ChevroletMalibu2018Overview/chevrolet/malibu/2018/base/

2018 Chevrolet Malibu

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Malibu.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2018 Chevrolet Malibu is a passenger car positioned within a long-running model lineage that, this model year alone, drew 687 owner complaints and six recall campaigns, with the engine cited as the most frequent trouble area. Against the model's broader complaint history from 1997 through 2025, the 2018 sits squarely in a middle band — well below the 1,697 complaints filed against the 2004 model year but far above the mere seven reported for 2025. That trajectory makes this model year a useful pivot point for researchers, illustrating neither the worst the nameplate has endured nor the markedly calmer years that have followed.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 25206377. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377 alt 55593191
Engine air filter23430312 alt 23430313
Spark plug55486272 alt 12681659
Battery88864541 alt 88866291
Front wiper blades84574892 alt 84589814
Serpentine belt55583054 alt 12658091
Thermostat12649163 alt 55492940
Cabin air filter13508023

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length193.7 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase111.4 in
Curb weight3086 lb
Track (front / rear)62.6 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Malibu of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.20 sec — 2018 LT Redline Edition
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2018LT Redline Edition 1.5L Turbo I-48.20 sec16.40 sec160 hpFWD
20172.0T Premier 2.0L Turbo I-45.70 sec14.30 sec250 hpFWD
2019RS 1.5L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.10 sec160 hpFWD
20162.0T Premier 2.0L Turbo I-46.10 sec14.70 sec250 hpFWD
20162.0T Premier 2.0L Turbo I-46.20 sec14.70 sec250 hpFWD
2016Hybrid 1.8L I-4 + Elec 1.5-kWh7.40 sec15.70 sec182 hpFWD
2016Hybrid 1.8L I-4 + Elec 1.5-kWh7.40 sec15.80 sec182 hpFWD
20161LT 15L Turbo I-48.00 sec16.40 sec160 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs106.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs14.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.024 - .028 in
Spark Plug Torque13 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10-1.20 lbs
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.70 oz
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque30
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 111 ft-lbs; Rear: 74 ft-lbs
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .905; Rear: .393
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .913; Rear: .402
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: Back off 45.0 degrees, Step 3: 199.0111 ft. lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
148.0 ft. lbs. Step 2: 120-13548 ft. lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 10022 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep Step 18.0 ft. lbs.

275.0
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
133.0 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
260.0
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
2110.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 180 degrees. Use new bolt.74 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1184.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 45 degrees. Use new bolt.184 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 140 degrees Use new bolt.111 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head or head bolt bosses.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2240 degrees240 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts.

118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
515 degrees15 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2190 degrees190 degrees
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
270.0
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
270.0
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
18.8 ft. lbs.8.8 ft. lbs
28.8
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Lower crankcase crankshaft bolts

111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
2180 degrees; Lower crankcase perimeter bolts180 degrees
144.0 inch lbs.44 in
289.0 inch lbs.89 in
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages
137.0 ft. lbs.37 ft. lbs
2120.0
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Lower crankcase crankshaft bolts

115.0 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
2140 degrees; Lower crankcase perimeter bolts140 degrees
118.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Hybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Malibu recorded 687 consumer complaints, 6 federal recalls, and 1,063 technical service bulletins (TSBs), positioning it squarely in the middle of a long‑term downward trend that began after the 2004 peak of 1,697 complaints and 10 recalls. Compared with the preceding year (720 complaints, 4 recalls, 1,343 TSBs) and the following year (188 complaints, 1 recall, 881 TSBs), 2018 shows a modest reduction in complaints and a modest increase in recalls, but still far fewer issues than the early‑2000s highs. Across the generation, the most frequent complaint categories in 2018 were Engine (74), Unknown/Other (70), Power Train (57), and Electrical System (32), while crash‑related complaints numbered 23 and fire‑related complaints were only 4, indicating relatively limited safety‑critical problems. Overall, the data suggest that 2018 sits on the improving side of the model’s issue curve, making it a reasonably safe year to consider for a used purchase.

6
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1063
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
687
Owner complaints
23 involved a crash · 4 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 687 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine74
Unknown Or Other70
Power Train57
Electrical System32
Vehicle Speed Control31
Power Train,Electrical System,Unknown Or Other18
Electrical System,Engine17
Steering17

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 6 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V400000Air Bags:Sensor:Occupant ClassificationReported 14/06/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016-2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. During servicing, a Passenger Presence System (PPS) may have been installed that was not correctly calibrated to the vehicle's seat type… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger PPS seat service kit, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2018. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…

18V576000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:CaliperReported 30/08/2018

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… 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1063 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Malibu. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2018 Malibu have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.