The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·16V781000·Announced 2016-10-26

GM Recalls 2016 Chevrolet Malibu for Side Air Bag Defect

General Motors is recalling 2016 Chevrolet Malibus because the side-impact air bag fabric may tear during deployment, potentially increasing injury risk in a crash.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a safety-critical component (air bag) where failure increases the risk of injury in a crash, but the source text does not report any specific injuries or fatalities, fitting the 'High' severity criteria for risk-of-harm products without reported injury.

Plain-English summary

General Motors LLC is recalling certain model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured between November 18, 2015, and June 7, 2016. The recall addresses a defect where the fabric of the side-impact air bag cushion may tear during deployment.

If the air bag tears, it may not perform as designed, which increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash. The recall began on October 27, 2016.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the air bag module free of charge. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
CHEVROLET MALIBU
Brand
CHEVROLET
Manufacturer
General Motors LLC
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag
Hazard
Affected units
18

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • MALIBU

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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