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2015 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 270 owner complaints about the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-666 the manufacturer reports only 87% of affected cars repaired.

2015 Chevrolet Malibu
72
CarFlaw IndexOne of the best years61% below the Malibu median · #22 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 87%Owner complaints27037 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage66kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 24, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu has problems

270 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine703
Electrical system688
Air bags498
Power train314
Vehicle speed control284
Fuel/propulsion system190
Electronic stability control (ESC)161
Service brakes163
Structure133
12 other systems576

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2015 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

98%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 16V-502 · Jul 5, 2016 · 8,367 vehicles · 8,176 repaired

Risk. If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2017 Q1

Air bags: side/window

Recall 15V-666 · Oct 16, 2015 · 395 vehicles · 342 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

89%repaired · 2016 Q3

Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly

Recall 15V-164 · Mar 23, 2015 · 87,063 vehicles · 77,090 repaired

Risk. The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

66kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 34 engine complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
7under 30k miles26under 100k miles8100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2015 vs. every other Malibu year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Malibu median. How we score

'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'86'89'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2015 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings

2015 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2015 Chevrolet Malibu frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2015 Chevrolet Malibu side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2015 Chevrolet Malibu side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: Optional
  • Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words

What Malibu owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

While driving my 2015 Chevrolet Malibu on a four-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 70 mph, the vehicle displayed an “Engine Power Is Reduced” message and limited the vehicle to less than approximately 25 mph. This created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could no longer maintain…
Complaint 11757229 · Aug 16, 2026
The car continues to die when I come to a stop. The error code for the engine light is P305F. I have changed both batteries along with several different sensors and spent thousands of dollars in repairs at a couple different shops and still can’t find the problem with this error code. I have fixed…
Complaint 11712569 · Jan 21, 2026
The transmission and engine fails repeatedly. The vehicle repeatedly stalls while accelerating at all speeds, simultaneously, the gear shift lights,dash lights, radio, etc restarts. Issue also happens when shifting gears. Issue happens at every stop light and stop sign, when the vehicle is engaged…
Complaint 11699309 · Nov 13, 2025

Own a 2015 Malibu?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.