2016 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems
301 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the engine on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu — 36% of all complaints for this model year.
301
Engine complaints
36%
share of all complaints
55,000 mi
median reported incident mileage
5 / 1
crash / fire reports
What owners report
“Vacuum pump failure causing hard brake pedal which made near to impossible to brake safely and properly that lead to timing chain issues”
filed Jun 22, 2026
“The brake vacuum pump broke, causing my brakes to go rock hard and pieces fell down into the camshaft, causing engine damage”
filed Jun 11, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Engine problems in other Malibu years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Malibu | 3 | 9% |
| 2023 Malibu | 11 | 19% |
| 2022 Malibu | 28 | 31% |
| 2021 Malibu | 13 | 16% |
| 2020 Malibu | 59 | 30% |
| 2019 Malibu | 61 | 32% |
| 2018 Malibu | 277 | 40% |
| 2017 Malibu | 252 | 36% |
| 2015 Malibu | 69 | 26% |
| 2014 Malibu | 125 | 36% |
| 2013 Malibu | 204 | 24% |
| 2012 Malibu | 99 | 11% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.