Chevrolet Malibu 2016 Air Bag Recall: Risk of Injury During Crash
Chevrolet is recalling 2016 Malibu vehicles with a risk of air bag tearing during deployment, potentially increasing crash injury risk. Owners should contact GM for free air bag replacement.
Use caution until it’s fixed
If the air bag tears during deployment, the air bag may not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
What happened, in plain English
Chevrolet is recalling 2016 Malibu vehicles because the side-impact air bag cushion fabric may tear during deployment, which could increase injury risk in a crash. Owners must have the air bag inspected and replaced at no cost if needed. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1226683-chevrolet-malibu-2016-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1226683-chevrolet-malibu-2016-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during · Updated October 9, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #16V781000
Cite this page
“Chevrolet Malibu 2016 Air Bag Recall: Risk of Injury During Crash.” GovInfoNow, updated October 9, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1226683-chevrolet-malibu-2016-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during. Based on NHTSA recall #16V781000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=16V781000).
Why it’s dangerous
The side-impact air bag cushion fabric may tear during deployment, which could cause the air bag to not function properly in a crash. This increases the risk of injury to occupants because the air bag may not protect them as intended.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured between November 18, 2015 and June 7, 2016 are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles are at risk if the air bag tears during deployment.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu was manufactured between November 18, 2015 and June 7, 2016. The recall specifically targets vehicles with this production window.
- Brand
Chevrolet- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact Chevrolet Customer Service
Call 1-800-222-1020 to schedule an inspection and air bag replacement if necessary.
Get Air Bag Inspected
Dealers will inspect your vehicle and replace the air bag module for free if needed.
What NHTSA says to do
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 27, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16079.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 1 day.
- NHTSA received the defect report
- Recall began
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
Keep exploring
Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #16V781000 (October 26, 2016)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 9, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.