2020 Chevrolet Malibu: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 307 complaints
307
Total Complaints
70,000mi
Median Mileage
ENGINE
Top Issue
15
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

54,317 25th Percentile
70,000 Median Mileage
86,973 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ENGINE
57
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
52
POWER TRAIN
50
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
40
SERVICE BRAKES
36
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
16
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
14
STEERING
13
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
4
AIR BAGS
4

Severity Assessment

15
Crashes
0
Fires
9
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"MY 2020 CHEV MALIBU, NEW 10/19, WAS PROMISED 29 MPG CITY BY CHEVROLET'S WEB SITE AND THE VEHICLE SALES STICKER. I AM ONLY GETTING AT THE VERY MOST 25 MPG AT THE VERY MOST. I LIVE IN SAN DIEGO AND DO DRIVE IN THE CITY FOR ALMOST ALL THE CURRENT 2,000 MILES. THIS IS THE PRIMARY REASON I BOUGHT THIS..."
"MY CAR HAD ONLY 600 MILES AND IS BRAND NEW. AFTER SITTING ON THE DRIVE OVERNIGHT THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THERE WAS A LOT OF CLICKING NOISES, BUT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN. THAT WAS THREE WEEKS AGO. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WERE ERROR CODES ON THE BATTERY, AND THAT THEY ..."
"CAR LOST POWER WHEN PASSING A TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY, HARD START,IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. THEY HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE FOR GOING ON THREE WEEKS TOMORROW. THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE RESOLUTION CENTER SAID THE DEALERSHI..."

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