The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 402 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 324 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 13, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS21V6490002021-08-20402 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
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.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
59
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
54
1crashes
POWER TRAIN
53
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
43
2crashes1injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
40
3crashes3injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
17
1crashes
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
14
STEERING
13
AIR BAGS
4
4crashes3injuries1deaths
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
4
1crashes
Total complaints324
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“While attempting to enter a high-speed expressway, the transmission malfunctioned, preventing normal acceleration. The vehicle could only accelerate very slowly but managed to maintain a limited speed, creating a hazardous situation while trying to merge into fast-moving traffic. I was able to…”
“Shift to park displaying when car is in park so it won't turn off and stalling out randomly with no warning or anything and being hesitant to go”
“I am writing to report a serious and dangerous issue that occurred with my 2020 chevrolet malibu lt on april 27th 2026. While driving on the interstate after work, my vehicle suddenly experienced a failure that made it extremely unsafe to operate. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press,…”
“I am writing to report a serious and dangerous issue that occurred with my 2020 chevrolet malibu lt on april 27th 2026. While driving on the interstate after work, my vehicle suddenly experienced a failure that made it extremely unsafe to operate. The brake pedal became extremely hard to press,…”
“Vehicle stalled/lost power while driving due to auto start/stop system.”
“Reduced engine power light: the car limits acceleration, often accompanied by a check engine light. Stalling or hesitation: engine stalls or acts sluggish when accelerating, particularly in traffic. Limp mode: the vehicle restricts speed, making it difficult to accelerate. The car stop working in…”
“Reduced engine power light: the car limits acceleration, often accompanied by a check engine light. Stalling or hesitation: engine stalls or acts sluggish when accelerating, particularly in traffic. Limp mode: the vehicle restricts speed, making it difficult to accelerate. The car stop working in…”
“To whom it may concern, ​I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect regarding my 2020 chevrolet malibu. This defect resulted in a life-threatening incident while I was driving on the highway, during which my vehicle failed to stop as required. ​while operating at highway speeds,…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA25005 Opened 2025-10-21 · open
DTN Air Bag Inflator Rupture
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has become aware of eight vehicle crashes in which a rupture of a Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co., Ltd. (DTN) air bag inflator occurred during the deployment of the driver side air bag. All eight drivers in these crashes sustained serious or fatal…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu as of
July 13, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.