Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
MY TRACTION LIGHT COMES ON AND STOPS MY WHOLE CAR AND DRIVE EXTREMELY SLOW AND MY WHOLE JUST MESSED UP AND I NEED IT FIXED ASAP I CAN'T EVEN GET TO WORK WITHOUT MY CAR MESSING UP
POWER STEERING GOES OUT AT RANDOM MOMENTS IT COULD BE 1 MILE OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE OR 1000 MILES OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN OR IF THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO THE SHOP AND I'M SURE IF THERE IS A SURVEY THESE VEHICLE HAVE MORE OWNERS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS DEFECT IS SO DIFFICULT TO DETECT AND THEY ARE SOLD OFF WHEN DETECTED. BUT THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GETS EXTREMELY HARD DRIVING (CUTS OFF) AT HIGH SPEEDS. SOMEONE COULD CRASH AND GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR POTENTIALLY DIE. THIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A SAFTY RECALL NOT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND SHOULD BE REOPENED BECAUSE MORE PEOPLE WOULD GO GET THIER CAR FIXED IF YOU TELL THEM THIER SAFETY IS AT STAKE. AND ALSO THE DOORS GET LOCKED SHUTT RENDERING PASSENGERS OR DRIVERS LOCKED AND UNABLE TO ESCAPE IF DANGER IS IMMANENT.
THE DOORS ON MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU DO NOT OPEN NO MATTER WHAT I DO WITH THE LOCKS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE IF I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE PROBLEM HAS GONE ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST YEAR AND SOMETIMES THEY WON'T WORK AND SOMETIMES THEY WILL WORK. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND THINK IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE
TRAVELING EAST TURNING LEFT GOING 17 MPH, STRUCK BY A VAN GOING THE SPEED LIMIT WHICH IS 50 HEAD ON, DRIVER AIRBAG DEPLOYED, PASSENGER AIRBAG DID NOT. PASSENGER IS 5'4' AND 120 LBS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE OF THE DOOR HANDLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
I AM HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE LATCHES ON MY DOORS. IT STARTED WITH MY PASSENGER FRONT DOOR. I WOULD CLOSE THE DOOR AND IT WOULD POP OPEN A LITTLE AND WOULDN'T CLOSE. AFTER A FEW TRIES IT CLOSED BUT THIS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME. EVENTUALLY IT CLOSED PERMANENTLY AND NOW WILL NOT OPEN AT ALL. IT IS A SAFETY HAZZARD THAT THE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED. THIS IS NOW BEGINNING TO HAPPEN WITH THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT DOOR, WHERE WHEN I CLOSE IT AND IT WON'T STAY CLOSED, I HAVE TO HOLD IT WHILE DRIVING ON OCCASION. THEN IT WILL SHUT AND WORK AND THEN IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE TO DRIVE AND HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED AND I CANNOT IMAGINE HAVING TWO FRONT DOORS THAT WON'T OPEN. THIS REALLY HAS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY.
3 OF THE 4 DOOR ACTUATORS ARE FAILING. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AS I DRIVE WITH A 2-YEAR OLD AND CANNOT OPEN THE REAR DOORS IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY WITHOUT EXTREME HARDSHIP IN REACHING THE MANUAL REAR DOOR PEGS NEAR BACK OF EACH DOOR. THIS IS A HUGE COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET AND ALL ARE REFERENCING THE SAFETY ASPECTS OF IT WHICH THE NTSB IS DOING NOTHING AND GM IS OFFERING TO REPLACE AT FULL COST SAYING UNTIL THE NTSB PUSHES A RECALL THAT THIS WILL REST ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE CONSUMER. HTTP://WWW.CHEVYMALIBUFORUM.COM/FORUMS/6-PROBLEMS-SERVICE-ISSUES-TROUBLESHOOTING-GENERATION-7/7950-DOOR-LOCK-ACTUATOR-RECALL.HTML HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/2009/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/POWER_DOOR_LOCKS_MALFUNCTIONING.SHTML HTTP://WWW.GMINSIDENEWS.COM/FORUMS/F31/2008-MALIBU-DOOR-LOCK-ACTUATORS-107426/ HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/CHEVROLET/MALIBU/POWER-DOOR-LOCKS-NOT-WORKING-PROBLEMS.PHP
REAR DOOR POWER LOCKING MECHANISM FAILS TO ACTUATE. FAILS TO LOCK PASSENGER DOOR WHEN DRIVING, FAILS TO UNLOCK IN THE EVENT OF NEED TO QUICKLY EXIT. LOCKS ARE DIFFICULT TO ACCESS MANUALLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING AND SERVICE ESC WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED ACROSS THE MESSAGE BOARD. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL DOORS FAILED TO LOCK AND UNLOCK ELECTRONICALLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS . THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS JAMMED. THE DOOR WAS ABLE TO FUNCTION AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
I WAS REENDED SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT. ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT HAPPENED, MY DOOR LOCKS STARTED ACTING UP. I'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO LOCK THE DOORS ON THE INSIDE OF THE CAR, BEFORE GETTING OUT. I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO USE MY KEY FOB. I HAVE GOOGLED THE ISSUE, AND ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE FOUND, FOR ALL 4 DOORS IT WILL COST AROUND 1600 DOLLARS TO FIX. I THINK THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL, SIMPLY BECAUSE I'VE HAD TO HAVE PEOPLE CRAWL OVER SEATS JUST TO GET OUT BECAUSE THE DOORS WOULDN'T UNLOCK. IF IT SITS OUT IN THE SUN, THEY WILL EITHER LOCK AND WONT UNLOCK, OR THEY WONT LOCK AT ALL. IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? SOMEONE BEING LOCKED IN THEIR CAR????
ATTEMPTED TO UNLOCK PASSENGER DOORS FROM DRIVER DOOR PANEL SWITCH WHEN THE DRIVER REAR DOOR LOCK FAILED TO OPEN. THIS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL IT COMPLETELY FAILED ABOUT 3 MONTHS LATER IN WHICH TIME THE OTHER DOORS BEGAN HAVING THE SAME ISSUE PROGRESSING CLOCKWISE AROUND THE VEHICLE. IF DOOR LOCK-UNLOCK IS CYCLED MORE THAN TWICE, 3 (NON-DRIVER) DOORS FAIL ABOUT 95% OF THE TIME. THIS FAILURE OCCURS BOTH WHEN THE DOOR IS LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. REF: CFR 571.206 S4.3.1
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOORS FAILED TO OPEN. THE CONTACT HAD TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,622. MA 08/06/15 UPDATED 8/14/15 *JS
REAR DOOR LOCKS JUST QUIT WORKING, DOESN'T WORK WITH KEY FOB OR INSIDE SWITCH. *TR
DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. TRIED EVERY MEANS TO OPEN DOOR. PASSENGER HAD TO CLIMB OVER CENTER CONSOLE AND IN DOING SO INJURED KNEE. *TR
MY DAUGHTER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE, HARD ENOUGH FOR HER PASSENGER TO HIT HER HEAD ON THE DASHBOARD AND DO A LOT OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR, NO ONE WAS INJURED OTHER THAN HER HITTING HER HEAD PRETTY HARD. HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
SUDDENLY THE DOOR LOCKS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, FRONT AND BACK, BEGAN WORKING INTERMITTENTLY.THE REMOTE KEY FOB DOES NOT WORK, AND THE MANUAL BUTTON TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DOORS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. THE LOCKS ONLY PARTIALLY LOCK, RESULTING IN THE DOORS BEING ABLE TO BE PARTIALLY PULLED OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. SOMETIMES THE TWO LOCKS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DO NOT LOCK AT ALL. ALSO, THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS STARTED MALFUNCTIONING - THE PASSENGER WINDOW CANNOT BE RAISED AND LOWERED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS APPEARS SIMILAR TO A RECALL IN THE NEWS COVERING DOOR LOCK MALFUNCTIONS IN OTHER GM VEHICLES, BUT THE 2009 MALIBU IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AS FAR AS I CAN TELL. *TR
REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR DOES NOT UNLOCK UNLESS MANUALLY UNLOCKED. VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO ME USED BY CADILLAC WEST OF LAS VEGAS. UPON SELLING OF THE VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD THIS WAS A MALFUNCTION AND THE DEALERSHIP WOULD FIX THIS. TRIED CALLING ONCE AND THEY REFUSED TO DO SO, SAYING IT WAS GM'S ISSUE. FIGURED THEY JUST SOLD IT "AS IS", WASN'T AWARE THAT THIS WAS SO COMMON. *TR
I WAS TRAVELING WB IH-30 WEST OF E. GRAND AVE IN THE HOV LANE. A CAR WAS STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC. I WAS COMING TO A STOP. A TRUCK REAR ENDED ME DUE COMING INTO THE HOV LANE VERY FAST, MADE CONTACT WITH ME FROM BEHIND KNOCKING ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE TRUCK HIT ME, HE SMASHED THE WHOLE BACK END FORCING THE BACK WINDSHIELD TO BREAK AND MY FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL CAUSING SEVERE BRUISING AROUND MY LEFT EYE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE TRUCK CRASHED INTO ME. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED TO OPEN. NEITHER THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE HANDLES WORKED. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, ABUSE OR INDICATION OF IMMINENT FAILURE. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE; MY DAUGHTER NEEDED TO CRAWL ACROSS THE CONSOLE. WOULD BE EVEN MORE DIFFICULT (PERHAPS IMPOSSIBLE) IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. I SEARCHED THE CHEVROLET OWNER FORUMS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM GOING BACK YEARS. DEALER SERVICE PERSONNEL KNEW OF THE PROBLEM; OFFERED TO WAIVE USUAL $108 DIAGNOSTIC FEE FOR REPAIR. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AGREED TO PAY $37 TOWARDS NECESSARY CORRECTION IF I PAID THE FIRST $200. *TR
THE DOOR LOCK ACTUATOR ON BOTH REAR DOORS FAIL TO UNLOCK THE DOOR. APPARENTLY THIS IS VERY COMMON IN 2008 AND 2009 MALIBU'S. CONSIDERING THAT MY CHILDREN (AS I AM SURE MANY OTHERS), IT IS UNSAFE TO HAVE VEHICLES DOORS UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE. FURTHER, GIVEN THE PLACEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL NOBS (IN THE FAR REAR) IT IS IMPRACTICAL TO ALLOW SOMEONE IN THE FRONT SEAT UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS QUICKLY. *TR
I'VE HAD THIS TERRIBLE SMELL IN THE CAR SO I WENT EXPLORING TO SEE WHAT IT COULD BE. I OPENED THE TRUNKS AND NOTICED SOME MOLD SO I LIFTED THE LINER AND MY WHEEL WELL WAS FILLED UP WITH WATER. AFTER SOME MORE EXPLORATION, I FOUND THE FLOORBOARD IN THE BACK SEAT TO BE SOPPING WET. *TR
I WAS DRIVING TO WORK APRIL 10TH & I WAS SIDE SWIPE BY AN 18 WHEELER DUMP TRUCK STARTING ON MY DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR. MY FRONT END WAS HIT BY THE NOSE OF THE DUMP TRUCK, I WAS SPUN 180 DEGREES SLAMMED INTO A SCHOOL BUS TO WHICH THE TRUCK SQUASHED ME UP AGAINST THE BUS DRAGGED ME UP THE Q BRIDGE LEAVING ME THERE WITH NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED OR ONSTAR ALERT! MY CONCERN IS I HAVE FRONT & SIDE AIRBAGS & I AM NOT SURE WHY NONE OF THEM WENT OFF. MY CAR WAS TOWED AWAY & I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT AWAY & IS NOW TOTALED! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE DOOR HANDLE SEVERAL TIMES IN BEFORE IT WOULD OPEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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