Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2017 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Intermittent issue while driving at highway speeds (70mph) car will pop up service stabilitrak error message on front display, the traction control light will illuminate, while CEL begins flashing. At this time, car will lose power and speed will begin to fall. Continuing to depress accelerator in an attempt to maintain speed will cause car to shudder. Entire incident lasts only 1-2 minutes, before drivability returns. In-the-moment OnStar diagnostics show no issues. Purchased car brand new; only been serviced at the original dealership, only use shell v-power gasoline. 1st incident- dealer said wet roads/rain to blame; did not run diagnostics, did not attempt to service 2nd incident- dealer noted cylinder 3 misfire, swapped coil pack and spark plugs on cylinders 1 and 3, changed oil. …
Reduced engine power first time this happened I was making a u turn at slow speeds when my dash displayed ' reduced engine power' check engine light came on as well as traction control light . I pulled over turned my car off and back on a few mins later later lights went away and car drove fine . ( November 2019 ) second time was mid February 2020 I was driving about 40 MPH when same thing happened . Dash lights came on reduced engine power came back on and car slowed down to less the 20 MPH within seconds . Once again I had to pull over turned my car on/off about 3 times in 20 mins for light to go away and car drive normal again . Third time today 2/27/20 at maybe 10 MPH my dash lit up once again check engine light did not go away this time . But car drove fine afterwords luckily it hasn't happened on highway speeds or with my daughter in the car . …
While driving my 2017 Chevrolet Malibu on the highway with my son in the car, the driver screen dash flashed a message 'engine power reduced', the check engine light turned on, and the car immediately lost power making it difficult to drive safely. After this happened, my car would not exceed 45 MPH and would not shift. After pulling my car to the side of the busy highway and letting it set, I was able to get my car towed to my home. This has since happened five additional times and is happening at a more rapid rate. I took my car the oreilleys and autozone to have them run a general diagnostic check and the error code being returned was 'p2138' - 'throttle/pedal position sensor/switch d / e voltage correlation'. …
While dropping off my children at school the car came to a complete stop and went into auto stop. When releasing the peddle so the car could turn back on the whole dash board and the radio screen completely cut off and when the car turned off it all switched back on. The dash screen flagged and said steering assistant is reduced drive with care. This repeatedly happended another two times everytime I came to a complete stop. After the third time the car did not turn off at all. In the past I have had the error message come on when the car would come to a stop and the car would turn back on but I am beginning to become very worried because now the whole dash board and radio are turning off. I was on a regular city street but am worried when I return to work after my vacation I will get stranded. …
For 3 months my 2017 Chevy Malibu has had the check engine light come on, and vehicle completely loose acceleration. At slow and high speeds with my 2 year old in the car. When the code is read it states it's the ECM p2138. This last time almost caused my vehicle to wreck with my family in the car. Chevy has yet to handle the issue and like most cars it's not covered on warranty so because Chevy has put out a faulty product we are being punished with high mechanical costs. This is not the first issue, I have have my Chevy almost 3 years and have had it in for sensor issues reading the key fob and my car stranding me hours from home and not starting, and again for sensory issues putting the vehicle into park. When confronting Chevy they state the issue with high cost to fix.
On Friday December 29, 2017 as we were driving home we almost re-ended another vehicle in a city street at the speed of 55 MPH due to car brakes locking and hard to press down, luckily hard we were able fo brake by pushing hard enough. Also sensor have failed twice- three times in heavy traffic and will brake on their own without any car being directly in front of me which is scary and could cause a major accident on the highway. We contact GMC and filed a claim (83737025405) and also took it to the Chevrolet dealership in our hometown which is not doing much but charging us $1000+ for a change on a vacuum top and seal but don't understand that this is a safety issue for we have almost crashed over 4 times due to these issues.
While driving 60mph on the highway, my car began beeping and displayed 'reduced engine power' on the screen. The traction light and engine light also came on. The cars speed was immediately reduced almost causing a serious accident as I was in the left lane on the highway with a semi behind and beside me. I was able to maneuver to the shoulder. I had to restart the car twice in order to be able drive it home. This was an absolutely terrifying situation. The check engine light is still on. Upon googling this issue, many people have had this problem and there has not been a recall! If my reaction time wasn't a fast as it was today, I would have been seriously hurt, or worse. GM needs to address this.
My 2017 Malibu had a loss of engine power, it happened while on vacation. While in traffic on a dark curvy road, there was a sudden loss of power, the car would not accelerate and the engine light was on as well as a message indicating loss of engine power. I pulled over an restarted the vehicle, it did not gain full engine power back. I was able to slowly make it to my destination. The next morning (kids in tow) the engine light was still on, and the vehicle still seemed sluggish. While driving home ( or to a dealership if possible) the car again lost power and I had to pull over as to not obstruct traffic. Upon getting the vehicle serviced, they claim the matter was resolved I am not confident,
While trying to accelerate down the on-ramp onto a highway all of a sudden I lost power and could not exceed 40mph. I almost got sideswiped while trying to merge into traffic but couldn't gain speed. Before abruptly pulling onto the shoulder the anti-skid and check engine lights came on along with a dash warning that stated :"engine power reduced". I took it to a vendor who searched the code my car produced and it was "p2138", which is "throttle/pedal position sensor/ switch d/ e voltage correlation". I searched this issue online to find a ton of similar if not the exact same issues with other Chevy malibus.this is a very dangerous issue! I could have been seriously injured or killed.
I was driving my vehicle in heavy traffic and I came to a traffic light and my vehicle shut down and would not start back. It was frightening because someone could have hit me from behind. After the officer jump my car off it crank back up but I took it to the shop and place on the machine and the battery and alternator is fine. The car since then have shut down 4 more times and after sitting for a while it started back up. Once again this happened in heavy traffic. Please check if others having the same problem. Also a few times the doors came unlock at a stop light or stopping of the vehicle. Please help. 2017 Malibu ez
Traction Control complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are traction control problems on the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the stability & traction control of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, 8% of the model year's 703 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2017 Chevrolet Malibu traction control problems?
No. NHTSA lists no stability & traction control recall for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 4 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 2017 Chevrolet Malibu traction control problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles, and 16% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to stability & traction control 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.