Does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, the most recent reported on August 20, 2021 (Seat belts: rear/other, retractor, Seat belts: critical fasteners). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners have filed 199 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (59 complaints), followed by power train (58).

How many 2020 Chevrolet Malibu complaints mention a crash or fire?

10 of 199 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 7 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

2020 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and problems

1 recall and 199 owner complaints on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu.

recalls

199

owner complaints

complaints mentioning a crash

mentioning a fire

Recalls apply to specific production ranges. To see whether a particular car still has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Repairs for safety recalls are free at authorised dealers.

2020 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

Seat belts: rear/other, retractor · Seat belts: critical fasteners

NHTSA campaign 21V649000 · reported August 20, 2021 · General Motors, LLC · 402 vehicles potentially affected

The problem: 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.
The risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: 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.

Most reported problems

Areas named in owner complaints to NHTSA. One complaint can name several areas.

Engine59
Power train58
Electrical system57
Unknown or other45
Service brakes42
Vehicle speed control18
Steering16
Fuel/propulsion system14
Service brakes, hydraulic6
Air bags4

What owners report

Recent complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. These are unverified accounts from owners, not findings.

Oct 19, 2026 · Unknown or other
The back up camera randomly fails. There appears to be no rhyme or reason to it. It will work completely fine for days sometimes weeks and the all of a sudden it will only show a black screen that states system failure. Sometimes it will remain in system failure or a day or a week, its completely random. I see that…

Sep 8, 2026 · Service brakes, hydraulic · 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while attempting to depress the brake pedal, the brakes failed to respond and seized, causing the contact to engage the parking brake. The contact was able to pull over while awaiting tow truck assistance. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be…

Sep 8, 2026 · Steering
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the message "Steering Assist Reduced - Drive with Care" was intermittently displayed on the instrument panel while driving. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to turn the steering wheel. In addition, the message "Service ESC" was…

Sep 8, 2026 · Electrical system
The vehicle's transmission shifter mechanism has failed for a second time, preventing the vehicle's computer from communicating with the gear shifter. When shifting the physical gear lever forward into the "Park" position and attempting to shut off the engine, a warning message reading "Action Required: Shift to Park"…

Aug 23, 2026 · Service brakes
I have a failed vacuum pump which caused my braking ability to be 100% reliant on my own strength to be able to “safely” stop the car. This is an ongoing and common problem with GM yet they have not recalled or given any solution. This is unsafe and should be illegal. I have now an underwater car loan and still a…

Malibu model years compared

Year	Recalls	Complaints	Crashes	Fires
2017	4	704	16	4
2018	6	700	23	4
2019	1	193	8	1
2020	1	199	10	0
2021	2	90	0	1
2022	1	99	4	0
2023	2	72	5	1

Across all years, the 2009 Malibu has the most complaints (1,509). All Chevrolet Malibu years →

Questions

Does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?: Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall for the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu, the most recent reported on August 20, 2021 (Seat belts: rear/other, retractor, Seat belts: critical fasteners). Check a specific car by its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu?: Owners have filed 199 complaints with NHTSA. The most frequently reported area is engine (59 complaints), followed by power train (58).
How many 2020 Chevrolet Malibu complaints mention a crash or fire?: 10 of 199 complaints report a crash and 0 a fire; 7 injuries were reported in total. Complaints are unverified reports from owners.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint data, updated October 27, 2026. Latest complaint received October 19, 2026.