2022 Chevrolet Malibu reliability

Is it reliable?

The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu has 97 complaints with NHTSA after 5 years, or 10 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Malibu years here — under the median of the other years, which is 16. NHTSA has 1 recall on file, including Frame.

2012 Chevrolet Malibu — Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0

Complaints

Per year

Recalls

Years on the road

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Electrical system (32 of 97), then Engine (29) and Powertrain (23). The most filings arrived in 2026 (40 of 97). Those filings include 4 that report a crash and 1 that reports an injury.

Next to 2021 and 2023

The 2021 Malibu has 89 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2023 has 69 complaints, 7 per year. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2023.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. How we count. Data as of 2026-10-16.

Recalls (1)

Recall structure, frame 2022-12-14 · NHTSA campaign 22V923000

Summary General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.

Remedy Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.

Complaints by component (97 total)

Electrical system

Engine

Powertrain

Engine and engine cooling

Fuel and propulsion system

Service brakes

Air bags

Speed control

Exterior lighting

Fuel system, gasoline

Seat belts

Steering

Wheels

Back-over prevention

Hydraulic brakes

Seats

Structure

Tires

Show 10 more Show less

Crash-flagged

Fire-flagged

Injury reports

Death reports

Complaints filed per year

Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings

"The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, while adjusting the front driver's seat, the seat adjuster failed to operate as intended. The front driver's seat failed to…"
Seats · filed 2026-09-21
"Driving along the highway the CEL light came on followed by reduced engine power warning. Vehicle abruptly slowed down to 35mph (limp mode). Were there to be another vehicle behind me, they would have to do emergency…"
Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-03
"While driving my 2022 Chevrolet Malibu on the freeway, I experienced a loss of braking. This created a serious safety hazard because I was unable to stop the vehicle normally. The vehicle had previously displayed a…"
Service brakes · filed 2026-09-03
"I was driving and all of a sudden all the warning lights start going off on my vehicle’s dashboard and the car jerks back and forth while decelerating. This has happened twice on the highway putting me in danger of…"
Electrical system, Speed control, Service brakes · filed 2026-09-01
"The car started giving warnings on the dash "SHIFT TO PARK" even though the shifter is in park. When it happens you can not shut the car off fully causing the battery to drain, you also can not lock the vehicle. The car…"
Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-01

NHTSA crash ratings

Version	Overall	Front	Side	Rollover
2022 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drive	City	Hwy	Combined	Annual fuel cost
Malibu	2L, 4-cyl	Automatic 9-speed	Front-wheel drive	22	33	26 MPG	$3050
Malibu	1.5L, 4-cyl	Automatic (variable gear ratios)	Front-wheel drive	29	36	32 MPG	$2050

Specs and fitment

9th generation, 2016–2025

Body styles Sedan

Oil 0W-20 (1.5L turbo and 2.0L turbo); 5W-30 (hybrid where equipped) , 5.3 qt capacity

Tire size 205/65R16 to 245/45R18 (trim-dependent)

Known issues for this generation

Recall 20V-668 covers certain 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles among other GM models: the start/stop transmission accumulator end cap may have missing bolts, which can lead to a transmission fluid leak and possible loss of propulsion. Dealers inspect the accumulator and replace it if any bolts are missing. The published unit count for this campaign is shared across multiple GM nameplates, not Malibu alone.

Compare

Previous year 2021 Chevrolet Malibu Next year 2023 Chevrolet Malibu See every Chevrolet Malibu model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?

What are common problems with a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu?

Is the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2021 Malibu has 89 complaints, 4 per year, and the 2023 has 69 complaints, 7 per year. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2021. The 2022 has more complaints per year than the 2023.

Has the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu been recalled?

The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu has 1 recall on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners have filed 97 complaints about the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu is 29 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

When did the current Chevrolet Malibu body style debut?

The 9th-generation Malibu launched for the 2016 model year (2016-2025).

What engine oil does a Chevrolet Malibu use?

5W-30 (most engines); 5W-20 (2.4L where specified)

What does NHTSA recall 15V-164 cover on the Chevrolet Malibu?

Recall 15V-164 covers certain 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles: the slide or tilt switch for the roof panel may not be recessed enough, so the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly and increase pinch-injury risk; dealers update Body Control Module software to remove…