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2021 Chevrolet Malibu problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
51% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 66% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 6 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 47%).
Does the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 42 of 83 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%), and the largest group is filed under power train (28). For comparison, the 2020 scores 58% and the 2022 scores 58%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2021 compares with other Chevrolet Malibu years
Of the 14 Chevrolet Malibu years with enough complaints to score, the 2021 is the 7th-best on engine and transmission share (51%). The worst is the 2019 (66%), the best the 2010 (25%). By volume, the 2021 drew 89 complaints (42 drivetrain), against 198 for the 2020 and 98 for the 2022.
Chevrolet Malibu years to avoid and best years →
2010 Malibu problems · 2011 Malibu problems · 2012 Malibu problems · 2013 Malibu problems · 2014 Malibu problems · 2015 Malibu problems · 2016 Malibu problems · 2017 Malibu problems · 2018 Malibu problems · 2019 Malibu problems · 2020 Malibu problems · 2021 · 2022 Malibu problems · 2023 Malibu problems
The rest of the picture on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu
- The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
- What the repair costs. Typical transmission repair ranges, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives. Similar cars and nearby years with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 42 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2021 Chevrolet Malibu engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2021 Chevrolet Malibu? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu have transmission problems?
Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 42 of 83 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (51%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu is electrical system: 29 of 89 complaints (33%) name it, followed by power train (28) and engine (14). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 51% of the relevant total.
Is the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
On the engine and transmission, owner complaints point to a weak spot: 51% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain (high signal). That is worse than 66% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Chevrolet Malibu years we score, it ranks 7th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2021 Chevrolet Malibu, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Chevrolet Malibu years are better?
Among the Chevrolet Malibu years we track, the 2010 (25%), the 2012 (30%) and the 2023 (34%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2021 (51%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/chevrolet-malibu
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.