2020 CHEVROLET MALIBU Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. This model year has 184 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Engine Problems.
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This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about the specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer rollbacks, and open recalls.
Worst 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Engine Problems
Electrical Faults
Transmission / Drivetrain
Considering a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?
This page shows the model year's reputation. The VIN tells you about this specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. A single complaint may appear in multiple categories.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 61 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 53 | 1 | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 53 | — | — | — | |
| Brake System | 43 | 4 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 42 | 1 | — | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 17 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 14 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 13 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 5 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 4 | 4 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: AEB | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Air | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Showing 184 most recent complaints
I am writing to report a serious and dangerous issue that occurred with my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu LT on April 27th 2026. While driving on the interstate after work, my vehicle suddenly experienced a failure that made it extremely unsafe to operate. The brake pedal became extremel…
When braking, the vehicle experiences a system failure. There is a loud impact, the dashboard shuts down, warning lights activate all gauges go to the left, and the vehicle loses power and enters a reduced speed mode before recovering. This has been ongoing and creates a dangero…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, an unknown warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stopped at a traffic signal and after depressing the accelerator pedal when the li…
Reduced Engine Power Light: The car limits acceleration, often accompanied by a check engine light. Stalling or Hesitation: Engine stalls or acts sluggish when accelerating, particularly in traffic. Limp Mode: The vehicle restricts speed, making it difficult to accelerate. The ca…
While driving the brake pedal became hard to push out of no where. Once the car got to the shop it stopped cranking. The shop is stating that the brake vacuum pump is the cause of the brake pedal messing up, and that it also caused other engine damages estimating $3000.00
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH on the freeway and depressing the brake pedal to slow down, the brake pedal was difficult to depress, and the vehicle failed to immediately stop. During the failure, the check eng…
Several things have been going wrong with this car. I have only had it for about 7 months. Minimal driving. Got the car with 84,000 miles and it now has 88,000 miles. About 2 months ago the check engine light came on. Got it into a shop and they said an oil change may possibly he…
The contact owned a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the brake pedal became inoperable. There was a warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failed to function properly while attempting to stop the vehicl…
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 illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local inde…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mec…
I was unaware that when I purchased this vehicle that when the oil is low, the breaks go out and the break power booster shatters. The beaks have gone out on me 2x already and thankfully I’ve only had to replace the break power booster only once. Now once the oil is changed the b…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the RPM was unexpectedly elevated while driving, and the vehicle was hesitating. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the throttle body needed to be cleaned. While dri…
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. While the vehicle was stopped at a traffic light or a stop sign, the failure was more noticeable. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked abno…
Got this car Oct 16 2025 and check engine lights on the place in Greenbriar dreka passed emmission and the shop explicit auto sold me car for 7500 been having problems with car since owner told me to do what I need to do no refund nothing in writing saying as is this car needs ax…
Transmission got metal pieces in transmission fluid and blew the transmission
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 also class action lawsuits regarding just …
Shift to park issue and fluid mixing in with engine
Vehicle vacuum pump failed I have changed it 4 times now. Saw there have been more cases
This is a 2020 Malibu with only 18,000 miles on it now. We are having intermittent loss of power. Car will be moving fine when suddenly it looses power when pulling into traffic from a stop. It has also happened on the highway(right after leaving the dealer service department) wh…
Throwing code p1101 for the mass air flow sensor. This is a listed recall amongst other Malibu's but does not include my vin number. Check engine is on.
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.
Recalls for 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
1 campaignNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Recalls are free to fix at any authorized dealer. Run a VIN check below to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
2020 Chevrolet Malibu — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?▾
Severe Issues. The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 184 NHTSA owner complaints, 9 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most reported issue is Engine Problems (61 complaints). Source: NHTSA via VinSpector AI.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?▾
#1: Engine Problems (61 complaints). #2: Electrical Faults (53 complaints). #3: Transmission / Drivetrain (53 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?▾
The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has 9 crash-related complaints and 0 fire reports out of 184 total NHTSA complaints. 6 injuries were reported. For NCAP lab crash test star ratings, visit nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?▾
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affect the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The largest issue: SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.
Should I buy a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?▾
The 2020 Chevrolet Malibu has severe issues — review the top problems before buying. Pay particular attention to Engine Problems issues. Always run a VIN check on the specific car you're considering to check for accident history, open recalls, and title brands.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Malibu reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Check Your Specific 2020 Chevrolet Malibu
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud. Full report just $4.99.