Chevrolet 2016 Malibu Air Bag Recall: Risk of Injury During Deployment
Chevrolet is recalling 2016 Malibu vehicles with fractured weld studs that may cause side air bags to move out of position during deployment, increasing injury risk. Owners must have air bags replaced free by dealers.
Use caution until it’s fixed
Fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
What happened, in plain English
Chevrolet is recalling 2016 Malibu vehicles because side air bags may move out of position during deployment due to fractured weld studs, increasing injury risk. Affected vehicles were made between February 16 and March 5, 2016. Owners must have the air bags replaced at no cost. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1226684-chevrolet-2016-malibu-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1226684-chevrolet-2016-malibu-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during · Updated October 9, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #16V151000
Cite this page
“Chevrolet 2016 Malibu Air Bag Recall: Risk of Injury During Deployment.” GovInfoNow, updated October 9, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1226684-chevrolet-2016-malibu-air-bag-recall-risk-of-injury-during. Based on NHTSA recall #16V151000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=16V151000).
Why it’s dangerous
The two weld studs that hold the front and rear side impact air bags can fracture and separate during deployment. This causes the air bags to move out of position, which may increase injury risk in a crash.
Who’s affected
Owners of 2016 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles made between February 16 and March 5, 2016 are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles are at risk if a side air bag moves out of position during a crash.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your 2016 Chevrolet Malibu was manufactured between February 16 and March 5, 2016. The recall covers vehicles with side air bags that may have fractured weld studs.
- Brand
Chevrolet- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Contact Chevrolet
Call Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 to schedule air bag replacement.
Get Air Bag Replacement
Dealers will replace the side air bag modules at no cost once the recall is initiated.
What NHTSA says to do
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.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
2 dated steps over 7 months.
- Recall began
- NHTSA received the defect report
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
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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 #16V151000 (November 3, 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.