NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 69 owner complaints for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu.
2Safety recalls
69Owner complaints
3Complaints citing a crash
1Complaints citing a fire
Data: NHTSA recall and complaint filesUpdated Sep 27, 2026
Recalled components: backover prevention and rearview camera and body structure. Most-reported area: backover prevention and rearview camera (16 complaints, 23%). Includes the Malibu Hybrid and the 2016 Malibu Limited, the previous generation sold alongside the new car.
2 safety recalls for the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu
Newest first. Summaries are NHTSA's own wording. Open a recall for the fix and the full notice.
The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image.
Risk: A rearview image that does not display correctly reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix and full notice
Fix: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2026. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N262551720. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on April 2, 2026.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles.
NHTSA listing: MALIBU. Chevrolet campaign N262551720.
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.
The fix and full notice
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.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles.
NHTSA listing: MALIBU.
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 69 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2023 Malibu. NHTSA does not verify complaints.
Backover prevention and rearview camera16 · 23%
Electrical system12 · 17%
Engine12 · 17%
Powertrain8 · 12%
Air bags6 · 9%
Fuel and propulsion system6 · 9%
Visibility/wiper5 · 7%
Unknown or other14 · 20%
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 2023 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 2023 drew 21.
Owner complaints
2023: 69 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
2023: 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 2023 Malibu problems?
The areas owners name most often in NHTSA complaints: backover prevention and rearview camera (16), electrical system (12), engine (12). NHTSA does not verify complaints, and one complaint can name several areas.
Is the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu safe?
In NHTSA crash tests every tested version of the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu earns 5 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.