2016 Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has a complaint index of 75, ranks 6th worst of 21 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict with 837 complaints, 9 recalls, and 23 crashes reported to NHTSA. Engine problems dominate, making up 45% of complaints.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 75/100
- #6 of 21 Malibu years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 837
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 9
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 23
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 14
- Top issue
- Engine
- NHTSA overall rating
- 5 / 5 ★
- EPA combined MPG
- 27
- 23 city / 33 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 14 / 1
Top 2016 Chevy Malibu problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine373 (45%)
- Electrical System235 (28%)
- Other174 (21%)
- Brakes166 (20%)
- Transmission & Powertrain166 (20%)
- Fuel System53 (6%)
- Structure & Body47 (6%)
- Steering42 (5%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires34 (4%)
- Airbags18 (2%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brake pedal reportedly traveled to the floor with little or no stopping power, in some cases leading to collisions.
- Owners describe brief brake pedal vibration followed by loss of pedal resistance and reduced braking.
- Transmission allegedly stuck in neutral during reverse maneuvers, causing the vehicle to roll and crash into stationary objects.
- Some owners report sudden unintended acceleration while parking at low speed, resulting in curb strikes and front-end damage.
- Side or driver airbags reportedly deployed during very low-speed impacts, while in other cases airbags failed to deploy during a crash.
- The auto stop/start feature allegedly caused the engine to stall completely instead of restarting when the brake was released.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu recalls
9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 21V649000Aug 20, 2021Seat Belts402 vehicles
Seat belts:rear/other:retractor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
- NHTSA 18V400000Jun 14, 2018Airbags66 vehicles
Air bags:sensor:occupant classification
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.
Risk: In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
- NHTSA 18V358000May 31, 2018Fuel System895 vehicles
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
2016 Chevrolet Malibu fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 23 MPG
- Highway
- 33 MPG
- Combined
- 27 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $2,400
- 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.
2016 compared with other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
- Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2016 Malibu ranks 6th worst out of 21 model years with a complaint index of 75, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other Malibu years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Engine issues account for 45% of complaints, followed by electrical system problems at 28%, and brakes and transmission/powertrain each at 20%, according to NHTSA data.
- Does the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
- NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2016 Malibu, covering airbags, brakes, fuel system, electrical system, and seat belts, with none marked do-not-drive.
- What mileage do 2016 Malibu problems typically show up at?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median mileage at failure of 50,000 miles for the 2016 Malibu, with engine complaints centered around 55,500 miles.
- Which Malibu years are better than 2016?
- Years such as 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 carry Good or Best verdicts with lower complaint indexes than the 2016 model's 75.