2016-2019 Chevy Malibu 1.8L Hybrid Engine (LKN): Problems, Longevity, and Specs

Chevrolet is still one of the most prominent car brands in the US. It allows you to choose from several types of vehicles and each model comes with a range of engines, cool features, and options. Chevy cars are known to e practical, long-lasting, and also cool to drive. The Malibu is a legendary family sedan that sells more than 100,000 vehicles a year and traditionally has hybrids on offer (since 2008).

Today, we'll tell you about the 1.8L hybrid LKN powerplant in the new Chevy Malibu. We'll cover its pros and cons, longevity, and other important features. You should know that the article is all about the ninth-generation Malibu. We are expecting the new generations or maybe the discontinuation of the model in the nearest future, so the article may be updated or the new one may be released soon.

Key features and my opinion about the engine

• Production years:2016-2019
• Average lifespan of LKN:150,000-180,000 miles
• Fuel supply type:direct injection
• Power range:182 hp
• Fuel efficiency:excellent
• Engine block material:cast-iron
• Engine reliability score:low
• The most common problems:hybrid battery pack problems, issues with wiring and electronics, occasional gas mileage problems.

What should you know about the hybrid powerplant in the Malibu?

The new Chevy Malibu comes standard with the 1.5L Turbo engine that we've already told you about in one of our previous articles. The second engine option is the hybrid powerplant. As far as we are concerned, you can't buy a Chevy Malibu hybrid right now new. It was sold between 2016 and 2019. After the facelift, only the 1.5L Turbo is the available option. But let's still look at the hybrid powerplant.

So, the hybrid Malibu was less popular than its pure-gasoline version. But still, many people preferred this option because of its great gas mileage promises. This is not a plug-in hybrid, so you will not be able to charge it and it can't go all-electric in any case.

Here are some key features you may want to know:

• the hybrid powerplant is based on the 1.8L LKN engine that we don't know really much about;
• the electric part combines the two electric motors and the 1.5-kWh Li-Ion battery pack;
• the transmission is eCVT with some special improvements made by GM to let it last a little longer;
• the total system power is 182 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque thanks to great electric motors;
• the engine is pretty simple and doesn't give you lots of power but you will get compensation from electric motors;
• in the city, this full hybrid powerplant can give you 47 MPG while on highways it only offers 46 MPG;
• the engine has the CVVT system to control the opening of valves and change timing a bit if needed;
• there is a start-stop system to let it take less fuel than you expect but this is still not the most economical hybrid car we know.

There is nothing to say about the engine itself. Also, the entire powerplant looks really nice and doesn't cause a lot of problems. Although you can't buy it new, you can get it used. Also, the information in this article may be of great use to people who already have Malibu Hybrid cars and expect to drive them for a long time.

This is not the most efficient hybrid, though. Modern full-hybrid vehicles usually offer more than 50 MPG and this pays off. But when you get less than that, your expensive maintenance and super costly repairs may take all the advantages of the vehicle with a hybrid engine. So, today, buying a used Malibu Hybrid should be considered risky.

How many miles will the hybrid powerplant last in the Malibu?

The Chevy Malibu is a pretty durable vehicle. But any hybrid powerplant has some weak links that will make it last fewer miles than the same model powered by a pure gasoline engine. We believe the average lifespan of the Malibu Hybrid engine should be about 160,000 miles. For this time, you will have to invest some money in certain units.

For example, the battery pack will traditionally last about 100,000 miles. After that, you will need to replace it or put up with poor gas mileage. The battery pack is not huge, so it won't cost you a fortune. But overall, the replacement is not going to be cheap.

Then, there is the eCVT transmission which is more durable than the traditional CVT transmission but still not bulletproof. At 160,000 miles, on average, your transmission will sing its last song and die. Replacing it with a new one is an insane idea given the car has so many miles on it and will still bother you with some major problems.

Electric motors won't bother you at all and can go twice as many miles as other components of the vehicle.

But the gasoline engine is not eternal. While some experts say these engines are good to go about 200K miles, we've seen problems with the timing system and other issues much earlier than that. So, we should take it down to 150-160 thousand miles.

To sum up, the powerplant is going to live more or less 160,000 miles and then it becomes economically unwise to own. For a hybrid, it's not bad. But for a Chevy that you expect to drive twice longer than that, it's a disastrous estimate.

What are the common problems with the engine?

Again, we don't know a lot about the 1.8L gas engine because it wasn't used so widely in America or in other countries. But we can gather some stats about the whole powerplant's problems. And here's what we could find:

1. The battery is not going to live long

The lifespan of your battery in this hybrid vehicle depends much on how you drive. Your driving style is important because the battery gets discharged very quickly when you are driving aggressively. And this gradually kills the battery pack. We've seen a 170,000-mile Malibu Hybrid with the OEM battery and no problems with gas mileage. But we've seen some with up to 100,000 miles on them and with their batteries already replaced.

2. The engine is tender and needs good maintenance

If you see a Malibu Hybrid with no maintenance records, just leave. The 1.8-liter engine seems to be pretty reliable but it may die quickly if not serviced well. Do you see the leaks, low oil level, vibration when idling, etc.? Just leave and never approach this car anymore.

If it's your vehicle, have the engine maintained even more often than the manufacturer says. Buy only GM oil and filters and never experiment with the quality of parts. This small investment will save the engine and allow you to drive the car much longer.

3. The wiring issues are annoying

GM hybrid cars are really annoying in terms of wiring problems. We don't know why but GM engineers come up with crazy ideas on how to place wires and this may lead to common issues with main connections and big packs of wires. The worst problem is that it's really hard to locate these problems and it's even harder to repair them.

Having a problem with a hybrid wiring system is something you will not want to encounter in your entire life. But with a Malibu, your chances are pretty high.

4. Gas mileage problems

We've seen a lot of reports where owners say that the Chevy Malibu Hybrid burns way more fuel than it's claimed to burn. And here battery problems are important to remember. If your battery pack is not fresh, it will not work efficiently, especially in winter. After some time, your battery may just lose its charge and you will be just driving the old 1.8-liter naturally aspirated engine with 25 MPG or something like that.

If this is happening, have your vehicle inspected by a professional and find the reason why it does this to you and your budget.

How can I prolong the life of my Chevy Malibu Hybrid LKN?

Prolonging the life of your Malibu Hybrid is not a trivial task. This is something you are going to do every day of your life with this car.

Here are some of the key tips we can give:

• Regular maintenance is extremely important - keep up with the intervals.
• Buy only OEM and high-quality parts for this car.
• Avoid aggressive driving to prolong the life of your battery pack.
• Pay attention to the timing system - maintain it earlier than the interval says.
• Pay attention to leaks - any leak may be deadly for this engine.
• Try to drive in such a way that ensures the best possible gas mileage - this is the most suitable driving style for this car;
• Don't allow inexperienced mechanics to come closer than 2 feet to your car.

Anyway, even with all these measures, the Malibu Hybrid is not going to last longer than 200,000 miles. If you buy it used, be very careful and look through the service history.