Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 Malibu.
The 1981 Chevrolet Malibu, as catalogued in the overview data, registered a remarkably low total of three owner complaints, with the singular issue centered on service‑brake hydraulics and three factory recalls noted for the year. Although the broader complaint record for the Malibu line spans from 1997 to 2025, the 1981 model sits at the very beginning of that timeline, far removed from the peak complaint year of 2004, which saw 1,697 reports, and well ahead of the recent low of seven complaints in 2025. This early‑model position, combined with its minimal defect count, marks the 1981 Malibu as one of the more reliable points in the model’s long‑term history.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 192.5 in |
| Overall width | 72.4 in |
| Overall height | 55.9 in |
| Wheelbase | 108.3 in |
| Curb weight | 3124 lb |
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Classic Landau Coupe 5.0L V8 | 10.80 sec | 18.40 sec | 145 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
The provided federal record data covers model years 1997–2025 only and does not include any records for the 1981 model year. Consequently, there is no complaint, recall, investigation, or TSB data available for the 1981 Chevrolet Malibu within this dataset, nor are there years immediately before or after 1981 to enable a meaningful comparison. The closest available data point is 1997, which shows 514 complaints, 6 recalls, 7 investigations, and 153 TSBs for that model year. Without any data specific to 1981, it is impossible to determine where this model year falls within any complaint or recall trend across its generation, or to identify any specific issues that affected 1981 vehicles. The data does not specify the cause of the complaints listed for other years. Given the complete absence of federal record information for 1981, a concrete assessment of whether this is a good year to buy cannot be derived from the provided JSON.
All 3 complaints on record, top 2 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN HONEYWELL FRAM RACING BRAND HP4 AND HP8 OIL FILTERS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 25, 2006, THROUGH SEPTEMBER 14, 2007, AND SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR VEHICLES LIST ABOVE. THE AFFECTED FILTERS… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL REPLACE THE AFFECTED OIL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DURING NOVEMBER 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLL-FREE AT 1-800-890-2075.
ACCELERATOR PUMP LEVER RETAINING PIN MAY LOOSEN AFTER REPEATED HEAVY ACCELERATOR PEDAL APPLICATIONS. THIS COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO BECOME STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A SPECIAL COTTER PIN, TO RETAIN THE ACCELERATOR PUMP PIN, AND A SPRING CLIP THRUST WASHER ON THE ACCELERATOR PUMP LINK.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.