Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Vehicle will display on dashboard “Shift to park” while the vehicle is placed in “P”. The engine will turn off, but the power remains on until the battery is disconnected from the vehicle. Codes have been verified by the Chevrolet dealership.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that there was a popping noise in the rear-end of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the rear shock absorber outer housing was coming into contact with the shock. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 41,000.
Bought car 4/27/22 with 94,602 miles. Within a week vehicle shown problems in the engine leaking oil most likely from the oil cooler causing a bad smell of burnt tire, the shocks most likely cause the car to shake once you hit 50 mph or let go off the break pedal they need to be replaced and the tail light is retaining or holding water on the inside also the hose connected to the coolant reservoir has a small leak I don’t think the clamp was placed properly by the last person who worked on it, plus how long should it take my car to cool up so far minutes and has to be on max and 2 tires are different brand
Every month my car will randomly say engine power reduced and will go no higher than 30mph. Which has happened on the highway and is super dangerous! I have seen many reports of the same problem but nothing being done about it. I took it to the dealership I got it from and I paid $100 dollars for diagnostics and the mechanic said the car computer needed updated...alright, the next day the message came back up and car couldn’t go higher than 30. I haven’t had this car for a year, and the shocks have popping noises, and whenever I put the car in park a message will appear saying shift car to park. And I have to literally roughly giggle the lever for it to read it’s in park or my car won’t turn off. I truly love this car but it has to many issues that shouldn’t be happening.
MY CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO PARK SOMETIMES AND THE SUSPENSION IS MAKING A POPPIN NOISE AND MY CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT WORKING
SERVICE STABILITRAK AND ABS. IT PREVIOUSLY HAPPENED LAST YEAR AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. SINCE IT'S BEEN HAPPENING WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A SLOW CRAWL OR IN REVERSE. SOMETIMES THE LIGHT WILL COME ON HOWEVER THE JUST OF THE TIMES, WHEN BRAKING, THE CAR WILL GRIND AND STUTTER WHEN BRAKING
BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2020, EVERY TIME I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR BRAKE (WHEN COMING TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC) THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. I WOULD GET A WARNING THAT THE CAR WAS IN BATTERY SAVE MODE AND THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON. THE MORNING OF JAN. 12, 2021, IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 322. I BLOCKED RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED BACK UP. WHILE THIS WAS HAPPING NOTHING ON THE CAR WORKED. IT BLOW OUT COOL AIR AND THE RADIO AND WINDOWS DIDN'T WORK. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. NOT JUST FOR ME AND MY FAMILY BUT OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. I DID TAKE THE CAR TO BE SERVICED UNFORTUNATELY, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. INSTEAD OF RESTING ON THE BREAK IN TRAFFIC, WE PUT THE CAR IN PARK. YOU CAN SEE HOW THAT CAN BE PROBLEMATIC. IN ADDITION TO THAT, NOW IT SOUND LIKE SOME SORT OF LIQUID IS PASSING THROUGH WHEN I COME TO A STOP/PARK. FAST FORWARD TO WHAT HAS LEAD ME TO FILING A VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT, THIS EVENING MY SON WAS DRIVING ON US 22 WHEN HE CALLED ME IN A PANIC BECAUSE WHILE DRIVING A WARNING DISPLAYED ON THE DASH ENGIN POWER REDUCED, TRACTION LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE SPEED REDUCED TO ABOUT 20 AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I TOLD HIM TO PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND PULL OVER02 AS SOON AS IT WAS SAFE. HE DID AS I SAID AS I WAITED ON THE PHONE WITH HIM. HE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND LET IT REST FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. THE CAR STARTED BACK UP WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THE TRACTION LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ON. HE MADE IT HOME WITHOUT ANY MORE INCIDENTS. AS I STATED ABOVE YOU CAN SEE HOW THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I AM LEARNING THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A CHEVY MALIBU (2016 64,763 MILES) WITH SAFETY ISSUES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I HOPE THAT NO ONE HAS TO LOSE THEIR LIFE BEFORE ACTION IS TAKING. THEY NEED TO RECALL AND GIVE A REFUND.
WHEN PARKING MY VEHICLE IN PARK, IT WILL NOT NOTICE THE CAR IS PARKED AND THE ON LIGHT WILL COME ON. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE SHIFTER FOR THE ON LIGHT TO GO OFF. THE SHIFTER WAS REPLACED BEFORE, NOW IT'S DOING THE SAME ISSUES AS BEFORE.. AND THE BACK END IS MAKING A VERY BAD BUMPING NOISE. THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP SAY THAT THEY REPLACED PARTS AND IT'S DOING THE SAME THING. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THIS CAR AT ALL.
WHEN DRIVING, HITTING A BUMP, GOING OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD, OR EVEN PULLING INTO A DRIVE WAY MY CAR MAKES A CREEPING, THUMPING SOUND IN THE REAR. EVEN WHILE IN PARK IF SOMEONE PUSHES DOWN ON THE TRUNK IT MAKES THE NOISE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBERS. I HAD BOTH REPLACED AND THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE. ALSO, EACH TIME IT RAINS THERE IS WATER UNDERNEATH MY SPARE TIRE AND MY FLOOR GETS WET ON THE BACK ROW.
I BOUGHT MY CAR IN APRIL OF 2019. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME REASONS. THE FIRST ISSUE IS THAT WHENEVER THE CAR ACCELERATES FROM A STOPPED POSITION, AND WHENEVER SOMEONE IS IN THE BACKSEAT, THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF THE CAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE NOISE THREE DIFFERENT TIMES, AND ALL THREE TIMES I WAS TOLD THEY DROVE THE VEHICLE (WITH PEOPLE IN THE BACK) AND COULDN'T "REPRODUCE" THE NOISE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE HAD THE GEARSHIFT CHANGED OUT TWICE WITHIN 8 MONTHS, BECAUSE THE CAR KEPT SAYING THAT THE VEHICLE WASN'T IN PARK AND WOULDN'T TURN OFF, EVEN THOSE IT WAS IN PARK. THE NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK IS DEFINITELY THERE, AND BASED UPON WHAT I HAVE READ, IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS AS WELL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING OR PULLING OFF FROM A STOP, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OURISMAN CHEVROLET OF BOWIE (16610 GOVERNOR BRIDGE RD, BOWIE, MD 20716), AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 96,990.
THERE IS A "POPPING" NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR WHEN TAKING MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS AND ACCELERATING. THE NOISE IS ALSO HEARD WHEN GETTING INTO THE CAR. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM IN WHICH THEY STATED THEY ADDED A WASHER BUT THE NOISE IS STILL PRESENT ALL THE TIME.
MY MALIBU LS HAS 28000 MILES I JUST PURCHASED FROM A CHEVY DEALERSHIP. I FIRST NOTICED ONE POP WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THEN NOTICED WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE FROM A RED LIGHT IT WOULD POP. WHEN IT IS WARMER OUTSIDE IT IS ALMOST EVERYTIME I STOP AND GO. I CAN ALSO LAY DOWN THE BACK SEATS AND PUT WEIGHT IN THE TRUNK AND YOU CAN HEAR THE POPPING NOISE. EVERYTIME ITS JUST ONE LOUD POP WHEN SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT YOU CAN ALSO HEAR IT.
THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM REAR OF 2016-2018 CHEVY MALIBU OF ALL TRIM TYPES, PARTICULARLY AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHEN ONE SIDE OF REAR OF VEHICLE GOES OVER SMALL BUMPS. GM PUT OUT A SERVICE BULLETIN RECOMMENDING THAT DEALERSHIPS AND SERVICE TECHNICIANS ADD A WASHER TO TOP OF BOTH REAR SHOCKS AND POSSIBLY REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION KNUCKLES. MANY DEALERSHIPS GIVE CUSTOMERS 'THE RUNAROUND', REQUIRING THEM TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC FEES AND REPAIRS, PERFORMING OTHER REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS THAT DO NO FIX THE PROBLEM, AND TELLING CUSTOMERS TO JUST DEAL WITH IT. THIS REAR KNUCKLE PART IS ON A NATIONAL BACK ORDER, CAUSING DELAYS OF APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS FOR THE SAFE AND TIMELY REPAIR OF THIS ISSUE. WITHOUT THESE WASHERS ON THE REAR SHOCKS, THE TOP OF THE SHOCK MAKES PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE BOTTOM OF THE STRUT MOUNT, CAUSING THE SUSPENSION KNUCKLE TO FAIL, WHICH THEN CAUSES BUSHINGS TO FAIL. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD THAT CHEVROLET IS LARGELY IGNORING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
THE REAR SUSPENSION OF OUR CAR STARTED MAKING A METALLIC POPPING NOISE WHEN WE DROVE OVER BUMPS OR ACCELERATED FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE SOUND ALSO OCCURRED WHEN SOMEONE SAT IN THE REAR SEAT WITH THE CAR PARKED. INTEGRITY CHEVROLET OF CHATTANOOGA, TN DETERMINED THAT BOTH KNUCKLES IN THE REAR SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME THAT IF THIS HAD BEEN LEFT UNADDRESSED, IT COULD CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE AS THERE WAS METAL RUBBING AGAINST METAL.
I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND ON I-435 WHEN AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. I PRESSED MY BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD. MY VEHICLE DID NOT STOP SO TO AVOID CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT I WENT OFF ROAD IN THE CENTER OF THE TWO HIGHWAYS. AFTER HITTING THE GUARDRAIL TO STOP MY VEHICLE FROM FALLING INBETWEEN THE OVERPASS. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . I FEEL SOME CONCERN AFTER HAVING MY BREAKS CHECKED AND TOLD THEY WERE GOOD. THEN IF I'M AT STOP AND I RELEASE THE BREAK FOR MY CAR TO START BACK UP. I GIVE IT A SECOND AND THEN PRESS THE PEDDLE IT DOES NOT MOVE WHICH HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HOLD UP TRAFFIC OR ALMOST BEING HIT WHEN VEHICLES WERE AT SAFE DISTANCES.
2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO RECEIVING REIMBURSEMENT AND REPAIRS FOR VEHICLE. *AS THE CONSUMER STATED THE A HUMMING NOISE COULD BE HEARD FROM THE HEADLINER MODULE AND ENGINE. THE ENGINE MOUNT COLLAPSED. THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY SHOOK, DECELERATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE, WHICH PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM EXITING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER (ALL STAR CHEVROLET, 11377 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70816) REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE COIL SPRING, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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