Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
40,462 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #21

Jan 152024

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Air bag warning light stays on and will not reset. Driver power seat controls buttons out of plastic control cover and jammed in metal part of seat. Can not get seat control unjammed and no way to adjust driver seat.

- Arab, AL, USA

problem #20

Jul 012022

Malibu

  • miles
I seem to have a short in the drivers side seat adjuster. At times when adjusting the seat a warning comes up to replace air bag and sometimes shuts off the radio. I have read that there was a recall at one point for this problem.

- Starksboro, VT, USA

problem #19

Jun 072019

Malibu

  • miles
My driver seat is powered and it is inoperative. It remains stuck in a reclined position. At first the seat would not return to an upright position but all the other power functions (reclining the seat, moving it forward and back, tilting the seat, moving it up/down) still worked. I took the car to a shop and they said that the cause was some of the wiring had disconnected. They took the seat out and made sure everything was plugged in correctly. The seat worked again but only for a short while. Now, the issue is present again and the driver seat will not move forward/back or return to an upright position. This is hazardous because the seat is not able to offer the driver the correct seating position to drive.

- Hudson, MA, USA

problem #18

Jul 012016

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the driver-€™s side seat became defective and would not remain sturdy while driving. The contact has had to duct tape parts of the seat to prevent the seat from moving while driving. The contact called and notified the dealer about the failure. An appointment was scheduled to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Kansas City, KS, USA

problem #17

Mar 292021

Malibu

  • miles
I been had this vehicle since 2018 nothing but issues few months having this vehicle I start experiencing issues with radio coming on and going off for no reason so took it to get looked at the said it was from wiring in the passenger side seat that was causing it so I paid $400 to get that fixed. But still was and is having same issues with electrical and now my heat comes on by itself even when the knob is in the off position. My passenger side seat belt warning goes off even when no ones in the seat. And to top it off my car been running bad engine overheating but nothing on my dashboard is telling me that but I can smell burning from my engine coming through my vents and it's exhausting. I have been to many shops to get it looked at but they keep saying nothing wrong no codes where coming up nor was my engine light on. But as of 3/29/2021 I had multiple icons pop up on my dashboard and now my engine light on. So I finally got a code P228D come up and I been explaining to auto shops that's something wrong because it's not wanting to pick up speed. So what can I do I'm tired spending money to get it looked at and all I'm getting from people nothing is wrong with your vehicle. But there is truly something wrong with this vehicle and it does this no matter where I'm at on highway, street, when I'm idle it's a loud noise and I can feel the heat from the engine coming through the floor of my vehicle

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #16

Feb 122015

Malibu

  • miles
Driver seat electric control panel separated from seat within 2 years of purchase of the new vehicle. The panel hangs off of the seat and over time has caused the seat to become damaged, which then caused pinching and scratching of driver's leg. Additionally, the driver's electric seat position panel only selectively operates, which means there are likely shorts in the wiring due to the hanging away from the seat and wearing over time with no protection by the plastic which was built to encase it. The buttons no longer work to move the seat 80% of the time, which is a safety hazard when the driver changes and may be taller or shorter and needs adjustments, though the seat will not move. Sadly, I have checked my VIN with the recalls and I am only eligible for one recall currently and it states that GM does not have the parts necessary to correct the problem. This is unacceptable. I read that GM is waiting for parts from china and I believe that they are wasting time waiting for china and could use company from United States to build the needed parts. The passenger seat air bag sensor indicator rings, even with the slightest weight of something light on the passenger seat. This should not occur, as it should only ring if there is a weight bearing indicative of a human, not just a notebook. If it rings daily for a notebook, then the concern is whether the airbag will deploy properly when a crash actually occurs.

- Ferdinand, IN, USA

problem #15

Jun 212020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 105,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Car seat caught on fire under me right after I turned on the ignition

- New Bedford, MA, USA

problem #14

May 172019

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 118,000 miles
Chafed wiring under passenger seat to short out and ground..causing headlights to go out and all electrical parts to short out...no headlights or tail lights.

- Vandalia, MO, USA

problem #13

May 142019

Malibu

  • miles
Driver seat control panel missing seat will not move

- Clearwater, FL, USA

problem #12

Sep 072018

Malibu

  • 83,800 miles
The seat will not function properly and gets stuck in position, currently the back is tilted nearly all the way back and will not tilt back

- Tilden, NE, USA

problem #11

Mar 052018

Malibu

  • 113,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Fire resulting from defective power seat control motor.

- North Augusta, SC, USA

problem #10

Feb 132018

Malibu

  • 113,000 miles
Keep stuck in ignition. No power. Had P0010 code. Changed the intake camshaft position solenoid.

- Fultondale, AL, USA

problem #9

Apr 102017

Malibu

  • 46,000 miles
There was a safety recall for this model but it did not include my car's VIN for some reason. I have had dealership repair the problem twice, once while still under factory warranty and then recently due to airbag harness wiring shearing off. The dealership repaired the wiring and charged me the deductible under extended warranty but advised the issue could happen again due to faulty design engineering. The issue happens apparently while raising and lowering the driver seat. The wiring harness can easily get caught in the gear mechanism.

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #8

May 042016

Malibu

  • 41,000 miles
My driver seat is stuck all the way in the full recline position and wont go back up. I contacted Chevy dealership and they told me 1,400 to buy a whole new seat. I dont have 1400 laying around to buy a new whole seat and that it troubles me that a whole seat would go out with my car when it has less than 45,000 miles. Now my wife and I are forced to drive a unsafe car because not only we don't have that kind of money laying around for a seat that shouldn't even be broke at 42000 miles. Ive contacted GM but they have not contacted me back yet. I also paid 130 dollars for the dealership to tell me that I need a whole new seat? I could have told them that. I hope I don't get in a accident probably wont have a chance with the way the seat is sitting seat belt wont work properly.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #7

Jul 012015

Malibu

  • 38,000 miles
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a failure covered under the warranty; however, after the repair, the vehicle began to experience many malfunctions. The vehicle's bolts on both the front passenger and driver seats were detached. When the seats were adjusted, the uni body frame of the body moved. The contact stated that the uni body frame was able to be moved manually. In addition, the electrical systems failed without warning, which sometimes caused the vehicle to stall. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer, but they refused to assist. The manufacturer was made aware of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.

- Pasco, WA, USA

problem #6

Apr 012015

Malibu

  • 60,000 miles
Broken drivers seat frame. The seat back reclining function only works on the left side, while the right side is stuck. Multiple online complains from Malibu owners,

- Mckinney, TX, USA

problem #5

Feb 012014

Malibu

  • 5,000 miles
1.the seat stitching has come apart. 2. the part of the seat where you adjust it, has cracked. Also it has torn my seat a bit because it has cracked. -both of these have been falling apart since shortly after owning the vehicle.

- Long Beach, CA, USA

problem #4

Aug 042015

Malibu

  • 53,909 miles
Actuator did not meet specs it was necessary to replace actuator. This service was done by jim keras Chevrolet in memphis Tennessee. The covering on the driver seat that protects the seat controls has fallen off, the car has no pick up when depressing the excellerator and makes noise as if the transmission is not changing. I went to vincheck pro and there were 7 recalls specifically electrical system software. I bought this car off the showroom floor of Acura of memphis at ridgeway and 385. No one told me of any factory recalls. The money I am spending for this car is already too much and now having so many problems out of a car thats only 2 years old is ridiculous. Thanks for listening.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #3

Apr 042015

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 35,000 miles
Was sitting in my seat adjusting the seat by pushing the button that had a short when I pushed the button I herd a clicking noise then I smelt a fume type of smell I put the car in reverse when the seat wouldn't move as I looked down at the gear I notice that the driver seat where I was sitting was on fire every where the car was wired is where the fire burned up I called the fire department in which they informed me that it was a electrical fire and car insurance confirmed recall on the car had been reported for doing the same thing prior to this incident I called kin dixon where I purchase the car and they told me that my car according to the VIN number I have to them was not affected by recall I have GM and they have yet to respond to me I could have been one of there numerous customers who lost their life in there defected retort cars I was not burned but the poor car was torched.

- Waldorf , MD, USA

problem #2

Jun 162014

Malibu

  • 26,000 miles
Front passenger seat air bag sensor too sensitive?? the front passenger air bag light comes on as well as front passenger seat belt reminder with minimal weight and/or pressure exerted on seat. I noted a 12oz soda beverage was placed on the front passenger seat and in approximately less than 10 seconds the vehicle light illuminated that the air bag was on (it illuminated off until this point) and the reminder tone came on to remind to fasten the front passenger seat belt.

- Caldwell, OH, USA

Read the next 1 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?