The Chevrolet Malibu is a safe, dependable midsize, but not without its lousy years. There is 2010’s unreliable transmission, and 2004 struggled with electrical issues. Also, the 2016 model’s engine racked up hundreds of complaints.
Key Points
- One of the worst years of the Chevrolet Malibu is surely 2010, mainly because of a transmission that has been known to go out at under 100,000 miles.
- The 2004 Chevy Malibu also has a pretty bad year due to a range of electrical issues, including power steering failure. The car has been recalled for this issue, but complaints keep rolling in.
- Lastly, the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu makes the list for being too much of a “mechanic’s special” for a five-year-old car, with an engine prone to stall out in traffic.
2010 Malibu’s Transmission Might Go Out, a Common Issue Mentioned Across the Web
The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu goes to the top of our list of model years to avoid, and it comes down entirely to the transmission. The last thing you want to hear at the shop is that your transmission is shot, especially when you’ve barely put six figures on the odometer, but that’s a pretty common experience for 2010 Malibu drivers.
Car Complaints reports 30 such incidents at an average mileage of just over 100,000 miles, typically costing around $3,000 to replace or rebuild the transmission. Out of 1,251 complaints with the NHTSA, 126 point to powertrain issues, and most of these come down to the same thing: You’re driving along, and the car suddenly loses power. Sadly, the most common solution is a full transmission replacement.
A September 2012 recall addressed faulty tabs on the transmission cable in nearly a half-million units, but the 2010 Malibu’s transmission has a lot more issues going on than just a flimsy cable.
In most cases, the issue has to do with excessive shifting putting undue stress on the wave plates. You may be able to prevent transmission failure by replacing the plates before you hit 90,000 miles, which is a cheap enough fix, averaging less than $100. Still, if you can just buy a Malibu with a less fragile transmission, why sign up for the headaches? Especially considering that while most incidents take place at just over 100,000 miles, it has been reported at mileage as low as 40,000.
2004 Malibu’s Power Steering has Some Issues where System May Suddenly Quit Working
A less expensive fix than the 2012’s transmission troubles, but just as potentially dangerous is the loss of power steering in the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The car has 1,680 complaints on file with the NHTSA, and over a thousand of those are related to steering.
There was a recall for over a million Chevrolets, issued in 2014, a decade after the car launched. It doesn’t seem to have been a total fix, as there are still hundreds of complaints from the last few years alone, with one driver reporting that even though their VIN was included in the recall, “They indicated the electronic power steering motor needs to be replaced, and it’s not covered under any recalls.”
Two investigations have been conducted and concluded on the power steering issue, so it seems to be something that Chevrolet and GM have put behind them, with no more recalls on the way for the drivers experiencing issues not covered by the recall.
Add to this loads of smaller issues with interior accessories and electronics, turn signals not always working, and the lackluster quality of the seats, and we can conclude that the 2004 Malibu is not one of those hidden gems, it’s just an old clunker. If you want to save some cash on a sixth-generation Malibu, go with the 2007 model. The NHTSA reports fewer than a thousand complaints that year, zero investigations, and the Kelley Blue Book prices start at under $5,000.
2016 Chevy Malibu’s Engine has Many Reports of Stalling While Driving
The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu makes the list for being the most problematic of the current generation. Put simply: This thing has way more issues than you should reasonably expect of a five-year-old car. These should still be wearing their first set of tires, but the NHTSA is already reporting nearly 600 complaints and 10 recalls. The biggest problem reported is the engine’s tendency to stall out in traffic, with about half of all complaints pointing in this direction.
Data from Car Complaints backs this up, with 13 loss of power reports, nine check-engine lights, one for stalling, and one for engine blow-by, which basically means that it’s spraying fuel all over the place.
Add to that over 150 complaints of electrical malfunction with radios, brake lights, and headlights failing at around 100,000 miles or less, and four airbag recalls, and you’ve got a car that’s way too young to be such a fixer-upper.
As Long as You Avoid the Worst Years, the Chevrolet Malibu is a Solid Car to Consider
Yes, it’s a great American midsize that’s had a few troubled years to steer clear of, mainly those from 2004, 2010, and 2016. The real owner reviews at Vehicle History seem to match this, with the 2004 model rated just 3.9 stars out of five. Save yourself the potential headache: Avoid the worst years unless you find an extremely clean example.
Photos: Chevrolet
