AutoUtility currently tracks 270 official NHTSA owner defect complaints for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. Electrical System issues are the most frequently reported category, appearing in 68 complaints (25.2% of submitted records). Among these NHTSA complaint records, 18 filings cite a crash, 9 cite a fire, 10 report one or more injuries, 1 reports one or more fatalities.
Factual proportion of owner complaints categorized by automotive subsystem in NHTSA records
68 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
64 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
55 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
31 owner complaints submitted to NHTSA ODI for this subsystem.
Specific mechanical, electrical, and driver-assist defect symptoms identified via deterministic narrative analysis
6 complaint narratives describe this symptom.
Representative defect filings submitted by owners to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
"Fuel sensors failing, codes obd are not fixing issue, auto stop, shuts radio off when brake is applied, resets all electric components in car. Every time braking at a stop or signal."
"While driving my 2015 Chevrolet Malibu on a four-lane highway with a posted speed limit of 70 mph, the vehicle displayed an “Engine Power Is Reduced” message and limited the vehicle to less than approximately 25 mph. This created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could no longer maintain..."
"I was t-boned on the front side panel near the door at a high rate of speed. I would estimate well above the posted limit of 35 mph and my front and side airbags failed to deploy. I have video from the intersection and dash cam demonstrating the impact. My head hit off the steering wheel causing a..."
"The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle inadvertently shifted between park(P), drive(D), and neutral(N), and the selected gear was not visible or illuminated on the instrument cluster or the gear shifter..."
"Qdeana auto sales in Winchester ky took out my fog lights , 6by 9 speakers and replaced my wheels and tires with 3 18 inch tires that were all different brands and heights and widths and added my 4th tire that was completely a different sized. A size 17. Gave me a key fob that was broken and only..."
Reported defect complaint volume across sibling model years (2015–2025)
| Model Year | NHTSA Complaints | Crash Reports | Safety Recalls | Detailed Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 Chevrolet Malibu Current Page | 270 | 18 | 3 | Current |
| 2016 Chevrolet Malibu | 859 | 23 | 9 | View 2016 Problems → |
| 2017 Chevrolet Malibu | 722 | 17 | 4 | View 2017 Problems → |
| 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 → |
Complete distribution of consumer defect reports across all 79 granular NHTSA system and subsystem classifications
| Vehicle Component / System | Total Complaints | Crash Reports | Fire Reports | Injury Entries | Fatality Entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags NHTSA category: AIR BAGS | 39 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical System NHTSA category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine NHTSA category: ENGINE | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Other / Uncategorized NHTSA category: UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain NHTSA category: POWER TRAIN | 17 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure & Body NHTSA category: STRUCTURE | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control NHTSA category: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel & Propulsion System NHTSA category: FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes NHTSA category: SERVICE BRAKES | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility & Wipers NHTSA category: VISIBILITY/WIPER | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat Belts NHTSA category: SEAT BELTS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats & Restraints NHTSA category: SEATS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility / Glass NHTSA category: VISIBILITY | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEATS | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering NHTSA category: STEERING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension NHTSA category: SUSPENSION | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires NHTSA category: TIRES | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels & Hubs NHTSA category: WHEELS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| AIR BAGS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EQUIPMENT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine & Cooling NHTSA category: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| EQUIPMENT,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEAT BELTS,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEAT BELTS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| STEERING,SERVICE BRAKES,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STEERING,STRUCTURE | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,SEATS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,VISIBILITY/WIPER | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| SUSPENSION,WHEELS,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC),ENGINE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Cross-reference safety recalls, crash test safety ratings, and EPA fuel economy for this model year
Key performance indicators, EPA fuel economy specs, powertrain variants, and summary ratings.
Official recall campaigns, safety defect descriptions, and manufacturer free remedy instructions.
NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test results, driver assistance systems, and rollover resistance ratings.
EPA fuel economy ratings, electric range, and annual energy cost benchmarks.
Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
In official NHTSA consumer records, the most frequently cited issue area for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu is Electrical System, appearing in 68 records (25.2% of submitted filings).
Secondary reported categories include Engine & Cooling (64) and Air Bags & Restraints (55).
AutoUtility does not issue subjective reliability scores or commercial ratings. In official United States government records, NHTSA tracks 270 consumer defect complaints and 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2015 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.
Among consumer complaint records on file with NHTSA for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, 18 filings cite a crash, 9 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.
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.