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The 2017 Chevrolet Malibu is a midsize cars vehicle covered by 3 EPA fuel-economy configurations. In NHTSA's records it has accumulated 725 owner complaints and 4 recall campaign(s). Of those complaints, 17 report a crash and 4 report a fire; 10 complaints report injuries totalling 16 injured people, and 0 deaths are recorded across all complaints for this model-year. The single most-reported component is Engine, named in 256 complaints (35.3% of the total). The sections below reproduce the underlying records in full: crash-test ratings, every recall campaign with its NHTSA campaign number, complaint counts by component, and EPA fuel-economy figures for each configuration.
NHTSA Safety Ratings
NHTSA tested the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD under its 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Ratings run from 1 to 5 stars; "Not rated" means NHTSA did not publish a score for that test for this variant.
| Test | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Frontal crash — passenger | ★★★★☆ |
| Side crash — overall | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — driver | ★★★★★ |
| Side crash — passenger | ★★★★★ |
| Side pole crash | ★★★★★ |
| Rollover resistance | ★★★★☆ |
Electronic stability control was fitted as standard equipment on the tested variant, and NHTSA records no safety recall investigation rating adjustments for it.
Recall Campaigns (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) that include the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. Each campaign below shows the official NHTSA campaign number, the affected component, and the manufacturer's own summary, consequence and remedy statements as published by NHTSA. To check whether a specific vehicle is covered, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
Campaign 18V400000 — Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification 14/06/2018
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type. As a result, the PPS may not properly identify an adult passenger from a child passenger in the front passenger seat, potentially causing the air bag to not deploy when it should, or causing the air bag to deploy when it shouldn't.
Consequence: In the event of a crash, improper air bag deployment can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 18208.
Campaign 18V358000 — Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:fuel Pump 31/05/2018
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Consequence: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Campaign 16V870000 — Air Bags:side/window 02/12/2016
Summary: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2017 Malibu vehicles manufactured on November 10, 2016. The right-hand rear side air bag inflator manifold may have insufficient welds.
Consequence: Insufficient welds could cause the inflator to separate and propel air bag debris into the cabin during a crash. Also, the inflator could fail to inflate during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2017. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16146.
Campaign 21V649000 — Seat Belts:critical Fasteners 20/08/2021
Summary: 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.
Consequence: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
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. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is N212333380.
Owner Complaints (725)
Owners have filed 725 complaints about the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu with NHTSA. Complaint counts are not sales-adjusted — higher-selling vehicles naturally attract more complaints — but the breakdown by component shows where owners report problems most often.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 256 | 35.3% |
| Electrical System | 172 | 23.7% |
| Unknown Or Other | 150 | 20.7% |
| Power Train | 144 | 19.9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 136 | 18.8% |
| Service Brakes | 73 | 10.1% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 59 | 8.1% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 54 | 7.4% |
| Steering | 47 | 6.5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 22 | 3.0% |
| Structure | 21 | 2.9% |
| Air Bags | 15 | 2.1% |
Complaints by Component — Visual
Bar length is proportional to the most-reported component for this model-year (Engine, 256 complaints).
By filing year, complaints peaked in 2019 with 147 filings. Owners filed 725 complaints in total across 10 calendar years in the database extract. Complaints involving a crash number 17 and those involving a fire number 4; 10 complaints report at least one injury.
EPA Fuel Economy
The EPA classifies the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu as a midsize cars vehicle and published ratings for 3 configurations (engine, transmission, drive and fuel combinations). Combined fuel economy spans 26–46 MPG; the median configuration returns 27 city / 36 highway / 30 combined MPG. Fuel types covered: Premium Gasoline, Regular Gasoline.
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | Fuel | Combined MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | Automatic 6-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 30 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | Automatic 9-spd | Front-Wheel Drive | Premium Gasoline | 26 |
| 1.8L 4-cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Front-Wheel Drive | Regular Gasoline | 46 |
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls and safety ratings databases and EPA FuelEconomy.gov dataset, accessed October 2026. See our methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu have?
NHTSA's complaints database held 725 complaints for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu when accessed in October 2026. The most-reported component was Engine with 256 complaints.
How many recalls affect the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) covering the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu in the data accessed in October 2026, including campaign 18V400000 for Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification.
What is the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu's safety rating?
NHTSA gave the tested 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars, with 5 stars for frontal crash, 5 for side crash and 4 for rollover resistance.
What MPG does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu get?
The EPA rated 3 configurations of the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. Combined fuel economy ranges from 26 to 46 MPG, with a median of 30 MPG (median city 27, median highway 36).