Chevrolet Malibu Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability

The issue appears to involve the engine and turbocharger system. The vehicle has shown symptoms consistent with a turbo underboost condition, including loss of power and reduced acceleration. A mechanic indicated that the symptoms may be consistent with diagnostic code P0299 (turbo underboost). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This issue affects safe operation because the vehicle loses power unexpectedly while driving, which creates a risk when merging into traffic, accelerating, or maintaining speed in normal traffic conditions. The loss of power is inconsistent and can occur without warning, increasing the potential safety concern. The problem has been ongoing. The check engine light is currently on and has remained on. The warning light first appeared around January 2026, and the issue has continued since then. Similar turbocharger-related issues have been reported in prior model years, including 2022 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, where coverage or corrective actions were provided, raising concern that the same or similar issue may be affecting 2023 models.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the message "Reduced Engine Power" was displayed. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond and lost automotive power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence on several occasions. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The vehicle was not repaired because the mechanic lacked confidence in performing the required repair. The mechanic referred the contact to the dealer for the repair. Several dealers were contacted and informed that the vehicle was not under warranty or recall coverage. The contact stated that the turbocharger was previously replaced by a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 31,000.

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the camera screen was black. While reversing, the camera failed to engage and was flickering. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V212000 (Back Over Prevention). The local dealer was contacted, and was ordering parts for the recall repair, but requested that the owner show up in person to provide the demographics but declined once the contact was leaving a bad review. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the local dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

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 NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.

My engine keeps decreasing and throwing code p0299, wastegate/turbo, under boost. 84k miles. After a few drive cycles, engine light may go off, then next drive cycle come back on. I’ve seen this is a common issue and has been recalled in previous year model.

We decided to take a road trip 2023 chev Malibu with 142000 miles and transmission goes bad

The rearview camera system fails intermittently when the vehicle is placed in reverse. The display will either show a distorted image or go completely blank without warning. This issue has occurred multiple times. This malfunction significantly reduces rear visibility and creates a dangerous condition while backing, especially in environments with pedestrians or other vehicles. The failure increases the risk of a collision because the driver cannot rely on the camera system to safely monitor the area behind the vehicle. There were no warning lights, alerts, or messages prior to or during the failure. The issue appears to occur randomly and without any clear triggering condition. The vehicle has not yet been repaired because the manufacturer has issued a recall, but the remedy is not yet available. The condition has not yet been inspected by a dealer, but it matches the known recall involving rearview camera failure. The vehicle and camera system are available for inspection upon request.

Component/System Failure: The turbocharger system failed, specifically the wastegate arm, resulting in loss of boost and reduced engine performance. The failed component should be available for inspection upon request through the servicing dealership. Safety Risk: The failure caused a sudden loss of engine power while driving, placing me and others at risk, especially in traffic situations where acceleration is required (such as merging, crossing intersections, or maintaining speed). This created a hazardous driving condition. Confirmation of Issue: The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by an authorized dealership. The diagnosis stated: “turbocharger wastegate arm damaged causing loss of boost and DTC,” which matches known issues described in GM’s Special Coverage. Inspection History: The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership service department. It has not yet been inspected directly by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. Warning Signs Prior to Failure: Yes. The vehicle displayed a check engine light and reduced engine power message prior to the failure. These symptoms began shortly before the vehicle experienced noticeable loss of acceleration and performance. Additional Information: This failure is consistent with a known issue acknowledged by General Motors under Special Coverage for similar vehicles experiencing turbocharger-related defects. Despite having the same failure and symptoms, my vehicle was excluded based on lot number, not condition or diagnosis.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with turbocharger failure. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was under recall. The vehicle was repaired; however, after the vehicle was serviced, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the charger air cooler had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was picked up and then taken to Auto Zone for a diagnostic test. The diagnostic test retrieved DTC: P0234 (Turbocharger/Supercharger "A" Over Boost Condition (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 77,157.

The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 - 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was coasted to the side of the road, where they turned off the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. A mobile mechanic was called and inspected the vehicle. The mechanic retrieved DTC: P023F (Fuel Pump - Secondary Circuit Failure). The vehicle was towed by a family member to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000.

The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the vehicle jerked abnormally with several unknown warning lights illuminated and unknown messages were displayed. Additionally, there was a white fuel warning light illuminated with the message “Low Fuel” displayed after refueling the vehicle. The white exclamation warning icon with the "Shift to Park" message, the check engine warning light was illuminated, and the “Engine Power Reduced message was displayed. Additionally, the power train and ESC warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the failure was not replicated; an aftermarket tracker was disconnected. The failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken to the same dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred the following week. The vehicle was then taken back to the same dealer, but the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 57,619.

When shifting my car into park the vehicle did not recognize that the gear was indeed in park. I would get a message saying “Shift to Park” and I could not fully turn my car off. This problem made me feel unsafe as I didn’t know what to do when it wouldn’t turn off. My battery could have run down and I would be stranded. In researching this problem GM was sued for the very same problem in earlier models so I am incredulous that they have not fixed this issue or initiated a product recall. I had to have an internal switch replaced at a GM dealer service center at my expense and the car only had 15263 miles on it.