2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU Electrical System Problems

Have been getting reduced engine power since the summer on and off. Check engine light says its throttle bottle sensor and accelerator pedal position sensor. Which I was told there was a recall but my vin isn’t listed

I am reporting a recurring safety defect related to GM’s known “Shift to Park” issue. My vehicle displays a “Shift to Park” warning even when the vehicle is already in park, preventing the car from shutting off properly and creating a safety risk. This issue has been widely reported and associated with GM recalls and service bulletins. GM previously repaired this issue once while my vehicle was under warranty, acknowledging it as a known defect. The same defect has now reoccurred after the warranty period expired. GM is refusing to repair it again, despite the issue being recall-related and tied to a known defective design rather than wear and tear. This defect affects safe vehicle operation, risks battery drain, rollaway hazards, and driver distraction. I believe this is an unresolved safety defect that should be covered regardless of warranty status.

On December 16, 2025 the check engine light and service stabiltrek warning light appeared on my 2016 Chevy Malibu Hybrid. On December 17, 2015 I took the car the Capital Cheverolet service dept who has been servicing my car regularly for the past five years. They performed a complete diagnostics on my car that determined I need to "replace the EBCM with brake pressure modulator valve" and said it would cost over $2800.00. Upon further research I discovered that the same make model and year was recalled under recall #39440. I also learned the my VIN number was not included in this recall. This is a safety defect that has rendered my car not drivable until I get it fixed. As a senior citizen on a fixed income I am unable to fixed. I would like to know why was my car not included in the recall and if its...

The vehicle went into shift to park and will not turn off. This is a known problem with ALL GM vehicles that hasn’t been fixed or offered a warranty for. It’s dangerous and causes the car not to move shut off in traffic and drains the battery. My car currently isn’t working due to this issue and the repair to fix is too much with no assistance from GM for a known defect. My car was almost hit because of the car had to be towed because it’s unable to be moved.

My 2016 Malibu has a severe EBCM-related safety defect causing all four brakes to drag and overheat (reaching 240°F), leading to unstable handling. This condition mirrors the 2016 Malibu EBCM recall (GM Recall 39440). I sought help from GM. A GM-certified dealer-Monken in Centralia, IL performed a “diagnostic scan” which documented the core hydraulic failure: a constant, uncommanded 6.839 psi residual brake line pressure when the pedal was released. (A healthy system should be near 0 psi) This 6.839 psi is actively forcing the brakes to drag. The dealer ignored their own scientific data and submitted a fraudulent diagnosis of ("rust buildup") to GM, which GM used to deny the claim based on mileage. “Rust buildup” doesn’t create hydraulic pressure. GM is aware of this specific, documented, quantifiable safety defect (the 6.839 psi pressure) and is refusing to investigate it further. I stressed to GM that the vehicle wasn’t safe...

URGENT Complaint: NO RESPONSE to Demand for Rescission - Odometer Fraud, Deceptive Practices - Banner Ford of Monroe, LA

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after driving and parking the vehicle, the contact entered the residence; however, upon returning to the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced. The vehicle was diagnosed, and determined that the camshaft, fuel vacuum pump, and camshaft sensor needed to be replaced. The Oxygen sensors were replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

The engine power reduced came light came on along with service stability trac. The car would stall after going into auto stop and just shut off. In certain instances it would shutoff when slowed down enough. It was brought in for service where the turbo charge solenoid starter and catalytic converter annd alternator all were replaced due to the turbo braking into pieces and being lodged into the converter and engine. Less than a week later the car returned to stalling at the auto stop feature. When brought in for service it was linked to the alternator and engine control module and mass air flow sensor. The car was then serviced again six months later for the alternator again. Now the car is once again stuck in engine power reduced with no direct codes linked to the problem and the starter was replaced and now the engine is remaining in...

INTERMITTENT SHIFT TO PARK MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHILE VEHICLE IN PARK. TWO STATES HAVE SUED AND WON TO HAVE THIS SAFETY PROBLEM TAKEN CARE OF BY GM. (OHIO AND TENN.) SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. WHY NOT. GM SERVICE BULLETIN 19-NA-206, MARCH2024

Vehicle isn’t recognizing that it’s in park, shift to park keeps coming on dashboard which is also causing my vehicle not to change gears correctly

2016 Chevy Malibu is experiencing a “Shift to Park” issue, where the car does not recognize it is in Park even after shifting correctly. This prevents the vehicle from turning off, leaving lights and electronics running, which can drain the battery. A service advisor at AutoNation Chevrolet Orlando confirmed this is a common problem in GM vehicles like the Traverse and Silverado. She explained the repair—replacing the faulty sensor/shifter assembly—typically costs around $800. Beyond battery drain, there are safety concerns, since the system’s failure to recognize Park could risk the car rolling if the brakes disengage. The issue first appeared about four months ago, went away, and has now reoccurred.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after driving vehicle and shifting into park(P), there was a dinging alert sounded, with the “Shift to Park" message displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to turn off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was a known issue and was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). The local dealer was contacted and instructed the contact to shift to neutral and then park. The instruction worked once, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact called an independent mechanic who was uncertain of how to repair the vehicle and suggested that the contact check for recalls. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. The VIN was not available.

Engine power reduced defect, causing affected models to lose power while driving at highway speeds. My son’s was driving 55 mph and then all of sudden the car decelerated to 20 mph in minutes before his 2016 Malibu stalled on [XXX]. Unfortunately the car did not make it to the emergency lane and as a result a SUV hit his car killing my daughter who was 33 weeks pregnant. The baby survived with lifelong injuries. Despite this recall, GM failed to notify vehicle owners, including the owner of the vehicle involved in the fatal accident on [XXX], in Dallas, Texas, resulting in my daughter’s death. This defect has been found in several 2016 Malibus, prompting a class action lawsuit against GM. Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit reported having to restart their vehicles or replace faulty accelerator pedal position sensors to address the issue. GM's failure to notify vehicle owners...

When I put the car in park and try to turn the car off the Shift Park message comes on preventing me from cutting the car completely off. I put in back in drive or reverse then back in park it still dings and shows the message. I takes a number of repeating these steps for it to stop and turn off and this is happening every time I'm trying to turn the car off.

I am filing a complaint regarding ongoing and worsening issues with my Chevrolet vehicle, which appear to point to broader defects involving the engine and electrical systems. Months ago, while driving, the car suddenly lost power and displayed "Engine Power Reduced." I had to keep using it due to work needs. Over time, it hesitated more during acceleration and felt increasingly unsafe. When I finally brought it to a Chevrolet service center, I was told the issue involved the pistons. The vehicle also regularly shows a "Shift to Park" warning even when the gear is in Park, raising concerns about the transmission's reliability. The power loss continues, especially when going uphill — again triggering the "Engine Power Reduced" alert and dropping the speed to no more than 35 MPH. A diagnostic showed a P0302 code for a cylinder 2 misfire. The radio head unit, already replaced once under warranty, failed...

Shift to park message and park not fully engaging. This caused the vehicle to roll back when parked on an incline.

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%...

To whom it may concern, I am writing to formally report a recurring safety-related issue with my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The vehicle consistently displays a “Shift to Park” warning message, even when the gear selector is properly in the Park position. This malfunction prevents the car from turning off completely and poses a serious safety and reliability concern. This issue first occurred while the vehicle was under warranty, and the dealership performed a repair. However, the problem has returned, and my warranty has since expired. Despite the previous fix, the issue continues to persist. This malfunction is widely documented among other 2016–2019 Chevy Malibu owners and appears to stem from a design or manufacturing flaw in the shifter assembly or park switch. I am concerned that this defect could: Prevent the vehicle from being securely parked. Lead to battery drain due to the vehicle not shutting off. Pose a risk...

Vehicle will display on dashboard “Shift to park” while the vehicle is placed in “P”. The engine will turn off, but the power remains on until the battery is disconnected from the vehicle. Codes have been verified by the Chevrolet dealership.

MY SHIFT TO PARK LIGHT IS COMING ON

I had my vehicle for about 2 years. I noticed that after I went over a certain amount of mileage, my car went into an engine power reduce mode. With the engine power reduce mode my vehicle could only go 25 mph. This was happening to me when I was driving on major highways, etc.. I would have to pull over and stop the vehicle because after certain amount of time it also would tell me oil pressure low to stop engine. I took it to the Chevy dealership to have it looked at. I got the runaround with trying to figure out exactly what the issue was. They kept telling me that it was something else I spent over $1600 in repairs due to them, telling me that they found the issue and corrected it. After about another week or two, The same issue happened, engine power reduced stop...

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding an ongoing issue I have encountered with my 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. Recently, I experienced a significant problem with the vehicle’s trunk and rear seat release mechanism, which has made it impossible for me to access the trunk or fold down the rear seats. The specific issues I am facing are as follows: Trunk Latch Stuck: The trunk latch has become stuck, and I am unable to open the trunk manually or with the remote key fob. The latch mechanism appears to be malfunctioning, and it will not unlatch when attempting to open it. Remote Key Fob Failure: The remote key fob, which is typically used to release the trunk, no longer works, making it impossible to access the trunk from outside the vehicle. Seat Release Mechanism: Additionally, the release button for folding down the rear seats is also not functioning, and...

The car has a seat belt electrical problem it makes sound once in a while indicating for the driver to put their seat belt on. Also there is issues with the brake sensor. The #1 issue is the Transmission Accumulator Pressure Pipe, when it breaks all your transmission oil pours out from the bottom of the vehicle. The part is about $20 but if not installed right you will think that your transmission is dead but it's not.

I experienced a check engine light and a "reduced engine power" message in the middle of traffic in the stromy rain. I was driving 35 to 40 mph before vehicle slowed to almost a stop and when pressed gas pedal it excel slowly creeped to less than 30 MPH THANKFUL I wasn't rear-ended.Pulled into nearest Autozone part store and diagnostic scan showed the P2138 code. DC severity, sensor, and accelerator pedal position - see photos attached. Waited with engine off for approx over 30 minutes then started vehicle , engine lght off and proceeded to my destination excell with no issues.This has happened several times since purchase of vehicle began 2019. Throttle body repairs, ECM replacements and harness repairs later still reoccurring documented at dealships and repair shops. This is a serious and costly hazard.

The electrical chip in my EBCM has a malfunction and the brakes will grab and grind at random times. Also at the time electronic stability control will mess up increasing the risk of a crash. Other malibu vehicles with the same year have had a recall on these parts. Mine however was not included but has the same malfunctioning part.

“Shift to park” intermittently indicated when vehicle is in park. Power will not shut off while indicated. Was repaired twice but has returned

On may 23,2024 I was on a very busy highway going 66. All of a sudden my 2016 malibu lt aburtely slowed to 27 miles an hour and two warnings lights came on 1 -engine power is reduced 2 - speed reduced to 27 I barely avoided getting hit by two semi trucks, as well as a car. The car is available for inspection on request. An independent service person confirmed it was indeed a defective electron control and acceleration peddle position sensor. How very irresponsible of you not to put out a recall on the 2016-2018 models knowing very well of the many class action law suits that have arrived from this issue. I probably can guarantee none of you own a Malibu. How very incredious it is that you put people lives in danger knowing that there was issues with the problem. Unbelievable. I almost got killed because...

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently engine seized and the check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the battery would not stay charged. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a no-start dead battery. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of TSB 16-NA-209 in which the failure description was similar to that of the contact's vehicle. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for repair. The dealer was contacted and made aware of the failure and the vehicle had a scheduled service appointment. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.

My car was started shaking really bad and the stabili trak sensor came on. My engine had to be replaced in February 2023. My car was at 66K miles. I rarely drove it. I worked from home for 3 years due to the pandemic. I purchased the car with about 12K miles. I was on my way home and my car just shut off. I could not get it to start at all. The stabili trak light came on. This was in January 2024 with 75K miles. The tow truck driver told me he had picked up multiple Chevrolets experiencing this same issue. It took the dealership almost two months to figure out that the crank sensor needed to be replaced.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, an alarm sounded and the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as needed. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V502000 (Electrical System, Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. No assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 40,000.

I'm adding to a complaint where I have found recall problems in the past on the model and the problem is still there the car shows the car is in park but it shows action is required shift the car to park and it's already in park I have a video I can't upload it.i purchased the car august 2023 for 28000 with a extended warranty that isn't right Hopefully someone will investigate.

I bought this car August 2013 and I have been constantly having issues with it I contacted the BBB they showed them a check off list of the problem I was having to quiet them I was having rear in issues that they claim they did a full exspection of the vehicle which isn't true they tried to give me excuses now the car shows it's in part but it's saying action is required the car isn't in parking made a video on my phone so they can't make a excuse this should be a recall because I have read reviews with people having the same problem not once but two times after the first repair and it's not fair to the consumer someone need to investigate the dealerships.I can't get my video to upload I do have a short video on my cell phone

When the auto shutdown feature on the car turns off the engine at a stop light; stop sign; or other reason, sometimes the cars entire electrical system shuts down. This happened twice to me. Once at a stoplight and once when freeway traffic came to a sudden stop. You cannot open the electrical trunk to get hazard lights or jumper cables; cannot get the car out of gear or out of park to move it safely out of traffic; cannot turn car hazard lights on; or even unlock a door that is locked. On freeway incident, I was in the middle of 3 lanes and traffic quickly got back up to ~60 mph. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the car and a few hundred feet away in case someone hit my car. This happened during the day and I cannot imagine how someone would see a stalled...

I am very upset right because I purchased this Chevy Malibu 2016 from Vroom. It was fine at first and then things start to go downhill. For starters my tire light came on first only a week after having the car, then the shift into was appearing on the dashboard as well as the engine light. Then my husband spent almost 2000 on the brakes because the car was making this horrible sound and I almost couldn't stop the car because the pedal was stuck and would not push down. Thank God no one was hurt. Then my car just shut off twice one day at a busy intersection, it went completely dead with my children in the car. This is a ongoing issue. Now I had a diagnostic test ran on my vehicle and it was said I needed a new motor only after having the car for only...

REAR SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO PARK WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF. TRUNK, BACK SEAT, HEADLINER, ENTIRE CARPETED FLOOR, FRONT SEATS GET WET WHEN CAR IS WASHED OR IT RAINS. MOLD IS BEGINNING TO GROW INSIDE TRUNK AND HEADLINER.

Shift to park message appears on dash screen when car is attempting to shut off ignition when shifter is in park position. Can't turn off car.

Shift to park message while in park position when attempting to shut off car; I can't cut off car without making many tries. this has happened before dealer repairing the problem and within two years dealer installing new "fix.".

*Accelerator Pedal Position Sensor- It is available upon request. * Due to the malfunction of the accelerator Pedal Position Sensor, the check engine light comes on and it flashes "engine reduced power" which slows the car down to a very low rate of speed not allowing the driver to go any faster. I was on the highway going speeds of around 75mph and that light came on and slowed my vehicle down which caused the car behind me to almost run into the back of my vehicle. I've had this occurrence with this problem several times. * UNKNOWN *UNKNOWN *No, absolutely nothing prior to the check engine light and "engine reduced power". The issue is sporadic and happens at any given moment. There is no warning that alerts when this happens.

My car enters a reduced engine power mode causing my car to slow down during high speeds with a potential acciden…. the Malfunction Indicator Light (Check Engine Light) will illuminate, the ‘Engine Power is Reduced’ message will display. I have called GM and was told it wouldn't be covered, I have talked to the dealer and taken it in before but I can't afford to keep paying a $150 fee to have my car looked at. I have been having this issue since April

My 2016 Chevy Malibu that does not have many miles on it is shifting into, Reduced Engine Power Mode. When this comes on I cannot accelerate up to speeds and can only go about 25 MPH. It is dangerous that my car can go from highway speeds to this slow. I have had 0 issues before this started happening and other Malibus have been recalled for this same issue.

I'm having a problem with the car going into park. When it's in park, the doors will not lock in the vehicle will Just drain the battery.

My 2016 Malibu is a piece of shit. Randomly, and this cannot be anticipated or reproduced, I will be driving and the car will say "engine power has been reduced". This is dangerous! It takes me from 70 mph on the highway to 15 mph almost immediately. I cannot speed up. It has almost caused at lease 5 accidents. It happens on the freeway, regular roads etc. and Chevrolet refuses to issue a recall to fix it. I can't take it into a dealership because it cannot be reduced and Chevrolet was EXTREMELY rude. They said you issue recalls and I need to contact you. The most recent date this happened was 9/25/2023 but it has happened many other times.

The accelerates by itself while driving the car cut off and won’t crank. While driving all kind of light a signals come across the dashboard. It’s dangerous for me to drive I’ve replaced battery, alternator and map censor. My sister has a Cruze and her car is doing the something my friend has a Malibu and it is doing the same thing as my vehicle. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

When the vehicle is shifted (manual transmission) from any gear into park, and the vehicle is turned off, the "Shift into Park" warning appears. I verified it was in the park. Warning stays on from 1-5 minutes, leaving all outside marker and headlights on until the sensor engages and the vehicle returns to proper state (outside marker and headlights shut off and interior dome light turns on for exiting the vehicle. This occurs each time the vehicle is driven, and the malfunction has caused a reduced battery power (eventually replacement) and outside light replacement from unnecessary use. Losing battery power has left us stranded, and the loss of outside lighting reduces our visibility for other drivers to see the vehicle. Upon research, this has been reported and reproduced numerous times to the manufacturer, dealers, and NHTSA with no solutions reached except charging the customer to repair the issue (this is...

Shift to park displayed when gear was already in park I was traveling on the highway when I felt the speed decline and engine speed reduced was then displayed. Thank you.

Ever time I put car in park it say shit to park I have to restart the car 3 or 4 time and move shift stricken more then 3 time to finally make it go off

While driving, my car will read reduce power engine, and go to 40mph and then i have to pull over and turn off my car and restart, sometimes it will dismiss the problem and drive normal but sometimes it goes right back to reduce power engine and 40mph again. My gears sometimes will be stuck in park.

Intermittent "Shift to Park" message started to show up when attempting to turn off vehicle. GM does have a special bulletin 19-NA-206 but doesn't have the coverage stated in it. There is also class action law suits as well so this is a common concern.

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that she noticed water markings located on the inner hood lining of the vehicle and water had saturated the trunk of the vehicle. As a result, the alarm started to malfunction. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a body shop where it was determined that water had entered the vehicle by the windshield enclosure. The contact stated that she had the windshield replaced and the screws tightened; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was notified of the failure however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Problem with losing power in auto stop