Problems · by component

2021 Chevrolet Malibu electrical system problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu cite electrical system, 33% of all 90 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
30
33% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“This car has the same issues even after you get it replaced . this car is not a good car I have spent so much money replacing the oz sensor .the radio, and the turbo keeps going out . this car has a lot of recall that should be handle to make sure that this car is running good . they should replace this turbo charge . the car always stall and cut off at a light or when you drive this is not safe to drive .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2026Electrical system, Engine, Forward collision avoidanceODI 11770501
“The Chevy Malibu is displaying a “Shift to Park” message even when the gear selector is physically in the Park position. This indicates that the vehicle’s computer may not be recognizing that the vehicle has been placed in Park, which is commonly associated with a faulty or failing internal park-position sensor/switch. The issue is affecting the vehicle’s ability to shut down properly. It is necessary to turn the vehicle off and back on multiple times before the system will recognize that the vehicle is in Park and allow it to shut off completely. If the vehicle does not recognize the Park position, it may remain partially powered on and potentially drain the battery.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2026Electrical system, EngineODI 11758225
“I purchased this vehicle in April of 2026, 4 days after bringing it home it began displaying a “Shift To Park” message in the dash, essentially making it so the vehicle will not shut off even when the vehicle is in park. Took it to a shop and they diagnosed it as a common issue across the 2021 Malibus and stated the entire shifter assembly needed replaced. Have not had it replaced yet due to not having the funds to replace the entire assembly, but was informed eventually the problem will progress to a total loss of being able to turn the vehicle off resulting in the vehicle essentially dying and requiring a jump start where the issue will display on the dashboard again until the internal micro switch is replaced. I believe this issue should be brought to GMs attention and a recall should be issued, seeing as they are aware it’s a known issue in malibus. A chevy dealership specifically told me that replacing the entire assembly may likely not even repair the issue itself.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2026Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11756187
“I was driving my car my electrical system is throwing all kinds of code.my sftey restrain is coming on to check my seat belt .the car goes blank .it stop in the middle of the road.this car has a lot of issues.can some one help me with this I work at the cardiologist office .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2026Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11756284
“The car has an issue recognizing that the car is in park when trying to turn off the vehicle. A message on the dash will appear “Shift to Park”. The car has not been inspected for this issue, but it does repeatedly happen, not every time I turn off the car, but it happens pretty frequently. If I am unable to get the shifter to fully engage the computer then it won’t let me completely power down the vehicle and drains the battery. I’ve had to get a battery replaced before due to a mechanic moving my car after inspecting it for a different issue and leaving the “Shift to Park” signal on and ignoring it. This left me stranded with no battery and a mechanic denying remediation for the dead battery. Many other similar gmc models have the same issue as me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 6, 2026Electrical systemODI 11755166
“The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, all the lights on the instrument panel illuminated, and the engine started to choke. The Service Vehicle light remained illuminated after the other lights turned off. The engine started choking again and failed to start. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with an inoperable fuel pump power control module. The mechanic informed the contact about a recall associated with the failure and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred the next two days. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was informed of the issue and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2026Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 11751019

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Other 2021 Malibu problem areas