2019 Chevrolet Malibu problems & reliability
190 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
4 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2019 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles were involved in 74 fatal crashes with 31 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train → | 66 | 35% |
| Engine → | 63 | 33% |
| Electrical System → | 61 | 32% |
| Unknown / Other | 36 | 19% |
| Service Brakes → | 21 | 11% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 17 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 12 | 6% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 26 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 55 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 41,750 miles (middle 50% between 17,736 and 64,228 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 16, 2026
“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…”
Power Train · filed Sep 1, 2026
“Acceleration issues. Started once put in drive didnt want to accelerate, acceleration issues now at higher speeds while driving”
Unknown / Other · filed Jul 6, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
882 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The 10 most recent:
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902W · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 4, 2026
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
PIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks
PIP6032C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 3, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC'ss
PIT6425D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates to the field on how to diagnosis a GPS issue with the Telematic module with no DTC's
PIT6425C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2026
This Preliminary Information addresses an issue with the odometer displaying dashes and provides direction for the dealership/technician.
PIC6636 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 19, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2019 Chevrolet Malibu?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 41,750 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.