Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, airbags, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Chevrolet Malibu: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/4
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | FWD | 30 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Stalling at stop lights is the most common report. Sometimes it happens after auto-stop engages, and the car will not move until it is shut off and restarted. Owners also describe the dash going dark while the engine runs, the key fob going undetected, and the anti-theft system tripping on nearby keys, which disables the car or drains the battery. Other reports cover no-starts, a brake module losing communication, Service ESC and airbag warnings, and sudden braking on the highway. One complaint involves a fire while driving. Another describes side airbags failing to deploy in a crash.
Side and curtain airbags fail to deploy in hard impacts to the rear passenger side, including one at 50 mph. One report describes front airbags deploying only partially in a combined rear and side collision. The opposite failure also shows up: four airbags went off without warning after two tires went flat, and the driver was hurt. A dealer diagnostic on a used car found a malfunctioning driver airbag in the horn pad that the buyer had not been told about.
Sudden shutdowns with a check engine light are the most serious complaint. They come with shuddering, brakes locking up, and reduced engine power. One car kept failing after multiple modules were replaced and spent 100 days in the shop. A fuel pump circuit fault, code P023F, caused a no-start at 40,000 miles and was not covered by the powertrain warranty. Turbocharger trouble also appears, and owners point to GM special coverage for 2022-2023 cars with the 1.5L engine. One complaint involves an injury.
Front tires fail early. Reports describe tread separating on the driver front tire and a blowout of the same tire at highway speed at 11,000 miles. That car later turned up a sidewall blister on the other front tire. The affected tires were Continental ProContact in size 245/40/R19. Neither complaint names a cause. A highway blowout raises a clear loss-of-control risk.
A leaking fuel line dumped about 2 gallons of fuel and filled the cabin with fumes, and no warning light came on. That creates a real fire risk. The other complaint here is mostly about driver aids: crash avoidance system inoperable warnings, red collision alerts with no cars around, and a false low tire pressure warning. It also describes an engine surging problem that was still unfixed after visits to two GM dealers.
Unwanted steering input from the driver-assist systems is the main problem. Lane keep assist pulls the car sideways while the wheel is held straight, nearly pushing it into a car in the next lane. After a hard evasive swerve at highway speed, one car steered itself back and forth several times before handing control back to the driver. Owners also report false front collision alerts and a rattle from the front end. Both complaints describe a real loss-of-control risk.
Excerpts from complaints Malibu owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Vehicle is registering multiple keys from surrounding like vehicles which causes the anti theft system to activate, disabling the vehicle and/or involuntarily draining battery.
Filed with NHTSA, September 2025
Brake system failure lost brakes twice, went and got a diagnosis reading and it said brake system module failure. That it lost communication with the module
Filed with NHTSA, September 2025
When I was in a car accident I was hit on the rear passenger side of my vehicle, right near where my side air bags are supposed to be located. I was hit at 50 mph and the airbags did not deploy.
Filed with NHTSA, December 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks sixth for owner complaints among 8 Malibu years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2023 is the eighth model year of the Malibu's ninth generation (2016 on).
Chevrolet updated the Malibu for 2024, so a 2023 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2024 (not on a 2023)
Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.
Risk: An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Cars shoppers compare with the Chevrolet Malibu, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
