2017 Chevrolet Malibu transmission & drivetrain problems

Related recalls

No recalls on file.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 9, 2026MITransmission & Drivetrain

   Turbo cooler and turbocharger failure, diagnosis and replacement on February 4 and February 17, 2026 by a certified GM dealership. Replacement of these parts was not included in service bulletin N222372590 (issued 12/22/22), which covered 100% replacement for the exact parts for the exact engine for a number of other GM vehicles manufactured from 2016-2022. The total repair cost for these two part replacements was $4,951.11 for a car that was purchase just two months prior…

   NHTSA complaint #11763134 · source
2. Filed Jul 9, 2026TXElectrical SystemOther / UnknownTransmission & Drivetrain

   When the vehicle is shifted into Park and the ignition button is pressed, the vehicle fails to shut down. The dashboard displays a "Shift to Park" warning message, indicating the vehicle does not recognize that the gear selector is physically in the Park position.To shut the engine off, the driver must repeatedly wiggle, slam, or cycle the gear shifter back and forth into Park until the electrical sensor finally registers the connection. This creates a severe safety hazard,…

   NHTSA complaint #11749242 · source
3. Filed Jun 7, 2026AZElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain

   Shift to park error on dash. GM is aware of this issue and won't do anything about it. This causes stress and can cause battery drain. The issue lies within the microswitch that reads that the shifter is in park. The metal arm that activates the switch wears down or the wiring is faulty. Several Malibus, as well as other models have this issue and Chevy dealerships want hundreds to thousands of dollars to fix this. If it's a known, repetitive issue on several models, it…

   NHTSA complaint #11742521 · source
4. Filed May 12, 2026SCTransmission & Drivetrain

   The SHIFT TO PARK warning light comes on when shifting to park and WILL NOT allow you to shut the vehicle off. This is a WIDELY KNOWN DEFECT in multiple GM vehicles and yet there’s still no recall! WHY?! It causes the vehicle to not completely shut down, killing the battery and could potentially cause the car to roll. It’s been WIDELY REPORTED and it’s absolutely a defect with a part inside the shifter! It’s an expensive repair that consumers SHOULD NOT have to pay when it’s…

   NHTSA complaint #11737410 · source
5. Filed Feb 16, 2026GABrakesOther / UnknownTransmission & Drivetrain

   In the last 6 months I’ve had to put 3 Brake Boosters on my 2017 Chevy Malibu and it’s NOT cheap…. I don’t know what else to do.

   NHTSA complaint #11718196 · source
6. Filed Dec 13, 2025MIEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   Reduced engine power. Car will not accelerate over 35 mph. Almost rear ended. Will be the second time in dealer for same problem. Also, Shift to Park. Also second time at dealer for same problems. You cannot get out of car until you keep moving the shifting handle.

   NHTSA complaint #11704878 · source
7. Filed Aug 27, 202550,000 miNYTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was shifted to park, but failed to turn off. The shift to park message was displayed. The contact wiggled the gear shifter, and the vehicle eventually turned off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the gear shifter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and…

   NHTSA complaint #11683384 · source
8. Filed Jul 16, 2025FLTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that on several occasions after shifting the gear shifter to park(P), and turning off the vehicle, the contact observed a dinging notification and the message "Shift to Park" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

   NHTSA complaint #11673976 · source
9. Filed May 15, 202513,000 miTXTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the gear shifter was shifted to park(P); however, the shift to park message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact was informed that it would be several days before the diagnostic results could be provided. The vehicle was not yet…

   NHTSA complaint #11661158 · source
10. Filed Feb 23, 2025MDElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain

    Every time I shift the car into park, I receive a "shift to park" warning on the informational display. I am unable to turn car off until the car recognizes it. Can sometimes take 10 minutes before I can get car to recognize. This was fixed once before while under warranty and fix lasted 3 years. They cleaned the park switch contacts and installed an online shifter jumper harness but will not cover the fix now that it is happening out of warranty. It's a known issue that…

    NHTSA complaint #11644370 · source
11. Filed Jan 24, 202586,000 miOHElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain

    The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after parking and turning off the vehicle, the “Shift to Park” message was displayed. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the electrical system was inoperable. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that there were no open recalls on the VIN. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The…

    NHTSA complaint #11638374 · source
12. Filed Jan 14, 2025ILDriver Assistance & Safety TechTransmission & Drivetrain

    I have had 2 incidents, and paid for repairs both times. When put in park, SHIFT TO PARK warning lights come on. First time, Oct 4, 2021. Second time Dec 16, 2024. In 2021 I was told there should be a recall, it happens a lot. I'm not seeing recall, and think I should get my money back.

    NHTSA complaint #11635921 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology