56 complaints reported

2018 Chevrolet Malibu Power Train

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
56
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2022

When I get to a destination and put car in park it says " shift to park" like it's not in park. I have to wiggle my gear shift around for it to go away. Or when I park, I have to give it a forceful push to park.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2022
Jul 2022

Most the time I park now, the vehicle does NOT recognize when I shift the vehicle into PARK. The transmission control (the "stick") is positioned correctly, but the vehicle chimes and warns vehicle cannot be turned off until vehicle is in PARK regardless. I am not sure if the vehicle is literally not in PARK, or if the vehicle's system sensors simply are NOT functioning correctly. Usually some jiggling of the stick causes the car to eventually recognize the PARK is engaged, but it is never certain. So far this issue has mostly resulted in inconvenience and annoyance, so no police reports or mechanic investigations yet. But whatever the nature of this malfunctioning PARK, under the right circumstances, this issue could conceivably lead to accidents and deaths if not addressed and repaired soon. I am reminded of Anton Yelchin's SUV crushing him to death after he thought his vehicle was in PARK but the system wasn't working correctly. My vehicle is 4 years old now and this problem only began manifesting recently, perhaps 3-6 months ago. I have searched online and I have found at least two other owners of this same make and model and year have experienced the exact same problem. I suspect this issue could lead to catastrophic problems in the future if not fixed early. Please investigate before things get out of hand.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2022
Jul 2022

I shift my car into park and try to turn off the car, the car stays on and tells me to shift the car to park even though it is already in park. Car is having continuous transmission and emission issues that cannot be resolved by the Chevrolet dealership, resulting in paying lots of money and the engine light and emails from OnStar still appear.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2022
Jul 2022

When I shift the car into park the dashboard gives me a message that the car needs to be shifted into park. This is an intermittent problem and does not occur every time I shift to park. When I get this message I am not sure if the vehicle is actually in park. The problem has been diagnosed by the dealership. The defective part has been replaced by the dealership. The only message I received is the one on the dash stating to "shift to park".

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2022
Jul 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated after parking the vehicle, the message Shift to Park was displayed. The contact was unable to turn off the vehicle. The contact reversed, drove forward and shifted into park(P) again. The vehicle then registered that the gear shifter was in park(P). The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring while attempting to park the vehicle. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 20,400.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2022
Jun 2022

Getting an error "shift to park" message when parking and trying to shut the vehicle off. Have to now apply the parking brake, shift into gear, and shift back to park to get the vehicle to register in that it is in park to shut off. This error does not allow vehicles to be shut off or even doors locked which could pose a risk of a small child getting into the vehicle in these hot temperatures.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2022
Jun 2022

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while entering the vehicle, there was a warning light illuminated and a message stating: Action Required Place Vehicle in Park; however, the vehicle was already in park. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer and the vehicle was diagnosed that the harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 15,050.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2022
May 2022

my 2018 malibu premier with 12600 miles on it, parking sensor, and wiring harness is defective. The shop tells me gm knows about it and recommends replacing them. when you park the car and turn it off it does not go into park, you can not lock the car, and the radio keeps playing. If you do not shake the shifter it stays that way. If you do not have the radio on and you get out and close the door and walk away you do not know it. They want $450 to fix it as long as all goes well.I feel there should be a recall on this since they put in faulty parts and have notified their dealers.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Apr 2022
Jan 2022

Please see General Motors Technical Service Bulletin 19NA206.745.57. There is a problem that occurs with the transmission shifter. Even though the driver has shifted into Park, the switch inside the shifter assembly triggers a message "Shift to Park." At times, the ignition cannot be turned off and the driver has to keep trying. My Malibu was affected by this issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2022
Dec 2021

Car continued to send message "Shift to Park" which required diagnosis and replacement of gear shift assembly by independent service garage because car warranty has expired. Battery would die without message being eliminated. The message infers that the car is not in park which means that the car could roll away injuring someone or damaging property.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2021
Nov 2021

Our Malibu won't shift into Park. Displays "Shift to Park" message when the shifter is in the park position and it won't let you turn the car off.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2021
Sep 2021

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that shifting the gear shifter into PARK and turning off the vehicle, the engine would continue to run. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that she readjusted the gear shifter for the vehicle to shut-off as needed. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2021
Aug 2021

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the "Shift to Park" message was displayed, and the vehicle would not turn off. The contact had to disconnect the battery to turn off the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2021
Apr 2021

WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK THE (SHIFT TO PARK LIGHT APPEARS ON THE DASH). IT HAPPENS AT LEAST 9 TIMES A WEEK. VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN I CAN NOT TURN THE CAR OFF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS FIANC WAS DRIVING BETWEEN 30-35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DECELERATE WITH THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE DISPLAYED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE DRIVER COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL DRIVING HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND ENGINE POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON ANOTHER OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ARMEN CHEVROLET SERVICE & PARTS DEPARTMENT (41 GREENFIELD AVE, ARDMORE, PA 19003) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 62,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2021
Dec 2020

ANY TIME I'VE USED MY CRUISE CONTROL AFTER MY CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED FOR THE INITIAL RECALL FOR THE ECM OVER A YEAR AGO, I KEEP GETTING THE 'REDUCED ENGINE POWER' NOTIFICATION. THIS ISSUE DIDN'T BEGIN UNTIL AFTER THE PART WAS REPLACED. I'VE TRIED TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY CAN'T FIX ANYTHING WHEN THE LIGHT ISN'T ACTIVE. I'VE JUST STOPPED USING THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE BUT I'VE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER NOTIFICATION COMES ON AND MY CAR SLOWS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2019
Dec 2020

WHILE DRIVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WITH ALERT "REDUCED ENGINE POWER". THE IDLE IS HIGH. PLACED CAR IN PARK AND THE ENGINE KEEPS REVVING ON ITS OWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2020
Oct 2020

THE CAR IS A 2018 AND THE DEALER SAYS THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SHIFTER IS BAD. THE CAR READS IT'S IN PARK BUT SAYS SHIFT TO PARK TO SHUT CAR OFF. IN TALKING WITH OTHERS FOUND OUT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. I JUST BOUGHT IT USED IN JULY 2020 WITH 41000 MILES AND IT'S BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I GOT IT OFF AND ON. I TOOK IT TO DEALER TO REPORT PROBLEMS BEFORE I HAD IT 30 DAYS AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2020
Oct 2020

WHEN PLACING MY CAR IN PARK, A WARNING COMES ON THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN PARK WHICH THEN CAUSES ME TO BE UNABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. I THEN HAVE TO GO THROUGH EACH GEAR AND JIGGLE THE SHIFTER NUMEROUS TIMES TO GET IT TO TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THIS SOMETIMES TAKES UP TO A HALF HOUR OF SITTING IN MY VEHICLE DOING THAT. IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE FREQUENT, TO THE POINT IT IS SEVERAL TIMES A DAY NOW. I HAVE READ WHERE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND FEEL THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ITEM AS IT IS DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2020
Oct 2020

MY 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU HAS A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE INTO PARK. THE MESSAGE ON MY DASH SAYS " SHIFT TO PARK " EVEN THOUGH IT IS IN PARK. AND YOU CAN NOT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. YOU CAN TRY SHIFTING IT BACK INTO DRIVE OR LOW AND THEN GO BACK TO PARK BUT WE GET THE SAME MESSAGE " SHIFT TO PARK " AND AGAIN EVEN THOUGH IT IS IN PARK, YOU CAN NOT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. ISN'T THIS A DANGEROUS SITUATION ?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

ON, JULY 15, 2020 MY CAR GAVE A "SHIFT TO PARK"MESSAGE ON THE DASH AFTER I HAD PLACED MY CAR IN PARK. I CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS ERROR FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY DEALERSHIP. THE ISSUE IS YOU ARE STRANDED IN YOUR CAR UNTIL YOU CAN WIGGLE THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PLACE SOMETIMES UPTO 20 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN THE PARK GEAR, HOWEVER THE CAR NEVER TURNS OFF. THE START BUTTON IS ILLUMINATED AMBER AND DINGS FOR ASSISTANCE. THIS CAN POSSIBLY DRAIN A BATTERY. THE DEALERSHIP CHARGED $518.00 TO REPAIR A KNOWN GM ISSUE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE ADMITTED TO IT AND SO DID THE SERVICE ADVISOR, I RECEIVED A "NEW" IMPROVED VERSION OF TRANSMISSION CONTROL ASSEMBLY. PROBABLY SHOULD BE A RECALL OR CLASS ACTION SUIT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

REDUCED ENGINE POWER NOTIFICATION IN MID DRIVE ON FREEWAY CAUSING CAR TO COME TO LOW SPEED IN A 70 MPH HEAVY TRAFFIC FLOW. MULTIPLE VEHICLES SWERVE TO AVOID CONTACT (ACCIDENT). UNABLE TO PULL OVER QUICKLY AS IT HAPPENED OUT OF NO WHERE. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

WHEN VEHICLE IS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, "SHIFT TO PARK" DISPLAYS ON THE VEHICLES SCREEN AND WILL NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO FULLY TURN OFF. IN ORDER TO HAVE THE LIGHT TURN OFF, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO WIGGLE THE GEAR SHIFT AROUND WHEREAS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO PRESS THE START BUTTON AND SHIFT BETWEEN GEARS A FEW TIMES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jul 2020
Jul 2020

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO PARK VEHICLE WILL GIVE MESSAGE SAYING THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT IN PARK WHEN IT CLEARLY IS IN PARK. I SOMETIMES HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF OR MESS WITH THE GEAR SHIFT FOR A LITTLE WHILE FOR THE MESSAGE TO FINALLY GO BECAUSE THE VEHICLE ITSELF WILL NOT POWER OFF UNTIL THE MESSAGE GOES AWAY. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE AND CHEVY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ASAP! THESE ARE BRAND NEW CARS THAT ARE DOING THIS AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY ISSUES WITH IT BEING A BRAND NEW CAR. THEY NEED TO MAKE IT A SERVICE BULLTIN AND OR RECALL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
May 2020

VEHICLE TRANSMISSION NOT ENTERING IN PARKING , CAUSING VEHICLE TO MOVE FORWARD OR BACK IF PUT ON PARKING. THIS COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS INJURIES . THIS MIGHT BE A SENSOR OR AND ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN THE GEAR SELECTOR, BECAUSE IF YOU WIGGLE THE SELECTOR SOMETIMES IT WILL GO AWAY. VEHICLE WILL SHOW MESSAGE VEHICLE NOT IN PARKING. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2020

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 56 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.