2013 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls & Reliability
Verdict
AvoidComplaint Index
80/100
#4 most-complained of 16 Malibu years
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has 835 NHTSA complaints, a complaint index of 80, and ranks 4th worst of 16 model years, earning an Avoid verdict. Electrical System problems dominate at 45% of complaints, with 10 recalls filed against this model year.
- Complaints
- 835
- Recalls
- 10
- Crashes / fires
- 33 / 10
- Injuries / deaths
- 32 / 0
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 26
- 22 city / 33 hwy
Top 2013 Chevrolet Malibu problems
NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Electrical System378 (45%)
- Engine229 (27%)
- Steering181 (22%)
- Brakes114 (14%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires92 (11%)
- Other90 (11%)
- Airbags59 (7%)
- Transmission & Powertrain53 (6%)
- Structure & Body47 (6%)
- Fuel System34 (4%)
What owners report
- Power seat wiring shorts and catches fire, with flames reported spreading from the seat area into the trunk near the gas tank.
- Tail light wiring has caught fire, burning close to the gas tank.
- Airbags failed to deploy in multiple frontal and head-on crashes, leaving occupants with head, back, and chest injuries.
- Dashboard warnings for tire pressure and seat belts appear alongside erratic electrical system behavior while driving.
- Engine reduced-power warning lights come on with sudden stalling at highway speed, sometimes ending in a collision.
- Vehicle has been reported to accelerate on its own while idling and crash into another vehicle.
2013 Chevrolet Malibu recalls
10 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V00F000Dec 22, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires4,271 vehicles
Suspension:rear
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212346640. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recalls 20V-764 and 21V-633.
- NHTSA 21V633000Aug 12, 2021Suspension, Wheels & Tires32,894 vehicles
Suspension:rear
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu, and Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 3, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212330130.
- NHTSA 20V764000Dec 21, 2020Suspension, Wheels & Tires220,006 vehicles
Suspension:rear
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received excessive electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately to fracture.
Risk: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021, and April 15, 2021. A third notification was mailed on August 19, 201. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202308930.
2013 Chevrolet Malibu fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 22 MPG
- Highway
- 33 MPG
- Combined
- 26 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,500
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Regular
- Current regular gas
- $4.32/gal
- national avg.
EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.
2013 compared with other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
- NHTSA data ranks the 2013 Malibu 4th worst of 16 model years for owner complaints, with a complaint index of 80 and 835 complaints, so it carries an Avoid verdict compared to other Malibu years.
- What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Electrical System issues are the top problem area, accounting for 45% of complaints (378 total), with a median failure mileage of 77,452 miles.
- Does the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2013 Malibu, covering suspension toe links, a transmission gear selection module, a power seat wiring harness, and rear suspension bolt torque, among others.
- Which Malibu years are better than 2013?
- Later years like 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 all carry Good or Best verdicts with much lower complaint indexes, ranging from 0 to 47, compared to 80 for 2013.
- How many complaints and crashes does the 2013 Malibu have?
- NHTSA lists 835 complaints for the 2013 Malibu, including 33 crashes, 10 fires, and 32 injuries, with no reported deaths.