2017 Chevrolet Malibu · symptom sheet
"Shift to Park" or "Service Shifter" warning comes on
- 98owner reports
- 37,632median miles
- $600median quote
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Jul 9, 2026 · checked Sep 29, 2026
543 of the 702 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 98 of those describe shift to park warning. Only stalling is reported more often on this car.
Tick what matches of 98 reports
Shift to park warning on other Malibu years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2014, 2015.
What this problem usually is
This sheet covers a dash message that says "Shift to Park" or "Service Shifter" when the car is already in Park, or when it's sitting in Drive with the shifter lights glowing. Owners say it won't let them turn the car off, or it flashes up on the highway.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the shifter assembly (4 reports), the wiring harness (3 reports) and the park switch or range sensor (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the electrical system covers the 2017 model year as of Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Malibu
Fleet vehicle recall completion audit. Closed dec 28, 2015.
Engine coolant boils over. Closed sep 24, 2002.
None of these investigations covers the 2017 model year.
What owners paid
13 of the 98 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $394 to $700.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 24,000 and 51,000 miles, from the 51 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices for the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
This service bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of seeing an intermittent Shift to Park message displayed while vehicle is in Park.
This technical bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of seeing an intermittent Shift to Park message displayed while vehicle is in park.
This technical bulletin provides repair information to correct a customer concern of message displaying shift to park when in park.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a Shift to Park message on the Driver Information Center. Technician will find Diagnostic Trouble Codes P1AEE, P1AEF, P1AF0, P1AF2, and P1E22.
2 more on the 2017 Chevrolet Malibu page.
What owners wrote
“Unknown. Original owner.24,000 miles. When car turned off, shift to park message occurs. Required 10 on off cycles to turn car off. Dangerous since could be draining battery.”
Filed Apr 12, 2024 · 24,000 miles
“Frequently the car will say that the transmission is not in park, but the shifter is in the park position, and the car will not turn off until I take it from park to reverse to park again. Sometimes it takes several tries before the car will register that it is in park.”
Filed May 5, 2022
“When stopping and vehicle is in park, it will not let me shut off the engine. Indicating that I must shift into Park, although it is already in Park. I view this as aa safety problem by not being able to properly shut down the engine. The warning chime continues to sound, "SHIFT INTO PARK". tHE ENGINE HASS NOT PROPERLYY SHUT DOWN!!!!”
Filed Apr 19, 2022
“Car dash displays "shift to park message" when car is in park. Unable to shut vehicle off”
Filed Mar 19, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 98 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 124 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 90 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 71 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 53 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 46 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 31 reports
- Power steering cuts out or goes heavy 29 reports