Most common 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid problems
Share of the 11 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid complaints by model year
Best Malibu Hybrid years: 2008, 2018, 2009. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid owners say
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The shift-to-park warning light was illuminated. The contact could pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure; however, the battery was replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
The car has a reoccuring problem where is stalls in the middle of driving the vehicle. A warning comes up to shift to park. The car then restarts, runs extremely rough and stalls out. It then signals to shift to park again. The car is extremely unsafe. I took the vehicle to GM dealer and they said the car is "confused" between running on the battery and combustible engine. I have seen several similar issues with the Cheverolt Malibu Hybrid. I think GM knows they have an issue and one of the reasons they discontinued the model.
Electrical system
Engine lost power on interstate highway. While this did not result in a crash/ rear end collision, the potential for such injury seems high. 1-2 days prior there were some warning lights (check engine light). Called a dealership Tuesday morning and earliest service appointment was in one week but they assured me that the car was drivable in the meantime. On Wednesday afternoon my son was driving on the interstate and there was a new message "engine power reduced", and a sudden loss of power. Eventually got the car to nearest Chevrolet dealership. Their technician took over a week to figure out what was wrong; eventually they replaced the ECM but still had problems. After a software update to ECM the problem finally appears to be resolved. Please note that similar problem has been reported with other Malibu models, but my Malibu Hybrid was not recalled. …
The car has a reoccuring problem where is stalls in the middle of driving the vehicle. A warning comes up to shift to park. The car then restarts, runs extremely rough and stalls out. It then signals to shift to park again. The car is extremely unsafe. I took the vehicle to GM dealer and they said the car is "confused" between running on the battery and combustible engine. I have seen several similar issues with the Cheverolt Malibu Hybrid. I think GM knows they have an issue and one of the reasons they discontinued the model.
Engine & cooling
Engine lost power on interstate highway. While this did not result in a crash/ rear end collision, the potential for such injury seems high. 1-2 days prior there were some warning lights (check engine light). Called a dealership Tuesday morning and earliest service appointment was in one week but they assured me that the car was drivable in the meantime. On Wednesday afternoon my son was driving on the interstate and there was a new message "engine power reduced", and a sudden loss of power. Eventually got the car to nearest Chevrolet dealership. Their technician took over a week to figure out what was wrong; eventually they replaced the ECM but still had problems. After a software update to ECM the problem finally appears to be resolved. Please note that similar problem has been reported with other Malibu models, but my Malibu Hybrid was not recalled. …
As I was driving with cruise control on a freeway at 70 mph the car suddenly displayed a warning to reduce speed. I continued to try to get to the next exit but almost instantly it started reducing my power and slowed me down to a crawl. I pulled over on the freeway and it would not restart. The tow truck to it to a chevy dealer and the next morning they called asking for details as the car started right up and they drove it around for 10 minutes without issue. They kept the vehicle all day but were unable to recreate the problem so they told me there was nothing they could do. They pulled 17 codes and said that's too many to diagnose so nothing to do. I drove 15 miles home with no issues. The next day I went to get the oil changed and they tested the 12V battery and told me it failed. I went to buy a battery and drove home. …
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8L 4-cyl hybrid | CVT | FWD | 49 / 43 / 46 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid a good car?
Based on 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2018 Malibu Hybrid rates average: 33% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Malibu Hybrid at the same age. It is one of the best Malibu Hybrid years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid?
The transmission & drivetrain — 4 complaints, 36% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (4) and engine & cooling (3).
How many recalls does the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2018 and 2009. See the full Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid years comparison.
At what mileage do 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 50% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.