Inspections & Reports / Chevy Malibu / 2013

Model-Year Guide2013 · Chevy Malibu

Pre Purchase Inspection for 2013 Chevy Malibu

Shift-to-park faults, stop/start battery drain, and turbo carbon. We check the known trouble spots before you pay.

Get this Malibu inspected Request online ↓

Buying a 2013 Chevy Malibu? Smart move to check it first. The engine it has changes what matters most.

Transmission: 6-speed automatic. First year of this body. The eAssist mild hybrid shows up here.

Engines for 2013

2.5L 4-cyl
2.0L turbo
2.4L eAssist

Known problem areas — what we check

Costly Safety Common Verify

"Shift to Park" faultCommon

On 2016 and newer cars a shifter switch can fail. The car says "Shift to Park" when it's already in park, and it can keep the car from locking or shutting down.

WE CHECK We cycle the shifter and watch the dash message and the door locks.

Stop/start and battery drainCommon

The auto stop/start system is hard on batteries, and a weak battery causes strange electrical faults.

WE CHECK We test the battery and charging system and watch for warning messages.

Turbo carbon and boost faultsVerify

The 1.5 and 2.0 turbo engines are direct-injection and can build carbon or set boost codes.

WE CHECK We scan for boost and misfire codes and drive it under load.

Transmission shudderCostly

The 6-speed automatic can shudder from tired torque converter fluid.

WE CHECK We road test at light throttle and check the fluid and records.

AC condenser leakCommon

The condenser can leak and the AC stops cooling.

WE CHECK We run the AC and check vent temperature.

eAssist hybrid batteryVerify

The 2013–2014 eAssist has a small hybrid battery that ages.

WE CHECK We check for hybrid system faults and how the stop/start behaves.

Before you look at a 2013 Malibu

Know which car you're looking at — 2016 was a full redesign
Cycle the shifter and watch for a "Shift to Park" message
Test the battery and the stop/start behaviour
Road test for torque converter shudder
Scan turbo engines for boost codes

Safety record (live from NHTSA)

2013 Chevrolet Malibu · Federal RecordsSource: NHTSA.gov

Recalls

922

Complaints

2692

Service Bulletins

Loading the latest federal safety records…

Common service bulletins (TSBs)

A TSB is a note the maker sends to dealers about a known fix. They are not recalls. We check the bulletins so we know what to look for:

Engine & Drivability452

Cold-start noise, drivability, and idle issues for this vehicle. We test for each.

Power Train · Automatic160

Shift quality and transmission fluid updates. We drive every gear.

Electrical & Body2080

Locks, wipers, infotainment, and trim items. Small, but good to know.

Counts are pulled from NHTSA's public Manufacturer Communications file. Full bulletins stay with the maker — we use the summaries to guide the inspection.

Common questions

What is the Shift to Park problem?

A worn shifter switch makes the car think it isn't in park. It's common on 2016 and newer cars, and it can drain the battery. We check for it.

Is the 2016 Malibu different from the 2015?

Completely — new platform, new engines, longer body. Don't compare them as the same car.

Where do you inspect?

All 48 states.

Do you pull recalls?

Yes, plus service bulletins.

Buying this one?

We'll check it first

Pre-tagged for the 2013 Chevy Malibu. One call and a tech is on it.

951-267-8500 Call now

Other Malibu years

2014 Malibu Revised front end and …2015 Malibu Last of the shorter ca…2016 Malibu All-new and much longe…2017 Malibu The 2.0 turbo moves to…2018 Malibu Check the shifter and …2019 Malibu Facelift, and the 1.5 …

Request a 2013 Malibu inspection

Pre-tagged for the 2013 Chevy Malibu.

Buying a 2013 Malibu? Let us check it first.

Engine-specific checks, a live recall pull, and a clear report.

Call 951-267-8500