YearToAvoid

2019 Chevrolet Malibu Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 66 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, 35% of all 190 complaints filed for the year. No related recalls are on file. Median mileage at failure is 43,868.5 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
66
35% of 190
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
43,869 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the auto stop/start feature restarting with a delay, causing the car to lurch forward or hesitate when accelerating from a stop.
  • Some describe sudden loss of power or stalling while driving at speed, including one case where the vehicle dropped from 75 mph to 15 mph with a power-reduced warning.
  • Several report the transmission or engine hesitating for several seconds before delivering power, making it hard to pull into traffic or accelerate from a stop sign.
  • Owners describe the vehicle stalling or losing power during turns, sometimes nearly causing collisions.
  • Some report a 'Shift to Park' warning message or the gear shifter and selector becoming loose, in one case leaving the vehicle stuck in park.
  • One owner reported the CVT fluid cooling line clip failing, draining transmission fluid onto the road and causing complete loss of power to the wheels.

When 2019 Chevrolet Malibu transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Feb 20, 2019, latest Sep 1, 2026.

2019 Chevrolet Malibu transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Feb 2019Apr 2021Jun 2022Jan 2023Aug 2023May 2024May 2025Nov 2025
66 complaints filed with NHTSA from Feb 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Feb 2023 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Malibu model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2010132 (10%)
  2. 2011112 (11%)
  3. 201249 (5%)
  4. 201353 (6%)
  5. 201452 (15%)
  6. 201531 (11%)
  7. 2016166 (20%)
  8. 2017139 (20%)
  9. 2018170 (24%)
  10. 201966 (35%)
  11. 202058 (29%)
  12. 202128 (31%)
  13. 202223 (24%)
  14. 20238 (12%)
  15. 20245 (13%)
  16. 20251 (9%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission and powertrain complaints for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA lists 66 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2019 Malibu, which is 35% of the 190 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu transmission?
No. NHTSA's data shows no related recalls listed for this problem area on the 2019 Malibu.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up on the 2019 Malibu?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 43,868.5 miles.
What kind of transmission issues do 2019 Malibu owners report?
Owners describe delayed auto stop/start restarts causing lurching, sudden stalling or power loss while driving, hesitation before accelerating, gear shifter warning messages, and in one case a coolant line clip failure that drained transmission fluid.
Were there any crashes or injuries linked to these complaints?
NHTSA's data for this problem area on the 2019 Malibu lists 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.