2016 Chevrolet Malibu Brakes Problems
NHTSA lists 166 brake complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 20% of that year's 837 complaints. These include 12 crashes and 4 injuries, with a median failure mileage of 57,000. A related recall (16V272000) covers an EBCM memory chip issue.
- Brakes complaints
- 166
- 20% of 837
- Crashes reported
- 12
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 4
- Median mileage
- 57,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical brake symptoms owners report
- Owners report the brake pedal traveling to the floor with little or no stopping power, sometimes ending in a collision.
- Some describe the pedal vibrating or hardening suddenly before losing effectiveness.
- Several report the ABS not engaging properly, with wheels either locking up or continuing to roll during hard braking.
- One owner reported the electronic parking brake releasing on its own while parked on an incline, causing the car to roll away.
- A few describe brakes failing without warning lights or dashboard indication.
When 2016 Chevrolet Malibu brake complaints were filed
First complaint Oct 14, 2015, latest Jun 22, 2026.
Brakes recalls for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
- NHTSA 16V272000May 5, 2016Brakes66 vehicles
Electronic stability control (esc)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured March 7, 2016, through March 12, 2016. The memory chip in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may fail and cause the loss of electronically controlled brake systems including anti-lock brakes (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
Risk: If the EBCM fails the primary braking system will still function, however, the loss of ABS and ESC increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a replacement EBCM, free of charge. The recall began on June 17, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020). GM's number for this recall is 39440.
Brakes complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many brake complaints does the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu have?
- NHTSA lists 166 brake-related complaints for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, which is 20% of the 837 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a brake recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Yes. Recall 16V272000 covers a memory chip in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) that may fail; GM replaced the EBCM free of charge for affected vehicles built March 7–12, 2016.
- At what mileage do brake problems typically show up?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 57,000 at the time of failure for brake complaints on this model year.
- Did the brake issues lead to crashes or injuries?
- NHTSA records 12 crashes and 4 injuries connected to brake complaints for the 2016 Malibu, with no reported fires.
- How does 2016 compare to other Malibu years for brake complaints?
- The 2016 model year's brake complaints made up 20% of its total complaints, higher than 2015 (10%), 2018 (12%), and 2019 (15%), but lower than 2010 (27%) and 2020 (26%).