Chevrolet›Malibu›2022›Overview/chevrolet/malibu/2022/base/

2022 Chevrolet Malibu

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2022 Malibu.

The 2022 Chevrolet Malibu specifies a 4.2-quart engine oil capacity and 0W-20 viscosity, the key service constants in its mechanical profile. Reliability data records 87 owner complaints and one recall for this model year, with the top complaint area classified as "Unknown Or Other." Within the model’s 1997–2025 complaint history—spanning a high of 1,697 grievances in 2004 and a low of seven in 2025—the 2022 run sits far below that peak, placing it toward the lower end of the documented range and marking a relatively calm period in the nameplate’s reliability record.

Model year202520242023202220212020201920182017

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-20OEM · verified
Lug nut torque100.0 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 sizeP205/65R16 94HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377
Engine air filter23430313 alt 23430312
Spark plug12681659 alt 12683541
Battery88866309 alt 88864541
Front wiper blades84574892 alt 84589418
Serpentine belt12664598 alt 12658091
Thermostat12649163 alt 12630780
Cabin air filter13508023 alt 84987523

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 weight3126 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.

5.7–8.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.70 sec — 2017 2.0T Premier
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2019RS 1.5L Turbo I-47.80 sec16.10 sec160 hpFWD
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
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.

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 0W-20 engine oil, DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Brake Fluid Capacity0.98 pt
Engine CoolantDex-Cool
Engine Coolant Capacity7.2 qt
Engine Oil0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt
Engine Oil5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7.4 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head InstructionsUse new bolts only.
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts8.8 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts11.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs43.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity2.7 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque30.0
ABS Sensor Torque6.3
Minimum Pad Thickness0.078" in
Solid Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 0.905; Rear: 0.393
Solid Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: 0.913; Rear: 0.402
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001"
Maximum Rotor Runout.002"

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 110°18 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 240°22 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 190°22 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 80°22 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 40°15 ft. lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
18.8 ft. lbs., Step 2: 8.88.8 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 mi.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 miWindshield Wiper Blade (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 75,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

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 2022 Chevrolet Malibu sits firmly in the late-cycle, low-issue phase of the ninth generation, posting 88 complaints, a single recall, no investigations, and 626 technical service bulletins in the federal record. That complaint count edges above 2021's 77 but remains well below 2020's 191 and dramatically lower than the 858 logged for the 2016 launch year, reflecting a steady downward arc across the generation from 2016 through 2024. The 2022 also carries a clean safety profile with zero fire complaints and only 4 crash-flagged complaints, while the leading complaint buckets (Unknown/Other at 18, plus 7 each for Engine, Electrical System, and Power Train) are diffuse rather than concentrated around a single systemic defect, and the data does not specify a dominant root cause. TSB activity has likewise tapered from a 2016 peak of 1,560 to 626, indicating fewer factory-issued service actions as the model matured. On balance, 2022 is one of the quietest years in the recent Malibu record and a defensible used-buy, though a pre-purchase inspection focused on the listed powertrain and electrical components is still prudent.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
626
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
87
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 87 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other18
Engine7
Electrical System7
Power Train7
Power Train,Electrical System6
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine3
Engine & Engine Cooling,Engine3
Power Train,Engine2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

22V923000Structure:Frame And MembersReported 14/12/2022

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The front impact bar, a structural portion of the vehicle frame, may not be properly welded to the front frame rail. Remedy: Dealers will inspect the right-hand and left-hand side of the vehicle's motor rail for an incomplete weld. If the condition is found, the vehicle will be repurchased by GM. Owner…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 626 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT5966F2026-06-23Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates an issue with an OTA pending message still…
PIP6033B2026-06-08Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates to technicians to remove the pulley assembly…
PIP6031E2026-06-05Unknown Or OtherThis PI addresses leaks from the case half and provides repair direction to dealer…
PIP6032C2026-06-03Unknown Or OtherPIP6032B provides diagnostic direction for dealers when encountering transmission leaks
PIT65192026-05-27Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information is to inform technicians and customers that the voice…

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.

Group 47 batteryVehicles taking 4.2 qtEngine oil filter 25206377Engine air filter 23430313Spark plug 12681659Battery 88866309

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2022 Malibu take?

4.2 qt of 0W-20, per the factory manual.

Does the 2022 Malibu have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.