Chevrolet Malibu won't shift problems

Filed Nov 8, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · NY

My 2022 Chevrolet Malibu is experiencing severe and progressively worsening electrical, transmission, powertrain, and braking problems. While driving, the RPMs climb to 5,000 or higher, but the vehicle struggles to accelerate and maintain speed. It enters limp mode and feels as though the transmission is stuck in a lower gear. I have had to pull over on the highway, shut the vehicle off, and restart it to temporarily restore normal operation. Initially, this lasted approximately 10 minutes, but now the vehicle only drives normally for about 2 minutes before the problem returns. The dashboard gauges repeatedly drop completely to zero, return to normal, and drop again. The gear selector physically moves, but the vehicle sometimes does not recognize the selected gear, making it difficult to shift into Park or Drive. The air conditioning also stops cooling and blows weak, hot air. The check engine light remains solid. Approximately two days ago, I also began experiencing loud thudding noises that appear to come from underneath the vehicle when braking. Due to these worsening problems, I pulled over at the nearest gas station and had the vehicle towed to a Chevrolet/GMC repair facility. These recurring failures create serious safety concerns, especially when driving on highways. Unexpected loss of acceleration, transmission malfunctions, electrical interruptions, inability to select gears, and braking noises could cause an accident and endanger other motorists. I am also aware of another 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experiencing potentially similar issues, although with different symptoms, including a flashing check engine light. I am requesting an investigation into potential safety defects involving the transmission, powertrain, electrical system, instrument cluster, and braking system.

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Fuel system · FL

Driving along the highway the CEL light came on followed by reduced engine power warning. Vehicle abruptly slowed down to 35mph (limp mode). Were there to be another vehicle behind me, they would have to do emergency braking. My vehicle would not start after pulling over to the shoulder. A tow truck was dispatched, and after diagnosis from the service center; The fuel pump module was found to be defective.

Filed Aug 21, 2026 · Transmission · 96,035 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed; however, the RPM was extremely elevated. The vehicle then lost motive power and went into LIMP Mode, and the vehicle failed to exceed 15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on three separate occasions. After the first failure, the dealer stated that the failure was caused by an inoperable sensor, and the fuel pump was reprogrammed. The contact stated that after the second failure, which was associated with the turbo, the powertrain module was reprogrammed. The third failure was associated with the turbo seals. The failure reoccurred after all three repairs. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 96,035.

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Acceleration, Driver assistance · 160,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after driving for 5 miles, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, with the message "Service Traction" displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle operated as intended after cooling down; however, the failure recurred after driving 5 miles. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with high resistance in the BCM harness. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC); which was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the recall repair was a one-time free-of-charge repair. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Filed Jun 12, 2026 · Engine · 68,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle intermittently entered LIMP mode. The message "Turn off to Reduce Power Failure" was displayed, and the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The Check Engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the cause of the failure was unidentifiable. The independent mechanic cleared the diagnostic trouble code; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the turbocharger had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to an unknown the federal safety agency Campaign Number; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

Filed May 26, 2026 · Engine · 70,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly entered limp mode with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the turbocharger had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer referred the contact to the federal safety agency hotline for further assistance. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Filed Apr 28, 2026 · Transmission · 89,992 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the gear shifter was intermittently stuck in park(P). The contact turned the steering wheel, engaged and disengaged the parking brake several times, per the Owner's manual instructions, and the gear shifter was able to shift out of park(P). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure recurred. The mechanic was able to move the gear shifter out of park(P) after several attempts. The mechanic was unable to diagnose the vehicle and referred the contact to a dealer for assistance. The contact contacted two dealers, who advised that there was no availability for an appointment. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 89,992.

Filed Apr 15, 2026 · Engine · 128,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and went into LIMP Mode. The contact continued driving until being able to safely stop. Once the vehicle was stopped, it was turned off and restarted after a while. The failure occurred while the contact was attempting to accelerate and had become more persistent. The check engine warning light was illuminated with the message “Reduce Engine Power” displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that there was a failure with the turbocharger. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The manufacturer informed the contact that there was no recall for the issue. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

Filed Apr 14, 2026 · Engine · OR

The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. Due to the issue, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode, and the contact was forced to pull over and turn off the vehicle. The contact waited approximately 30-40 minutes before restarting the vehicle and resuming normal driving. The vehicle was previously taken to a dealer; however, no codes were found. The mechanic informed the contact that the failure could be caused by the floormat being under the accelerator pedal. The contact had the floormat removed; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was notified of the failure, and another appointment was scheduled to service the vehicle. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

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!