS ISSUE WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT, NOR HAS MY CAR EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY TYPE OF ACCIDENT. MY MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO GET THE SEAT BELT TO UNLOCK. A NEW SEAT BELT WAS REQUIRED. THE PART CAN ONLY BE BOUGHT AT A DEALERSHIP. I CALLED 4 DEALERSHIPS, NONE HAD IT IN STOCK. I COULD ORDER AND THEY WOULD HAVE IT IN 1-2 DAYS. I FINALLY FOUND A DEALERSHIP THAT HAD THE PART, IT WAS 40 MILES AWAY. THE PART COST OVER 200.00 DOLLARS, SOME QUOTED ALMOST 300.00 AND THAT'S JUST FOR THE PART, NO LABOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

NHTSA ID
11322911
Incident
Apr 29, 2020
Mileage
108,000 mi
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Oct 4, 2019

I WENT TO WORK FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2019. WHERE MY CAR SAT FOR TWO HOURS. WHEN I CAME BACK OUT I HAD A SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. MY CAR IS A 2105, I'M THE SECOND OWNER. IT'S NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I HAD BOUGHT IT FROM A YEAR AGO. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY AIR BAG MODULE THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LUCKILY IT DIDN'T TAKE AN ACCIDENT FOR FAULTING IN SEVERE INJURY, BEFORE I HAD KNOWN WHAT WAS GOING ON. I CALLED GM HOPING TO GET SOME ANSWERS. ONLY TO BE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO HELP ME. FROM READING ONLINE I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS ISSUE. I JUST PRAY SOMETHING CAN BE FIXED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. WE DON'T PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A CAR, TO HAVE THINGS GO SERIOUSLY WRONG WITH THEM. I UNDERSTAND THINGS GET WORE OUT AND NEED REPLACED, BUT COMING FROM A COMPANY WHO STATES SAFETY IS A PRIORITY, I DON'T FEEL AN AIR BAG MODULE SHOULD BE GOING OUT AFTER ONLY 4 YEARS.

NHTSA ID
11266210
Incident
Sep 27, 2019
Mileage
50,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 11, 2019

REAR SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT. FRONT DRIVER SEATBELT ON OCCASION WILL NO BUCKLE

NHTSA ID
11230920
Incident
May 2, 2019
Mileage
22,000 mi
ElectricalSeat beltsSteering
Filed Jun 13, 2019

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RANDOMLY COMES ON AND OFF. UNABLE TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK THOROUGHLY BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T STAY ON. WAS AT AN AUTO ZONE ONE DAY WHEN IT CAME ON AGAIN AND WAS GIVEN TWO OF THE SAME CODES STATING THERE MAY BE AN O2 SENSOR ISSUE. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING I GET A MESSAGE ON THE CAR STATING 'SERVICE POWER STEERING' THEN IT GOES OFF AGAIN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. RIGHT DRIVER BACK SEAT BELT DOESN'T CLICK IN ALL THE WAY BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES.

NHTSA ID
11219716
Incident
Jun 13, 2019
Mileage
54,670 mi
Driver assistanceSeat belts
Filed Jan 3, 2019

PASSENGER SEAT BELT WON'T UNBUCKLE, DASH SAYS SERVICE STABILITRAK, ENGINE POWER REDUCED, AND SPEED LIMITED TO 25 MPH

NHTSA ID
11164749
Incident
Dec 29, 2018
Mileage
123,656 mi
Seat belts
Filed Feb 23, 2016

THE DIVERS SEAT BELT ADJUSTER RATTLES WHILE DRIVING. ONE HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THE PLASTIC PORTION OF THE ADJUSTER SHOWED SIGNIFICANT WEAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PART COULD FAIL IN A COLLISION.

NHTSA ID
10837707
Incident
Feb 17, 2016
Mileage
10,800 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

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .