NHTSA Complaints · Active Recalls · California Lemon Law Data
The NHTSA tracks consumer complaints, manufacturer recalls, and safety investigations for every vehicle sold in the United States. These publicly available records are a critical resource for California lemon law cases because they establish patterns of recurring defects.
As of June 2026, the NHTSA has logged 311 complaints against the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu. Each complaint is filed by a vehicle owner or lessee through the NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline or online portal at SaferCar.gov. You can review all 2019 Chevrolet Malibu complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has generated 184 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has experienced a defect that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple visits, you may qualify for a full repurchase or replacement under California lemon law. Chevrolet pays all attorney fees when we prevail. You pay nothing.
Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 37 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Sunday, September 21, 2025, while on my way to church around 8:40am, while driving in traffic, car began to slow and then stopped (CAR WAS IN DRIVE, NOT IN PARK). The “Shift to Park” and ABS light appeared on dashboard. After the car completely stopped, and with other motorists blowing their horns behind me, I put the vehicle in park and was able to restart it. I immediately returned home and called a church member for a ride. I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATTACK WHEN THE CAR STOPPED IN MOVING TRAFFIC WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING IT! I scheduled an appointment for a diagnostic and brought it in to the dealership on Monday, September, 22, 2025. It was kept overnight and two diagnostics were performed (they charged me for two diagnostics). They informed me that the solenoid assembly had to be replaced and that after performing a road test for the ABS, they did not find anything. Its very stressful in remembering what happened and that I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEONE ELSE INJURED AS WELL, IF SOMEONE HAD RUN INTO ME AFTER THE CAR KILLED WHILE DRIVING IT!!!” (NHTSA Complaint #11692593)
Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 23 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Shift to park issue. After putting the car into Park and attempting to shut off the vehicle, an alter to SHIFT TO PARK came up and the car could not be shut off. Vehicle stalls at lights and in traffic because of the START / STOP system GM has put in this 2019 Malibu. This is dangerous as the vehicle moves if on incline (sometimes backwards). There is no control. The vehicle then has to be shifted into PARK and then restarted” (NHTSA Complaint #11695435)
The 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has generated 17 NHTSA complaints for this defect category. If your vehicle has experienced recurring issues in this area that the dealer has been unable to repair after multiple attempts, you may have a qualifying lemon law claim under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Owner reports include: “Was on my way to work at stoplight and my 2019 Chevrolet Malibu lost all power and started back up and the next day I was about to leave for work and it wouldn’t start low battery came across screen then the check engine light came on and a few hrs later it started up but all interior lights would not go off and I went to auto zone to check codes and its one of the codes for RECALL I will be taking it to the Chevy dealership” (NHTSA Complaint #11692879)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 15 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “Shift to Park engine light triggers when car is in Park. will not go away therefore causing it to drain the battery and being unable to lock or move the vehicle. This is the 2nd time this has occurred and is expensive to repair. this needs to be a recall and not limited to specific states. this is a known issue with GMC” (NHTSA Complaint #11697361)
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu have reported issues including stalling, overheating, loss of power, rough idling, excessive oil consumption, and check engine lights that return after dealer repairs. With 8 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “The brake booster vacuum pump went out in my car it broke which caused hard breaking while driving vehicle. When the brake booster vacuum pump broke a piece of it damage my camshaft as well as my timing chain in my motor.” (NHTSA Complaint #11725379)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2019 Chevrolet Malibu by the NHTSA or Chevrolet. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.
Component: SEAT BELTS:CRITICAL FASTENERS
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: An improperly secured seat belt retractor may not function properly in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the rear seat belt retractors, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 17, 2021. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 and Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM’s number for this recall
California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2019 Chevrolet Malibu:
Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Chevrolet to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Chevrolet must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.
If your 2019 Chevrolet Malibu qualifies as a lemon under California law, Chevrolet may be legally required to:
Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.
Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Chevrolet a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Chevrolet dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.
Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Chevrolet pays your fees if you win.
Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Chevrolet a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.
Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.
Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Chevrolet is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.
Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.
California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.
If your 2019 Chevrolet Malibu has a recurring defect, California’s Lemon Law may entitle you to a full refund, replacement vehicle, or cash settlement — at no cost to you.
Our attorneys answer the questions we hear most from California vehicle owners — fully updated for 2026.
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