Problem Lookup âş Chevrolet âş Malibu âş 2019
Car problem report
2019 Chevrolet Malibu problems, recalls and owner complaints
What the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has been recalled for and what owners report, from official government data. Updated October 25, 2026.
- 1safety recall
- 195owner complaints
- 8crash reports
- 1fire report
- 7injuries reported
195 complaints, against an average of 406 for the other 13 Chevrolet Malibu model years.
Every Chevrolet Malibu model year with its number of owner complaints. Pick a year to compare.
What goes wrong with the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
The components named most often in the 195 owner complaints. One complaint can name several, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What symptoms do 2019 Chevrolet Malibu owners describe?
Found by reading the text of all 195 owner complaints. Tap a symptom for the answer, a real owner quote and any related recall.
- Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu stall, lose power or shut off while driving?38 owners ¡ 19.5%
- Why is the check engine light on in my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?24 owners ¡ 12.3%
- Why does the auto start-stop system act up on my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?9 owners ¡ 4.6%
- Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu idle rough, misfire or hesitate?8 owners ¡ 4.1%
- Why are the ABS and stability control lights on in my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?8 owners ¡ 4.1%
- Why won't my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu start?7 owners ¡ 3.6%
- Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?6 owners ¡ 3.1%
Has the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu been recalled?
1 U.S. safety recall. Repairs are free at a franchised dealer; some are done over the air.
Seat Belts: Critical Fasteners 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.
Fix: 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.
What do 2019 Chevrolet Malibu owners report?
12 of the 195 complaints, the most recent for the most-reported components, as the owners wrote them. NHTSA removes names and VINs; long reports are trimmed. CarHooq has not verified individual claims.
The vehicle experiences sudden transmission slipping, severe shuddering, and an unexpected loss of forward drive power while in motion. Specifically, while attempting to accelerate from a complete stop / merge onto the highway, the engine revs but the vehicle fails to accelerate properly or suddenly loses acceleration entirely. This creates a severe and immediate safety hazard as it leaves the vehicle moving incredibly slowly or stranded in active traffic, creating an imminent risk of a rear-end collision. The dealership has been unable to provide a permanent remedy.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after parking and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted to park(P) however, the vehicle failed to recognize that the vehicle was in park(P), and the vehicle failed to turn off. During the failure, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed and the vehicle idled for approximately 15 minutes before independently turning off. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The contact was notified of TSBâŚ
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, the following morning while waiting at the school drop-off line with her foot on the brake pedal, there was an abnormal boom, and several warning lights illuminated and flashed on the instrument panel. The occupants inside the vehicle assumed that the vehicle was struck from behind. The vehicle attempted to surge and revved and started to choke and shut off. The vehicle was shifted into park and the ignition key turned to the off position. The vehicle was restarted but failed to move. The engineâŚ
Due to the vacuum pump failing during driving, metal shards broke inside of the car and went into the engine destroying it completely. Now i need a whole new engine
I understand that the vehicle is outside of its original warranty period. However, I do not believe that the expiration of the warranty should automatically make me responsible for a component failure that occurred at only approximately 39,000 miles. The PCV valve and orifice are not routine maintenance items that I would reasonably expect to require replacement at such low mileage. Unlike tires, brake pads, batteries, or other components that are expected to wear out and require periodic replacement, the PCV system is an integral part of the engine's emissions and crankcase ventilationâŚ
Since 2024/2025 car has been malfunctioning, Iâve had it checked out but it just got worse and nothing was fixed l, it is I driveable and very unsafe. When driving it abruptly stops like itâs crashing Messages that pop up (Multiple ones at one time flashing as well) - service âESCâ -âservice power steering drive with careâ -âshift to parkâ -âlow fuelâ (but car has gas in it) - check engine light on -all lights flashing at once while jerking -car stops abruptly when youâre driving it -radio blacks out while driving -dashboard blacks out as vehicle is running -jerking while trying to stopâŚ
The first problem with my car was the tire pressure monitor. The location of each tire was wrong on the informant section. Soon after purchasing the car when ever I would park the car would not shut off and the DIC would display Shift to park message. Around 6 months after the purchase the brake pedal was getting harder the press down on and within a week from that while driving home from work the car completely shut off in the middle of traffic. It wouldn't start leaving me stuck on a busy street with heavy traffic blocking use of the lane. After 10 minutes it started back up and I barelyâŚ
The vehicle experienced a serious and ongoing electrical and system malfunction shortly after being returned from repairs related to a prior accident. Within a short period of driving, multiple warning messages and system errors began appearing simultaneously, indicating failures across several vehicle systems. The issues included repeated computer system faults affecting critical functions. The malfunction made the vehicle unreliable and unsafe to operate, as the errors appeared suddenly and without warning while driving. This created a significant safety risk due to the potential loss ofâŚ
I am reporting a safety concern involving a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle was previously involved in accidents prior to my purchase and had known mechanical issues, including a gear shifting problem that was not properly repaired. In February 2024, while the vehicle was insured under Ocean Harbor Casualty Insurance Company, it sustained a significant front-end collision impacting the driver side. The impact was severe enough to cause structural damage, including a dent to the vehicle frame. Despite the severity of the collision, the airbags did not deploy at all. Based on the extent ofâŚ
The brake booster vacuum pump went out in my car it broke which caused hard breaking while driving vehicle. When the brake booster vacuum pump broke a piece of it damage my camshaft as well as my timing chain in my motor.
The component that failed is the internal microswitch/sensor within the gear shifter assembly. The specific part that requires replacement is often documented in General Motors Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 19-NA-206 or 23-NA-119. The faulty component is available for inspection if the dealership removes the old part and retains it. My safety and the safety of others are put at risk because the vehicle often fails to register that it is fully in "Park," which prevents the vehicle from shutting off properly, potentially leaving it in accessory mode. This could lead to a dead battery, leavingâŚ
My 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has severe safety defects involving the engine, powertrain, and speed control. The vehicle will sometimes accelerate on its own with my foot off the gas, and other times it loses all power while pulling into traffic. This creates an immediate risk of a crash. Multiple diagnostic codes appear repeatedly, including P0299 (turbo underboost), P0101 (mass air flow performance), P1101 (intake airflow performance), and P0506 (idle control RPM too low). The charge-air hose repeatedly blows off the throttle body while driving, causing sudden loss of power. The vehicle was soldâŚ
2019 Chevrolet Malibu: questions owners ask
Is the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
NHTSA data alone cannot rate reliability, but it shows what owners reported. Owners filed 195 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu; the most common categories were power train (68, 34.9%), engine (66, 33.8%), electrical system (63, 32.3%). There is 1 safety recall. 8 complaints mention a crash, 1 mentions a fire, 7 injuries were reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
Across 195 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the categories mentioned most often are power train (34.9% of complaints), engine (33.8% of complaints), electrical system (32.3% of complaints), service brakes (13.3% of complaints), fuel/propulsion system (8.7% of complaints). One complaint can name several components.
Does the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu; the most recent (campaign 21V649000, 2021-08-20) concerns Seat Belts: Critical Fasteners. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu stall, lose power or shut off while driving?
38 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (19.5%) describe the engine stalling, losing power or shutting off while driving. One owner wrote: "Shift to park issue. After putting the car into Park and attempting to shut off the vehicle, an alter to SHIFT TO PARK came up and the car could not be shut off." (NHTSA complaint 11695435, October 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why is the check engine light on in my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
24 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (12.3%) describe the check engine light coming on. One owner wrote: "Was on my way to work at stoplight and my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu lost all power and started back up and the next day I was about to leave for work and it wouldnât start low battery came across screen then the check engine light came on and a few hrs later itâŚ" (NHTSA complaint 11692879, October 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does the auto start-stop system act up on my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
9 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (4.6%) describe problems with the automatic start-stop system. One owner wrote: "Start/stop on powertrain / motor control. motor stops on brake pedal pressure and starts upon ? ? decrease in pedal prssure ? motor started and rpm accelerated bu itself while brake pedal applied, vehicle "surged" and hit post." (NHTSA complaint 11196208, April 2019). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu idle rough, misfire or hesitate?
8 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (4.1%) describe rough idling, misfires or hesitation when accelerating. One owner wrote: "I was driving home from work on the highway going 63 mph. i started to feel my car shaking as though it was going to stall out. my car has a little over 17k miles on it." (NHTSA complaint 11388408, January 2021). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why are the ABS and stability control lights on in my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
8 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (4.1%) describe ABS, traction or stability control warnings or faults. One owner wrote: "I have no Brake Lights when applying the Brakes and cruise control no longer works due to Service ESC message on display. I was advised by replacing the battery this would clear the ESC but it did not." (NHTSA complaint 11493163, November 2022). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why won't my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu start?
7 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (3.6%) describe the car failing to start. One owner wrote: "My vehicle fails to shut off when placed in Park. â˘It fails to start properly when the ignition is engaged. â˘It experiences shifting malfunctions that directly prevent safe operation." (NHTSA complaint 11681177, August 2025). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Why does my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu transmission jerk, shudder or shift hard?
6 of the 195 owner complaints NHTSA has on file for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu (3.1%) describe harsh, jerky or delayed transmission shifting or shuddering. One owner wrote: "The vehicle experiences sudden transmission slipping, severe shuddering, and an unexpected loss of forward drive power while in motion." (NHTSA complaint 11772301, October 2026). If it happens to your car, check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls and report the problem to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations.
Check your own Malibu
Counts are a starting point, not a verdict: popular models collect more complaints because more of them are on the road, and NHTSA does not verify individual reports. To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (U.S.) or your registration at check-vehicle-recalls.service.gov.uk (UK). Had a safety problem? Report it to NHTSA; complaints are what trigger investigations and recalls.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation recall and complaint databases (public domain), retrieved October 25, 2026. Model year 2019 only; combines NHTSA's entries for MALIBU and MALIBU HYBRID.