ChevroletMalibu2023Overview/chevrolet/malibu/2023/base/

2023 Chevrolet Malibu

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2023 Malibu.

Transmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2023 Chevrolet Malibu pairs a 0W-20 lubricated engine holding 4.2 quarts with a continuously variable automatic transmission to deliver 27 city, 35 highway and 30 combined mpg, positioning the midsize sedan as a fuel‑focused commuter. Its 51 owner‑reported complaints center on the Back Over Prevention system and are accompanied by two recalls, a modest tally that sits far below the nameplate's 2004 peak of 1,697 issues yet above the 2025 low of seven. In the broader 1997‑2025 history, the 2023 model year reflects a continued downward trend in reported problems, suggesting the current generation benefits from accumulated refinements even as a few specific systems still draw attention.

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
EPA fuel economy27/35/30 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI AGM VRLA battery is required for this vehicle and is vented to the outside. 48 · 700 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 AGM VRLA battery is required for this vehicle and is vented to the outside. 48 · 700 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/65R16 94HOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377
Engine air filter23430312
Spark plug12683541
Battery88864541
Front wiper blades84574892 alt 84589418
Cabin air filter13508023 alt 84987523

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

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

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined27 / 35 / 30 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume100 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

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 oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidHP CVTF Transmission Fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.4 qt
Brake FluidDOT 4
Engine Coolant Capacity7.4 qt
Engine OilSynthetic · 0W-20
Engine Oil Capacity4.2 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)7.4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs9.0 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)31.0 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)18.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts11.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100.0 ft-lbs
Automatic Transmission Drain Plug8.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Spark Plug ManufacturerGM/AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.024-0.028" in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.32 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Capacity2.70 oz
Standard BCI Cranking Performance700 cca

Brakes

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
Solid Rotor Maximum Scoring Depth0.059"
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation0.001"
Maximum Rotor Runout0.002"

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Front Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 60-75°74 ft. lbs
Rear Wheel Hub — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 15-30°74 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 75°18 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 1 stages
122.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 240°22 ft. lbs
Flex or Driveplate Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 70°15 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Oil Life Monitor (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
Every 100,000 miHood Hinge (inspect)
At 150,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

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 2023 Chevrolet Malibu recorded 51 complaints, 2 recalls, and 0 investigations, continuing a downward trend in federal reports compared to 88 complaints in 2022 and 191 in 2020. Across the vehicle's history, the Malibu has transitioned from a high-incident era—peaking at 1,697 complaints in 2004—to a period of significantly higher stability beginning around 2019. The 2023 model falls near the bottom of this historical arc, with its most frequent complaint area being Back Over Prevention with 8 reports, though the data does not specify the root cause. With TSBs dropping to 426 from a high of 2,001 in 2013, the data indicates a substantial reduction in technical issues over time. Because this year represents one of the lowest complaint and recall volumes in the model's record, it is a good year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
426
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
51
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 51 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Back Over Prevention8
Unknown Or Other5
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Electrical System3
Air Bags3
Power Train,Engine2
Power Train,Electrical System,Engine2
Tires2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 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…

26V212000Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: CameraReported 02/04/2026

General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rearview camera screen may display a distorted or blank image. Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 20, 2026. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 426 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2023 Malibu take?

4.2 qt of Dexos1 Gen 3 Full Synthetic 0W-20., per the factory manual.

Does the 2023 Malibu have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Malibu get?

EPA figures are 27 city / 35 highway / 30 combined mpg.