GM recalls Chevrolet Malibu sedans over safety defect
A moisture breach in the camera housing bond can cause the backup display to show a distorted or blank image
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A rearview camera defect affecting more than 270,000 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles has prompted General Motors $GM to issue a U.S. recall, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration flagging the issue after finding the backup display can go blank or show a distorted image.
According to NHTSA, when the rearview image fails to render correctly, the driver loses visibility to the rear of the vehicle — a condition the agency considers a crash hazard.
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The root cause traces to the camera's housing assembly and a manufacturing flaw identified by GM's supplier: the process used to bond the camera housing together can leave the adhesive compromised on certain units. Further investigation by GM revealed that the way the Sharp Electronics camera sits in its mount on the Malibu creates a vulnerability to moisture intrusion.
The recall covers Malibu models with 2023, 2024, and 2025 model years. As of the recall announcement, no crashes or injuries had been reported to GM in connection with the defect. Dealers will replace the rearview camera at no charge to owners.
Mailed notices to affected owners are expected to begin arriving around May 18. Those who want to follow up directly can call Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or reach the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236; additional information is available at www.nhtsa.gov.
The Malibu recall adds to a string of recent safety actions at GM. The automaker recalled about 23,000 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and ZR1 vehicles after discovering that a cooling fan defect could ignite fuel spilled during refueling, causing fires. GM has ordered dealers to halt sales and deliveries of those vehicles until a fix is available.
Across all its brands, GM ranked fourth among automakers for recalls in the first three quarters of 2025, with roughly 967,000 vehicles recalled, according to recall management platform BizzyCar. Ford $F led all manufacturers with more than 9.4 million vehicles recalled in the same period.