2020 Chevrolet Malibu Service Brakes Problems

NHTSA component category: SERVICE BRAKES · data through 09/08/2026

42Service Brakes complaints

21.4%Of all 196 complaints

#5Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How service brakes ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE59 · 30.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM57 · 29.1%

POWER TRAIN55 · 28.1%

Unspecified / other44 · 22.4%

SERVICE BRAKES42 · 21.4%

Share of the 196 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“I was hearing a grinding noise when applying brakes so i had a mechanic change my brakes. He said they didnt need changing but i…”NHTSA complaint 11549726 — filed 10/13/2023

“I was driving down the hwy and all of a sudden, my engine lost power and my brakes harden. I could not brake and nearly…”NHTSA complaint 11548729 — filed 10/06/2023

“UNKNOWN Coming off a ramp to slow down and brakes were hard. Have to press down to brake.”NHTSA complaint 11540818 — filed 08/25/2023

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Service Brakes complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have service brakes problems?

Service Brakes is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu: 42 of 196 complaints on file (21.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2020 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

196 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 09/08/2026. Across all categories, 10 involved a crash, 0 involved a fire, 7 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's service brakes category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SERVICE BRAKES category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 09/08/2026.