FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2015 Chevrolet Malibu
The 2015 Chevrolet Malibu has 3 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 267 owner complaints, and gets about 29 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2015 Chevrolet Malibu at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 2.5L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 2.5 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (S6)
- Body
- Midsize Cars
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 13, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
3 openElectrical System
05/07/2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Air Bags
16/10/2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
Visibility
23/03/2015
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from inadvertently being pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176.
NHTSA has opened one or more investigations covering this model. Recalls can follow an investigation, so check NHTSA for the latest before you buy.
Open safety recalls are free to fix at any franchised dealer. What recalls mean → Source: NHTSA recalls, as of July 13, 2026. Recalls can be issued any time, confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
OWNER COMPLAINTS · NHTSA
267 filed- 56
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The car continues to die when I come to a stop. The error code for the engine light is P305F. I have changed both batteries along with several different sensors and spent thousands of dollars in repairs at a couple different shops and still
- 44
AIR BAGS
Service airbag light goes on and off. Also passenger air bag keeps turning on and off.
- 29
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact attempted to stop to make a turn, and there was a popping sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost motive powe
- 23
ENGINE
As your driving the REDUCED ENGINE POWER pops up and dropped your speed down to 25-20 mph no matter how fast you're going no way to reset it unless you have a scan tool but then it comes back on scan tool says PEDAL ACCELERATOR POSITION SEN
- 23
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I was almost to work on the highway and my car dashboard said Engine Power is Reduced. It quickly started powering down from 74 directly to 50 then 40, then 35 and finally to 26 before I could safely pull off to the side of the road. This
- 22
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving on the interstate and the engine power reduced light came on twice. It was driveable but I got off the interstate to state roads so I could drive slower. It acts like it wants to stop. I have been afraid to drive it again.
Problems owners reported to the government, useful for spotting patterns, not proof any one car has them. What complaints mean → Source: NHTSA complaints, as of July 13, 2026. Owner-submitted reports, not verified diagnoses.
CRASH-TEST RATINGS · NHTSA NCAP
- Overall
- ★★★★★
- Frontal
- ★★★★★
- Side
- ★★★★★
- Rollover
- ★★★★☆
Government crash tests of this model; not every trim or year is tested. Source: NHTSA NCAP, as of July 13, 2026.
FUEL & RUNNING COST · U.S. EPA
- Combined
- 29 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 25 / 36
- Est. fuel / yr
- $2,150
- CO₂ / mi
- 308 g
EPA lab estimates; real mpg varies by how you drive. Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov, as of July 13, 2026. Annual cost assumes 15,000 mi/yr at EPA's reference price.
All figures above come from free U.S. government sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, investigations, crash tests) and the EPA (fuel economy and specs). We don't show market price, insurance cost, or proprietary reliability scores, because there's no free, reliable public source for them. For a verdict on a specific listing, with a fair-offer number and what to ask the seller, that's the VINly app.
BEFORE YOU BUY
What to check on this car
Confirm the recalls were fixed
This model has 3 open NHTSA recalls (including the electrical system). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.
Watch for a pending investigation
NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.
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Test-drive the basics
Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.
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Check the title and the VIN
Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.
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Ask the seller the right questions
Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.
See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.
Quick answers
What is recalled on the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu? +
NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, including the electrical system. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu get? +
The EPA rates the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu at 29 mpg combined (25 city / 36 highway), about $2,150 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu? +
Owners have filed 267 complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu, including 17 involving a crash. The most-reported area is electrical system.
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