The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu ranks among the more reliable midsize cars. But it’s not without its share of issues, including technical glitches, engine power loss, an annoying ‘shift to park’ bug, and loss of shaky steering.
Key Points
- The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu’s leading problem has to do with loss of engine power owing to fidgety computer control modules.
- “Shift to Park” message may pop on at random, draining batteries overnight.
- The 2017 Malibu’s most concerning recall has to do with a potential fracture in the fuel pump flange.
Engine Power May Drop
The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu has just over four hundred complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Of these, 148 point to the engine, 36 to fuel/propulsion, 89 to vehicle speed control, and 76 to power train.
The clearest pattern among these complaints is the Malibu’s tendency to drop its speed in traffic. The engine light will flash on with the warning, “engine power is reduced,” and from there you have to pull over, turn the car off, wait about twenty seconds, and turn your car back on.
This can happen at a fairly low mileage, with a Cleveland, Ohio complaint reporting, “The failure mileage was approximately 48,000.”
Given a review of the complaints, the problem is clearly an electrical one. A mechanical issue with the engine or transmission wouldn’t go away when you reboot the car like a WiFi router.
There has yet to be a recall or an investigation into the matter, but there have been some technical service bulletins addressing the issue. If you are experiencing this problem, it should be a simple matter of heading to the dealer and having the appropriate software updates made to your onboard computer system.
Random ‘Shift to Park’ Messages May Drain Battery
Less dangerous than the engine losing power, but perhaps just as annoying, most of the electrical system complaints that don’t point to the loss of engine power point to the car telling the driver to “Shift to Park” when the car is already in park.
Some drivers have reported that jiggling the shifter will tell the computer that the car is in park. But if you don’t take the time to ensure that the computer knows you’re in park, the message will stay on, which can drain the battery if left that way overnight. Again, not as dangerous as losing power while in motion, but this is a problem that could easily leave you stranded somewhere.
Other electrical hiccups have been noted, such as the “steering assistance reduced, drive with care” message appearing out of nowhere, and the sunroof and seat power going out for no apparent reason.
Most of these problems rank as a nuisance, rather than out-and-out disastrous. But they can be annoying, and they can drain your battery. If you’re experiencing any electrical issues with your Malibu, get in touch with a dealer to see about a computer software update.
Small, but Concerning Recall for Potential Fuel Leak
The 2017 Malibu has had four recalls, and none of them have affected more than a thousand units. But it’s still important to make sure that you get them taken care of if your VIN was recalled, as all four recalls were quite severe, with two pertaining to the car’s airbags, one to a potential fuel leak, and one to a faulty seat belt retractor.
The most concerning recall among these, and the one affecting the most drivers, was the potential fuel leak, which saw almost nine hundred Chevrolets called back to the dealers for a fix starting in May of 2018.
The problem stemmed from a potential fracture in the fuel pump flange weld in several 2016-2018 Malibus, as well as a number of other Chevrolet, Buick, and GMC nameplates. The fuel pump flange is the part that helps to control how much fuel is getting into the power train from the tank, so if that were to break, or even crack, it’s easy to see how that could be a problem, as fuel would leak all over the place, and then all it takes is one little spark to set the engine ablaze.
The recall affected a relatively low number of units, with fewer than a thousand cars recalled in total, and not all of those were Chevrolet models, let alone Chevrolet Malibus. But you shouldn’t take that as a reason to slack on getting it fixed. Recalls are paid for by the automaker, and they’re valid for the lifetime of the car, so there’s never a good reason not to run your VIN through our lookup tool and make sure you’re all set.
Photos: Chevrolet
