2016 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHEN STOPPING AND AUTO STOP KICKS ON THE CAR SHUTS DOWN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THEN IT HAS TO BE PUT IN TO PARK AND RESTARTED. TURN SIGNALS AND RADIO HAVE NO SOUND WORKING AND SOMETIMES THERE IS A STEERING ASSIST WARNING MESSAGE APPEARS. I CHANGED MY BATTERY SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME SEVERAL TIMES AND I'VE ALSO HAD THE ALTERNATOR CHECKED AND IT'S FINE AS WELL. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING THE BLINKER HAS SOUND AND THE RADIO WORKS. I'M ALSO UNABLE.TO USE BLUETOOTH SERVICES WHEN ALL THE ABOVE HAPPENS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AUTONATION CHEVROLET SOUTH CLEARWATER (15005 US HWY 19 N, CLEARWATER, FL 33764, (727) 266-3920) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED 4 TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY A MESSAGE COME ON THE DASH STATING REDUCED ENGINE POWER THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. OUR 2016 MALIBU CURRENTLY HAS 62510 MILES AND UPON RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND IT TO BE LINKED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. I HAVE FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE, AND ONE PERSONS LAWSUIT
CAR WILL NOT SHUT OFF. EVEN AFTER I PUT THE CAR IN PARKING POSITION - THERE IS AN ERROR THAT COMES UP WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE CAR OFF USING THE ON/OFF BUTTON. THE ERROR MESSAGE IS 'SHIFT TO PARK' EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME WHEN I TURN OFF THE CAR. I WOULD SHIFT THE GEAR MULTIPLE TIMES BACK AND FORTH TILL I CAN GET IT TO TURN OFF BUT NOW ITS GETTING WORSE.
CAR WOULDN'T COMPLETELY TURN OFF. CAR STAYED IT WASN'T PARKED. IGNITION WENT FROM GREEN TO ORANGE INSTEAD TO NO COLOR/OFF. REPAIR WAS $500
UPON STOPPING AND SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK, THE INSTRUMENT DISPLAY GIVES A "SHIFT TO PARK" WARNING AND WHEN THE "STOP / START" BUTTON IS PUSHED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE STOPS, BUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REMAINS ENERGIZED. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND IT OFTEN TAKES SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY BY RE-STARTING THE ENGINE, SHIFTING INTO GEAR, SHIFTING BACK TO PARK, THEN HITTING THE "STOP / START" BUTTON AGAIN BEFORE IT WORKS CORRECTLY. BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM THIS AND OTHER SITES, THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AND MY LOCAL DEALER HAS QUOTED ME APPROXIMATELY $500 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL ASSEMBLY. GM HAS ALSO ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, NO. 18-NA-297, WHICH RECOGNIZES THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 27,000 MILES ON IT AND IS 3 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FROM A 100 YEAR OLD CAR COMPANY THAT THE GOVERNMENT BAILED OUT JUST 10 YEARS AGO.
ON SEPT 6TH 2019, AS I AM TRAVELLING TO WORK IN THE MORNING AROUND 7:15AM AT THE SIGNAL POINT MY CAR SUDDENLY SHUTDOWN OFF AND ALL MY CAR DOORS LOCKED UP AND I TRIED IN PULLING OUT BUT IT TAKES ME SOMETIME TO FIGURE THAT OUT. THIS IS NOT MY FIRST TIME. WHEN I BOUGHT MY CAR I HAD ONE YEAR OF MANUFACTURER WARRANTY BUT WHEN IT IS COMPLETED MY CAR STARTED FAILING OFF THE ENGINE SUDDENLY. I TAKE MY CAR TO DEALER BUT HE TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING PROBLEM WITH THAT ISSUE. BUT IT IS REPEATING THE SAME ISSUE.
SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN 2016 I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE VCM 4 TIMES. NOTHING SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE STOP/START NEVER WORKED RIGHT. THREE TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH, AFTER VARIOUS REPAIRS AT THE DEALERSHIP, THE CAR HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE DOORS UNLOCKED AND LOCKED, VEHICLE JUMPED 3 TIMES, ALL KINDS OF WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES ON THE DASH....THEN NOTHING BUT A DEAD CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD ON A SUNNY DRY DAY. I COULD'VE BEEN THE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS WHILE STOPPED IN THE ROADWAY AND MANY PEOPLE COULD'VE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE CAR WAS FIXED THE FOURTH TIME YESTERDAY AND THE MECHANIC TOOK IT OUT TO TEST BEFORE RETURNING THE VEHICLE TO ME. IT DIED ON HIM AGAIN AND HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND THE CERTIFIED GM TECHS CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG. P3055 AND P3056 ARE THE ERROR CODES THAT COME UP EVERY TIME. NEW BATTERY, NEW VCM, NEW WIRING HARNESS....EACH TIME THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING. NO RECALL AND THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO CHEVY IS NOT WILLING TO HELP AT ALL.
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN "PARK", TURNING OFF THE ENGINE A "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE IS DISPLAYED. THE ENGINE TURNS OFF, ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL ITEMS REMAIN ON. REPEATED RESTARTS ARE REQUIRED TO ELIMINATE THE "SHIFT TO PARK" MESSAGE. NOVEMBER 6 2019 THE "DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PARTS REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.10
MY 2016 MALIBU HAS INTERMITTENTLY NOT TURNED OFF WHEN HITTING THE STOP BUTTON AND THE ERROR MESSAGE "SHIFT TO PARK" WAS COMING UP. THE CAR WAS IN PARK. I AM ABLE TO TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE WITH NO MOVEMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS INCREASED TO WHERE I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR ON AND OFF MULTIPLE TIMES AND EVENTUALLY IT ALLOWS THE CAR TO TURN OFF. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO EXPLAIN THE SITUATION THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE SHIFTER WAS BAD. HE STATED THAT HE KNEW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS THE 8TH ONE THEY HAD REPLACED OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I DO NOT LIVE IN A LARGE METRO AREA SO 8 IS A PRETTY HIGH NUMBER FOR THE POPULATION. I RESEARCHED ONLINE AND NOTICED THAT MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2016-2017 MALIBU AND VOLTS OVER THE SAME ISSUE.
THE CAR IS STOPPED AND ENGINE TURNED OFF HANDLE DOES NOT ALLOW EXIT FROM CAR EXTERIOR - CANNOT LOCK/UNLOCK THE DOORS FROM THE DOOR SENSOR OR FROM THE FOB INTERIOR - CANNOT LOCK/UNLOCK THE PASSENGER DOORS WITH THE DOOR SENSOR OR FOB UPON ENTERING VEHICLE RANDOM ALARM ' AS IF VEHICLE IS BEING STOLEN CAR WILL DING THAT THE REMOTE IS STILL IN THE CAR WHILE I'M STILL IN THE CAR. ATTACHED IS A LETTER I SENT TO CHEVY TO TELL THEM HOW UNSAFE THIS IS IN EVERY SITUATION. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO ANSWER IN HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE 11/20/18. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 48 OF THE LAST 54 DAYS WITH THE PAST 37 DAYS CONSECUTIVE CHEVY OFFERED ME A REBATE ON A NEW CAR BUT REFUSED TO BUY THE CAR BACK. THE CAR IS A DANGER AND IS NOT ROAD READY FOR ANYONE. I AM HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UPLOADING DOCUMENTS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I NEED TO SEND SEPARATELY THROUGH EMAIL.
TAKATA RECALL, WHEN MY VEHICLE STOPS AT A LIGHT AND THE AUTO STOP GOES IN PLACE AS SOON AS I LET OFF THE GAS TO CONTINUE DRIVING MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY RADIO AND MY DASH LIGHTS ALL WENT OUT AFTER A MINUTE OF DRIVING AGAIN THEY ALL CAME BACK ON
MY MALIBU ALL OF SUDDEN STARTED SENDING A MESSAGE WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF THAT MY CAR NEEDS TO SHIFT TO PARK. I HAVE THE CAR IN PARK, BUT IT IS NOT REGISTERING IT IS IN PARK. IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME, IT HAPPENS 90% OF THE TIME WHEN I GO TO TURN THE CAR OFF.
MY CAR WILL BE IN PARK AND THE ENGINE IS SHUT OFF BUT THE DISPLAY WILL INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE IN PARK. I WILL HAVE TO START MY CAR SEVERAL TIME AND SWITCH THE GEARS SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE INDICATOR TO GO OFF. THIS WILL GO ON SOMETIMES FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO PUT ON THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN HOPES THAT THIS WILL RECTIFY THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AT THE STORE AND IN MY DRIVEWAY.
WHEN I SHIFT MY CAR INTO PARK & TURN MY CAR OFF, I GET A WARNING LIGHT THAT SAYS 'SHIFT TO PARK' WHICH HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME I GO TO TURN MY CAR OFF. VERY RECENTLY MY CAR IS ALSO TURNING ON THE BACKUP CAMERA WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE. THE SHIFT TO PARK ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A MONTH NOW BUT THE BACKUP CAMERA COMING ON HAD JUST STARTED 4 DAYS AGO. THE DAY I BOUGHT MY CAR IT WAS BRAND NEW BUT COULD NOT BRING IT HOME THE DAY I SIGNED THE PAPERWORK BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE BODY MODULE. NOW, AFTER MY CAR BEING IN THE SHOP 9 TIMES IN 2 YEARS, THE DEALERSHIP IS TELLING ME I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. NOTE: MY CAR IS PUSH STOP NOT KEY
FALSE INDICATION OF CAR NOT IN PARK AND DOES NOT TURN OFF DASHBOARD DISPLAYS AND CAR BATTERY DISCHARGES FULLY
DRIVING HOME, TURNED OFF HIGHWAY, CAR STOPPED A FEW FEET ONTO SIDE ROAD--NO BRAKES, STEERING, NOTHING. THE ICON FOR THE CHECK ENGINE CAME ON AND STAYED ON.(MANUAL SAYS IT IS THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP.) TURNED CAR OFF AND TRIED TO RESTART TO PUT CAR IN DRIVE. NO LUCK.; CALLED FOR A TOW. WAITED ALMOST 2 HOURS. TOWED HOME. THIS WAS IN THE EVENING. PRESENTLY WAITING FOR ANOTHER TOW TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP, THE FOLLOWING DAY IN THE AFTERNOON.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED EVERYTIME IT WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHUT OFF AND THEN RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN AROUND MAY OF 2017. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3961924193. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES INTO AUTO STOP AND GOES TO COME BACK ON IT RANDOMLY HAS PROBLEMS, AND THE RADIO COMPLETELY CUTS OUT NOW THIS IS NOT EVERY TIME IS GOES INTO AUTO STOP IT'S JUST RANDOM I DO HAVE A VIDEO OF THE ISSUE. IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO UPLOAD THE VIDEO BUT YOU CAN EMAIL ME AND I CAN SEND IT TO YOU
I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE OF 2016 AND HAVE HAD MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL/SOFTWARE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE LATEST ISSUE IS A COMPLETE SHUTDOWN OF THE ENTIRE INFOTAINMENT CENTER, INCLUDING CAUSING THE BLINKERS TO GO SILENT. SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE CAR SEEM TO POSE MUCH MORE OF A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL OBLIGATED TO REPORT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION REGARDING MY ISSUES WITH ENGINE POWER FAILURE. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE RECALLS REGARDING THE IGNITION STOP/START FUNCTION, THE BATTERY MONITOR MODULE TIMER, AND EVEN THE ENTIRE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE ENGINE POWER FAILED, FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO EXIT I-94 SAFELY. THIS VEHICLE AND ENTIRE EXPERIENCE HAS ME FEELING FINANCIALLY VIOLATED AND PHYSICALLY UNSAFE.
ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO REMOVE FUSES IN DASH. EVEN WITH PULLERS NEED TO REMOVE FUSE F-10 AND F-41 IN ORDER TO FLAT TOW VEHICLE BEHIND MOTORHOME.
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Quick Summary
The 2016 Chevrolet Malibu has 46 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.