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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

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 8 of 18)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #208

Sep 142017

Malibu

  • miles

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

Car will not start and it gives message of service traction, service ESC. I see that other 2009 maliibu have been recalled for the same reasons. Why not mine? I have been researching and I think it may be the wiring. The recall #14V252000 covers this.

- Richmond, TX, USA

problem #207

Nov 032010

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 15,578 miles
BRAKE LIGHTS COME ONE WHEN DRIVING AND BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT PRESSED. BRAKE LIGHTS GO OFF WHEN BRAKES ARE PRESSED. BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY PUT SOME GEL ON THE BCM CONNECTION AS PER A SAFETY BULLETIN FROM GM. IT FIXED PROBLEM FOR A WEEK. PROBLEM HAS RETURNED 4 TIMES NOW. I THINK NHTSA SHOULD TAKE MY CAR TO THE TEST TRACK AND PROVE THAT A SAFETY RECALL SHOULD BE MADE ON THIS VEHICLE. NHTSA DID ONCE PRIOR TAKE MY CHEVY TAHOE 1997 TO THE TEST TRACK AND PROVED THAT GM HAD INDEED HAD AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE. SO PLEASE COME GET MY CAR AND TEST THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH OR BCM. IT IS UNSAFE AND THOUSANDS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ITEM ON THE INTERNET. I INDICATE IN THE FORM THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT HAS NEVER WORKED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME MATTER OF FACTI TOOK IT TO SERVICE FACILITY TODAY 7/24/17 AGAIN :[XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Brecksville, OH, USA

problem #206

May 192014

Malibu

  • 84,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. After the dealer repaired the vehicle per NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control), the contact experienced a failure. The contact notified the dealer several times that the brake lights remained illuminated when the brake pedal was not depressed. When the brake pedal was depressed, the exterior brake lights failed to illuminate. The dealer (cox Chevrolet, 2900 cortez rd w, bradenton, fl 34207, (941) 749-2699) was unable to replicate the failure and stated that further diagnostic testing was required. The contact felt as if the recall repair provided no solution. The manufacturer was notified and provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

- Bradenton, FL, USA

problem #205

Aug 172016

Malibu

  • 46,000 miles

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

Service traction, service electronic stability control, electronic stability control off occurs while sitting and driving. Car jerks skips and shakes. Hard to pick up speed or go to the next gear, door lock on driver side stop working.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #204

Jul 172017

Malibu

  • 70,000 miles
The car's power steering went out while I was in motion, turning in a parking garage. An error message displayed saying "power steering failure - service ESC". the first time this came up was about three months ago, and I took it to the Chevy dealership and they fixed it under warranty. This same problem just came up again and I am beginning to think that this is a known problem, given the amount of recall information I've seen about this issue.

- Arlington, VA, USA

problem #203

Jul 102017

Malibu

  • 131,000 miles
The brake lights on my Malibu are not working. The brake lights illuminate without the brake pedal applied and turn off when the pedal is applied. Also, my electronic stability control and cruise control do not work. I have had this fixed four times already, two which I paid for out of pocket, and then two from a subsequent recall. I brought my car in today to get it repaired for this problem the fifth time. Is there something systemically wrong beyond what the recall addresses?

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #202

Jun 292017

Malibu

  • miles

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

The door locks go up and down by there self.. which resorts to battery going dead... they never stop.. even when car is off they still flick up and down..

- Phenix City, AL, USA

problem #201

Feb 012017

Malibu

  • 57,000 miles
Both rear door locks do not operate with the remote. Safety hazard!

- North Dighton, MA, USA

problem #200

May 012017

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 20,835 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that there was a progressing failure in which the door failed to unlock with the fob for the rear passenger side door lock. The other three doors had been able to lock and unlock with the fob. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle also received an inspection from an independent mechanic but the results were not available. The approximate failure mileage was 20,835. Updated 08/24/17

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #199

Jan 152017

Malibu

  • 125,900 miles
While in motion going to fl on rt 95 my speed control stopped working, what I didn't know until I got to fl. That my break lights were on all the time and when I would hit the breaks they would go off and then come back on. I took the car to a dealer in fl and they could not dublacate the problem. They did replace the third break light and after researching about the problem I told them to change the break peddle switch. I drove back from fl to pa. With no problems. I know there were recalls about the BCM and did receive other letters that if a break light problem like above would happen to take it to a dealer. This is a very dangerous problem. Sent reinversment papers tochev. But they sent me S letter telling me they would not pay for repairs.

- Jim Thorpe, PA, USA

problem #198

Jan 312017

Malibu

  • 67,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving various speeds, the windshield started to frost. The contact attempted to use the defroster, but the HVAC defroster failed to function. As a result, the interior windshield became foggy. The contact also stated that the control head module failed to function and failed to clear the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that she needed the proper documentation to service the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #197

Apr 012017

Malibu

  • 209,410 miles
My power steering goes out and at the same time my traction control light comes on as well as the ESC light my car VIN is not on the recall but it is having the same problems as the recalled cars

- Green Bay, WI, USA

problem #196

Apr 252017

Malibu

  • 216,000 miles
Car turned off while sitting in the drive thru line. Car turned off driving down the road at various speeds. Sometimes will start back, sometimes will not start back and has to be towed. After waiting a few days the car will drive as normal and then the next time the car will turn off again. The car will turn over, but not crank. If you wait a few minutes, hours or days, the car may start and drive as normal for a few weeks and then have the problem again.

- Cameron, NC, USA

problem #195

Dec 012009

Malibu

  • miles
When first got car doors locked and unlocked with remote for apps 1 week. Then over appx month stopped working 1 door at a time. At this point the power locks inside (on door) do not work and lock/ unlock intermittently and even if I can unlock manually my drivers door it still stays locked even when lock is in fully unlocked position. Quite scary for someone that drives alone at night and my doors are unlocking themselves. God forbid I do get into an accident and need to get out of the car quickly. Also this makes it so my panic does not work on my fob. Yes I've changed batteries multiple times. Also my power steering has been cutting in and out while moving most often during turns. What happens if I am moving on a highway and I cannot steer correctly? feeling very unsure of my safety at this point.

- Kennebunk, ME, USA

problem #194

Oct 032016

Malibu

  • 179,500 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed other vehicles flashing their headlights and blowing their horns. The contact realized that the driver side low beam headlight was out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and repaired. Two weeks after the repair, the failure recurred. The vehicle was repaired again, but the failure recurred three weeks later. An independent mechanic stated that the wiring to the driver side low beam head lamp was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 179,500.

- Holmesville, OH, USA

problem #193

Apr 092017

Malibu

  • 87,500 miles
The vehicle continuously locks itself and the power lock buttons do not work to open the doors, you have to physically turn the car on and put it in gear then back in park to get the locks to disengage. There are times that the brake/head lights do not work or they turn on by themselves when the car is not running. Earlier today 04-09-17 the vehicle would not start at first, after a few tries the engine turned over but while driving it in town it completely died. The vehicle restarted but could have caused an accident.

- Lodi, NY, USA

problem #192

Mar 282017

Malibu

  • 113,000 miles
For the last few months I been having trouble with my car. First it started with my lock buttons. Whenever I would push the buttons nothing would happen but when I closed my doors it would start locking on and off all by themselves. My ESC always giving me trouble one day the light is on and the next it's off. Whenever the light was on I took it to get checked but no code came up. Till this day I have trouble with my ESC! at time it's would say it had cut off!!! the air bag sensor goes on and off also. Some days it's on some days it's not!! well today March 29, 2017 I was driving to work and my car just starts to slow down. It wasn't taking no gas at so I pulled over and put the car in park. When I pressed down on the gas it gave it some gas. I took the car out of park and drove off

- Thibodaux, LA, USA

problem #191

Mar 012017

Malibu

  • 120,000 miles
The electrical power steering on the Chevy Malibu 2009 disengages itself while car is in motion causing loss of power steering assist, that occur any time while driving and sometime locks itself in. When power steering is lost, greater driver effort S required to steer the vehicle, increasing risk of crashing. This happened to me while on a highway, and has completely lost power steering.

- Brooklyn, NY, USA

problem #190

Dec 152014

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received a recall repair for NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control). Two years later, the brake lights failed to illuminate when applied, but would illuminate when the brake pedal was not depressed. The service ESC and traction control warning indicators flashed. Also, the cruise control shut off and operated intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing and repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available. Updated 11/01/17

- Allison Park, PA, USA

problem #189

Feb 062017

Malibu

  • 64,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 15 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 64,000.

- Marceline, MO, USA

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