Last updated: 2026-10-10
2022 Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Report
The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu rates excellent for reliability, but watch for a Shift to Park fault and turbo failures that send the car into limp mode.
Recalls
1
Complaints
66
Complaint Rate
5.7per 10,000 sold
Est. Repair Cost
$532
Annual Fuel Cost
$1,850–$2,650
Detailed Score Breakdown
Component-weighted complaints normalized by sales volume
Independent repair cost ratings
Recall count weighted by severity
Breadth of reported problem categories
The Verdict
Rates excellent and well above other 2022 sedans, with a recurring Shift to Park fault and some turbo failures into limp mode as the main concerns.
Top Issues to Watch
- POWER TRAIN (20)
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (14)
- ENGINE (3)
Generation & Refresh (US)
2022 is year 7 of the Ninth generation (2016).
- Redesigned for the 2016 model year.
- Well-established in its generation — most early issues should be resolved.
- A refresh arrives in 2024.
- 9th generation Malibu (US).
What this means for buyers
Well into the generation cycle — most design and manufacturing issues should be resolved by now.
2016: Ninth generation (2016) Launch
Generation start — new platform.
2022: This Model Year
2022 is year 7 of the Ninth generation (2016).
2024: Mid-Cycle Refresh
Updated features and styling tweaks.
Should You Buy the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu?
Among 2022 sedans, this Malibu rates well above average for reliability, and it is one of the stronger years of the eight scored. Owners filed 66 complaints, or 5.7 per 10,000 sold. The 2021 rates worse, with 2 recalls. The 2023 rates about the same, so it is a fair alternative.
The most common problem is a shifter fault. The car fails to recognize Park, shows a "Shift to Park" message, stays powered on, and can beep until the battery drains. Owners report it from about 28,619 to 44,000 miles, often just past the 36,000-mile warranty. One dealer quoted over $600 for the repair. The second problem is turbo failure. A P0299 code, limp mode, and sudden power loss show up between 62,000 and 110,022 miles. Federal recall records list one recall, in the structure area.
Ask for shifter and turbo repair records, and confirm the recall was completed. Owners mention a GM special coverage program, but several say their VIN is not included, so ask whether the car qualifies.
Compared to the 2023 Chevrolet Malibu, which scored 1 points higher. See also the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu for an earlier comparison.
Pros
- +Strong reliability score
- +Infrequent unscheduled repairs
- +Low major repair risk (11%)
- +Low recall count
- +Below-average complaint rate for Sedan
Cons
- −POWER TRAIN: Car often fails to recognize Park (20 complaints)
- −Shift to Park fault reported at 28,619–44,000 miles
Compare 2022 Chevrolet Malibu With
2022 Toyota Camry
Reliability: 84/100
2022 Nissan Altima
Reliability: 83/100
2022 Kia K5
Reliability: 69/100
2022 Hyundai Sonata
Reliability: 65/100
2022 Subaru Legacy
Reliability: 77/100
Common Problem Categories
Safety
LOW RISK- 1 manufacturer recall issued
Other
HIGH RISK- POWER TRAIN (20)
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER (18)
Recall Overview
1
recall on record
The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu carries 1 recall — a low count. Authorized dealers repair any open recall free of charge, regardless of warranty status.
NHTSA.gov →Complaint Breakdown
5.7
per 10,000 soldSegment avg: 17.8
Safety Incidents
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
NHTSA 4/5 Stars
Data sourced from NHTSA complaint filings and manufacturer recall notices. Complaint narratives are owner-reported.
2022 Chevrolet Malibu Recall Details
1 recall has been issued for the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu. All recall repairs are performed free of charge at authorized dealerships.
STRUCTURE
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail.
Consequence
An improperly welded front impact bar may result in the front crash sensors not performing correctly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner notification letters were mailed January 20, 2023. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Buying a used 2022 Chevrolet Malibu? Check its history first
Power train problems lead owner complaints about the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu, and 1 recall was issued for it. A VIN check shows whether this car's recall work was done, plus accident, title, and odometer history.
- Accidents
- Open Recalls
- Title History
- Odometer Rollback
2022 Chevrolet Malibu NHTSA Safety Ratings
Overall Safety Rating
Crash Test Results by Configuration (expand)
Gas Powertrain
Rollover risk: 10.3%
Safety Technologies
Chevrolet MalibuRepair Costs & Maintenance
Maintenance Rating
4Maintenance rating: 4 out of 5Based on NHTSA complaint patterns, recall severity, and publicly available cost benchmarks.
Est. Annual Maintenance
$532
vs $526 avg for midsize cars
vs $652 avg for all vehicles
Repair Frequency
0.3
unscheduled repair visits per year
Severe Repair Probability
11%
chance of a major repair
Annual Cost Comparison
Category-level averages derived from publicly available industry reports (AAA, CarMD). Model-level estimates produced by Auto Reliability Index.
Chevrolet Malibu Resale Value
The Chevrolet Malibu is estimated to retain about 58.3% of its original value after 5 years, based on observed used-car listings.
This benchmark covers the Chevrolet Malibu model overall and is not specific to the 2022 model year.
- Value Retained
- 58.3%
- Depreciation
- 41.7%
- Listings Analyzed
- 351
after 5 years
over the same period
U.S. used-car listings
Listings observed in . This is a historical market benchmark, not a current price quote.
Explore Chevrolet Malibu depreciation and resale value on CarResaleValue.comMPG & Annual Running Costs
Gas
26–32 MPG
Running cost: $2,400–$3,200/yr
Fuel + repair
22–29 city / 33–36 hwy MPG
Running cost includes EPA fuel-cost estimate and independent repair-cost data (repair cost estimated at model level). Excludes routine maintenance, depreciation, and insurance. Data as of 2022 EPA label cycle.
Gas trims
| Trim | Drive | Trans. | City | Hwy | Comb | Fuel Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malibu 1.5L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | 29 | 36 | 32 | $1,850 |
| Malibu 2.0L 4-cyl | Front-Wheel Drive | Automatic 9-spd | 22 | 33 | 26 | $2,650 |
Used Buying Checklist
Key things to inspect or verify before purchasing a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu.
Shift into Park and shut the car off several times. Watch for a Shift to Park message or the car staying powered on.
Ask for records showing whether the gear shifter was replaced and whether the work was covered or paid by the owner.
Scan for stored codes before buying, especially P0299 turbo underboost and P0826 shift faults.
Accelerate hard up a highway on-ramp. Watch for Engine Power Reduced, limp mode, or hesitation.
Listen for loud turbo noise, ticking, or rough shaking at idle and under load.
Feel for jerks when lifting off the gas, slipping on acceleration, or transmission whine during the test drive.
Run the VIN through GM recall and turbo special coverage lookups. Many 2022 owners report their car is excluded.
Pair a phone and test Bluetooth, CarPlay, hands-free calling, and the OnStar button. Confirm no ESC or airbag warnings stay lit.
2022 Chevrolet Malibu Common Problems by Component
66 owner complaints grouped by vehicle system.
POWER TRAIN
20 complaintsSafety-relatedThe car often fails to recognize Park. It shows a "Shift to Park" message, stays powered on, and sometimes beeps until the battery drains. Owners report this between about 28,619 and 44,000 miles, often just past the 36,000-mile warranty, and dealers blame the shifter. A second pattern is turbo underboost (code P0299), with sudden limp mode and power loss while merging on the highway. Some owners describe a jerking, slipping transmission, even after a replacement. Two reports involve crashes, including a delayed throttle response followed by a surge into a curb.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
18 complaintsSafety-relatedMost of these reports describe the same Shift to Park fault. The shifter sits in Park, but the car says it is not parked and will not fully shut off. Drivers cycle the ignition and move the shifter for 5 to 20 minutes before it clears, and many worry the car could roll away. Other reports describe a recurring Engine Power Reduced warning that survives parts swaps and a throttle body cleaning. In one crash with an injury, the car shut down in motion without warning and was rear-ended.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
14 complaintsThese complaints cover many unrelated faults. The most common is the Shift to Park fault, and one dealer quoted over $600 for an out-of-warranty shifter replacement. Several reports describe the engine cutting out while driving, Engine Power Reduced episodes at highway speed, and check engine lights the dealer could not explain. Others cite Bluetooth that drops daily, a telematics fault that disables OnStar, CarPlay and hands-free calling, and lingering ESC, power steering, and seatbelt tensioner warnings. One owner lost the headlights while using the infotainment system.
ENGINE (3 complaints)
ENGINE
3 complaintsTurbocharger failure is the only pattern here. A check engine light comes on with code P0299, power drops, and the car goes into limp mode. Failures cluster around 66,000 miles, shortly after the 60,000-mile powertrain warranty runs out. Owners mention a GM special coverage program for some 2022 cars, but several say their VIN is not included. One owner was quoted 2,200 for the repair. Only 3 complaints fall under this heading.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (3 complaints)
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3 complaintsTurbocharger failure causes stalling or sudden deceleration, then limp mode with the check engine light on. One car could not exceed 40 MPH. Mechanics found failed turbos, including one leaking oil, and one failure came at 110,022 miles. In two cases the dealer neither diagnosed nor repaired the car. Another report links an Engine Overheating warning to a faulty turbo, which came after a whining transmission was replaced. The stalls at road speed create a real risk in traffic.
STEERING (2 complaints)
STEERING
2 complaintsPower steering assist drops out. One report describes the wheel jerking when pulling away from a stop, along with a "Power Steering Assist Is Reduced" warning. Another describes a full loss of power steering at about 40 MPH, along with poor brake response, RPMs falling to zero, and traction control and check engine lights. That problem returned after a dealer repair. Both cases carry a loss-of-control risk, though there are only 2 complaints.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL (2 complaints)
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
2 complaintsThe car loses acceleration and shows a reduced power warning. In one case it slowed suddenly at 45 MPH and then could not exceed 10 MPH. The dealer traced that failure to the turbocharger at about 62,000 miles, and GM confirmed there was no coverage. Another owner made five dealer visits for a failed accelerator position sensor, and the pedal was replaced twice without a lasting fix. A sudden power loss in traffic is the main hazard.
AIR BAGS (2 complaints)
AIR BAGS
2 complaintsSafety-relatedAirbags fail to deploy in a crash. In one case the car rear-ended another vehicle at 20 MPH with no airbag deployment and no warning light, and a collision shop said the bags should have fired and found a component that was never welded. A second owner reports a restraint system fault that Chevrolet cannot fix. Only 2 complaints are filed here, but one involved a crash.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1 complaints)
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
1 complaintChevy, and many GM vehicles love to illuminate the white “reverse” lights when parked. This is a fundamental departure from what it means when these *white* lights are illuminated, i.e., the car is in reverse and pedestrians and other vehicles should prepare for the vehicle to back up. However, with the above auto manufacturers, that rule is broken and now there are tens of thousands, or millions of vehicles on the road, and myriad parking lots/garages where these fundamental tenets for the expectation of a potential vehicle behavior has been broken. The notion that this is a “safety” feature to illuminate the area around the vehicle is inherently flawed. Other automobile manufacturers have seemed to fare just fine without this departure of what white lights mean on the back of a vehicle. When something has a long-standing specific meaning (i.e., I might go in reverse), and then that rule is changed, or augmented in ways that are non-uniform across automobile manufacturers, it renders the original intended purpose to be futile. At what point will somebody become severely injured and/or die because the white lights of a Chevy were ignored, and a car, did in fact, go in reverse. Going in reverse is now the exception when white lights illuminate on these cars, not the rule, and this is a terrible “feature” for alerting others about the intended behavior of the vehicle. The NHTSA should clarify the intended purpose of when white (reverse) rights are allowed to illuminate before the meaning of these lights becomes even more degraded.
SERVICE BRAKES (1 complaints)
SERVICE BRAKES
1 complaintI have issues with my 2022 Malibu trying to accelerate while applying the brakes. I was in a parking lot looking for a parking space with the brake down (my foot nowhere near the accelerator), and the engine was revving to over 3000 rpms. I called the dealer today and the service department closed right before I called. I will be on the phone early Monday morning. This car is currently unsafe to drive
When Do 2022 Chevrolet Malibu Problems Start?
Based on owner complaint patterns, here's when common issues tend to appear.
Best & Worst Chevrolet Malibu Years
Best Chevrolet Malibu Years to Buy
Based on reliability index score2023
2024
2022
(Current Model)
Chevrolet Malibu Years to Avoid
Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Score Trend
Scores 0–100. Higher is better. Current year highlighted.
| Year | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 62/100 | Good |
| 2019 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2020 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2021 | 74/100 | Good |
| 2022 | 80/100 | Excellent |
| 2023 | 81/100 | Excellent |
| 2024 | 80/100 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 80/100 | Excellent |
Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Compared to Other Years
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
What are the most common problems with the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu?
Does the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu have turbo problems?
When does the Shift to Park problem start on the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu?
Is the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu better than the 2021?
Don’t buy a 2022 Chevrolet Malibu without checking its VIN first — hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls could cost you thousands.
How we score the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu
Of the four inputs behind this score, the 2022 Chevrolet Malibu does best on how many systems draw complaints (90/100) and worst on complaint severity (72/100). Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.
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