Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2017 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 ↗Rear Seat Belt Retractor Not Secured Properly
- 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.
PPS Incorrectly Suppressing Air Bags
- 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.
Fuel Pump Flange Weld may Fracture
- 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.
Insufficient Welds On Rear Side Air Bag Inflator
- 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.
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Owner complaints (724)
724 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 724 |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 256 | 35.4% |
| Electrical system | 172 | 23.8% |
| Unknown or other | 150 | 20.7% |
| Power train | 144 | 19.9% |
| Vehicle speed control | 136 | 18.8% |
| Service brakes | 71 | 9.8% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 59 | 8.1% |
| Electronic stability control | 54 | 7.5% |
| Steering | 47 | 6.5% |
| Exterior lighting | 22 | 3% |
How 2017 compares with other Malibu years
Best and worst Malibu years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 923 | 11 |
| 2014 | 363 | 6 |
| 2015 | 270 | 3 |
| 2016 | 861 | 10 |
| 2017 | 724 | 4 |
| 2018 | 710 | 6 |
| 2019 | 193 | 1 |
| 2020 | 198 | 1 |
| 2021 | 89 | 2 |
| 2022 | 98 | 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), 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 4 dr fwd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 46 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $1,450
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 194 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT | Front-Wheel Drive | 49 / 43 / 46 | $1,450 | 194 |
| 1.5 L 4-cyl · 6-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 27 / 36 / 30 | $2,250 | 293 |
| 2 L 4-cyl · 9-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 22 / 33 / 26 | $3,150 | 342 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2017 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
2017 Chevrolet Malibu FAQ
How many recalls does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 21V649000 (seat belt), 18V400000 (air bag), 18V358000 (fuel pump), 16V870000 (air bag). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2017 Chevrolet Malibu problems?
Owners filed 724 complaints with NHTSA. Engine (256), Electrical system (172), Unknown or other (150) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu get?
EPA rates the 1.8 L 4-cyl · CVT version at 49 city, 43 highway and 46 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu get?
NHTSA rated the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu 4 dr fwd 5 stars overall, with 5 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.2% rollover risk).
How does the 2017 Malibu compare with other years?
Among the 2013–2021 Chevrolet Malibu model years at least five years old, the 2021 drew the fewest complaints (89) and the 2013 the most (923). The 2017 drew 724. 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.