Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Key May Be Removed When Not In Park/FMVSS 114
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
- Consequence
- If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
Side Impact Air Bag Modules may Rupture
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The affected vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.
- Consequence
- In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.
Roof Panel May Inadvertently Auto Close/FMVSS 118
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from inadvertently being pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
- Consequence
- The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176.
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Owner complaints (270)
270 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The engine is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 270 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 70 | 25.9% |
| Electrical system | 68 | 25.2% |
| Air bags | 49 | 18.1% |
| Unknown or other | 35 | 13% |
| Power train | 31 | 11.5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 28 | 10.4% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 19 | 7% |
| Electronic stability control | 16 | 5.9% |
| Service brakes | 16 | 5.9% |
| Structure | 13 | 4.8% |
How 2015 compares with other Malibu years
Best and worst Malibu years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 978 | 3 |
| 2012 | 907 | 2 |
| 2013 | 923 | 11 |
| 2014 | 363 | 6 |
| 2015 | 270 | 3 |
| 2016 | 861 | 10 |
| 2017 | 724 | 4 |
| 2018 | 710 | 6 |
| 2019 | 193 | 1 |
| 2020 | 198 | 1 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 29 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $2,300
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 308 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 29 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 25 / 36 / 29 | $2,300 | 308 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 21 / 29 / 24 | $2,800 | 373 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2015 Malibu for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2015 Chevrolet Malibu FAQ
How many recalls does the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 16V502000 (electrical), 15V666000 (air bag), 15V164000 (visibility). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2015 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
Owners filed 270 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (70), Electrical system (68), Air bags (49) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu get?
EPA rates the 2.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic version at 25 city, 36 highway and 29 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu get?
NHTSA rated the 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (11.1% rollover risk).
How does the 2015 Malibu compare with other years?
Among the 2011–2020 Chevrolet Malibu model years at least five years old, the 2019 drew the fewest complaints (193) and the 2011 the most (978). The 2015 drew 270. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.