2009 Chevrolet Malibu Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering76833.9%
- Electrical36716.2%
- Driver assistance30513.4%
- Brakes1657.3%
- Exterior lighting1607.1%
- Powertrain (other)1034.5%
- Interior & seats863.8%
- Engine703.1%
- Airbags622.7%
- Other / unspecified472.1%
- Fuel system341.5%
- Body & structure311.4%
- Visibility231.0%
- Transmission200.9%
- Suspension110.5%
- Seat belts70.3%
- Tires & wheels60.3%
- Heating & air conditioning30.1%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
The power steering motor failed ,ESC , TRACTION and power steeringg lights came on, i am a woman and coould NOT control the car and my safety and others was at risk for an accident or crash ,there was nothing prior to this just suddenly loosing control of my car and a very scary position to be in , yes the chevy dealer has the component.I know ther was a recall on this problem and other s beside myself are still having this problem so with the low milage on this car this should NOT have happened , General Motoors should stand behind a recall no matter how long, a recall is a recall 10 years or the life off the car.
POWER STEERING WENT OUT
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
POWER STEERING WENT OUT
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 120,000 however, the contact researched and discovered in a Carfax Report that the mileage was approximately 234,000. The contact stated that the vehicle had several issues, leading the contact believe that the odometer had been tampered with. The contact stated that the current approximate mileage on the vehicle was 141,000, which the contact believed to be inaccurate.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, it lost power steering functionality. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The failure reoccurred every mile while driving, requiring the driver to pull over to the side of the road to restart the vehicle. The power steering, ESC, and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated who was a retired independent mechanic, determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Had a recall repaired yet it still randomly my brake lamps still don’t function correctly
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Had a recall repaired yet it still randomly my brake lamps still don’t function correctly
While driving at night with the lights on, the rear taillights are bright all the time. when you press the brake pedal, the rear taillights go dim or completely dark. brake lights are working opposite what they should be doing. Fixed once with local mechanic. Fixed second time at dealership with a 'technical service bulletin' and now it is having the same problem for third time.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
While driving at night with the lights on, the rear taillights are bright all the time. when you press the brake pedal, the rear taillights go dim or completely dark. brake lights are working opposite what they should be doing. Fixed once with local mechanic. Fixed second time at dealership with a 'technical service bulletin' and now it is having the same problem for third time.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and the lights became inoperable. When the brake pedal was released, the lights returned to normal functionality. The contact also stated that the cruise control failed to engage as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The contact stated that the failure recurred after the repair. The dealer informed the contact the recall repair was a one-time free repair. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
My vehicle can overheat at times and the thermostat won’t work. That’s during the summer and winter so the temperature could rise above normal and I wouldn’t know because of the electric problems. It’s happened too many times to count. The ESC sign comes on across the dash for me letting me know there are issues with power steering and traction. I can drive on my way to work and on the highway and it happens randomly. It’s dangerous and scary I have to pull over on the side of the road to turn it off and on. Sometimes more than three to four times before it acts normal again. I tried to go to GM because my car has the symptoms of the cars being repaired in the recalls. But I’m told there are none for my car but yet the car still locks on me. It jumps too as it’s accelerating.
The car suddenly turns off while driving shutting down the power steering making it difficult or impossible to maneuver. It is a death trap. This happened 3 times today May 5, 2023 Losing power while driving is a major safety issue that is putting innocent people's lives at risk.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
I went to move the Lever to the driver side seat to adjust the back of the seat for support. And I went to go pull the level and the seat assembly snapped and broke off causing the seat to move backwards and forwards(up and down) and won't sit still. the seat can move at almost all angles. It does not slide just moves side to sides. It was a perfectly fine and I never used that level before until the first time ever and it just complete fell apart. It still looks like it's intact but I took it to the dealership and they said part of the assembly snapped.
Driver seats horizontal bar has snapped it now leans to th e left. Comes up off of floor when breaking and accelerating. Concerned that the seat will become detached if ever in a rear or front end collision sending me out of the vehicle
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
My car is having issues driving over 60miles per hr, I have to keep pressing the gas to get the car to move, the car battery is dead and won’t turn on, I got the car repaired twice and the second time I got it repaired, it just was even worse then before . The car smells like gas , the salesman only told me that I needed a value cover gasket and he had someone repair it , but when I went to auto zone , it was still cracked, I have a oil leak and my car eats up gas.
Service traction light/ service esc / esc off has come three times replace what was told to be to problem three times
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owned a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 20 MPH, the driver's side curtain air bag erroneously deployed and struck the left side of the contact's head. The contact immediately pulled over to the side of the road. No warning light was illuminated before or after the failure. Police Officers arrived at the scene, but no police report was filed. The contact sustained a headache and a partial left-ear hearing loss. The contact received a paramedic evaluation. The following day, the contact was taken to the Emergency Room, where it was confirmed that the contact had not sustained a concussion. The vehicle was towed to an autobody shop, where it was deemed totaled by the insurance company. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that a field inspector would be sent to investigate the failure; however, the contact was later informed that the case was closed because the root cause of the air bags deployment could not be determined upon inspection. The failure mileage was approximately 68,000.
I brought car told dealer of air bag light on to service and tire monitor light I had my steering lock and ESC light on dealership did nothing to comply to safety of this called don't return calls
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, it lost power steering functionality. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The failure reoccurred every mile while driving, requiring the driver to pull over to the side of the road to restart the vehicle. The power steering, ESC, and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated who was a retired independent mechanic, determined that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
Having problems with my rear stop lights, traction control/ indicator light, ECS/ indicator light. When driving center brake light remains on but when I need to apply brakes they go off, lights on dashboard have been on since I purchased the vehicle which were never addressed the only light addressed was the check engine light. All other issues were voided being that they let me drive down to N.C. knowing it would void my warranty with them after putting 1 thousand miles on the vehicle without notication to me.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
HAVE PLMS FOR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IT LITTL HARD TURN AND IT NOT SAFE
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN ISSUE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON ALMOST EVERY FUEL FILL UP I HAVE REPLACED THE CAP 3 TIMES ALREADY AND I KEEP GETTING THE SAME CODE. NOW I AM GETTING A P0420 CODE FOR EITHER THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OR THE OXYGEN SENSOR. IS THERE A WAY FOR CHECY TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COSTS? I NEED MY CAR AND I AM AFFECTED BY COVID-19. *TR
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
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.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Sunroof glass seperated from frame And broke
Just bought the car and it started acting funny. The windshield wipers haven't worked almost the whole time we've had the car. We have attempted to fix them and we think the problem is fixed all for them to stop working again. So needless to say we either can't drive while it's raining or we attempt to risk ours and others lives by driving with no windshield wipers at all. Now the temperature gauge, and ac are randomly deciding to stop working. Plus the check engine light would randomly come on and off. Found that there was a recall out for these exact problems. So we took it to the dealership and they told us there's nothing they can do the recall has expired almost 3 years ago. Now we just bought the car and all this stuff started and now we're being told it's pretty much our problem because the last owner didn't stay up to date on the car and it's recalls. so I'm trying to figure out how we can still get this fixed specially since we have kids and even grandkids that ride in this car. But now as of these last few days we haven't been able to drive it at all. So we're trying to figure out how we can get the problem that is now ours and shouldn't be fixed.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION FAILURES. *LD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO SWITCH INTO THE DRIVE POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
Steering has become increasingly stiff and harder to turn, as if the power steering doesn't work. My granddaughter hit a curb in a tight turning entrance to a 4 lane highway and broke the wheel and other component parts.
WHEN GOING OVER ANY BUMP OR TURNING THE FRONT END SHAKES AND MAKES A CLACKING NOISE. ESC IS OFF. TRACTION CONTROL IS ALWAYS OFF. ERROR CODES READ P0010 P0449 P0013 P0722 P0011
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK SOUTH BOUND ON 1 ST AVENUE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE TURN FROM ON COMING TRAFFIC TO CROSS IN FRONT OF ME TO HEAD WEST BOUND WHEN WE IMPACTED MY SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN ME AT ALL MY HEAD HIT THE DRIVERS DOOR WINDOW VERY HARD AND DEFLECTED OFF AND CONTINUED TO THE HIT THE FRONT WINDOW THEN AIRBAG THEN DEPLOYED AFTER TO THROW BE BACK INTO MY SEAT AFTER.
PASSENGER HEADLIGHT HAS BLOWN TWICE IN LESS THEN A YEAR. DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT NO LONGER RETRACTS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE AT THE BEAD OF THE TIRE. BRIDGESTONE DRIVEGUARD RUN FLAT TIRES. VEHICLE HAS A TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT WE REPLACED A NON RELATED SENSOR IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR SERVICE A COMPLETE SERVICE CHECK WAS DONE INCLUDING VERIFYING THE PROPER TIRE PRESSURE IN ALL TIRES. THE DAY OF THE EVENT, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. AFTER PULLING OVER IT WAS DISCOVERED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE HAD RIPPED AT THE EDGE OF THE BEAD. THE HOLE CREATED WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 INCHES LONG. THE TIRE HAVE ABOUT 5000 MILES ON THEM AND ARE RATED FOR 60,000 MILES. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE FAILURE. THE RIMS, TIRES AND CAR HAVE NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE SUCH AS CURB RUB. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THESE TIRES AND BELIEVE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO EXPERIENCE THIS TYPE OF DANGEROUS PREMATURE TIRE FAILURE.
THE TWO BACK TIRES KEEP GOING ON FLAT I PURCHASED THE CAR IN FEBRUARY I HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIRES EVERY OTHER WEEK AND I HAVE TO PUT AIR IN THE TIRES ON A DAILY BASIS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the contact smelled a burning odor and felt her leg burning. When the contact exited the vehicle, she became aware that her sweater was burned, and the driver’s seat was burned. The contact was not severely injured. The contact had not sought medical attention. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuse for the seat warmer was removed, but the seat was not replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 193,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CONDENSER FAILED TWICE WITHIN A TWO MONTH PERIOD. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURED, THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD BLOW WARM AIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT PROTECTED FROM ROAD DEBRIS AND WOULD CONTINUE TO FAIL WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY DEBRIS. THE CONTACT BELEIVED THE FAILURE TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,011 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .