2015 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 81 engine complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, 30% of all complaints filed for that year, with a median failure mileage of 71,000. No related recall exists in NHTSA's database for this engine issue.
- Engine complaints
- 81
- 30% of 270
- Crashes reported
- 4
- Fires reported
- 3
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 71,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 0
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Owners describe unintended stalling or shutting down while driving, sometimes at highway speed, requiring a restart before the vehicle would move normally again.
- Some report sudden surging from a low to high rate of speed without warning, forcing hard braking or loss of control.
- Several describe a hesitation or 'pause' in acceleration when merging onto highways or attempting to pass, followed by a delayed surge of power.
- A knocking noise traced to the balancer shaft assembly and timing chain and sprocket appeared within months of ownership on one low-mileage vehicle.
- Isolated reports describe engine fires starting while the car was parked, in one case burning the engine bay and a front tire.
- One owner reported a stabilitrac warning followed by a complete engine shutdown on a busy interstate.
When 2015 Chevrolet Malibu engine complaints were filed
First complaint Nov 13, 2014, latest Aug 16, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
No safety recalls on record for this model year.
Engine complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are engine problems in the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu?
- NHTSA lists 81 engine complaints for the 2015 Malibu, making up 30% of all complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu engine?
- No related recall is listed in NHTSA's database for the engine complaints reported on this model year.
- At what mileage do 2015 Malibu engine problems usually appear?
- The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA is 71,000 miles, though some owners reported issues at much lower mileage.
- What kind of engine failures do owners report?
- Owners describe unintended stalling, sudden surging in speed, hesitation during acceleration, engine knocking from timing chain components, and a small number of parked-car engine fires.