Seat Belt complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2019 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2018 | 3 | 0% | 96,000 miles |
| 2017 | 7 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2016 | 9 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2015 | 8 | 3% | 55,000 miles |
| 2014 | 7 | 2% | 74,000 miles |
| 2013 | 6 | 1% | 64,000 miles |
| 2012 | 47 | 5% | 60,000 miles |
| 2011 | 53 | 5% | 73,000 miles |
| 2010 | 16 | 1% | 75,000 miles |
| 2009 | 7 | 0% | 65,000 miles |
| 2008 | 4 | 0% | 86,000 miles |
| 2007 | 13 | 1% | 106,000 miles |
| 2006 | 5 | 0% | 11,000 miles |
| 2005 | 5 | 1% | 83,000 miles |
| 2004 | 14 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2003 | 3 | 1% | 80,000 miles |
| 2002 | 9 | 2% | 70,000 miles |
| 2001 | 9 | 1% | 54,000 miles |
| 2000 | 2 | 0% | 27,000 miles |
| 1999 | 13 | 2% | 120,000 miles |
| 1998 | 24 | 2% | 45,000 miles |
| 1997 | 15 | 3% | 90,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Steering asst warning came on. This happened in 2022 when I got the vehicle and it's now happening again. When stopped with foot on brake and auto stop engaged , you take foot off brake steering wheel jerks and steering asst warning comes on. There is also a problem with shift to park. Vehicle shifted into park vehicle doesn't recognize that it in park and vehicle can't be shut off until it recognizes that it's actually in park. Chevy knows this is an issue and will cover it under bumper to bumper warranty but will not fix it under a recall or outside of bumper to bumper warranty. Vehicle has a p1101 code that comes and goes. Engine filter has been replaced, throttle body has been cleaned, MAF sensor has been replaced, and the issue continues to persist. There is no know way to fix this. Rear seat belt doesn't work. Vehicle came like that. Vehicle has had multiple issues. …
My car constantly gives an error saying the power is being reduced to the engine. It was repair 3 months after I bought it but it didn't fix the issue. These cars a danger to everyone around us. They reduce speeds to very low numbers even on the freeway, when yielding to turn left the car won't go but will drift into oncoming traffic, and many times the car won't shut off. It says it's not in park but it is. The seatbelts look like they're secured but with one good tug they'll come apart. And I slide when braking even without snow or rain. Mine I'd always broke down and no one will help me. I pay 475 a month for a car that doesn't work and is dangerous to me and my special needs child and everyone around us. Please do something.
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving northbound at 70 MPH, an unknown BMW crashed into the passenger rear quarter panel of the vehicle. The impact spun the vehicle around and hit a guardrail. The air bags did not deploy. The driver and child occupant sustained minor bruises and were provided medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop. There was no reported fire. After adding fuel, the contact noticed fuel leaking. The passenger's front and rear seat belts failed to latch. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the fuel line, seatbelt latch, and buckle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V649000 (Seat Belts) , NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V358000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). …
On 27 April, 2017, I was riding as a passenger in a 2017 Malibu. We were travelling at approximately 50 MPH when we needed to stop rapidly, to avoid an accident. The passenger seat belt did not function at all. Because I have zero trust in GM, I was protecting myself (the best one can) for just such an occurrence. This was a rental car, unknown which rental company, as I was a passenger. But this scares me because in December of 2000, I was driving a rented Pontiac grand am (truly the last time I have driven or ridden in a GM vehicle), and the seat belt, nor the air bag functioned correctly. Sadly, GM had known about both problems for years, but refused to issue a recall. I was nearly killed, and will suffer from a life altering tbi for the rest of my life. It is not surprising (at least to me) that GM still has issues with their seat belts. …
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 the driver's side seat belt was inoperable. The contact attempted several times but the seat belt had seized in place and was not retractable. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the seat belt retractor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.
The slot in the B-Pillar where the seatbelt enters and exits the trim when it's extended or retracted has an unrounded and sharp edge. Under normal use, this plastic edge cuts nylon fibers on the sides of the belt, leading to a overall loss in integrity of the safety restraint. Vehicles should have rounded plastic edges or metal oblong loops to eliminate the belt rubbing against sharp surfaces. The belt is frayed on the side facing the forward part of the vehicle, which rubs the most as it's extended that direction when the driver pulls on the belt to fasten it. An independent mechanic says it seems to be a design flaw and my seatbelt is at a high risk of ripping in the event a substantial force is applied to it by an occupant during a crash.
I went to work Friday September 27, 2019. Where my car sat for two hours. When I came back out I had a service air bag light on. My car is a 2105, I'm the second owner. It's never been in an accident. I took it to the dealer I had bought it from a year ago. They told me it was a faulty air bag module that needed to be replaced. Luckily it didn't take an accident for faulting in severe injury, before I had known what was going on. I called GM hoping to get some answers. Only to be told there was nothing they could do to help me. From reading online I've seen a lot of people have this issue. I just pray something can be fixed before someone gets seriously injured. This is a serious safety issue. We don't pay thousands of dollars for a car, to have things go seriously wrong with them. …
Related recalls (3)
Seat belts › Rear/other › Retractor
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2021 Chevrolet Malibu and 2019-2021 Cadillac XT4 vehicles. The rear seat belt retractors may be improperly secured with loose or missing fasteners.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021.
Seat belts
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured April 8, 2010, to October 11, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the flexible steel cables that connect the seat belts to the vehicle at the outside of the driver seat and the front passenger seat may be bent from being sat on…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the outboard lap anchor mounting bracket and inspect the flexible steel cable, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on November 16, 2015.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
On certain passenger vehicles, analysis of an a side impact crash test conducted by the NHTSA;s new car assessment program (ncap) indicated that the outboard anchorage of the driver's seat belt could disconnect because of contact between the seat trim and the anchorage connector when the seat was adjusted to its lowest position.
Remedy: Dealers will insert a retainer on both the driver's and passenger's belt anchorages. Owner notification began on June 16, 2004. Owners should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438.
Frequently asked questions
Which Chevrolet Malibu years have seat belt problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2011 (53), 2012 (47), 1998 (24), 2010 (16) and 1997 (15) model years. Seat Belt complaints make up 5% of all complaints for the 2011.
Is there a recall for Chevrolet Malibu seat belt problems?
Yes — 3 recalls, including 21V-649 (retractor, Aug 20, 2021); 15V-269 (seat belts, May 8, 2015); 04V-188 (anchorage, Apr 16, 2004). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Chevrolet Malibu seat belt problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles; 36% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the front › anchorage (17 mentions), followed by the front › buckle assembly (15).
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.