2020 Chevrolet Malibu: hesitation when accelerating

Filed Apr 2, 2026 · Acceleration · TX

Reduced Engine Power Light: The car limits acceleration, often accompanied by a check engine light. Stalling or Hesitation: Engine stalls or acts sluggish when accelerating, particularly in traffic. Limp Mode: The vehicle restricts speed, making it difficult to accelerate. The car stop working in the middle of the freeway and I was in the car with my child when it stop acceleration all gages in the car were going crazy, car was shaking bad finally car turn off. I was able to make it to the emergency lane of the freeway. There's similar complaints for 2020 Chevy Malibu but no recall has been done. Per my research it looks like a lot of this type of vehicles have problems with throttle body causing Engine stalls. Do the right thing and open up a vehicle recall, thank you!

Filed Feb 10, 2026 · Engine · 114,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, who associated the failure with TSB: N222372590. An appointment was scheduled with the dealer to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

Filed Feb 5, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · 112,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating and losing power with the odor of gasoline inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence, but had not taken the vehicle to a dealer or mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 112,000.

Filed Feb 4, 2026 · Acceleration, Engine · 80,000 miles · MI

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the RPM was unexpectedly elevated while driving, and the vehicle was hesitating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the throttle body needed to be cleaned. While driving approximately 35-40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle shuddered with white smoke coming from the tailpipe. The contact stated that the engine warning light was flashing with the reduced power message displayed. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: PIP5812. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who associated the failure with the turbocharger. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Filed Jun 16, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · PA

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would intermittently hesitate and stall with the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated. Once the vehicle stalled, the contact had to wait a few minutes before successfully restarting the vehicle. The vehicle had been taken to the dealer on multiple occasions however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate or determine the cause of the failure. The contact had the pistons, battery terminal, transmission, and wiring harness replaced; however, the failure persisted after each repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the federal safety agency for assistance. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.