FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH
2020 Chevrolet Malibu
The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 NHTSA safety recall on file, 189 owner complaints, and gets about 32 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.
SPECS
2020 Chevrolet Malibu at a glance
- Engine
- 4-cyl 1.5L
- Cylinders
- 4
- Displacement
- 1.5 L
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Transmission
- Automatic (variable gear ratios)
- Body
- Midsize Cars
- Fuel
- Regular
Source: EPA / NHTSA vPIC, as of July 13, 2026.
SAFETY RECALLS · NHTSA
1 openSeat Belts
20/08/2021
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
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
189 filed- 49
POWER TRAIN
Ejesitais to shift. Most of the times. Also shif to park when is o ready park.
- 38
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
May 7, 2026 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Safety Defect Complaint – Brake System / Vehicle Control Concerns 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a safety
- 26
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicle stalled/lost power while driving due to auto start/stop system.
- 25
SERVICE BRAKES
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally report a critical safety defect regarding my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. This defect resulted in a life-threatening incident while I was driving on the highway, during which my vehicle failed to
- 15
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminate
- 13
STEERING
December 12, 2025 I had to drive 20-30 miles an hour the car would not break I had to use parking break. When I would try to Stop it would continue to roll. The pedal was Hard! This is very dangerous and other cars have crashed There are al
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
- 32 mpg
- City / Hwy
- 29 / 36
- Est. fuel / yr
- $1,950
- CO₂ / mi
- 298 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 recall was fixed
This model has 1 open NHTSA recall (including the seat belts). 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 2020 Chevrolet Malibu? +
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, including the seat belts. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.
What gas mileage does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu get? +
The EPA rates the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu at 32 mpg combined (29 city / 36 highway), about $1,950 a year in fuel.
How safe is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu? +
NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars for rollover resistance.
What do owners complain about on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu? +
Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, including 10 involving a crash. The most-reported area is power train.
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