Print this page

7.5

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$410
Average Mileage:
47,900 miles
Total Complaints:
13 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. replace water pump (12 reports)
  2. not sure (1 reports)
2013 Chevrolet Malibu cooling system problems

cooling system 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

problem #13

Dec 072016

Malibu LT 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

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

BOUGHT MY 2013 MALIBU IN AUGUST 2016, DECEMBER 2016 CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. HAD 37000 MILES ON IT. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED IT. HERE IT IS 13 MOS LATER AND MY CAR IS DOING THE SAME S**T!! PLEASE TELL ME WHY IN A YEARS TIME I NEED TO REPLACE THE DAMN WATER PUMP AND AT MY COST!!! THIS IS WRONG. THIS CAR SHOULD NOT BE GOING THRU WATER PUMPS LIKE THIS!!!

Update from Jan 25, 2018: SO I TOOK MY CAR IN AGAIN AND HAD A COOLANT TEST DONE AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE.....AND OF COURSE THEY FOUND NOTHING. EVEN THOUGH WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR I COULD SMELL COOLANT. LOW AND BEHOLD 5 DAYS LATER, I BACKED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AT WORK, AND COOLANT EVERYWHERE!!! SO I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY SAID THEY CAN TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT, BUT ALL THEY FOUND THE LAST TIME WAS THE COOLANT WAS BEING RELEASED BY THE OVER FLOW HOSE, BUT IT SHOULDNT BE HAPPENING ALL THE TIME. BUT I DROVE MY CAR AT LUNCH, DID NOT OVER HEAT. HAD ONE OF THE GUYS I WORK WITH CHECK THE COOLANT AND IT WASNT LOW. ........GRRRRRRR

- Beth H., Otis, LA, US

problem #12

Jan 242017

Malibu 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles

Driving at night and car over heated No warning. Water pump went. Had get it towed to Auto dealer.

- pfrances, Hedgesville, US

problem #11

Apr 292017

Malibu LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 31,683 miles

I have been a life long owner of GM Chevys. I started with the Chevy Chevette and then the Chevy Cavalier (both 9+ years), moved on to the Chevy Malibu for 14 years. I bought each of these cars new, nothing used. The Chevy Malibu was purchased in 1999 and traded in for my new Malibu in August of 2013. This is April 2017 and my car was overheating and I had to get a new water pump. Are you kidding me? Three and one-half years!!! I already had to get service for two sensors (of course at different times) in the engine - thank goodness they were covered, but my time was not! I work full time and do not need the headaches of a broken car that is new!

I used to recommend Chevys to everyone - now? I am just so beside myself (angry) that I have to pay $652.80 for a water pump after I purchased a new car for over $25,000.

- Cheryl H., Sudbury, MA, US

problem #10

Jan 042017

Malibu LT2 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 59,650 miles

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

WATER PUMP WENT OUT ON MALIBU UNDER 60K MILES!

Thankfully I paid for the GM EXTENDED WARRANTY prior to my original (36k/3year) manufacturer warranty.

After seeing that I am not alone on this issue, I would expect a class action lawsuit to follow at some point. This is the second Malibu I have owned and the 4th Chevrolet vehicle we have purchased. We currently own a 1989 Chevy S10 with 350k miles. My first Malibu, a 2009, had ZERO issues. I owned a 2003 Cavalier and drove it to 110k until the fuel pump went out, at which point we repaired it and traded it in for the 09 Malibu. Clearly I am a GM lover. GM needs to get on it and issue a recall before this gets ugly.

- jtumminello, St. Louis, MO, US

problem #9

Dec 292016

Malibu LS 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 61,000 miles

Just got word from dealership my water pump went out. 2013 Malibu w/ 61K miles. Clue 1 my exhaust fan kept coming on and its winter here. Clue 2 the needle kept going close to RED but not at red Clue 3 it overheated finally and thats when i went in. Thankfully its under extended warranty still but what do i have to look forward to in the future> Already consulting....

- spencerca, Stockton, CA, US

Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...

problem #8

Oct 112016

Malibu LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 79,868 miles

I am really disappointed a car 3 yrs old is having these type of problems. I thought I would finally step up my game and purpose a newer car from a "so called" big car lot cause in the past I have avoided these car places like the plague but boy was I wrong. First off my pushy salesman bought up this car I bought and I asked can I pick out the color I want? His response was no. I found that odd.

Then I should've noticed red flags when I saw writing on the window. It also had 35,000 miles on it for a car one year old!!!!!! I seriously wish I had just got back in my buy here pay here vehicle and left. 3 years later I have a leaky anti freeze bucket where I smell anti freeze all the time. I replaced the bucket but still its leaking cause I can yet smell it and have to refill it all the time. Then my control switch on the side of my driver's seat is busted and wires exposed. I was told to pay over $100 to have it fixed. Don't have that. Not only do I have the leak of antifreeze but my car also squeaks when I drive it and the noise comes from the engine and I smell a smell of metal when I drive now. So I have stopped driving the car and drive our other vehicle cause I'm scared something might catch on fire!!!

I do not trust any auto car lots used or new right now cause I feel they all are liars. How do these salesmen look themselves in the face everyday knowing they are selling faulty vehicles to hardworking people who dare enter their lots???? I can barely afford my car payment let alone extra repairs and I thought I was improving my car buying experience by buying a newer model car, wrong! I will probably have to let them repo this car cause I cant afford to fix it. You also get duped into buying high costly repairs which you cant afford either. I am so deeply disappointed let me tell you. My water pump is going out and I have read many customers complain about the same thing. All I know is I seem to have issues with my car heating and foggy windshields not to mention whats going on under my hood.

- Sandra B., Sapulpa, OK, US

problem #7

Sep 262016

Malibu LT 2.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 49,490 miles

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

So I bought the car when it had 36113 miles on it and now has 49490. This is my second malibu and the second time the water pump has gone out. When are they going to get their stuiff together and start making better cars.

- Scott S., Strongsville, OH, US

problem #6

Dec 252015

Malibu LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 90,000 miles

THIS WAS A PAIN. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE REPLACE WATER PUMP ON A 2013 THIS EARLY. IT HURT ME IN MY BUDGET. I HAD MISS MY CAR NOTE TO GET IT FIXED AND MISS WHOLE WEEK OF WORK. IT COST ME $209 FOR PUMP, PLUS LABOR ALL TOGETHER I WAS OUT $409.00, PLUS COOLING JUG $49.00, PLUS WITH ALL TOGETHER $60.00 I SPENT, $469.00. THIS DAY IN TIME I DO HAVE THIS KIND MONEY ON HAND. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS.

- Jeanette H., Wynnw, AR, US

problem #5

Aug 312015

Malibu LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

Just purchased the car in February. Check engine light came on 2 months later. The code read that the engine coolant was low. Refilled, and check engine light went off. 6 months later same thing. How is the engine coolant in need of a refill already. This is ridiculous. There is obviously something wrong with the water pump.

- Josalyne H., Stockbridge, GA, US

problem #4

Jun 232015

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 24,500 miles

Went to a graduation got out the car and my car was smoking. Open the hood and you can tell somthing was leaking. Drove to work Mon made a service appt. Went to put gas in my car which the gas station is less than 1 min away, when I pull in to park my car overheated. Had to get it towed to dealership. They said they had to replace the water pump. This car is only 2 yrs old with less than 25000 miles

- TeeTee W., Cleveland, OH, US

problem #3

Feb 022015

Malibu 1LT 2.5L Lcv

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

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

My water pump went out. There was coolant all over the belt side of the engine, so much so that the A/C compressor pulley wasn't turning even with A/C turned off. Chevy may pay for part of the repair but the attitude I'm getting from them is one of, we are swamped by recalls and we don't really care to retain you as a customer.

- Jeff H., St Clair, MO, US

problem #2

Jan 222014

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 18,000 miles

I had water pump changed in Feb this year 2014, took to the dealer they fixed it on the warranty. This week, almost end of June 2014, I experienced the same problem. I will call the dealer back this week to find out how this problem is still happening on a brand new car plus they just changed the water bump beginning of this year.

- taoipu, Seattle, WA, US

problem #1

Dec 182013

Malibu LS 4cl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

Water pump started making noise when starting car maybe at 18000 miles, thought maybe it was the fan, now that the pump went out I am sure the noise was the pump going. Told dealer but it would not make the noise for the dealer so no fix until it blew water everywhere and overheated.

Dealer was great we filled it with water, got it to the dealer, the dealer put us in a rental and we had the car back in five days.

- thurst, Salem, OR - Oregon, US

Not what you are looking for?