NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 89 owner complaints for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu.
2Safety recalls
89Owner complaints
0Complaints citing a crash
1Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: seats and seat belts. Most-reported area: electrical system (29 complaints, 33%). Includes the Malibu Hybrid and the 2016 Malibu Limited, the previous generation sold alongside the new car.
2 safety recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
The driver's seat cushion frame may have an improper weld in the power tilt-adjustment mechanism.
Risk: An improperly welded seat frame may not adequately restrain the driver in a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect the driver's seat and replace the cushion frame, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 23, 2022. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212356050.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, 2022 Chevrolet Equinox, Blazer and Cadillac XT4 vehicles.
NHTSA listing: MALIBU. Chevrolet campaign N212356050.
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.
The fix and full notice
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.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles.
Questions about any of these recalls: call NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
The areas named in the 89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Malibu. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Electrical system29 · 33%
Powertrain28 · 31%
Engine14 · 16%
Fuel and propulsion system8 · 9%
Air bags6 · 7%
Backover prevention and rearview camera3 · 3%
Most named: warnings (3)
Suspension3 · 3%
Unknown or other31 · 35%
A complaint can name more than one area, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Chevrolet Malibu recalls and complaints by model year
The highlighted bars are the 2021 model year. Newer model years have had less time on the road, so their counts are lower. Counting complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2018 Malibu drew the most (220) and the 2021 drew 13.
Owner complaints
2021: 89 complaintsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Malibu
Model year
Complaints
2016
861
2017
724
2018
708
2019
192
2020
198
2021
89
2022
97
2023
69
2024
39
2025
11
Safety recalls
2021: 2 recallsTap or drag across the chart for other years.
Show as a table
Safety recalls by model year, Chevrolet Malibu
Model year
Recalls
2016
10
2017
4
2018
6
2019
1
2020
1
2021
2
2022
1
2023
2
2024
2
2025
1
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for each version it tested. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimate of the chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
Tested version
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD
Rollover risk 10.3%
Questions
What are the most common 2021 Malibu problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: electrical system (29), powertrain (28), engine (14). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu earns 4 stars overall. The table above lists each tested version.
How do I check if my Malibu has an open recall?
Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard, door jamb or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls. The lookup lists unrepaired recalls for that exact vehicle. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers.
Sources and method
NHTSA recalls file (NHTSA datasets), dated Sep 27, 2026; every campaign checked against NHTSA's recalls API.
NHTSA owner complaints file, dated Sep 26, 2026. Counted by complaint number, so a complaint naming three components counts once in the total.
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP).
NHTSA model names covered: MALIBU.
Complaint counts are unverified owner reports. They rise with sales volume and time on the road, so compare model years with care. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.