2019 Chevrolet Malibu: sudden loss of power

Filed Sep 1, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · MI

I understand that the vehicle is outside of its original warranty period. However, I do not believe that the expiration of the warranty should automatically make me responsible for a component failure that occurred at only approximately 39,000 miles. The PCV valve and orifice are not routine maintenance items that I would reasonably expect to require replacement at such low mileage. Unlike tires, brake pads, batteries, or other components that are expected to wear out and require periodic replacement, the PCV system is an integral part of the engine's emissions and crankcase ventilation system. A failure at only 39,000 miles seems premature and should not reasonably be characterized as ordinary wear and tear. More importantly, GM itself has acknowledged problems involving the PCV system in Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. GM Technical Service Bulletin and TSB 18NA246 and TSB 20-NA-047 specifically addresses plugged PCV orifices on 2016–2022 Chevrolet Malibu models and provides a diagnostic and repair procedure for this condition. The bulletin identifies the PCV orifice as the causal part associated with the condition being addressed. I recognize that a Technical Service Bulletin is not the same as a recall or an extension of the vehicle's warranty. I am not claiming that GM is necessarily obligated to repair the vehicle under the expired warranty. Rather, I believe GM's own technical documentation demonstrates that this is a recognized issue involving a specific component and is not simply an ordinary maintenance item that a customer should reasonably expect to replace at 39,000 miles. The approximate cost of this repair is $1300 for a failed $40 part!! Even GM changed the design of this component because in years past and newer years this part replacement was a 20 minute job, not a 5 hour complete replacement of the valve cover! Failure to repair this faulty design could lead to excessive oil loss and immediate loss of power due to the engine ceasing.

Filed Mar 18, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · TX

Year 2019, code P1101- vehicle hesitates while drive, will reduce power while driving, while sitting idle at a stop the car will die and I will have to restart the vehicle. Multiple times while driving on the highway at 70mph my car has all of a sudden either reduced power causing the car to jerk and shudder very hard or has lost all power completely and forced me to pull over while avoiding other drivers on the road. SOMEONE IS GOING TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS!!! THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AND RECALLED ASAP TO GET IT FIXED. I am not in a financial spot to just go buy a new car and I shouldn't have too either. I'm scared to even drive 10 miles down the road to take my children to daycare/school because of how bad it is.

Filed Mar 1, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · GA

- started shutting shutting off at while in drive. - started having reduced power - started idiling high while driving - initially there was no codes - last night I drove, I put in drive gear but it was delayed so I had to keep moving from park to drive for it to full go into drive - the codes came P0325 P0505 P0507 P0700 P1101 P2714 After I was driving up an incline the car stopped moving forward and started reversing backwards. One other independent shop advised they were able to produce but couldn’t figure out the problem because no code were shown at the time. There has been many people having the same issues I started off with and I found the forum to file a report .

Filed Nov 25, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · VA

My 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has severe safety defects involving the engine, powertrain, and speed control. The vehicle will sometimes accelerate on its own with my foot off the gas, and other times it loses all power while pulling into traffic. This creates an immediate risk of a crash. Multiple diagnostic codes appear repeatedly, including P0299 (turbo underboost), P0101 (mass air flow performance), P1101 (intake airflow performance), and P0506 (idle control RPM too low). The charge-air hose repeatedly blows off the throttle body while driving, causing sudden loss of power. The vehicle was sold to me by a dealer as safe and reliable, but these defects appeared shortly after purchase. The unintended acceleration and sudden loss of power make the car dangerous to drive. This appears to be a serious mechanical and safety-related defect that could cause an accident.

Filed Nov 21, 2025 · Fuel system, Transmission · CO

I was traveling down i-25 at 75 mph because that is what the speed limit here in Colorado. I was traveling south heading to Colorado Springs to visit family and i was entering near Castle Rock and my vechile would not go at all forward and it seemed as if I lost power to acceleration and I believe it was 2 or 3 lanes to exit off an off ramp as cars pasted me by honking their horns it was very scary as I pulled over to the side of the road letting it glide or coast to a stop very slowly I finally came to a stop.. as I have been reading some recalls due too a transmission issues for these types of vechiles I really hope I'm going about it right and someone reaches out to me about what it is that might be going on because even though my car does not have it listed by a Vin number I still believe that my 2019 Chevy Malibu has been subject to recalls for issues including a faulty rear seat belt retractor and a transmission problem that could lead to a loss of propulsion. The rear seat belt recall involves improperly secured retractors, and the transmission recall is due to a start-stop accumulator endcap with missing bolts, which could cause a leak and a loss of propulsion or a fire risk. And would like to have this addressed and or hits the right people concerning this not only for myself but safety for other people traveling at high speeds like myself that night... I was 5 days past my dealership warranty when I purchased the vechile from them and made it 6 days because I could get ahold of anyone on the 5 day when this incident occurred and then I called GM because I believe it would of fell under a drive train warranty but they said which was only 5 years warranty on this vechile from the day it was purchased its first time my vechile only has 82000 miles on it and I got it from a dealership here in Colorado with 64 or 62000 miles and since then I'm paying on a vechile that is no longer in service parked Sincerely and hopefully this reaches the right person...

Filed Oct 17, 2025 · Electrical, Engine · CA

Was driving on the freeway maneuvered over to exit vehicle lost power and engine completely shut off while in motion. Same incident occurred while on surface street as I was approaching a red light vehicle completely shut off while in drive and in motion.

Filed Oct 12, 2025 · SC

Was on my way to work at stoplight and my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu lost all power and started back up and the next day I was about to leave for work and it wouldn’t start low battery came across screen then the check engine light came on and a few hrs later it started up but all interior lights would not go off and I went to auto zone to check codes and its one of the codes for RECALL I will be taking it to the Chevy dealership

Filed Jun 7, 2025 · Brakes, Engine · AR

Brakes got hard and reduced engine power came on and now won't crank went to the dealership and then they charge me 389 for a battery and it still didn't work they say it need a new motor

Filed Feb 20, 2023 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

Vehicle lost power while driving without warning which could have caused an accident. Dealer says the ECM failed.

Filed Dec 2, 2022 · Electrical · 15,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while using the Auto START/STOP feature, the vehicle would sputter before accelerating as needed. The contact stated that the failure only occurred during hot weather conditions with the vehicle on an incline. The contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the battery and the battery terminal had failed. The contact stated that the battery was replaced; however, the contact was unaware if the battery terminal had been replaced. The failure had increased in frequency despite road or weather conditions. The contact stated that occasionally while driving, the vehicle shuddered and lost motive power and stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. The vehicle also displayed a driving assist reduced power message. The contact had returned the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired a second time. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1,500.

Filed Jun 29, 2022 · Brakes, Electrical · LA

Driving along the interstate the car suddenly lost power. I was able to pull over and restart car and drive like nothing ever happened. Then once I parked the car at my destination the car would not start 10 minutes later leaving me stranded in an unfamiliar city. When trying to start the car it would click and the DIC would display Batter Saver Active following EMS following Power Steering. No check engine light was on in the vehicle before this incident. I was stranded in an unfamiliar city with no one around to help. After asking a random stranger for a jump the car started and allowed me to get home. No dealership can convey the problem with the car, everyone says there's nothing wrong with it. I have had the vehicle for about one year now with no problem up to now. The car often backfires and even completely cuts off at red lights (not from the auto stop feature). This is dangerous.

Filed May 22, 2022 · Acceleration, Electrical · PA

Numerous accumulated problems, all have complaints already on the federal safety agency site here. First, Start/Stop malfunction, when it is active when stopped vehicle will stall when it tries to restart when you take your foot off brake and it’s troublesome to restart at times, when that happens lights on dash all come on (warning lights) and radio/entertainment resets as well. Second, the traction control light on dash is on. The warning displays to have traction control system serviced, cruise control is disabled as a result, it’s been to the dealer for both above problems the start/stop problem they say they can’t get car to duplicate although it happens to us almost daily if not numerous times per day. This morning driving home from work the intake charge tube that attaches to intake keeps popping off and engine goes to reduced power mode on highway or wherever driving not safe at all. Saw a voluntary recall from GM going to contact dealer about tomorrow when open. Stereo resets often, completely shuts off and resets while driving at random. I also get the rushing/sloshing water noise other people have reported as complaints when coming to a stop, I read in forums that it’s something to do with low coolant but not low enough to turn on low coolant warning light. GM really needs to address this stop/start and traction control needing service light problems as I read all over the internet of owner’s complaints of same problems I have. Dealerships don’t want to do anything with the cars unles the issue a recall because it comes out of their pockets. So many complaints I read owners keep reporting that dealer “cannot reproduce identical problems” because they don’t want repairs coming out of their pockets only out of GM. I’m going to start filing formal complaints with GM until they get tired of hearing from me and fix some of this stuff or deem it a lemon and get rid of it finally.