RoadVitals

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
25
Latest May 17, 2019
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1
1 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 25 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid, most frequently naming the driver assistance, steering and powertrain (other) categories. 185 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Driver assistance720.0%
  • Steering617.1%
  • Powertrain (other)514.3%
  • Electrical514.3%
  • Brakes38.6%
  • Airbags25.7%
  • Engine25.7%
  • Other / unspecified25.7%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Other / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed May 17, 2019

2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS ISSUES. THE DASHBOARD WARNED TO SERVICE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND HYBRID. *JS

NHTSA ID
11207777
Incident
May 17, 2019
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 10, 2019

TAKATA RECALL: I DON'T KNOW IF I'M DOING THIS RIGHT BUT MY CAR'S WARNING SYSTEM ALERTED ME THAT THE ESC WAS TURNED OFF AND TO "SERVICE ESC", THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, NEVER STATIONARY.IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT ONE THAT IS MENTIONED AS A RECALL FOR MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. WHEN I SEARCH MY VIN I GET NO ALERTS ON RECALLS FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE BUT WANTED TO BE SIRE IT WASN'T SKIPPED OR MISSED. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON SO IF I DID NEED RECALL WORK THEN I WOULD NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE ON MY CAR SINCE A DEALERSHIP WOULDNT DO THE WORK FOR FREE WITHOUT A RECALL NOTICE.

NHTSA ID
11195403
Incident
Apr 9, 2019
Mileage
95,000 mi
Steering
Filed Apr 9, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY VIBRATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GR CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC (930 FAIRYSTONE PARK HWY, STANLEYTOWN, VA 24168, (855) 910-9228), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID
11194969
Incident
Mar 10, 2019
Electrical
Filed Mar 4, 2019

THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM GOES OUT BECAUSE OF A BAD CONNECTION.

NHTSA ID
11183907
Incident
Jan 2, 2019
Mileage
124,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 1, 2019

THIS MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK I EXPERIENCED THE MOST SCARIEST MOMENT, WHEN I WAS IN MOTION MAKING A LEFT TURN MIDWAY ON A BUSY INTERSECTION MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MAKING ME UNABLE TO CONTROL IT ,WHILE LOCKED THE (TSC) LIGHTS CAME ON , I WAS FREAKING OUT I WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE OTHER CARS ON MY RIGHT SIDE TURNING LEFT WITH ME AS WELL , I QUICKLY REACTED AND LET GO OF THE GAS PEDAL AND LET THE CAR SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN AND LET EVERYONE TURNING PASS ME, ONCE PULLED OVER HAZARDS ON , I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL WENT BACK TO WORKING. I AM NERVOUS TO GET BACK IN THE CAR AGAIN. UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID
11183561
Incident
Mar 1, 2019
Mileage
1,788,000 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 11, 2019

POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ON. IF I TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON THE ERROR MESSAGE GOES AWAY AND POWER STEERING IS RESTORED TILL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. HAPPENED YESTERDAY ON HIGHWAY SUDDENLY I HAD NO STEERING. LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM. STATING THAT STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OTHERS MENTION A SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY ON POWER STEERING FAILURE FOR 10 YEARS AND 150,000 MILES. I INQUIRED AT DEALER AND SO FAR THEY DON'T RECALL WARRANTY PROBLEM HAPPENS SOMETIMES USUALLY WHEN STARTING BUT YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. SCARY FEELING

NHTSA ID
11176249
Incident
Feb 10, 2019
Mileage
126,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed Jan 29, 2019

BEGINNING IN DEC/JAN OF 2016/2017 I BEGAN HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY POWER STEERING WHERE IT WOULD STOP WHILE I WASN'T DRIVING BUT ALSO WHEN I WAS DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO AGGRESSIVELY SHAKE AND MY TRACTION CONTROL WOULD CUT OFF. IT GOT TO THE POINT I COULDN'T EVEN DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I THEN CONTACTED GM AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED. I GOT IT FIXED AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL THIS WEEK JANUARY 2019. I CONTACTED GM TO LET THEM KNOW OF THE ISSUE, AND THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE I HAD BEFORE. THEY THEN PROCEED TO TELL ME TO DRIVE MY UNSAFE VEHICLE WITH MY 7 MONTH OLD INFANT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT (WITH NO POWER STEERING), EVEN THOUGH THE ISSUE ISN'T AN ALL THE TIME ITS JUST IN ITS BEGINNING STAGES. I HAVE TO TURN OFF MY CAR TO HAVE IT RESET THE POWER STEERING.

NHTSA ID
11172870
Incident
Jan 29, 2019
Mileage
141,000 mi
Filed May 21, 2018

ON MAY 18, 2018 ALL DOORS ON MY CHEVY MALIBU WERE WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN MY FIANCE LEFT TO LEAVE FOR WORK ON MAY 19, 2018 THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM NEITHER THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE; IT WASN'T UNTIL MAY 21, 2018 WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN AND FOUND THAT THE LATCH ON THE SIDE OF THE DOOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS WHAT IF IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OR MY PASSENGER WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR.

NHTSA ID
11097049
Incident
May 19, 2018
Mileage
130,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

13598

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH

PIC5650M

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an intermittent no crank, no start, or start stall concern with the security light coming on. Technician may find Diagnostic Trouble Codes B3055, B3060, B3935, C0750, C0755, C0760, C0765, and/or C0775.

PIP5601C

This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.

PIT5074R

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

PIT5074R

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

PIT5074R

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2019201
2018110139.0
2017220140.7
2016241140.6
2010200
2009Viewing250031.3
2008700

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.