2021 Chevrolet Malibu — Known Issues & Recalls

Your transmission's shift-to-park switch may be malfunctioning, causing your car to lose power while driving in traffic. This creates a serious safety hazard as other vehicles have to swerve to avoid you. An independent service center confirmed this issue. The fix will likely involve inspecting and replacing the shift-to-park switch mechanism in your transmission.

After your Malibu was taken in for a fuel pump control module recall repair, you experienced a new problem where the vehicle wouldn't turn off when you tried to shut it down, even though it showed "Shift to Park" while already in Park. The vehicle then unexpectedly shut itself off after you exited it. The dealer diagnosed that your shift lever had failed and needed replacement, but the repair wasn't completed at the time of your complaint.

Your car sometimes fails to accelerate smoothly when you step on the gas pedal after stopping. Instead, the transmission unexpectedly downshifts and then suddenly slams into gear, which can jolt you back into your seat. This happens particularly when the transmission fluid reaches 180 degrees, and your dashboard may show a "Shift to Park" message even though no warning lights come on. The dealership replaced the solenoid valve, but the problem continues to occur.

Your car's transmission won't shift into Park properly — even though you moved the shifter to Park, the dashboard keeps showing a "Shift to Park" message. When this happens, you can't turn off the engine. Your dealer wasn't able to diagnose or fix the problem. This could be caused by a faulty shift interlock solenoid, shift cable misalignment, or transmission control module issue that may need replacement or recalibration.

Your car's gear shifter is stuck in Park, but the dashboard keeps telling you to shift to Park even though you already have. The car eventually returns to normal after several attempts, but this problem keeps happening. Your electrical systems continue to work fine, and no warning lights appear on the dashboard.

Your car displays a "Shift to Park" message even though your gear shifter is already in park, preventing you from turning off the engine. You may need to jerk the shifter multiple times or manually access the center console to force the vehicle off. This issue has been reported by other Malibu owners and may require the dealer to repair the shift interlock system or electrical connections related to the park position sensor.

Your car won't turn off completely and has restarted itself twice without you pressing the start button. Chevrolet acknowledged they've known about this "shift to park" problem since 2018 models, but you weren't notified of a recall or class action lawsuit even though your 2021 Malibu is affected. You paid $481.86 out of pocket to have the dealer repair this safety feature. Fixing this issue typically involves replacing or reprogramming the ignition switch and transmission shift-to-park control module.

Your car is already in park, but the dashboard is showing a 'shift to park' error message. This suggests the transmission position sensor or shifter mechanism may not be communicating properly with the vehicle's computer. You should have a technician scan the transmission control module to identify the exact cause and determine if the shifter assembly or sensors need adjustment or replacement.

Your car sometimes won't recognize when the shift lever is in Park, which prevents the engine from fully shutting down and can drain your battery, leaving you stranded. This can also potentially cause transmission or electrical control issues. The manufacturer's solution is to replace the entire shifter assembly with an updated part.

After you shift into Park and turn off your car, a warning beep tells you to "place vehicle into park" even though it's already parked. You have to jiggle the gear shift several times to make the warning stop. This is concerning because you worry the car might not actually be in Park and could roll away.

Your car's check engine light came on while driving on the highway, causing a loss of power and then stalling. When you tried to restart it, the engine wouldn't turn over (just clicking sounds), and the transmission wouldn't shift out of gear—a dangerous situation that required emergency help. A mechanic diagnosed a fuel pump circuit failure (fault code P023F), which prevented the engine from getting fuel. Additionally, your dashboard incorrectly displays "Shift To Park" even when the car is already parked. Fixing this will likely require replacing the fuel pump assembly and possibly addressing the transmission shift sensor.

Your car is unexpectedly shifting into neutral while driving and displaying a message telling you to restart. When this happens, your steering wheel locks up and you can't accelerate, even though the car remains in drive. This occurred multiple times during a short drive home. The issue may be related to the neutral safety switch or transmission control system, which typically requires diagnostic testing at a dealership to pinpoint the exact cause.

While driving on the highway, a "SERVICE ESC" warning appeared on your dashboard, triggering engine power reduction that forced you to pull over abruptly. When this warning activates, your engine, transmission, and brakes don't function properly — the transmission won't shift gears, your gauges fluctuate wildly, GPS malfunctions, and your car may shut off completely. The brakes also don't engage as they should. Diagnosing this issue will likely require a full electrical system scan and possible replacement of the ESC (Electronic Stability Control) module or related sensors.

Your engine is experiencing a serious problem that caused your car to suddenly stop while driving in traffic. Before it stopped, you noticed the car shaking during startup, received a message to press the brake to start (even though it was already in Park), and got warnings about putting the car in Park when it already was. Your car was towed to the Chevrolet dealership to determine the cause. The fix will likely involve diagnosing the engine control system and fuel delivery to identify why the engine stalled and is having startup issues.

While backing up, you heard a loud popping sound coming from the rear of your vehicle, but no warning light appeared on the dashboard. Your dealer was unable to diagnose or repair the issue. The problem occurred at around 126,000 miles and may involve a worn or damaged suspension component that needs inspection and replacement.

Your transmission may not engage properly after backing up, and you might hear grinding sounds when driving. Your blind spot warning feature randomly stops working, which could increase the risk of a side-swipe accident. Your radio also randomly switches from regular audio to Bluetooth without your input. These issues have been confirmed by a Chevrolet dealership, and the vehicle is available for inspection.

Your brakes became stiff while stopping, nearly causing a collision. Additionally, your car stalls unexpectedly while driving and at traffic lights when you try to accelerate, leaving you stranded and requiring multiple restart attempts. You're also experiencing long cranking times before the engine starts. The dealership has quoted over $8,000 to repair these issues, which likely involve brake system service and fuel/engine system diagnostics to address the stalling and starting problems.

Your 2021 Malibu's engine unexpectedly stalled while stopped at a red light in 2023, which you believe was caused by a defective fuel pump power control module covered under GM recall N252516900. As a result of this stalling issue, your vehicle now needs a new 12-volt battery, AC compressor, and serpentine belt — all replaced at significant cost and after 11 days without your car. You're requesting that GM cover both the recall repair and the cost of these related component failures, plus provide a loaner vehicle or rental reimbursement for the time your car was unavailable. The fix will involve replacing the fuel pump power control module as part of the recall, along with replacement of the battery, AC compressor, and drive belt.

Your check engine light came on while driving, and you noticed your car hesitating when trying to accelerate from a stop—this happened multiple times. The dealer diagnosed a throttle body failure (fault code P1101) and replaced it, but the problem came back. They cleaned the throttle body on a second visit, but the hesitation returned again within a month. Chevrolet said the vehicle isn't covered under warranty. The fix typically involves cleaning or replacing the throttle body and checking the mass airflow sensor that works with it.

Your car's gear shift display shows an error message telling you to shift to park even after you've turned off the engine. The engine takes extra time to shut down completely, and if you need to exit the car in an emergency, you may have difficulty getting out. Your check engine light is on and indicates a filter-related issue. The shifter mechanism and engine control system may need diagnostic testing and possible replacement of the filter or related electrical components.