2011 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1512 complaints
1512
Total Complaints
79,632mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
71
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

50,993 25th Percentile
79,632 Median Mileage
107,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
225
STEERING
208
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
174
ENGINE
160
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
121
POWER TRAIN
110
AIR BAGS
92
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
84
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
58
SEAT BELTS
51

Severity Assessment

71
Crashes
23
Fires
78
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING WITH MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ IS A METALLIC RATTLE COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER UNEVEN ROADS. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW ON AUGUST 24, 2010. THE VERY NEXT DAY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE I BEGAN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE METALLIC RATTL..."
"I PURCHASED A 2011 MALIBU FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN AUSTIN, TX IN NOVEMBER 2010. THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH A KNOWN DEFECTIVE EBCM (ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE). THEY HAD THE PART ON ORDER AND DIDN'T TELL ME. I FOUND OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WHEN I HAD A TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE INDICAT..."
"I PURCHASED A 2011 MALIBU FROM CHAMPION CHEVROLET IN AUSTIN, TX IN NOVEMBER 2010. THE CAR WAS DELIVERED TO ME WITH A KNOWN DEFECTIVE EBCM (ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE). THEY HAD THE PART ON ORDER AND DIDN'T TELL ME. I FOUND OUT A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER WHEN I HAD A TRACTION CONTROL FAILURE INDICAT..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28