2017 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and problems

The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu has 4 safety recalls and 705 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at any Chevrolet dealer.

Recalls
4
Complaints
705
Crashes / fires
16 / 4
Injuries / deaths
14 / 0

Recalls may cover only some 2017 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. Check your VIN at NHTSA ↗ to see open recalls for your exact car.

2017 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

Recall 21V-649: Seat Belts

Reported Aug 20, 2021 · 402 vehicles affected · General Motors, LLC

Problem: 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.

Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: 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.

Recall 18V-400: Air Bags

Reported Jun 14, 2018 · 66 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.

Risk: In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.

Recall 18V-358: Fuel System, Gasoline

Reported May 31, 2018 · 895 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

Recall 16V-870: Air Bags

Reported Dec 2, 2016 · 113 vehicles affected · General Motors LLC

Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Malibu vehicles manufactured on November 10, 2016. The right-hand rear side air bag inflator manifold may have insufficient welds.

Risk: Insufficient welds could cause the inflator to separate and propel air bag debris into the cabin during a crash. Also, the inflator could fail to inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16146.

2017 Chevrolet Malibu problems reported by owners

Problem areaReports
Engine253
Electrical System161
Unknown or Other148
Power Train140
Vehicle Speed Control135
Service Brakes69
Fuel/Propulsion System57
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)53
Steering47
Exterior Lighting21
Structure19
Air Bags14

Most reported parts

  • Structure › Body — 17
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Floor Shift — 7
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking — 4
  • Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal — 3
  • Back Over Prevention › Warnings — 3
  • Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (Prndl) — 2
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Warnings — 2
  • Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control — 2

Typical mileage at the time of the problem: 48,000 miles (median of owner reports).

Problems that are not covered by a recall are paid repairs; labor rates follow local mechanic pay — see what auto mechanics earn in each state.

Recent 2017 Chevrolet Malibu complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA, as written (personal details removed). Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.

Service Brakes · reported Oct 23, 2026
I have two separate incidents regarding the vacuum pump on my 2017 Chevy Malibu. About two years ago, I was driving on the freeway, my brakes locked up, Car was dying, turns out my vacuum pump had exploded internally, causing metal pieces to go into my engine, it was in my oil as well. I had to replace the vacuum pump, and because it broke, it threw off the timing on my camshaft. I had a mechanic look at it and he had to tap the camshaft back into timing. Today, October 2026, I was on my way home from work, and my brakes were locking up and grinding. I had to use a lot of pressure for the…
Service Brakes · reported Oct 7, 2026
I was driving on the tollway at 75 mph when I saw stopped traffic ahead of me, and when I tried to apply the brakes, they went from soft to hard and completely stopped working; I had to swerve across lanes into the grass to avoid a massive accident and to save my life, as well as the lives of my passengers and the people who would have been involved. The vacuum pump had completely blown up, causing the brakes to fail, and it also destroyed my camshaft, so I lost engine power as well. I looked it up online and it is a very common issue that GM needs to address because of how severely dangerous…
Fuel/Propulsion System · reported Aug 29, 2026
The vehicle is experiencing an apparent fuel-system malfunction. The vehicle has a very strong raw gasoline odor, significant difficulty starting, and appears to be consuming fuel at an abnormally high rate. After filling the fuel tank completely, I drove approximately 20 miles at most and the fuel gauge decreased by approximately one-quarter of a tank. The engine oil also has a strong gasoline odor, indicating that fuel may be entering the engine oil. The exact failed component has not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The strong raw gasoline odor and…
Steering · reported Aug 26, 2026
I have a 2017 Chevy Malibu that in 2022 had a shift malfunction causing it to become stuck in reverse and roll backwards. It ended up having to be towed and was repaired in May 2022. On August 25 and 26, 2026 the car is now experiencing another SHIFT TO PARK malfunction whereby the vehicle DOES NOT detect that the shifter is in the park position. It shows a "shift to park" error on the car's dashboard and will not let me turn the car off until it detects it is in park which takes multiple times of shifting and cycling the car through the gears or repeatedly jiggling the gear selector. This is…
Service Brakes · reported Aug 15, 2026
While driving my 2017 Chevrolet Malibu LT equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine, the brake vacuum pump failed due to the pump’s mechanical drive/tang shearing. The failure resulted in loss of vacuum assistance to the power brakes, creating a significantly harder brake pedal and a serious safety concern because braking assistance can be reduced and stopping may require substantially more effort. After removing the failed pump, I found that part of the pump’s drive mechanism had sheared off and had to be retrieved from the camshaft area. I am retaining the failed pump and broken…

Other Chevrolet Malibu years

Compare all Chevrolet Malibu years · All Chevrolet models

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu: 21V-649 (seat belts), 18V-400 (air bags), 18V-358 (fuel system, gasoline), 16V-870 (air bags). Not every vehicle is affected, so check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners report engine problems most often (253 reports), followed by electrical system (161). The typical mileage when problems were reported is about 48,000 miles.

Are Chevrolet recall repairs free?

Yes. Safety recall repairs are free at authorized Chevrolet dealers, whether you are the first owner or bought the car used.