2018 Chevrolet Malibu · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 68owner reports
- 57,000median miles
- $2,000median quote
- 6involved a crash
Newest report Aug 3, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026
68 of the 695 complaints on this car describe brake wear.
Tick what matches of 68 reports
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the booster (13 reports) and the ABS module (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the brakes covers the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Malibu
Brake backing plate. Closed nov 28, 1988.
NHTSA summary
None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.
What owners paid
8 of the 68 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $500 to $3,536.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 18,000 and 83,000 miles, from the 25 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Vacuum Booster Pump failed while driving on the highway with my girlfriend and her small child in the car and this common problem for this specific Chevrolet motor and endangered our lives significantly. Over 500 complaints on NHTSA website. No recalls to date. $4,000 damage. Filed official complaint and requested that Chevrolet cover the costs.”
Filed Nov 16, 2023
“Service Stabilitrak warning will pop up on my dash. The car loses power. Push on the gas and it sputters. Had it serviced by GMC 2 years ago and now it is happening again. More frequent in colder weather. There are thousands of reddit posts about this same issue from other 2018 Chevy Malibu owners. GMC refuses to acknowledge it is a quality or performance issue on their end.”
Filed Oct 31, 2023
“Just now getting to Walmart my shift to park message came on my 2018 Chevy Mailbu”
Filed Sep 20, 2023
“Cam-driven Brake Booster Vacuum failure without warning. My engine died, my brake pedal and steering wheel stiffened, while in moderate traffic. I had use excessive brake force to slow my vehicle to a stop. Currently have 78,012 miles as it is sitting in the repairs shop. This is the first time it has happened, but I worry it may happen again because upon further research, it is a very common part failure.”
Filed Mar 9, 2023 · 78,012 miles
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 6 of 68 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 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.
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 121 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 92 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 53 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 30 reports