Print this page

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
68,621 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Chevrolet Malibu electrical problems

electrical problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 3 of 18)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #308

Sep 022018

Malibu

  • 150,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My steering wheel aggressively shakes when I'm in park, at slow speeds and at higher speeds. The 'ESC off' displays on the dash and I lose power steering. This use to happen rarely, but now it is almost every time I start my vehicle. Even when I'm able to start the vehicle without this warning displaying, it is still very difficult to control the vehicle at any speed due to the shaking. This started 3 years ago and has gotten progressively worse since.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #307

Aug 012019

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles
Has a problem with cold start needs a jump alot, service ESC comes on with lose of traction and power steering, sensor in wheels go out often wheels sound weird when turning, headlight goes out often windshield wipers are out, gearshift linkage has broken while trying to shift gears problem occurs both non-stationary

- Lancaster, OH, USA

problem #306

Feb 272021

Malibu

  • miles
I'm having power steering issues and the dealer told me that the recall parts have expired! I'm very upset because they are trying to charge me 2,700 out of my pockets because they don't want to do the work for free. These parts that they need are recall parts!!

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #305

Feb 042021

Malibu

  • 180,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Power steering goes out while driving. Makes steering/driving/turning almost impossible.

- Belleville, IL, USA

problem #304

Feb 022021

Malibu

  • 86,000 miles
Service ESC light on, loss of power steering, cruise control, and traction control...turnoff vehicle and turn back on and problem is rectified.vehicle was in motion at highway speed 60-65 making turning extremely difficult.

- Raymond, NH, USA

problem #303

Feb 032021

Malibu

  • 75,000 miles
Son driving home from college, loses power steering and traction control light comes on. Readout bar service power steering and ESC. There are several recalls on this exact problem and exact year of vehicle but his vehicle VIN is not included. So irritating when manufacturers will not stand behind and fix a known issue... clearly they know the ramifications, they have a recall already!

- Copley, OH, USA

problem #302

Jan 182021

Malibu

  • 70,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have had recurring and constant problems with the low beam headlights and electrical connections in this car. I've already had the passengers side headlight and drivers side headlight "fixed" between 3 and 4 times. The drivers side low beam is out again as of 2 days ago. As far as the electrical problems, my trunk pop button doesn't work, the rr passengers side door doesn't lock, and I sometimes have trouble getting any of the buttons on my dash to work to change or control anything in the car. I have the same problem with the buttons on my steering wheel. My car has just over 70,000 miles on it. The headlight being out is always an issue when I'm driving. I got pulled over twice the other night because the headlight was out. There needs to be a recall issued for this problem - I've done my research and I know that lots of people have the same problem with this car. Not to mention the labor involved to even access the headlight. It's maddening to have wasted a lot of money to not have this issue fixed. I've had the bulb replaced multiple times, new pigtails installed and even removed the day time running lights connection from the fuse box because I read that having that connected might contribute to the headlight issue. Even that didn't work. Chevy needs to issue a recall. 2 working headlights is a basic need to drive a car. To have this constant issue is ridiculous.

- Ludlow, VT, USA

problem #301

Jul 262019

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles
Power of steering keeps going out I have to turn my car off and back on just to get it to steer again. Usually happens when I'm backing out of parking spots or driving slow or turning. My headlights wiring harness has a short in it and one of my lights cuts off and on this happens randomly while I'm driving.

- Flint, MI, USA

problem #300

Sep 032020

Malibu

  • 137,000 miles
Car shuts off while driving problems electrical

- Ontario, CA, USA

problem #299

Jan 042021

Malibu

  • 133,000 miles
Power steering fails while driving, had to shut my car off while I tried to make a turn on the higway. The 1st time it happened at home on May 2020, car locked up and wouldn't move at all. Dashboard will say traction off, ESC off and it won't let me move my steering wheel. I have to shut off the car and wait a few minutes for it to come back. Car is at roughly 133K miles and had no issues prior to this. Also, when I drive my front side of the car shakes as if it is going over stuff. I replaced both cv joints, gotten the car aligned, and balanced my tires and they still can't find the issue with it. Only recall that pops up is the electronic, but I believe it has the steering recall as well.

- Union Springs, AL, USA

problem #298

Dec 192019

Malibu

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When driving and at a stop/light, the car shuts off, or it shakes as if it gonna die out. The ESC service light appears on dashboard. Sometimes when just driving at any speed, it jerks and both ESC service light and traction control both come on the dashboard.

- Sherman, TX, USA

problem #297

Dec 062020

Malibu

  • 143,672 miles
My door locks were automaticly going up and down. Now doors lock out of blue. Kinda discouraging now my power steering and service has acted up 2 times on Dec 06 2020. Both times the power steering warning came on I have been sitting still. Heard there has been recall on previous Malibu.

- Kendallville, IN, USA

problem #296

Nov 292020

Malibu

  • 174,915 miles
Power steering failure with eps service warning. Sudden loss of power steering and a warning that states service ESC. When I turn off the vehicle and turn back on systems may return but eventually fail with sudden loss of power steering and ESC. This occurs while driving or stationary intermittently at stop lights while driving and parked.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #295

Nov 132020

Malibu

  • 60,000 miles
Passenger low beam bulb repeatedly burns out. Lasts for less than a day.

- Fort Walton Beach, FL, USA

problem #294

Oct 202020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Power steering fails while driving. Dashboard will say "traction off, ESC off" and I won't be able to move steering wheel. This has happened in busy intersections. I have to stop the vehicle and restart in order to gain power steering again. Mechanic has diagnosed it as torque sensor/steering column. This was recalled on many other Malibu, but not mine. A lot of people are having this same problem but weren't included in the recall. This has been happening since I purchased vehicle seven years ago at 80,000 miles (about once per year) and has gotten worse recently at 170,000 miles (multiple times per month). This is dangerous and very expensive.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #293

Oct 032020

Malibu

  • 246,672 miles
I have a 2009 Chevy Malibu and it's very unsafe to drive. I have a 4 cylinder car with electric power steering and it was not apart of the recall. Yet it's having the same symptoms as the recall cars. I had to have my car pushed out of a ditch yesterday because it's so hard to turn my steering wheel I lost control of my car. My traction control light is on, and pressing the button does not work. I sometimes don't have control to unlock my door and have to call someone to physically open it from the outside. My check engine light is on, also my battery light. And they are all good and up to date. My traction and system light is on too. And my head lights, brake lights, and battery is constantly drained and going out. It's hard to find reasonable price's from auto shops, and the dealership prices are too expensive. I shouldn't have to struggle to turn and work my car because of a computer system that's out. It's very dangerous. I'm going to upload a picture of my car after it was pushed out the ditch. But my steering wheel has been hard to turn and I've been having this problem since January of 2020. And it makes a loud whining noise while trying to turn the wheel.

- Memphis, TN, USA

problem #292

Jan 012016

Malibu

  • miles
For years now I have had a few issues. One of which is the locks with in the vehicle. At one point one lock wouldnt be recognized by the fob or internal locking mechanism and then eventually all locks would be unresponsive. I now have to manually lock and unlock all doors. Second issue is the 3rd brake light. It appears that it wants to work when it feels like it. I typically see it working in early mornings when its cold, and then eventually it dims out and completely stops working. I have noticed this in other Malibu's that I see driving and I have read on many other forums that both of these issues exist. I really wish the manufacturer would issue a recall for both of these. Third, im roughly 200lbs soaking wet and for whatever reason the seat bracket that is used to lift and tilt has broke. My driver seat now leans to one side and I can no longer lift it up because of this.

- Stafford, VA, USA

problem #291

Feb 012017

Malibu

  • miles
Powersteering keeps going in and out. Headlights go in and out. Ive gotten those replaced three times! I also had some of the wiring replaced for my lights. I forgot what those are called and my lights still went out. Lock buttons not working. Radio wasnt working until I replaced a fuse. Speakers go in and out. Cruise control does not work. My battery went dead, so I replaced the battery and alternator and my car still didnt work.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #290

May 072020

Malibu

  • 113,000 miles
When I bought it worked good for bout 2 days and I started noticing a light would be blinking like the engine light and a light with like a exclamation mark in side of like a bowl and the speed would reduce and then it would just quit even while your in traffic at a stop light, going up a hill it would do it just when it got ready

- Calhoun City, MS, USA

problem #289

Oct 102019

Malibu

  • 200,000 miles
1) re-occurring recall fault 13036 -brake lights on - ESC - traction control - etc, these were repaired but you cant repair a defect 2) power steering turns off and on - mentioned to dealer end last year 2019 - mentioned did not receive recall 14116 - spoke with GM rep today 8/21/20 (john) at nbr 800-222-1020 he stated this recall expired Dec last year any repairs going forward cost on me which isnt right. These repairs - recalls - should be handled no matter mileage/age. Upon attempting a right turn all power to steering wheel was lost but regained slowly - my thought was low power fluid. I parked the night and in morning searched vehicle for power steering reservoir to no avail did I find it - dealer advised it was electronic - still at that date I received no recall to power steering trbl - this should be repaired at GM expense

- Red Bank, NJ, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?