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2013 Chevrolet Malibu Recalls, Complaints & Specs

10 safety recalls list the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and owners have filed 836 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

10
safety recalls
836
owner complaints to NHTSA
33 / 10
complaints citing a crash / fire
24–29
MPG combined (EPA)

10 safety recalls for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 21V00F000 Reported 4,271 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or…

  2. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 21V633000 Reported 32,894 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu, and Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters were mailed on September 30, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on January 3,…

  3. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 20V764000 Reported 220,006 vehicles potentially affected General Motors, LLC

    General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New…

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021,…

  4. Ignition (electrical system) and power train: control module (tcm/pcm/tecm)

    NHTSA 16V502000 Reported 8,367 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    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…

    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…

  5. Gear position indication (prndl) (power train)

    NHTSA 15V245000 Reported 3,690 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 10, 2012, to August 2, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the console transmission gear selection indicator may not illuminate the shift position selected. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor…

    Remedy: GM has notified owners, and dealers will replace the transmission gear selection control module, free of charge. The recall began on April 20, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's…

  6. Sun/moon roof assembly (visibility)

    NHTSA 15V164000 Reported 87,063 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    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…

    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…

  7. Power adjust (seats) and electrical system: wiring

    NHTSA 13V566000 Reported 14,909 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured October 25, 2011, through June 29, 2012 and equipped with the 8-way power adjustable front seat feature. The wiring harness for the power seat may contact the seat frame which may chafe the harness.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wire harness and repair and secure it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall…

  8. Suspension: rear

    NHTSA 13V024000 Reported 8,519 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors is recalling certain model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles, manufactured December 6, 2011, through January 15, 2013. One or more rear suspension bolts may not have been tightened to the specified torque. This may lead to sudden changes in vehicle handling.

    Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and retighten the bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notifications have already begun and will be completed shortly. Owners may contact General Motors…

  9. Turn signal (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 12V484000 Reported 120,426 vehicles potentially affected General Motors LLC

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Buick Regal and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with two turn signal bulbs in each front turn signal. If one of the two front turn signal bulbs burn out in either front turn signal lamp, there is no indication to the driver. As such,…

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number…

  10. Software (electrical system)

    NHTSA 12V224000 Reported 4,304 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS LLC

    General motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013 chevrolet malibu vehicles manufactured from october 24, 2011, through march 31, 2012. After an event of hard braking, the sensing and diagnostic module (sdm) may reset itself.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the sdm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on june 13, 2012.

836 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu have filed 836 complaints with NHTSA; 33 describe a crash and 10 describe a fire. Reports cite 32 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 69,361 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 117 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“My high Voltage cable has melted into the generator of my 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco hybrid. This causes my front battery to drain really fast. I seen online that there was a recall on the generator contro”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Electrical system

“The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the electrical system failed inside the vehicle, causing the air conditioning system to fail to operate, and the”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 24, 2026 · Electrical system

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu (Malibu eAssist). Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined24–29 mpg
City / Highway21–25 / 29–36
FuelRegular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine4 cyl, 2/2.4/2.5 L
TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Compare Chevrolet Malibu model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Chevrolet Malibu model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1964 Chevrolet Malibu01
1973 Chevrolet Malibu10
1974 Chevrolet Malibu01
1975 Chevrolet Malibu02
1977 Chevrolet Malibu10
1978 Chevrolet Malibu72
1979 Chevrolet Malibu54
1980 Chevrolet Malibu55
1981 Chevrolet Malibu23
1982 Chevrolet Malibu22
1983 Chevrolet Malibu21
1986 Chevrolet Malibu01
1989 Chevrolet Malibu03
1997 Chevrolet Malibu4443
1998 Chevrolet Malibu3976
1999 Chevrolet Malibu1789
2000 Chevrolet Malibu3922
2001 Chevrolet Malibu2721
2002 Chevrolet Malibu2567
2003 Chevrolet Malibu2569
2004 Chevrolet Malibu61,147
2005 Chevrolet Malibu3975
2006 Chevrolet Malibu61,116
2007 Chevrolet Malibu3977
2008 Chevrolet Malibu4988
2009 Chevrolet Malibu51,509
2010 Chevrolet Malibu31,361
2011 Chevrolet Malibu3978
2012 Chevrolet Malibu2907
2013 Chevrolet Malibu10836
2014 Chevrolet Malibu6351
2015 Chevrolet Malibu3270
2016 Chevrolet Malibu9837
2017 Chevrolet Malibu4702
2018 Chevrolet Malibu6699
2019 Chevrolet Malibu1191
2020 Chevrolet Malibu1198
2021 Chevrolet Malibu289
2022 Chevrolet Malibu198
2023 Chevrolet Malibu270
2024 Chevrolet Malibu242
2025 Chevrolet Malibu111

Checking a specific 2013 Chevrolet Malibu

How do I know if my 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 10 campaigns currently list the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Chevrolet dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 12V224000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Chevrolet models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.