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Total NHTSA Complaints
722
Owner filings recorded
#1 Reported Problem
Engine & Cooling
238 reports (33%)
Crash Incident Reports
17
Filings citing a crash
Fire & Injury Reports
14
4 fire • 10 injury filings
Defect Investigation Analysis

Executive Problem Findings

AutoUtility currently tracks 722 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. Engine & Cooling issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 238 complaints (33% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 17 filings cite a crash, 4 cite a fire, 10 report one or more injuries.

Methodology Notice: Consumer complaints are unverified voluntary submissions to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Filings are not normalized for sales volume or vehicle mileage and do not constitute an audited component failure rate.
Incident & Severity Profile
  • • Total Owner Reports: 722 complaints submitted under federal penalty.
  • • Primary Subsystem: Engine & Cooling accounts for 33% of submissions (238 reports).
  • • Secondary Systems: Electrical System (171), Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (146).
  • • Crash Incidents: 17 filings cite an impact or collision.
  • • Thermal Incidents: 4 filings cite smoke or fire.
  • • Reported Casualties: 10 injury filings • 0 fatality filings.
Category Distribution

Reported Defect Categories for 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records

Engine & Cooling
238
33%
Electrical System
171
23.7%
Driver Assistance & Safety Tech
146
20.2%
Powertrain & Transmission
143
19.8%
Brakes & Traction Control
121
16.8%
#1 33% SHARE

Engine & Cooling

238 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 3 Crash 🔥 2 Fire 🩹 3 Injury
#2 23.7% SHARE

Electrical System

171 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

🔥 1 Fire
#3 20.2% SHARE

Driver Assistance & Safety Tech

146 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

⚠️ 2 Crash 🩹 3 Injury
#4 19.8% SHARE

Powertrain & Transmission

143 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.

✓ 0 Incidents
Deterministic Text Analysis

Recurring Symptoms Identified in Owner Reports

Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis

Powertrain & Transmission 5.4%

Loss of Motive Power While Driving

39 complaint narratives describe this symptom.

NHTSA Narrative Match
Federal Oversight

Official NHTSA Defect Investigations (1)

Formal engineering analyses and preliminary evaluations opened by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

ODI Action #DP22005 CLOSED Defect Petition (DP)
Opened: 2023-01-27 • Closed: 2023-08-07
Subject / Subsystem
Pedestrian alert sounds
Affected Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM
Recall Linkage
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Consumer Filings

Recent NHTSA Owner Reports for 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Steering System ODI #11759708
Filed: 08/26/2026
Defect Report

"I have a 2017 Chevy Malibu that in 2022 had a shift malfunction causing it to become stuck in reverse and roll backwards. It ended up having to be towed and was repaired in May 2022. On August 25 and 26, 2026 the car is now experiencing another SHIFT TO PARK malfunction whereby the vehicle DOES NOT..."

Brakes & Traction Control ODI #11757192
Filed: 08/15/2026
Defect Report

"While driving my 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine, the brake vacuum pump failed due to the pump’s mechanical drive/tang shearing. The failure resulted in loss of vacuum assistance to the power brakes, creating a significantly harder brake pedal and a serious..."

Seats & Interior ODI #11749453
Filed: 07/10/2026
Defect Report

"Transmission has been slipping since the day I bought the car in 2023 approximately at 90,000 miles, I have been keeping up with the manufactured recommendations on the transmission and march of 2026 I went to move the passenger seat and it no longer moves"

Powertrain & Transmission ODI #11749242
Filed: 07/09/2026
Defect Report

"When the vehicle is shifted into Park and the ignition button is pressed, the vehicle fails to shut down. The dashboard displays a "Shift to Park" warning message, indicating the vehicle does not recognize that the gear selector is physically in the Park position.To shut the engine off, the driver..."

Brakes & Traction Control ODI #11748825
Filed: 07/07/2026
Defect Report

"I have a 2017 Chevy Malibu 2.0 T. The incident involved the braking system. I was driving and as traffic came to a stop, I pressed the brake to stop and my brakes gave out. I immediately lifted my foot and press extremely hard on my brake pedal and was able to stop though the stopping distance was..."

Multi-Year Trend

Complaint History for Chevrolet Malibu

Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2025)

Model Year NHTSA Complaints Crash Reports Safety Recalls Detailed Report
2015 Chevrolet Malibu 270 18 3 View 2015 Problems →
2016 Chevrolet Malibu 859 23 9 View 2016 Problems →
2017 Chevrolet Malibu Current Page 722 17 4 Current
2018 Chevrolet Malibu 694 23 6 View 2018 Problems →
2019 Chevrolet Malibu 188 8 1 View 2019 Problems →
2020 Chevrolet Malibu 195 10 1 View 2020 Problems →
2021 Chevrolet Malibu 87 0 2 View 2021 Problems →
2022 Chevrolet Malibu 91 4 1 View 2022 Problems →
2023 Chevrolet Malibu 65 3 2 View 2023 Problems →
2024 Chevrolet Malibu 37 3 2 View 2024 Problems →
2025 Chevrolet Malibu 10 1 1 View 2025 Problems →
Exhaustive System Audit

Detailed NHTSA Component Breakdown for 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 147 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications

Vehicle Component / System Total Complaints Crash Reports Fire Reports Injury Entries Fatality Entries
Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER 78 1 2 0 0
Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN 70 0 0 0 0
Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE 67 2 0 3 0
Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 45 0 0 0 0
Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 33 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 33 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES 22 1 0 0 0
Steering NHTSA category: STEERING 19 1 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 17 0 1 0 0
Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 16 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 13 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 10 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 10 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 9 0 0 0 0
Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE 9 0 0 1 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 8 0 0 0 0
Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS 7 6 0 5 0
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 7 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 7 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 7 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 7 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 6 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 6 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 5 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 5 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 5 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 5 0 0 0 0
Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS 5 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 4 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 0 0 0 0
Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS 4 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 0 0 0 0
Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 3 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 3 0 0 0 0
Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 3 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 3 1 0 0 0
STEERING,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 3 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 3 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 3 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS 2 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 0 0 0 0
STEERING,LANE DEPARTURE 2 1 0 3 0
STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 0 0 0 0
Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION 2 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 2 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 2 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 2 0 0 0 0
AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 1 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,STRUCTURE,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
Equipment & Accessories NHTSA category: EQUIPMENT 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
EXTERIOR LIGHTING,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS 1 1 0 2 0
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN 1 0 0 0 0
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SEAT BELTS,SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SEAT BELTS,SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,POWER TRAIN,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,AIR BAGS 1 1 0 2 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
SERVICE BRAKES,SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES 1 1 0 0 0
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 1 0 0 0 0
STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER 1 0 0 0 0
STRUCTURE,WHEELS,ENGINE 1 0 1 0 0
SUSPENSION,AIR BAGS,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE 1 0 0 0 0
SUSPENSION,WHEELS,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
UNKNOWN OR OTHER,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,BACK OVER PREVENTION 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 1 0 0 0 0
Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER 1 0 0 0 0
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Common Problems & Reliability Questions for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu

What are the most common reported problems with the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu is Engine & Cooling, appearing in 238 records (33% of submitted filings).

Secondary reported categories include Electrical System (171) and Driver Assistance & Safety Tech (146).

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu a reliable vehicle?

AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 722 consumer defect complaints and 4 safety recall campaigns for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu.

Reviewing documented component complaint distributions, recall remedy notices, and active federal investigations provides an objective, evidence-based view of the vehicle's historical safety and defect record.

Source: NHTSA ODI & Safety Recalls Databases

Are there crash, fire, or injury reports associated with the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, 17 filings cite a crash, 4 cite smoke or fire, and 10 report one or more injuries.

Incident entries represent consumer descriptions at the time of submission to federal authorities and do not establish mechanical causation or legal liability.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Consumer Logs

Has NHTSA formally investigated defects on the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

NHTSA ODI records list 1 formal defect investigation involving the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu (all closed).

Federal defect investigations are formal engineering evaluations opened when safety defect trends emerge, and do not by themselves establish a confirmed defect or mandatory recall.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Registry
Official US Government Data Provenance

The complaint records on this page are retrieved directly from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) public database under 49 CFR Part 576.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.