Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's finance owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the brake pedal would hardened when depressed without warning. While driving at 15 MPH, the contact crashed into another vehicle due to the hardened brake pedal. The driver side air bag failed to deploy as needed; the air bag slightly popped out of place but did not deploy. A police report was filed; no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the mechanic verified that the vacuum pump needed repair. In addition, the contact mentioned that the vehicle would independently downshift while driving at a high rate of speed as the "engine reduce speed" warning message would appear on the instrument panel. The dealer and the manufacturer were both notified the failures; a case was filed with the manufacturer. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. …
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, she attempted to depress the brake pedal when the brakes locked and failed without warning. As a result, the contact rear-ended the rear of another vehicle. The contact sustained soreness and the other driver of the other vehicle sustained an injury to the back that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to her place of residence. The contact scheduled an appointment with an independent mechanic. The dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that information will be sent but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked overnight on an incline with the front of the vehicle facing forward, the contact stated that the electronic parking brake unexpectedly released, and the vehicle rolled away and crashed into the neighbors vehicle, causing damages to the headlights and the bumpers of both vehicles. The contact stated that there was no one inside the vehicles during the crash. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 102,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately at 55 MPH in a rain storm and making a right turn, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights had illuminated, and the driver suddenly lost control of the steering and crashed into a tree. During the incident the driver sustained a concussion and neck and shoulder injuries which later required medical treatment. No police report was filed. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 144,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her dad was driving at various speeds, the vehicle independently accelerated and decelerated. The contact stated that the vehicle was speeding up and then slowing down independently. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard, causing the vehicle to crash into a pole, however, the air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. A Police report was not filed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. While the mechanic was driving the vehicle, the vehicle drove as designed. However, the contact stated that while her dad was driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic and the mechanic stated that the wheels were extremely hot. …
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal was firm. The contact used the parking brake to slow and stop the vehicle. The contact was able to continue driving to the residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the vacuum pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. On another occasion, while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle started overheating and smoking with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the engine needed to be replaced due to metal fragments from the defective vacuum pump. …
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, she depressed the brake pedal however, the brake failed to engage as needed. The contact stated that additional force was needed to stop the vehicle. While stopped, the vehicle inadvertently started rolling backward. The contact stopped the vehicle and then turned off the vehicle. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle started shaking and the brake pedal was soft. The brake pedal had to be depressed to the floorboard to stop the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined that the brake pads and rotors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
The contact's client owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his client was driving at an undisclosed speed, upon depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle vibrated briefly and failed to stop in a reasonable amount of time. The ABS warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the ABS control module. The failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V272000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was firm while depressed. Additionally, the vehicle made abnormal grinding sounds with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with brake vacuum pump failure. The dealer replaced the brake vacuum pump. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
-Braking system failed and is available upon request. - My safety, my family's safety, and other parties on the road were affected as well. -Not confirmed by a dealer but multiple people have had this same issue and experience. -the components were inspected by police, dealerships, OnStar, and collision center. -no lights or indications of brake problems
Brake complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 104 complaints about the brakes of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, 12% of the model year's 841 complaints. The component named most often is antilock › abs warning light (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Chevrolet Malibu brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Chevrolet Malibu brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 12 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.