2011 Chevrolet Malibu: Timing chain broke
Common wear/failure (not a recall)
Symptoms
Owners of the 2011 Malibu report: timing chain broke. CarComplaints.com lists 9 owner complaints, average mileage 121,100 miles.
NHTSA has 172 owner complaints for the 2011 Malibu in this area. Examples:
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11658132 (filed 05/01/2025): “Car started to loose power and wanted to cut off had to drive with both feet put in the shop a few times but couldn't find any wrong finally stopped driving it and then i started back to driving it and still doing the same thing, finally the motor went out.hav…”
- NHTSA complaint ODI #11651049 (filed 03/27/2025): “- reduced engine power, appears on the dashboard. the motor begins to shake, slow down excessively if i'm driving on the highway, and needs to be shut off to reset the computer. yes, this is available for inspection. however, we are going to try to fix this as…”
Likely causes
Sources do not establish a single root cause; diagnosis is needed. Owner-reported fixes are listed below.
Fix, in plain English
Most common owner-reported solutions on CarComplaints.com: new engine (5 reports) replace timing chain and all intake valves (2 reports) replace timimg chain (1 reports). Check for open recalls and extended warranty coverage with a dealer before paying out of pocket.
DIY difficulty: Pro
Internal engine work (lifters, oil consumption, fuel dilution diagnosis) requires engine teardown or dealer software/tests. (Our assessment.)
Cost
CarComplaints.com owners report a typical repair cost of about $2,660 (owner-reported average, not a quote).
Typical parts (search links, no affiliate codes)
AutoZone · O'Reilly · Advance · RockAuto
Sources
Page last updated .