2018 Chevrolet Malibu VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
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
While I was driving, the entire accelerator pedal mechanism fell to the ground. My mechanic told me it is because the accelerator pedal mechanism is a bad design, including too small of a bolt, and I had to have it reattached to the car. The accelerator pedal functioned, but it was incredibly dangerous because it was on the floor and couldn't be practically used.
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with the traction control and check engine warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the accelerator pedal position assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 72,721.
As I was driving I was addressed with a speed reduction warning and it followed with a very abrupt problem with speed as it was reduced drastically and almost getting rear-ended in the process I was able to pull over but very unsafely and without warning
Car was driving on major highway when the alarm went off and check engine light came on saying reduced engine power. Car dropped down to 20mph at roughly 2,000rpm's on a major interstate. No prior indicators and mechanic said one of the sensors was the issue. Reading up there is apparently a class action lawsuit with GM and nothing has been done about it. NHTSA needs to address this matter ASAP.
Vehicle continually throws reduced engine power code which includes while traveling at high speeds and winter weather. Vehicle resets once powered off to throw a code sometimes again immediately or within a short period of time rendering the vehicle virtually unusable. Difficult to get to a safe spot to turn vehicle off to attempt to re-set. This puts occupants in danger of being rear ended, stuck in snow/mud or hit from behind while pulled over trying to reset vehicle. This has been an ongoing problem since purchasing the car new. Was fixed under warrant once. Fix didn’t last long and have continuously had issues
I have owned this vehicle for 3 months now, since week two "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" HAS BEEN A BIG PROBLEM FOR ME I TOOK IT IN TO MISSION BAY CHEVY IN SAN DIEGO THE PROBLEM WENT FROM EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE TO NON STOP. I WAS UABLE TO GET AN ANSWER FROM THEM IN WEEKS. FINALLY I WENT BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM 4X TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. AND IT KEEPS COMMING BACK AFTER DAYS. IM PAYING $500 MONTHLY FOR THIS CAR AND IM RUNNIN GOUT OF OPTIONS THIS IS CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO REDUCE POWER ON THE FREE WAY AT SPEED OF 23MPH TO 35MPH. THERE WAS ALREADY A CLASSACTION LAW SUITE FOR THIS PROBLEM. AND I CAN NOT AFFORD TO KEEP GETTING IT FIXED ITS CLEARLY A DEFECT THAT KEEPS COMING BACK, I HAVE READ SEVERAL CONSUMER REPORTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I NEED A FUNCTIONING CAR AND I DONT KNOW WHERE ELSE TO TURN
My vehicle had the reduced power dash warning and check engine light on while I was driving down the interstate at 65 I lost my power speed reduced to 45 and my stability light came on as well it could have caused a serious accident had it been day time with traffic flying at 70 to 75 mph rear ending me I was able to get off the freeway safely last night when the incident occurred and safely make it to a parking lot there doesn’t seem to be a current recall on my car with my vin number at this time but it is a year and model that has known issues also the other issue is vehicle not registering into park even when I put shifter in park possibility is a loose shifter cable
WAS DRIVING THE MALIBU ON THE INTERSTATE TRAVELING 75 MPH AND ALL OF SUDDEN VEHICLE STARTED TO SLO DWN AND ON THE DASHBOARD APPEARED - ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NOT SAFE AS I DO TRAVEL BACK AND FORTH TO COLLEGE. I HAD TO MAKE MY WAY OVER TO BREAKDOWN LANE, TURN CAR OFF AND THEN TURN BACK ON AND DRIVE AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SO FAR WITH THE MOST RECENT MAY 7, 2021
WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH CAR ISSUED WARNING REDUCED ENGINE POWER AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT POPPED ON. CAR THEN WOULD NOT DRIVE FASTER THAN 30 MPH. VERY SUDDEN AND WITH NO PREVIOUS WARNING THIS HAPPENED. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP AND AFTER DIAGNOSTIC WAS TOLD ACCELERATION PEDAL SENSOR WAS BAD. THIS IS NOT A COVERED REPAIR AND COST $800. THIS SUDDEN REDUCTION OF POWER IS VERY DANGEROUS AND A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME AND OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD
WHILE DRIVING THE ERROR MESSAGE " POWER REDUCED" AND WILL ONLY DO ABOUT 30 MPH. I HAVE LOOKED ON LINE AND AT LEAST A COUPLE OF LAW FIRMS HAVE CLIENTS FOR THE LEMON MALIBU 2018 MODEL. FIRST TIME THIS OCCURED, I WAS GOING UP A HILL WITH A TRUCK BEHIND MEAND NEARLY REAR ENDED ME.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER I have had this issue happen 3 times since owning this car. The last time it happened, my son & I were on the Interstate going 80mph. My 2018 Chevy Malibu quickly slowed to 50mph with no further acceleration. Luckily, I was not far from an exit that we could find a safe place to park. I read to pump the gas pedal a few times, so I did, let the car sit for about 20 min., then we were able to limp to our destination by using cruise control. I have read several complaints online of consumers having this same issue. This is a very dangerous issue to have go on while driving & GM is not seeming to want to fix it. I did not feel safe this last time, for myself nor my child. The time if day was around 4:30-5pm, during heavy traffic. It only takes someone not paying attention or an 18-wheeler, who can not stop well, to cause a major accident.
WHEN I DRIVE I'M LOSING ENGINE POWER WHERE MY SPEED IS REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I'VE LOOKED UP THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS A RECALL ON MALIBU'S 2016-2018. I HAVEN'T GOT A RECALL ON MY CAR YET BUT THIS DEFECT IN THESE CARS ARE RIDICULOUS. SOMEONE NEEDS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH ME ASAP ABOUT THIS DEFECT. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS ON THE ROADS. MY SPEED IS REDUCED WHILE I'M DRIVING.
I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED WHEN SUDDENLY CAR DECELERATED TO 20MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WARNING POPPED UP ALONG WITH A ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS EVEN AFTER TURNING OFF AND RESTARTING CAR.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY SPEED WAS INSTANTLY REDUCED AS I WAS DRIVING. SOMETIMES IT GOES OFF AFTER TURNING OFF THE IGNITION BUT I COULD BE ON THE HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS AND IT WILL OCCUR, CAUSING A SUDDEN SLOWER SPEED.
I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 50 MPH AND I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND AS I HIT 55 MPH I GOT AN ERROR MESSAGE READING, 'ENGINE POWER REDUCED' AND THE ABS LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT BOTH LIT UP. I ALSO COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANY LONGER. I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAITED ABOUT 3 MINUTES AND TURNED THE CAR BACK ON, I DID NOT GET A MESSAGE HOWEVER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL WAS LIT BUT NOT THE ABS LIGHT. I DROVE TO AN AUTOZONE GOT HE CODE READ AND IT WAS P2138. I LOOKED UP ONLINE AND IT SEEMS AS IF THOUSANDS ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH 2016-2018 MALIBU'S AND CRUZES. I'M ALSO AWARE GM HAS HAD A LAWSUIT AGAINST THEM OVER THIS.
ON JANUARY 11 2021 WHILE DRIVING MY 2018 CHEVY MALIBU TO WORK I RECEIVED A CHECK ENGINE WARNING ON MY DASH, MY MESSAGE STATING "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" CAME ON AND MY CAR SUDDENLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED SPEED FROM 50 TO 20MPH. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER MOTORIST AND HAD TO MANUEVER MY CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, REESTARTED IT AND WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER AND BROUGHT IT IN FOR SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR ISSUE AND IT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I RECEIVED THE CAR BACK ON JANUARY 13TH 2020.TODAY, FEBRUARY 1ST 2020 WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY CAR EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID BEING HIT AGAIN AND STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. MY CAR IS NOW BACK AT THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. AFTER EXPECTING THE ISSUE WAS FIXED AND WOULDNT HAPPEN AGAIN, I AM EXTREMELY FEARFUL FOR MY SAFETY (AND THOSE AROUND ME) IN THIS CAR. I AM A WORKING MOTHER AND NEED TO RELY ON MY CAR TO GET MY FAMILY TO WORK AND SCHOOL.
WE WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THE REDUCED POWER LIGHT, ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. THE POWER WAS REDUCED AND WE PULLED OVER, SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES. WE STARTED IT AGAIN AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GAIN SPEED TO GET BACK IN TRAFFIC. THIS HAPPENED ONCE A FEW WEEKS AGO AND TWICE TODAY. IT'S VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. WE WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD. IF TRAFFIC WOULD HAVE BEEN HEAVY IT MAY NOT HAVE TURNED OUT THIS WAY. THIS IS MY SECOND MALIBU WITH THIS PROBLEM. WE HAD IT REPAIRED IN OUR 2016 MALIBU AND THE DEALERSHIP SPLIT THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. THIS TELLS US THEY KNOW THIS IS A PROBLEM.
AFTER 2 MONTHS OF HAVING THIS CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND AFTER THE STABILITRAK LIGHT WOULD COME ON WHICH REDUCED THE SPEED OF THE CAR . THIS WOULD COME ON WHEN I'M DRIVING OR EVEN IF I JUST CRANK THE CAR UP FROM IT SITTING OVER NIGHT . I GOT IT TESTED AND THE SHOP DOESN'T KNOW WHY IT KEEPS COMING ON . THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS READS THAT THE THROTTLE NEED TO BE CHANGED BUT THAT'S NOT THE ONLY ISSUE . MY BOYFRIEND BELIEVES THAT THE HUB BEARING NEEDS TO BE FIX BUT WE DON'T KNOW . THE CAR DOES NOT PICK UP SPEED WHEN THE TRACTION LIGHT IS ON . THE TRACTION LIGHT ALSO READS 'ENGINE POWER REDUCE ' BEFORE THE LIGHT COMES ON . I JUST GOT THIS CAR AND I'M NOW HAVING TO SPEND 1,000+ DOLLARS ON A CAR THAT'S 'NEW' . NONE OF THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH MY CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY .
WE HAD THE ECM SYSTEM RECAL FIXED (REPROGRAMMED) AND IT WAS OK, BUT NOW A COUPLE MONTHS LATER ITS DOING IT AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING THE TRACTION LIGHT AND THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND POWER AND SPEED IS REDUCED, WITHOUT WARNING AND WON'T ALLOW ACCELERATION. USUALLY ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY DANGEROUS!
ON THE FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 70MPH.ENGINE POWER REDUCED LIGHT CAME ON. MY SPEED DROPPED TO 20MPH. VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY WITH A CHILD IN THE CAR. GLAD IT WAS NOT HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WENT TO AUTOZONE. (ERROR CODE P2138)...I CALLED THE WARRANTY DEPARTMENT AND IT IS NOT COVERED.
THE RECALL ECM CAUSED ENGINE TO STALL AS I WAS DRIVING UP A HILL, I ACCELERATED TO MAKE UP FOR THE DELAY AND VEERED INTO A PARKED CAR CAUSING MY CAR TO OVER TURN ON THE HOOD. I WAS INJURED AND CAR RENDERED TOTALLED. THIS WAS MY SECOND ACCIDENT. I WAS SIDESTEPPED ON THE HIGHWAY CAUSING DAMAGE TO MY ENTIRE SIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS ON HIGHWAY WHEN CAR LOST POWER DUE TO ECM MALFUNCTION. (RECALL ISSUE THAT WAS LOOKED AT BUT NEVER RESOLVED). I HAVE PHOTOS AVAILABLE. I HAVE ASKED VARIOUS DDEPARTMENTS AT THE DEALERSHIP AND GM FINANCIAL FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS ISSUE BUT TO NO AVAIL.
WHILE DRIVING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CONTROL PANEL SAYS ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THE CAR SLOWS DOWN AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO ACCELERATE.THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE I HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR AND TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHILE ACCELERATING.
FAULTY ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. PART IS SUPPOSE TO LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE CAR HAS 60000 MILES ON IT. IT THROWS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND REDUCES POWER TO THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS YOU CANT ACCELERATE TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC OR TO GET ACROSS THE LANES. YOU JUST HAVE TO COAST TO SAFETY.
I WAS DRIVING IN THE CITY, HEAVY TRAFFIC, WHEN WITH NO WARNING THE ENGINE LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, AND MESSAGE REDUCTION IN POWER ALSO CAME ON. I COULD NOT MOVE FASTER THAN 20 MILES AN HOUR. I OBSTRUCTED TRAFFIC TRYING TO GET OFF THE STREET, AND DRIVERS HONKED AND YELLED TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ME. I PARKED AND TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED TWICE. IT DROVE NORMALLY BUT CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL REMAINED ON. I WILL SEE DEALER BUT NO WARNINGS OR ERROR MESSAGES ARE ON NOW. I AM TERRIFIED TO TAKE PASSENGERS OR DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY, OR AT NIGHT.
I PURCHASE A 2018 CHEVY MALIBU IN SEPTEMBER OF 2019 AND NOT EVEN A MONTH AFTER HAVING IT, MY VEHICLE BEGAN TO GIVE ME ISSUES. AT UNANNOUNCED TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, A MESSAGE THAT READS 'ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED' DISPLAYS ON THE DASH AND THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WILL IMMEDIATELY DROP TO 20MPH. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON A CITY STREET WITH A STEEP INCLINE GOING 40MPH IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION WITH THE SUDDEN SPEED CHANGE AND I COULD NOT GO OVER 20MPH. I HAD TO TURN MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND TRY TO MAKE IT UP THE HILL SAFELY. THE SECOND TIME THIS HAPPENED I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 70MPH IN THE FAST LANE AND THE SPEED DROPPED WITHOUT WARNING TO 20MPH AND WOULD HAVE PUT ME IN A BAD COLLISION IF I DIDN'T THINK QUICK AND TURN THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON AND PULL OVER THE SHOULDER ON MY LEFT HAD SIDE. THIS ISSUE IS A VERY SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS MATTER AND COULD RESULT IN MAJOR INJURY OR DEATH. THE CODE THAT IS RELATED TO THE PROBLEM I AM SPEAKING OF READS P2138.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu has 30 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.