i am filing a formal safety complaint regarding my 2020 chevrolet malibu. my vehicle recently displayed a “service ESC” warning along with a flashing check engine light. these warnings appeared unexpectedly and have raised serious concerns about the safety and reliability of my vehicle. the electronic stability control system is an important safety feature, and a flashing check engine light may indicate a serious engine malfunction. i am concerned about the possibility of experiencing reduced engine performance, loss of power, or compromised vehicle control while driving. i am also aware of reports from other chevrolet malibu owners describing similar warning messages and electrical or performance-related problems. i believe these issues warrant investigation to determine whether there is a recurring manufacturing defect affecting these vehicles. i am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate these safety concerns and determine whether a recall is necessary
The worst 2020 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine63
- Transmission60
- Electrical58
- Brakes51
- Acceleration18
- Fuel system18
- Steering17
- Driver assistance5
- Airbags4
- Body2
- Suspension2
- Lights1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
Check engine light 42Loss of power 28Stalling 21Power steering loss 8Brake failure 7Transmission failure 7ABS 6Engine failure 6Battery drain 5Hesitation 5Spongy pedal 5Warning lights 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu mention
P1101 3U0121 2
Recalls 1
Seat belts: rear/other: retractor
- What is wrong
- 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.
- 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.
Recall number 21V649000 · Recall details
See all 1 recalls for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
Defect investigations
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 injuries that appear linked to the ruptures. Six of those drivers sustained fatal injuries and two sustained severe injuries. In all eight incidents, the subject inflators had been installed as replacement equipment after the vehicle was involved in a previous crash. Information gathered during the federal safety agency’s initial analysis of these incidents indicates that the inflators were potentially imported illegally into the United States. In conjunction with this safety investigation, the federal safety agency is also working with appropriate authorities to address any illegal activities associated with the importation of these inflators. As a result of the significant safety concerns relating to these inflators, as well as extensive information already obtained by ODI relating to their field ruptures, ODI is moving directly to the Engineering Analysis (EA) stage of its investigative process rather than first opening a Preliminary Evaluation. the federal safety agency has taken a variety of actions to address the risks posed by the importation of substandard or counterfeit air bag components. However, until recently, these risks appeared spread across a variety of components and manufacturers. As part of ODI’s continuous monitoring of this issue, the agency has obtained information to suggest that at least eight incidents involve ruptures of inflators manufactured by DTN. In parallel with this dedicated investigation into DTN inflators, ODI will continue to monitor reports of field incidents to evaluate risks from other substandard imported air bag components. In 2012, ODI first became aware of substandard or counterfeit air bag modules sold through online marketplaces, such as auction sites. the federal safety agency obtained examples of these air bag modules and conducted testing. None of the inflators equipped in these modules were manufactured by DTN. This testing revealed that the inflators consistently malfunctioned during deployments, such as by failing to deploy the air bag or expelling metal shrapnel due to a rupture. This led the federal safety agency to release a consumer advisory in October 2012 to alert the public and repair professionals to the potential dangers of substandard or counterfeit air bag modules. ODI also worked with major vehicle manufacturers, who released advisories and notifications concerning the use of such air bag modules. Since then, the federal safety agency has continuously monitored for reports of malfunctioning air bags that may be associated with substandard or counterfeit components. These monitoring efforts have been supported by the increased visibility the advisories have brought to the issue, and by several standing general orders in place as part of separate investigations into Takata and ARC inflators, which require certain manufacturers to report any alleged or suspected inflator field ruptures to the federal safety agency. Until 2017, ODI was not aware of any field incidents involving an abnormal deployment of an imported substandard or counterfeit air bag module. In September 2017, ODI became aware of a crash involving a model year (MY) 2009 Honda Civic where the air bag ruptured during deployment, killing the driver. After inspecting the vehicle and air bag parts, ODI determined that the air bag inflator was not original equipment and that the air bag module was likely a substandard import. Insufficient information existed to determine the manufacturer of the inflator in this incident, however, it does not appear to resemble those manufactured by DTN. On June 16, 2023, ODI received a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ #11527380) alleging that the rupture of a driver side air bag caused fatal injuries to the driver of a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. ODI’s assessment of the rupture indicated that the air bag inflator was not original equipment but was instead manufactured by DTN, a Chinese company (also known as Yoshibayashi Toku theanol Automotive Safety Systems Co. Ltd.). From June 2023 to July 2024, ODI became aware of four additional ruptures involving substandard air bag modules equipped on Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. At the time, insufficient information existed for these crashes to determine who manufactured the ruptured inflators. As a result, the federal safety agency released a consumer advisory on July 10, 2024, alerting car buyers and owners to be aware of cheap, substandard replacement air bag inflators that can cause death or serious injury in a crash. The advisory urged consumers who own or are considering the purchase of a used vehicle to learn the vehicle’s history and ensure the vehicle has genuine air bag inflators. In March 2025, the federal safety agency learned about another rupture involving a suspected substandard, aftermarket inflator that was equipped in a MY 2017 Hyundai Sonata. The driver of this vehicle sustained fatal injuries that appeared related to the rupture. In August 2025, the federal safety agency received a similar report of a fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2019 Hyundai Sonata. Most recently, in October 2025, ODI received a report of a fatal air bag rupture in a MY 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Photographs of the air bag components in these three crashes indicated that the ruptures all involved inflators manufactured by DTN. Further investigation of the inflator fragments in three of the prior incidents confirmed that they also involved DTN inflators. Photographs of the components involved in one of the other incidents also strongly suggest that the ruptured inflator was manufactured by DTN. This opening resume exceeded space limitations and is continued in an attachment uploaded to the investigation.
EA25005
Technical service bulletins for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 773
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This service bulletin provides information about GM Accessories
- Unknown or other
- • Improvements to OnStar functionality.
- This PI provides Diagnostics tips on how the LIN bus works and how to diagnosis it.
- Unknown or other
- PI to help diagnose A/C concern
- PIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
- Unknown or other
2020 Chevrolet Malibu fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4‑cyl | FWD | 29 | 36 | 32 |
| 2.0L 4‑cyl | FWD | 22 | 32 | 26 |
What 2020 Chevrolet Malibu owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Automatic transmission failure, through engine code for solenoid “E” being stuck open which has been very common issue with every car that had this transmission in it. Recommended fix is to change entire transmission as no parts are serviceable
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start, with several unknown warning lights illuminated immediately before the failure. The contact stated that the brake pedal was extremely firm while attempting to shift into neutral(N). The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and the message "Brake System Failure" was displayed. The contact stated that the brake pedal was stiff and difficult to depress. Within 3 to 4 seconds, the brake pedal pushed back against the foot. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the ESC had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the Auto START/STOP function was inoperable. The failure mileage was approximately 74,356.
I got the engine light ON on dashboard! I need someone to check out for me, please. Thank you
The back up camera randomly fails. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to it. It will work completely fine for days sometimes weeks and the all of a sudden it will only show a black screen that states system failure. Sometimes it will remain in system failure or a day or a week, its completely random. I see that there was a recall on the cameras for the Chevy malibu not working on the 23-25 cars but I think this might be an issue that goes back further and needs to be addressed. My car only has 70k miles on it and basic functions shouldn't be failing. The 2020 rear cameras need to be added to the recall
The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park" position and attempting to shut off the engine, a warning message reading "Action Required: Shift to Park" appears on the driver instrument dashboard display.This exact failure previously occurred in 2022, two years after purchasing the vehicle. It was formally repaired and covered under an extended warranty policy. However, the underlying manufacturer defect has recurred, proving that the extended warranty repair did not permanently resolve the systemic design flaw.The vehicle was contacted, and an authorized service dealer location in Phoenix, Arizona was notified of the recurrence. The dealer advised that because the vehicle is no longer under warranty coverage, the manufacturer will not cover the repair, and it must be paid entirely out-of-pocket. This creates an unfair financial burden as the vehicle is nearing its final loan payoff timeline at the end of the year. The component is still installed in the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. The issue corresponds to GM Technical Service Bulletin 19-NA-206.Safety is actively put at risk because the vehicle's computer does not recognize that it is safely in Park. As a result, the car refuses to shut off its electrical systems completely. This leaves the dashboard, radio, and electronic modules powered on indefinitely, creating a severe battery-drain and stranding hazard. Furthermore, because the vehicle remains partially awake, it poses an electrical safety hazard and prevents the driver from securely locking and leaving the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. In addition, the message "Service ESC" was displayed, and the steering failure became more frequent. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the contact was provided with an estimate for a diagnostic test. The contact declined the diagnostic test.
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking brake. The contact was able to pull over while awaiting tow truck assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that a Lexus engineer retrieved the EDR; however, there was no failure found with the braking system. The failure mileage was 120,000.
I have a failed vacuum pump which caused my braking ability to be 100% reliant on my own strength to be able to “safely” stop the car. This is an ongoing and common problem with GM yet they have not recalled or given any solution. This is unsafe and should be illegal. I have now an underwater car loan and still a non-drivable car because not only do i have to repair the vacuum pump but also the camshaft exhaust as well as timing chain. All of these repairs are things GM willingly hides from customers if they already knew this was an issue.
My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safety‑critical warnings including loss of power steering assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) faults, brake control faults, and reduced propulsion. A GM dealership inspected the vehicle, scanned the modules, and found more than a dozen network and chassis‑related diagnostic trouble codes, including: B3979, U0164, B1325, B3122, U0121, C0196, C0460, B1011, B097B, B3205, C056E, C056D, U0420, U1510, C0545, U0422. These codes indicate failures in the steering system, brake control module, stability control system, body control module, and multiple CAN‑bus communication networks. The dealership confirmed: – No physical damage – No evidence of collision or impact – No evidence of flood damage – The suspected failed component is the electric power steering rack (GM part 85621696) – The part is not available, meaning the vehicle cannot be repaired – I would be responsible for diagnostic and repair costs This is a major safety concern. The vehicle can lose steering assist, stability control, and braking support without warning. The inability to obtain the required steering component makes the vehicle unrepairable and unsafe to operate. I am reporting this because this appears to be a systemic electrical/network failure affecting critical safety systems. I believe this defect poses a significant risk to drivers, passengers, and other motorists. The attached photo is a is a picture of the printout the Chevrolet dealership Service Manager provided to me.
Compare the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
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Other model years
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Questions about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
Owners have filed 203 complaints about the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, fewer than a typical Malibu model year.
What is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu year score?
The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu scores 90 out of 100 (good). The score compares it with the other model years of the Chevrolet Malibu: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
Engine and cooling, with 63 complaints, typically around 77,000 miles. Next is transmission (60).
How many recalls does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have?
1 recall, covering seat belts.
What year does the Chevrolet Malibu have bad engine?
The Chevrolet Malibu model years with the most engine complaints are 2016 (305 complaints), 2018 (286 complaints) and 2017 (258 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu get?
Official estimates for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu range from 26 to 32 mpg combined. The most efficient version (1.5L 4-cyl, FWD) gets 29 city and 36 highway.
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