There are 26 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2013 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Brake pedal sticks. I took to Chevrolet dealership because I saw a recall describing this exact scenario. That it was binding due to a faulty brake pedal assembly The technician diagnosed this to be the exact issue in the recall but refused to repair stating my VIN was not covered and I would have to contact your organization due to this being a safety issue to get the vin added
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond, causing a stopping distance delay. Additionally, the contact noticed a burning odor. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The contact stated upon opening the hood to inspect the vehicle, he noticed that brake fluid had spilled all over the vacuum pump. The contact stated that he added brake fluid in the vacuum pump, but the brake fluid immediately leaked out of the vacuum pump. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
STABLITRAC: ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ERRORS
Brake booster blew out due to a defect in the brake booster vacuum pump causing me to have no brakes.
The reluctor ring which sends the signal to the abs and stability control system has delaminated from the wheel bearing to which it is attached. First it happened on the right rear wheel and necessitated replacement of the wheel bearing because the abs system is non functional. Now it has happened in the right front wheel. The abs and stability control are non functioning until I replace the front wheel bearing. The wheel bearing is fine, it’s the magnetic reluctor ring which has failed and no longer sends a signal to the abs sensor. This shouldn’t be happening on a 9 year old car. It is a very common problem and a danger on our roads as many people will drive it like this due to lack of funds.
brake booster
The electronic parking brakes and the rear calipers on this car fail with regularity. Currently the parking brake cables were replaced, the two rear calipers were replaced under warranty and now that the car is out of warranty, the parking brake actuator has stopped working and displays “service parking brakes” . Dealer says it usually corrosion of the actuator assembly. The entire rear brake system and parking brake system is faulty.
MY BRAKE BOOSTER HAS WENT OUT FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 3 MONTHS.THIS IS SO DANGEROUS I COST TOO MUCH TO HAVE FIXED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS NOT A RECALL. THERE IS NO REASON THAT THIS SHOULD HAPPEN AGAIN IN EXACTLY 3 MONTHS OF GETTING MY CAR BACK FROM THE DEALERSHIP. SOME COULD REALLY GET HURT OR HURT SOMEONE ELSE BY THIS GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN GM WILL HAVE A BIGGER PROBLEM ON THERE HANDS. GOOD THING I WASS PARKED BOTH TIMES ABOUT TO LEAVE AND NOTICED THAT ALL I HEARD WAS AIR WHEN I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAKS. THEY REALLY NEED TO COME WITH A SOLUTION. ALSO WHEN I WAS TRYING TO TAKE MY KEY OUT THE IGNITION WOULD NOT COME OUT AND THE CAR WAS IN PARK.
MY BREAK BOOSTER WENT OUT AGAIN FOR 3RD TIME WITH IN A YEAR AND HALF I HAVE TAKEN TO A PLACE TO GET IT FIXED THIS IS ON SAFE.I WAS DRIVING ALL 3 TIMES WHEN IT WENT OUT. I WAS STOPPING AT A LIGHT.
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT IN FARMINGVILLE, NY ON 11/8/19, AS I ATTEMPTED TO COME TO A STOP, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I REALIZED I HAD JUST LOST MY BRAKES. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I WAS HEADING TOWARD A STEEP DOWNGRADE WHICH WOULD HAVE SENT MY CAR RIGHT INTO TRAFFIC ON A BUSY, 6 LANE HIGHWAY. THANKFULLY I MANAGED TO STOP THE CAR BEFOREHAND. I FIND OUT TODAY THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER IN MY CAR FAILED -- AS IT HAS IN SEVERAL 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBUS. IVE OWNED THE VEHICLE JUST GOING ON 7 MONTHS NOW AND ALWAYS KEEP UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON THE 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU FOR THE BRAKE BOOSTER -- WHICH I CAN SAY, FIRSTHAND, IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. SO BETWEEN TOWING THE VEHICLE AND NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THIS PART, IM OUT ABOUT $1200. I HOPE TO RECEIVE A TIMELY RESPONSE. THANK YOU SO MUCH! (INCIDENT REPORT AS TOLD BY MY DAUGHTER, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM
I TEND TO KEEP HAVING ISSUES WITH MY BRAKES IN WARM WEATHER CONDITIONS ( 80) PLUS DEGREES. EVERY TIME I GO TO HIT MY BRAKES WHEN IT IS A HOT DAY OUT. MY BRAKE PEDAL STICKS DOWN AND DOESN'T COME BACK UP. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I HAVE TO USE MY FOOT TO TAKE THE TENSION OFF OF THE BRAKE PEDAL BY PULLING THE PEDAL BACK UP WITH MY FOOT. WHEN THE BRAKE STICKS LIKE THIS.. I CAN FEEL IT SLUGGING THE CAR DOWN UNTIL I PULL THE BREAK PEDAL BACK UP. IT IS VERY INTERESTING AS IT ONLY WILL DO IT WHEN THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE HOT OUT. WHEN IT IS A MILD TO COOLER DAY. I HAVE NO ISSUES AT ALL. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND EVERYTIME I HIT THE BRAKES, I HAVE TO EITHER REACH DOWN TO PULL THE PEDAL UP.. OR BRING IT BACK UP WITH MY FOOT.
VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 65MPH ON A HIGHWAY. BRAKES WERE APPLIED SUDDENLY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED RESULTING IN ESSENTIALLY NO BRAKING ABILITY AT ALL. THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED A SECOND TIME AFTER BEING REPLACED FROM THE INITIAL INCIDENT. LUCKILY THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED, BUT THE CAR HAS NO BRAKING CAPABILITY TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT, IT TAKES SEVERAL DOZEN CAR LENGTHS TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVEN AT SLOW SPEEDS. INCIDENTS WERE ABOUT 2 YEARS APART, THE MOST RECENT BEING ON 06/03/19. I SEE NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON THE POWER BRAKE BOOSTER BUT IT SEEMS UNUSUAL TO HAVE 2 FAILURES OF THIS CRITICAL ITEM.
IN THE LAST 2 YEARS I HAVE LOST MY BREAKS DUE TO THE BREAK BOOSTER GOING OUT IN MY CAR NOW AGAIN LAST NIGHT I LOST MY BREAKS AGAIN DUE TO THIS ISSUES I IS A VERY BIG ISSUES I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT OR KILLED SOMEONE I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS KEEPS HAPPENING BECAUSE TO ME THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD
ON 4/16/2018 AFTER BEING PARKED FOR 2 HOURS I WENT TO PUT MY 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF A PARKING SPACE I NOTICED PRESSURE FROM THE BRAKE THREAT WOULDN'T ALLOW ME TO FULLY PRESS DOWN. THERE WAS ALSO A LOUD HISSING NOISE COMING FROM THE PEDAL. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO STOP MY CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE SHOP WHERE I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO HAVE MY POWER BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED. I WAS ADVISED THAT IS WAS ABNORMAL FOR A NEW CAR TO HAVE THAT PROBLEM. THE REPAIR WAS $529. NOW ON 9/24/2018 WHILE AT A RED LIGHT MY DASH WENT HAYWIRE AND ALL ALERTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE DISPLAY READ 'SERVICE POWER STEERING' I WAS UNABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK OR TURN OFF THE IGNITION BUT ALL LIGHTS WERE OFF. AFTER 5 MINUTES I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR BACK ON AND IN GEAR. AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN I NOTICED I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE CAR. THE BRAKE WAS HARD TO PRESS AND THERE AGAIN WAS A LOUD HISSING NOISE. AFTER TAKING MY CAR ONCE AGAIN TO THE SHOP I WAS ADVISED I NEEDED ANOTHER POWER BRAKE BOOSTER. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PART BACK IN 2013 BUT IT WAS NEVER REPLACED IN MY CAR. THE DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE IT AT THIS TIME AND I AM HOPING FOR A RESOLUTION. THE CAR BECOMES INOPERABLE WITHOUT NOTICE AND IT IS JEOPARDIZING THE SAFETY OF MYSELF AND OTHERS.
THE BRAKE PEDAL IS STICKING AND WILL NOT FULLY RELEASE. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL STAY ON AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. I ONLY HAVE 35600 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER CAN'T FIND THE ISSUE BUT SUGGESTS THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY BE REPLACED BUT WILL NOT GUARANTEE IT WILL FIX THE ISSUE.
BRAKE PEDAL (PIVOT) BUSHING WORN PREMATURELY AT LESS THAN 36,000 MILES. THIS CAUSED PEDAL TO DRAG AND NOT RETURN NATURALLY TO IT'S "RELEASED / UP AND OFF" POSITION. THE RESULT WAS THAT PRESSURE REMAINED ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM SO THAT CALIPERS AT WHEELS DID NOT RELEASE, CAUSING BRAKE PADS TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH BRAKE DISC. BRAKE OVERHEATING, EXCESSIVE WEAR, INABILITY TO INITIATE "CRUISE CONTROL" AND REDUCED BRAKING PERFORMANCE WERE ALL RESULTS OF THIS PREMATURE DESIGN AND OR MATERIAL DEFICIENCY. THIS PROBLEM WAS APPARENT UNDER ALL CONDITION WHEN BRAKES WERE USED. BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE PHYSICALLY PULLED "UP" TO RELEASE THE BRAKES.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY AT AROUND 50 MPH I WENT TO SLOW DOWN AND REALIZED I HAD LOST MY BRAKES.I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY DOWNSHIFTING THE AUTOMATIC AND APPLYING A HUGE AMOUNT OF FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT THEY TOLD ME THAT I HAD COMPLETELY LOST THE BRAKE BOOSTER
CARS BRAKES ARE BASICALLY STUCK. BRAKE ASSIST COMING ON AND CAUSING BRAKE LIGHTS ON EXTERIOR OF CAR TO STAY ON WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED, ALSO WHILE CAR IS OFF WITH KEY OUT OF VEHICLE. WHEN LETTING OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR COMES TO A STOP VERY QUICKLY AS IF YOU WERE APPLYING THE BRAKES. IT IS HARD TO ACCELERATE GOING FORWARD AND IN REVERSE. CAR SHAKES WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE IS A HOT SMELL COMING FROM CAR AFTER THIS HAPPENS
DURING WARM WEATHER, BRAKES WILL REMAIN ENGAGED WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. PUMPING BRAKES CAN HELP TO RELEASE BRAKES. IF FOOT IS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE CAR WILL RAPIDLY COME TO A STOP. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP WITH THESE ISSUES AND IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE BRAKE PEDAL PIVOT BUSHING STICKING OR EXPANDING. THE BRAKE PEDAL ARM AND BOTH SIDE RETAINERS WERE REPLACED UNDER EXTEMDED WARRANTY WITH RELIEF FROM SYMPTOMS FOR ONE YEAR. FOLLOWING SUMMER AND THE SYMPTOMS ARE PERSISTING. I BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THIS TIME THEY FIND THE BRAKE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR ARM LOOSE CAUSING ERRATIC PEDAL POSITION. THEY REPLACED THE BPP SENSOR AND RETAINER AND THE PROBLEMS SUBSIDE. NOW I AM ON THE THIRD SUMMER OF OWNING THIS VEHICLE AND IN THE SAME EXACT MONTH EVERY YEAR I BEGIN TO HAVE ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. THIS SAME ISSUE IS BEING REPORTED BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND I AM IMPLORING THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER BEFORE A PARTY IS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MAILBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL STIFFENED WITHOUT WARNING WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL IT WORKED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED NINE MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED A $70.00 REBATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000.
Showing 1–20 of 26 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026