Reduced engine light came on ticking noise stopped 2 times on the highway repair lot ran a diagnostic unable to find the issue car is not working found many codes stillunable to fix the issue
Chevrolet Malibu knocking problems
148 of the 19,364 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Malibu describe engine knocking or ticking, most of them for the 2005 model year.
- owner complaints
- 148
- worst model year
- 2005
- typical repair cost reported
- $1,000
- typical mileage
- 65,000
By model year
Often reported together
Check engine light 23Steering noise 20Headlights 9Loss of power 8Grinding brakes 8Pulling 7Engine failure 7Stalling 6
Trouble codes mentioned
P1682 1P0299 1P0068 1
What owners say
I went to put my car in park and it was saying "Shift to Park" on my dashboard even though I was already in park. I know that there was a lawsuit that was won for this very defect but my car is not recalled for this and I feel every Malibu should be especially if almost every Malibu is experiencing the same issue Nationwide. It cannot be a coincidence. Also I have been having issues with a knocking noise on the back of the car when I am driving and I'm being told it's also another common issue with Malibu's known as the Knuckles that need replaced which are not cheap. If these are common issues on every Malibu then every Malibu needs to be recalled for the issue to be fixed not just certain ones. My Malibu has not had one recall but has had the same issues that other Malibu's had with multiple recalls done.
Two months after purchasing my used Chevy 2022 Malibu my engine light came on and also a notification stating Engine Power Reduced and the car was not performing well. I went to advanced auto to get a diagnostic and the results that were generated was the code P0299 along with several other codes. I have been dealing with this same issue over 6 months even after taking it to Chevrolet and them fixing everything but the actual problem. Now my light is on, blinking, along with the engine shaking roughly and also making a ticking sound. Dates: Purchased April 2025 Engine Light Appearance June 2025- Present
Took my car to Chevy dealership to diagnose my car, as it was rough idling, causing hesitation, and knocking... all while the check engine light was on. They showed me two codes my car was giving from the check engine light. They said he would look further into it. They told me I needed a tune up, though I had gotten a tune up 4 months prior. They fixed some things and charged me over $4,000. The day I drove off the lot, the problems were still present. On my way home going about 50 mph, my car slowed down and the engine reduced power illuminated. I kept driving because I needed a car for work. The car continued to decline and acted like it didn't want to accelerate when pressing the gas. I finally took it back into chevy, and they told me it was my pistons. I'm 90% sure there is a defect that they won't tell me about, or the won't fix. I've had the car 2 years. Now the car won't run.
loud knocking or banging noises, the check engine light turning on and/or other driving performance issues, such as reduced propulsion cranksaft
My car stopped running at 78,500 miles. I had it diagnosed twice and I was told the engine needs to be replaced. Even though I bought the vehicle (brand new) in 2010, how can the engine be bad because on the website it states that if the vehicle has more than 100,000 miles then it's possible for that to happen. I am the only owner of the vehicle. I would like to know if other vehicles like mine are having the same issue and if possible, can I get a warranty, or recall to fix it ( or a Chevy dealer to pay for it, or at least half). I am on a fixed income and I really need my car fixed to get to my doctor's appt. And the first sign I got was when it was ticking, like a bomb and the ESC feature with the tire service and that happened for a couple of months. Then the battery light came on , but my battery was actually good ( had it for 2 years). The ticking became persistent. But previously, my vehicle was involved in an accident in2023. My vehicle was parked and was hit on the driver's side front bumper/fender. The other driver insurance (State Farm) paid for the repairs but my vehicle was riding like sideways (it was pulling to the right). I went back twice to have them to check it because it was still not right. But I believe they only did the cosmetic work on the outside, but didn't check on the inside and that hit may have shifted the engine under the hood. I'm at my wits end because of this and I would truly like to have some much needed help on getting my vehicle fixed.
The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact immediately pulled to the side of the roadway. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that after turning off and restarting the vehicle, the steering wheel started shuddering, was making an abnormal ticking sound, and was significantly difficult to turn. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was charged a fee for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the power steering motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The mechanic determined that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a knock, clicking, and looseness in the steering column while turning the steering wheel in either direction. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The local dealer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.
My vehicle engine light came in around 20k miles. It would come on and go off at that time. When I went in for my oil change, I was told that it was an air filter issue and Chevrolet would fix it. That was not the case when I tried to have it fixed. I begin to experience the engine light coming on and staying to which I took it back to be looked at and was told that nothing was wrong other than I needed the oil changed. I took it back to the dealership after it started to wobble and shake as well as cut itself all the way off while driving. I had disabled the auto stop/start so that wasn’t an issue. The dealership ran a full diagnostic test and told me that I needed an oil change which I did and it might be a throttle issue but they wasn’t sure. The vehicle is now not only stopping while driving but it is making a ticking noise like an explosive. I’ve called GM and made a complaint and have yet to speak to anyone about this issue. The vehicle had electrical issues when I first got it and I had to have a jump start very early in my ownership of the vehicle
I bought a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu LT on April 26, 2023 from Lake Hartwell Chevrolet in Toccoa Ga. It drove fine for 3 days. Then a chirping started in the steering wheel. On May 3rd. While I was taking my wife to our baby doctors visit, as I turned into the parking lot, the engine light came on, and the steering failed. I was able to safely get it into the parking lot and out of the way of the other cars. I called the dealership and they had it towed to their shop. They charged the battery saying that's all that was wrong with it. However, as the clean up guy at the shop was bringing it to me, the engine light came on again and he took it back to the shop. Within the next 14 days from then, they replaced the steering module, battery terminals, which seemed burnt, they said, and realigned it. However, all of this is word of mouth as I was not given any paperwork verifying this repair. The next day, the chirp returned. It has very loose steering and sways easily from side to side. Also, upon a diagnostic check by another certified mechanic, the computer would not link and give codes. He told me one of the computers in the car was bad, but not sure which one. I checked and I can not qualify for the lemon law, so I contacted the general manager and said I wanted to return the car and my bank returned their money. Or, another chevrolet car, from Chevrolet, not from this lot. This car is unsafe for me and my family. He said that was not possible as the tag and title has been processed. So I am ready to pursue legal action. The cars they let me drive during my cars repair were junky, too. One wouldn't drive over 30mph and the other had a ticking motor. I feel this business presents a danger to anyone who in need of and buys a car from them. Date of ownership: April 26, '23-present. Today is May 24,'23. They have also failed to give me the paperwork verifying the Chevrolet Lifetime Warranty on the Powertrain and Transmission. That was promised on the day of sale.
Related recalls
Engine
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles equipped with 1.5L turbo engines. An error in the Engine Control Module (ECM) software may result in the fuel injectors being disabled.
- Risk
- Disabled fuel injectors would prevent the engine from starting and may cause a stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the ECM software, free of charge. The recall began October 16, 2019. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1‑800‑630‑2438. GM's number for this recall is N192221960.
Recall number 19V642000 · Recall details
Questions about the Chevrolet Malibu knocking
Which Chevrolet Malibu years have engine knocking or ticking problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2005 (22 complaints), 2000 (19 complaints) and 2004 (12 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix engine knocking or ticking on the Chevrolet Malibu?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $1,000 (median of 10 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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