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2017 Chevrolet Malibu Airbags Problems

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

Data refreshed

Airbags 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.
14
Latest Nov 13, 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.
2%
of 698 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.
8
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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 airbag

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

AirbagsBrakesElectrical
Filed Nov 13, 2025

When I accelerate and try to stop brakes goes down to the floor. I’ve had my rotors. Brakes changed and it’s impossible to stop at times. Purchase vehicle. 2018 and the check engine light came on shortly after I purchased it. It’s been on. I’ve got diagnostics. It’s unknown why! Tire sensors has been changed, including with new tires and none of them work and the airbag light is illuminated. I am concerned about my safety in this vehicle. I reported many times and I’m unaware of any recalls. Please help.

NHTSA ID
11699188
Incident
Nov 1, 2018
Airbags
Filed Feb 11, 2025

The service notification for my airbag was coming on. I took it to a mechanic and they said the module under the passenger seat could be broken. They said to take it to the dealer because other 2017 Chevrolet Malibus have this issue and were recalled. My VIN doesn’t have a recall associated with it, but has the exact issue that the other Malibus with recalls do. I brought it to the dealer and they said it was not included in a recall, but are now charging me full price to get a new module under the seat.

NHTSA ID
11642033
Incident
Jan 27, 2025
AirbagsFuel systemSeat belts
Filed Apr 10, 2024
Crash reported2 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving northbound at 70 MPH, an unknown BMW crashed into the passenger rear quarter panel of the vehicle. The impact spun the vehicle around and hit a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy. The driver and child occupant sustained minor bruises and were provided medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. There was no reported fire. After adding fuel, the contact noticed fuel leaking. The passenger's front and rear seat belts failed to latch. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel line, seatbelt latch, and buckle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V649000 (Seat Belts) , NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V358000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.

NHTSA ID
11582061
Incident
Jan 1, 2021
Mileage
105,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalEngine
Filed Jan 2, 2024

Gas pedal locked up can’t accelerate

NHTSA ID
11562964
Incident
Dec 26, 2023
Airbags
Filed Jul 6, 2023
Crash reported

I was traveling at 55 mph and hit a deer with my car's front end. The impact affected about 60% of my front end. I couldn't escape from my vehicle through either front doors, I had to use the rear passenger doors. Upon impact, the front dash Indicated "airbag" buy not 1 airbag deployed. Even the car dealership indicated that they noticed the airbag light, but assured me it was okay.

NHTSA ID
11530617
Incident
Jul 3, 2023
Airbags
Filed Oct 17, 2022
Crash reported1 injury reported

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 -35 mph and making a turn, a 2009 Hyundai Elantra sideswiped the vehicle and crashed into the driver's rear quarter panel. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained injuries to the neck and indicated it was whiplash and a cervical sprain. Medical attention was provided. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire. The vehicle was towed to an independent lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

NHTSA ID
11489639
Incident
Oct 6, 2022
Mileage
98,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Sep 14, 2022
Crash reported2 injuries reported

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH a second vehicle t-boned into the passenger side of the vehicle causing substantial damage to the passenger side body of the vehicle. During the crash, no air bags were deployed including the passenger side curtain airbags. The front seat passenger sustained neck back and hip injuries and the driver sustained neck and back injuries both requiring medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was drivable. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the incident. The failure mileage was 130,000.

NHTSA ID
11484400
Incident
Aug 6, 2022
Mileage
130,000 mi
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Jul 7, 2021
Crash reported2 injuries reported

The contact owned a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at undisclosed speeds, without warning as the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle accelerated forward independently. The contact depressed the brake pedal again the vehicle failed to stop causing, the vehicle to crash into the other vehicle in front. No airbag deployed. No police report was filed. The contact and the passenger sustained severe whiplash, 1 week later the contact and his wife sought medical attention and checked in a hospital. The insurance company was contacted and towed the vehicle to the collision shop where it was deemed a total loss. The contact mentioned that the other vehicle was totaled as well. The dealer nor the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ID
11423834
Incident
Jul 2, 2021
Mileage
56,000 mi
AirbagsElectricalFuel system
Filed Jan 23, 2021

VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL RECALLS

NHTSA ID
11389614
Incident
Jan 5, 2020
AirbagsElectricalSteering
Filed Sep 18, 2019

STEERING ASSISTANT! WHEN ECONOMIC STOP HAPPENS I'M ALERTED AND CAR TURNS OFF AND ELECTRIC WIPES OUT N COMES BACK ON!! MY CAR STOPPED THIS TIME. EVERY OTHER ONE OF YOUR CARS HAVE THIS RECALLS. I AM IN MY CAR NOW STRANDED!

NHTSA ID
11256388
Incident
Aug 1, 2019
Mileage
55,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 21, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

NOVEMBER 2018, I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHERE A VEHICLE WAS MAKING AN ILLEGAL U-TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF CLIFTON ROAD, AS I WAS COMING DOWN CLIFTON ROAD IN THE TURNING LANE AND T-BONED MY VEHICLE CAUSING FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY SHUT DOWN AND HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED THE FOLLOWING WEEK. ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND AFTER READING THE REPORT FROM MY INSURANCE COMPANY STATING THAT THERE IS AN AIRBAG RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, WHICH WAS ALLEGEDLY KNOWN AT THE TIME I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE AND NO ONE TOLD ME AND AGAIN BY THE TIME I HAD MY LAST OIL CHANGE AND AGAIN NO ONE EVER TOLD ME. NO, I TOTALLY LOST A VEHICLE AND COULD HAVE LOST MY LIFE OVER AIRBAGS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE.

NHTSA ID
11181525
Incident
Nov 15, 2018
Mileage
20,000 mi
AirbagsEngineSuspension
Filed Oct 27, 2018

MY 2017 CHEVY MALIBU HAS BEEN DOING POWER ENGINE REDUCED FOR AWHILE IT'S BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP MANY TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN TO MULTIPLE CAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THE CAR REDUCES SPEED WHILE DRIVING SHOUTING MY CAR DOWN TO GO NO FASTER THEN 20 MPH. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT CHEVY IS GIVING ME A RUN AROUND ABOUT WHEN OBVIOUS THE CAR WAS SOLD TO ME LIKE THIS. I HAVE WARRANTY ON MY CAR AND THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED MY CAR PROPERLY LEAVING ME EVERYDAY AT RISK DRIVING THIS UNSAFE CAR THAT CAN CAUSE A MAJOR CAR ACCIDENT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT DOSE IT WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHICH HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES ALREADY. I HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK FOR ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THIS CAR WHICH IS CRAZY SINCE IT'S A NEW CAR. I NEED TO KNOW IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS ENGINE IN THIS CAR SINCE THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. THE FIRST ISSUE WAS MY AIRBAGS THEN IT WAS THE SUSPENSION WHICH I WAS TOLD AGAIN THE SUSPENSION ARE BAD MEANING THEY PROBABLY NEVER FIXED THEM ALONG WITH THIS ENGINE PROBLEM I'M HAVING.

NHTSA ID
11143411
Incident
Jun 1, 2018
Mileage
35,000 mi
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Mar 20, 2018
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU. ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD SUDDENLY INCREASE AND THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO SURGE FORWARD. THE DRIVER HAD TO DEPRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM SURGING FORWARD. ON FEBRUARY 17, 2018, WHILE IN A BANK PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE LOCAL DEALER (DAVIS CHEVROLET IN HOUSTON, TX) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,800. *TT VIDEO ATTACHED *BF

NHTSA ID
11080330
Incident
Feb 17, 2018
Mileage
4,800 mi
Airbags
Filed Feb 16, 2018
Crash reported

VEHICLE MOVING SLOWLY AND ALMOST STATIONARY WHEN STRUCK IN DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR AREA BY FULL SIZE PICKUP TRUCK WITH EXTENSIVE AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND LIKELY A TOTAL LOSS BUT NO AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

NHTSA ID
11073220
Incident
Feb 14, 2018
Mileage
5,775 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 .