2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU Engine Problems
267 NHTSA complaints on file
All Engine Complaints — Page 2
I was driving the vehicle on a busy road and a message came up on the display above the steering column saying Engine Power Reduced. I went to brake and was unable to push the pedal in as it was extremely stiff. There were vehicles around me and I tried to use both feet and stand on the brakes and was able to get a little bit of movement but the car still didn't slow down. I had my significant other and brother-in-law in the car and we were all horrified we were going to get into an accident. I turned the hazard lights on and was able to steer to avoid hitting several vehicles and when traffic finally cleared I was able to get over and off the road into a gas station that was uphill and allowed us to slow down and finally stop because I put the...
Engine power reduced
My check engine light will come on, a message will pop up on the screen saying, "steering assist reduced drive with care." When i come to a stop and my car goes into auto stop the car will completely shut down. This can be in the middle of the street or during traffic. It will take my car awhile to start back up. I was told it is a sensor that is going bad consistently, this has happened to me 3 times. This is a known issue with a lot of Chevy Malibu.
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 75 MPH AND I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND THEY DIDNT WORK I HAD TO TAKE MY FEET OFF THE GAS AND LET IT STOP ON ITS ON AND IT WAS SCARY. I GLAD TO BE ALIVE. AND WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT STATED THE I NEEDED TO SHIFT TO PARK AND I COULDNT CUT THE CAR OFF SO AFTER CALLING SOMEONE TO COME GET ME FROM OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE RIDE. I HAD TO KEEP PUTTING THE GEAR IN PARK FOR IT TO GO IN PARK ANF THE MESSAGE WENT AWAY BUT IT KEEPS COMING ON.
The auto start stop function malfunctioning at a red light, causing vehicle to turn off completely. Vehicle will turn on once the brake is released. The transmission is slipping as well switching from first gear to second gear and causing a delay in departure.
While driving on the highway my dashboard displayed a warning of “reduced power steering “, engine light came off and on, loss of speed , and “stabilitracking” light came on. Brakes also vibrated badly as if they were unable to hold a grip. I was unable to accelerate and was really in danger. The car was taken immediately to the dealership where they replaced the battery and told me it was repaired. On my return from the airport the next morning at 4:30 the same lights and warnings displayed on the dash once again and I had it towed immediately to the dealership. We are now 3 days in and I have gotten no explanation as to what is going on with my vehicle.
SHIFT TO PARK BUT VEHICLE US IN PARK ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, CAUSING ENGIBE POWER TO BE DROPPED REDUCED
I have a 2018 Malibu with a very long list of major issues. The Engine loses power constantly along with a “Engine Reduced Power” warning and check engine light. I get a constant “shift to park” message even after placed in park. All the steering wheel buttons/controls do not work. With the exception of the cruise control. Car almost red lines after the power message displays when you try to increase the speed of the vehicle. The back axle/suspension/hubs make a very loud popping sound when I back up or drive forward. Both back wheel assemblies make a very loud wobble noise when driving. Almost like the assemble is going bad. The Auto Stop/Start causes a lot of issues. It causes the car to jerk horribly and that’s when you hear the popping in the back axles the most. Idk if there is an option to turn this off in...
Purchase car in December 2018, had 3 engine replacement. I am currently in the 3 engine replacement. And still experiencing the same issue - check engine light permanently on for 2 months now. Issues A whistling sound from an opening vent in the hood since last engine replaced. Call stalls, reduces speed and jerk when trying to accelerate . Have reached out to Reed lallier Chevrolet they making it seems that normal and ok. I am scared to drive and cause an accident because the car stalls before picking up. When you put the car in park, the car still not registering at park it is still moving you have to sit and clear the dash board (shift to park, even thou it is in park). Chevrolet only gave 1 engine replacement and $100 gift card. Every other expense is on me, when I still have to pay for the...
Cam-driven Brake Booster Vacuum failure without warning. My engine died, my brake pedal and steering wheel stiffened, while in moderate traffic. I had use excessive brake force to slow my vehicle to a stop. Currently have 78,012 miles as it is sitting in the repairs shop. This is the first time it has happened, but I worry it may happen again because upon further research, it is a very common part failure.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 65-70 MPH and overtaking another vehicle, the vehicle decelerated to 45 MPH unintendedly, with the "Engine Power Reduced" message displayed. The contact exited the highway and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring increasingly and also occurred while driving 25 MPH. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
2018 Chevy Malibu over 5 times this happens since we bought it brand new it has "Reduced Engine Power" error come on and the car can't accelerate over 30 miles per hour. This is a continued problem all the time and very dangerous when we are on the tollway that has a 70-mph speed limit, and you can't get the car to go over 30 mph. This same problem happens on our 2017 Chevy Malibu that we bought brand new since we owned it too and I have already put in a complaint filed today! This is extremely dangerous and takes you a long time to get home when you can only go 30 mph or less because of the "Reduced Engine Power" Limit. GM needs to recall these Malibu's and fix the dangerous "Reduced Engine Power" error because it's dangerous to the driver in rush hour traffic and on...
The car continuously is throwing a code P2138 and a warning comes up on dash saying reduced engine power. This happened 6 times to me yesterday wherein I was traveling on 1 lane winding roads in my neighborhood so the speed drops from wherever it is down to 10mph instantly. On 1 lane roads in the area where I reside there’s no safe place to pull over. This is extremely dangerous and a massive safety hazard and risk to my life!
I got P2138 code, i replaced the accelerator pedal on my cost because the dealer told me my car VIN is not include in the recall, the code keep coming back even after replacing the pedal. The problem it happen two time were I was driving on thruway "65 mph" the speed suddenly reduced to less than 30 mph which put me and the other drivers safety in dangerous situation
Suddenly loss of power at cruising speeds. Trouble with acceleration and loss of power. Unresponsiveness from the engine. The Check Engine Light illuminate, OBD2 call for code P2138. The speed stuck at 30 m/h on the 65 m/h thruway which cause unsafe situation for me and other drivers on the road. When googling this issue on the internet, reviews show it is common problem in this model. GM refuses to fix this issue at their cost because "according to the VIN number of my car, it is not included in the recall list" which it does not make sense.
On Nov. 18th 2022 while driving on county Rd at 55mph I slowed to make a left turn. As I went to accelerate at about 30mph the vehicle lost power, I pulled over shut off the vehicle. I started the vehicle and the engine symbol appeared, I continued to drive, I had power so I entered the interstate. About 2 min. of driving The vehicle went from 70mph to 40mph. I pulled into a dealership to see if I could get the vehicle looked at. They said they were booked up that it would be about ten days. I continued to my destination there were no other issues beside the engine light staying on. At a half tank of gas I filled up, when I went to leave the The engine light was off. No other issues since.
Was driving to work when suddenly my check engine light comes on and I get a warning reading “reduce power to engine” could feel the power literally reduce. Car won’t go pass 30MPH could hear the engine trying to accelerate but struggling too. This is the second time it happens, have noticed other complain about this on going issue with 2016-2018 models
I keep getting a reoccurring message saying Engine Speed reduced, I can be driving going 60+MPH and randomly My car speed is reduced. This is becoming a safety issue as i have noticed this is a ongoing issue wit the 2016-2018 Chevy Malibu's.
I paid a significant amount to have my car fixed after bringing it initially the first time in May. Since then I have had to return my car multiple times every other month because the engine light continues to come on and they don’t know why. I have worked directly with JR and have gotten no result. The engine light continues to come on and they continue to not be able to know why, they keep my car for multiple days and can’t explain why the light is on or what they did to remove it and then it comes on a few days or months later with the same issue that they cannot explain. I bought my car in over five times already I have contacted corporate to no avail. When I brought it back the second time they claimed a bunch of things were wrong with it that...
Engine reduced while driving
The steering wheel is jerking when in the position to turn, and waiting at a light. The STOP ENGINE Feature seems to make the jerk motion and also sends an ALERT MESSAGE which is a quick flash STATING "Steering Assist is REDUCED- Drive with Care". According to a SERVICE BULLETIN Provided by GM BULLETIN #19-NA-182 AUGUST 2019. This is a problem that needs to be corrected, for the safety of my family and others in the vehicle and on the road. Next, the car shut off and the command center went blank,
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A defect in the cam shaft solenoids causes a notice that "Engine Power is Reduced." At that point, the engine begins to struggle to accelerate from a stop, and from increasing speed while on the highway. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The unpredictability of the defect and its affect while driving poses a large threat to safety, particularly on the highway. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The dealership service rep not only confirmed the defect, but also confirmed that the issue persists across multiple GM models yet no recall exists. Again, this is a KNOWN defect with GM engines, as confirmed directly by the dealership. Despite this, no remedy was offered, I was told it's neither covered by...
MOTOR DIED GOING DOWN THE ROAD Car is available for inspection If I had been crossing the street without the aid of a stoplight, I would have been T-Boned Vehicle problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by the dealer. Vehicle component has not been inspected by dealer or anyone else. The check engine light and logo came on as the engine was shutting down. I went into the trunk on the passenger side and shook and twisted the wires going into the control module mounted to the trunk wall. This was suggested for the 2016 Malibu which had a recall. There should be a recall on the 2018 also. After repeated shaking and attempting to start the motor, it finally started. I drove it home and parked it. When I went to read the code, the engine started and ran for a couple of minutes and stalled again. The...
12/27/2021 I started my car to leave work & noticed a loud tap. I've worked for dealerships in the past & was part owner of my own repair shop for many years. Popped the hood, checked the oil level which was good, & figured I'd be fine to drive it home to park it & then hook the scanner up. Mid-way home I received an engine performance notification on my dash, but other than that it seemed safe with no diminished speed. Less than 3 miles from home I went to stop at a red light & had the hardest brake pedal I've ever felt in my life. I was fortunate nobody was around me so I put all the weight of my body on the pedal to stop the car at the light. The engine was sputtering & the steering felt tight & it felt like it was stalling,...
My car just stopped in the middle of the road , and would not start again for a few minutes. Then is was in low power mode , no brakes either after that , found that problem to be a bad Vaccum pump , which G M didn’t even have , and a faulty Accelerator Pedal sensor !
I was driving app. 41 miles per hour in heavy Friday traffic on 10/7/2022 and the check engine light lit up and the car dropped to about 20 miles per hour and would not pick up speed. The rpm was staying on about 3000. I pulled over and called my husband. We set for awhile and restarted the car and the light went off and it drove as normal
My car will stop and have no power now the heat shut off and won’t come back on it’s just doing some crazy stuff I looked up all the recalls for 2018 Malibu and it was a lot so why mines isn’t listed
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled, causing the power steering and power brake functionality to become inoperable. The contact stated he was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated. The contact had managed to coast off to the side of the roadway. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to restart the vehicle and he was able to drive the vehicle to his destination. The contact stated that the failure started off as an intermittent failure, but gradually had become a constant failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred and the vehicle had to be towed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer on several occasions to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. Additionally, the contact stated that the radio would randomly switch through the preselected stations. The...
I was driving around 50 MPH and the car began to sputter and it wasn't getting in gas. It slowed down to 20 MPH and I had to stop on side of road. It behaved as if it were out of gas, but it had a qtr tank of gas. It would not start after I stopped it. I took it dealership and they still do not have an answer. There should be a recall on this. Numerous reports that are similar to my scenario.
The stability track system comes on the vehicle slows down and stops in traffic. Then it says shift to park and will not start. The computer often displays reduce engine power.
I was driving 35 mph when the message "reduced engine power" and it noticably slowed down. The check engine light is still on. I researched recalls/problems with the 2018 Chevy Malibu and this is one major one I found.
I was leaving the gas station and when I got ready to pull off into traffic the car stalled. Flashed a message saying the automatic steering was disabled or something drive with care. I go out this morning and it won't start at all. It cranks but won't turn.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated the vehicle's reduce engine warning light would illuminate at various speeds. The contact would pull over unlock then lock the vehicle in order for the vehicle's warning light to no longer illuminate and to regain proper function. While driving 75 mph when the engine warning light stating reduced speed illuminated. The mph dropped to about 25 mph. The vehicle's OnStar displayed a message stating that the antilock brake system was detected and the vehicle powered off shortly after. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the crankshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that their vehicle was not included in any recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
On 3 occasions, my vehicle has displayed the message “Engine Power is Reduced.” It has 83, 990 miles. I took it to the dealership to have them check it out, but I was told they couldn’t check it because the check engine light was no longer on. This is a problem because the warning will come on, then the check engine light turns off after the car has been turn off. The Chevy dealership says there is a three day wait for them to conduct a diagnostic, but what are the chances the check engine light will remain on? After having gone through this process on three separate occasions, the check engine light hasn’t appeared the next day. I have read about how others may be experiencing this problem and they do not have some resolution to this kind of problem. My wife generally drives this car, so I fear...
While im driving the stabilitrack warning will pop on then the engine light & immediately after my car will jerk to a almost stop. Then when I try to press on the gas peddle it will go slow but my peddle power goes to a 4. The dealership said it was my tire speed sensors so I got them replaced all to STILL have the same problem. It will also read power stirring not available & shift to park even tho I’m already in park.
Engine power reduced notification came on the dashboard and car deaccelerated down to less than 25 miles an hour on the highway on multiple occasions. On the last occasion about 2 months ago the notification came on again, the car stalled and would not start up again. This was in ongoing traffic and I could have been seriously injured if people behind me were unable to stop in time. I sat in the middle of traffic for 45 minutes until fire and rescue came and pushed my car out of the road and onto the shoulder until the tow truck came.
Son was driving my 2018 Malibu with 90,000 miles. Check engine light came on and car reduced speed from 75mph to 40mph on interstate! Autozone reading says replace Variable Camshaft Timing Solenoid. Very dangerous situation. Chevy should have to fix this.
I’ve brought the car in for the same thing “engine power reduced “ and they never were able to fix has been going on since February of 2019. codes related to the engine power reduced still occurred and are occurring on my vehicle, reported it to Gm ( have the emails) they offer me $2500 for a new car but won’t put it towards fixing this car, as it’s not a guaranteed fix as the vehicle has been brought in over 4-5 times for the same engine power reduced and never fixed it. I received a letter from GM regarding they will cover anything to do with “engine power reduced “ at no charge and now they won’t fix it. The last email gm said to report it to the dealership giving me the run around. This is one of MANY almost got in an accident today on the highway...
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH and coming to a complete stop, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle Stop feature engaged independently as designed, causing the engine to stop running. However, upon releasing the brake pedal, the vehicle stalled and shut off. The contact was unable to veer to the side of the road. The contact shifted into the park, depressed the pedal, and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred twice. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that no issues were found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the dealer. A case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Warning: Reduced speed, car stalled in the middle of traffic. Took to dealer ship and they charged me $279 and said it was the battery, from the looks of everyone else’s complaint, which we have the same complaint, I got ripped off. I deserve a refund and we all deserve our cars serviced.
Certain @018 Chevy malibu models has a recall for asoftware problem could disable the fuel injectors And im currently having this issue where my vehicle will not start all of the time and is misfiring.
Experienced electrical issues and engine issues since car was purchased in 2019. The car will stall randomly if stopped at a light or moving slowly in traffic. The breaks also skip when slowing down, I taken by break check and they advised the breaks where good, just had them done 2 years ago, max. I had the batteries replaced twice in the last 2 years,there is no faulty in the battery. Right now my car is not working at all, the breaks became stiff while driving, constant error saying "Reduced Engine Power". The car would turn over but it will not hold. I took it to my local mechanic, who advised he replaced all parts that could be the issue but the car still will not run right. He states it's and Engine or computer issue. There are a few recalls already issued by chevy, my car was made in...
UNKNOWN . Stabilitrak , power steering drive with care, and steering assist is reduced drive with care light turned on . I was on the freeway with my newborn and the car was slowly giving out and suddenly stopped while in the carpool lane . Took it to the car dealer and did a diagnostics and codes u100,u0101, u0415, and u0073 popped up . This is the second time this same exact thing has happened to me same messages popped up so I took it to the dealer and codes p0300 came out and p050D came out . This malfunction could have caused a serious injury to myself or my family .
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle decelerated to 40 MPH independently. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road for five minutes. The contact was able to continue to drive with no other issues. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred twice while driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.
The car is going slow when you put it on drive a jumps then when you press on the gas it goes real slow then it kicks in at a faster level but when am at like 30 mlp it Jenks as if it wants to lock on me
Vehicle won't start and dealership determine it was the battery. Replaced battery now vehicle shuts off completely when making a complete stop. Vehicle will maintain in normal operation if shifted into neutral upon stopping. The vehicle was taken to Harper Motor Dealership where it was determine the starter was bad. After replacing the starter the next the problem remained. Took the vehicle back the next day and after three days it was determined a GM expert was needed to determine the issue. One week later and a proposed bill of $3500 to repair I decided to write this down. This appears to be a major safety issue that could cause harm or death. This has been an issue since 2013 in the Malibu and the issue has still not been corrected.
Driving at highway speed and the speed decreased to 20 mph engine power reduced along with engine light came on extremely unsafe. Purchased Dec 10, 2018 39,000 miles . Kids and myself could’ve been hurt.
Reduced engine power occurs while driving and will indicate a traction control issue and the check engine light will engage. The first time it happened, it was during a snowstorm on 2/24/2022, but it has occurred two other times while driving on a highway on sunny days (3/3/2022 and 3/8/2022) with no snow on the ground, road completely dry. Car speed dropped from approximately 55-60 mph to 20. I have to pull the car off the road, turn it off, and let set for at least one minute turned off before it will have engine power restored. Code for car was checked, and it was P2138, throttle/pedal position sensor switch.
While driving at 55 miles my vehicle displayed engine speed reduced on the dashboard. My vehicle slowed down to only 20 miles in the middle of traffic And wouldn’t pick of speed.I had to put my hazard’s lights on and get to the side of the road as quickly as possible. I turn the car off than turned it back on same thing on dash engine powered reduced. I haven't took the car to the dealership yet
While driving o Leo noticed temp gauge going up. Pulled into a parking area. All my antifreeze had drained through a hole in the lower radiator hose. It had worn through because it was against a pully.
Other 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU Problem Areas
Electrical System
177 complaints
Power Train
153 complaints
Unknown Or Other
147 complaints
Vehicle Speed Control
106 complaints
Fuelpropulsion System
82 complaints
Service Brakes
58 complaints
Steering
37 complaints
Electronic Stability Control Esc
21 complaints
Air Bags
13 complaints
Suspension
12 complaints
Exterior Lighting
9 complaints
Fuel System Gasoline
9 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmissionlever And Linkagefloor Shift
6 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulic
6 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance Automatic Emergency Braking
5 complaints
Structurebody
4 complaints
Back Over Prevention Warnings
3 complaints
Seat Belts
3 complaints
Service Brakes Hydraulicpower Assistvacuum
3 complaints
Visibilitywiper
3 complaints
Back Over Prevention Rearview System Braking
2 complaints
Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection System
2 complaints
Lane Departure Assist
2 complaints
Otheri Am Not Sure
2 complaints
Power Trainautomatic Transmissiongear Position Indication Prndl
2 complaints
Seats
2 complaints
Wheels
2 complaints
Chest Clip Buckle Harness
1 complaint
Electrical Systeminstrument Panelfuel Gauge
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Cooling
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingenginecrankcamshaft Position Sensor
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingengineengine Control Module Ecuecm
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasolineturbosupercharger
1 complaint
Engine And Engine Coolingexhaust Systememission Controlgas Recirculation Valve Egr Valve
1 complaint
Fuel System Gasolinedeliveryfuel Pump
1 complaint
Fuel System Gasolinefuel Injection Systemmass Air Flow Maf Sensor
1 complaint
Lane Departure Warning
1 complaint
Structure
1 complaint
Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields
1 complaint
Suspensionrearshock Absorber
1 complaint
Tirespressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems
1 complaint
Vehicle Speed Controlaccelerator Pedal
1 complaint
Visibility
1 complaint
Visibilitywindshield
1 complaint