Vehicle recall 16V151000 · March 11, 2016
2016 Chevrolet Malibu
The two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact air bags may fracture and separate from the air bag during deployment.
Source: NHTSA data as of September 22, 2026. Last refreshed Sep 23, 2026, 2:43 AM UTC.
- Summary
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2016 Malibu vehicles manufactured February 16, 2016, to March 5, 2016. The two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact air bags may fracture and separate from the air bag during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, "Side Impact Protection."
- Consequence
- Fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 31820.
- Notes
- Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Recall details
- NHTSA campaign
- 16V151000
- Reported to NHTSA
- March 11, 2016
- Filed by
- General Motors LLC
- Manufacturer campaign
- 31820
- Owner notification
- April 14, 2016
- Vehicles potentially affected
- 3,137
- Initiated by
- the manufacturer
- Components
- Air bags › Side/window
Vehicles covered
As listed by NHTSA. A recall usually covers only some vehicles of each model and year, often a production date range.
- Chevrolet Malibu (2016): 2016
Has your Chevrolet been repaired?
Recalls here come from NHTSA’s records for the model and year. Not every vehicle of a model is included in every recall, and this site can’t see whether a repair has been done. Only a VIN lookup can tell you that.
NHTSA’s VIN search doesn’t show recalls that were already repaired, recalls more than 15 years old, or some small manufacturers’ recalls. A Chevrolet dealer can also check your VIN. Recall repairs are free.