Total Complaints
3 filings
CHEVROLET MALIBU · model year
1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU
3 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1981CHEVROLETMALIBU carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1981 MALIBU is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:drum (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 57 investigation files overlapping the 1981 MALIBU, and 2 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020109SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
MAJOR REAR BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO BACKING PLATE CORROSION. DUE TO AGE OF CAR REPAIRS WERE NOT COMPLETED AT A DEALERSHIP. I HAVE SINCE FOUND GM SERVICE CAMPAIGNS 5A09, 6A16A,6A16 THAT STATE THIS IS A COVERED REPAIR REGARDLESS OF VECHICLE AGE OR MILEAGE. I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE (CASE C06066881) AND THEY CLAIMED THAT NO CAMPAIGN EXISTS FOR THIS VECHICLE. I HAVE ACCESS TO GM SERVICE OPERATIONS CAMPAIGNS AND COPIES OF THE CAMPAIGNS. I FEEL I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR THIS REPAIR SINCE IT WAS RATHER EXPENSIVE. I ALSO HAVE A RECEIPT FOR REPAIRS COMPLETED.
19990712FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
FUEL TANK IS LOCATED NEAR THE REAR BUMPER. IF INVOLVED IN A CRASH, THE IMPACT COULD CAUSE FUEL TANK TO EXPLODE, AND CAUSE INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19951226SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR; PUMPED PEDAL, PEDAL WOULD NOT COME UP; TURNED OFF IGNITION; COASTED TO A STOP. TT
Compare 1981CHEVROLETMALIBU to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 2 Open
EA25007Engineering AnalysisOpen
Loss of motive power due to engine failure
PE23022Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of Motive Power due to the Battery Energy Control Module
PE20016Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electric Vehicle Battery Fires
EA20002Engineering AnalysisClosed
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
PE20011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Fuel Line Leak
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU have?▼
The 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU?▼
The most-complained component for the 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM.
Is the 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1981 CHEVROLET MALIBU; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.