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 8 complaints against the 2024 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 2024 Chevrolet Malibu complaints directly on the NHTSA complaint database.
The 2024 Chevrolet Malibu has generated 8 NHTSA complaints and has 1 active recall. If your 2024 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.
The 2024 Chevrolet Malibu has generated 2 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: “Water is pooling in the trunk of my car. I took it to the chevy dealership for a diagnostic and today, they told me water is leaking into the car because of a faulty seal. I just did some research online and have learned that this has been a common issue. I read that warranties have been extended to cover this defect. I would like chevy to extend my warranty to cover this defect, which they’ve known about for quite some time. As they know, water pooling in a car can lead to other problems.” (NHTSA Complaint #11706649)
Advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) defects — including malfunctioning forward collision warnings, lane keep assist failures, and erratic automatic emergency braking — can create dangerous driving conditions. The 2024 Chevrolet Malibu has 2 NHTSA complaints for this defect type. Owner reports include: “The car was taken to Day's Chev in Jasper Georgia on Nov 11 for forward collision system and they checked it and could not duplicate the problem and d…”
Engine and cooling problems are among the most serious defects under California’s Song-Beverly Act. Owners of the 2024 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 1 NHTSA complaint on record, this defect pattern is well-documented. Owner reports include: “My vehicle sometimes will not start when I press the Start Button and press the brakes at the same time. The dashboard will light up with a message that says “Service ESC” followed by “Engine Power is Reduced”. When it does start, I can drive the vehicle for a moment before it does the Engine Power Reduced mode where the car feels like its pulling more. It has done this several times while I’m driving on the highway which often times causes me to have to pull over to the side of the road, or make my way to the slow lane so I can pull into a gas station or somewhere public at the next exit. When the dashboard lights up with “Service ESC”, ALL of the hands on my dashboard (i.e the hands for the speedometer, gas, the car temp AND the RPM) move radically back and forth while the car is driving. Sometimes the speedometer will say 0mph even tho the car is moving. Sometimes I am able to pull over and turn my car off and back on and the lights will go away, but often times this doesn’t solve the problem. In fact, it feels like it only exacerbates the problem because when I shift it into park and then attempt to turn off the vehicle, it says “Shift to Park” even though it IS parked. In fact, this morning when the vehicle wouldn’t start after I tried to start it with the button, I attempted to turn the vehicle off (because the radio would come on and I can see lights on the dashboard, but the vehicle itself won’t start) and it said “Shift to Park” even though it is parked and has been since last night. I contacted the nearest Chevy dealership and they informed me that they have dealt with plenty of these complaints lately. I have not had an inspection completed by the dealership because my extended warranty is up and I do not have the funds to pay for a diagnostic inspection.” (NHTSA Complaint #11709408)
The 2024 Chevrolet Malibu has generated 1 NHTSA complaint 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: “See attached document for complaint.” (NHTSA Complaint #11682414)
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 2024 Chevrolet Malibu include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 1 NHTSA complaint have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “Vehicle will shut off and say shift neutral to start again” (NHTSA Complaint #11675332)
The following 1 recall has been issued for the 2024 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: EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
Defect: See NHTSA database for details.
Risk: The wrong owner’s manual may contain inaccurate information about vehicle functions and other safety relevant information, which could lead to improper operation of the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will provide owners with the correct manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 26, 2024. Owners may contact Cadillac’s customer service at 1-800-458-8006 and Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM’s number for this recall is N242454040.
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 2024 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 2024 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 2024 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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