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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,755 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 lights problems

lights problem

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 4 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #93

May 152018

Malibu

  • 91,000 miles

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

My brake lights and fifth light in window come on without braking and go off when brake is pressed

- Salisbury, MD, USA

problem #92

May 092017

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles
Passenger headlight loses power. Light bulb changes 3 times and they all are not burned out. Changed wiring. Light will now stay lit. Low beam only. This has been going on for a year.

- Englewood, CO, USA

problem #91

May 192018

Malibu

  • miles
Passenger side low beam head light went out for 3rd time within about 8 months.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #90

Mar 142018

Malibu

  • 0 miles

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

Takata recal, my cars lock button stopped working and my key pads as well as my headlights go out and come back on on their own. My car was in my driveway and all this happened a few weeks of eachother. Went to change my bulb and old bulb came back on. As well as when all my electrical went bad it was sitting in my driveway all night and battery quit working.

- Clinton Twp, MI, USA

problem #89

Apr 092018

Malibu

  • 94,236 miles
I have a 2009 Chevy Malibu and the passenger low beam light keeps going out every 3-4 months. I have changed the bulbs 5 times now and recently changed the harness and still went out 3 months later. It is starting to cost me a lot of money and keeps happening.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

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problem #88

Feb 202018

Malibu

  • miles
Passenger side headlight wire harness keeps going bad. Lightbulb is good. 3rd one within a year and a half.

- King George, VA, USA

problem #87

Jan 052018

Malibu

  • 118,600 miles

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

Power steering becomes stiff after idling for a few moments. Shut the engine off and restart and problem goes away. Brake lights work intermittently. Power door locks work intermittently when lock button is pushed several times. Unlocking doesn't work at all unless car is put in reverse then back into park.

- Bellevue, KY, USA

problem #86

Mar 062018

Malibu

  • miles
I have had the car serviced 3 times for the headlights going out on me. I was driving home from work at 930pm and noticed my lights were not on. It was pitch black because I have to go through the park to get home. I almost hit the curb because I could not see. I panicked but I tried the brights and they worked so I used them to get home. The greenwood Chevrolet replaced the head light bulbs 3 times but it has to be electrical being that it went out 3 times in 2 months I haven't even had the car a year! on my way home from the grocery store on 3/6/2018 I almost wrecked because the power steering went out on the vehicle. I attempted to turn and almost ran into the back of the vehicle in front of me. The suspension doesn't work either. As of today I cannot drive at night because I do not have any head lights (that's been for 3 months) I cannot drive the car now because I do not have power steering to drive the car. I'm making payments on a death trap because I almost wrecked twice thank goodness god was with me.

- Youngstown, OH, USA

problem #85

Jan 152017

Malibu

  • 0 miles
High mounted stop lamp, works intermittently, stopped or in motion, (I have read online its a connection at the led high mounted stop lamp).left and right fender stop lamps work correctly. Not part of recall 13036

- Ettrick, WI, USA

problem #84

Dec 012017

Malibu

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that he had to replace the driver side head lamp several times because it failed to operate without warning. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

- Oxnard, CA, USA

problem #83

Nov 122017

Malibu

  • 100,000 miles

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

The low beam lights are constantly going out. Sometimes they will come back on by themselves or if we move things around a bit, but most of the time they stay off. Most of the time it is one or the other, but as of today both of my low beam lights are out. This is a huge safety issue

- Madison, WI, USA

problem #82

Mar 052017

Malibu

  • 152,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was applied, the brake lights failed to function. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer stated that the VIN was not part of a recall and that the contact had to pay for the repair. The approximate failure mileage was 152,000.

- Gainesville, GA, USA

problem #81

Sep 072017

Malibu

  • miles
While driving with my lights on the left headlight goes on and off. I've placed another bulb in and it's still doing the same. It only happen on dime the brights works fine.

- Blakely, GA, USA

problem #80

Jun 112016

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 160,000 miles
My name is [xxx]. I have a 2009 Chevy Malibu(VIN #[xxx]), which I purchased in 2012. I have been having steering/traction issues, that enables me to turn without manpower'.and getting worse by the day. I was made aware that there is a recall for the steering issues on 2009 Chevy Malibu's as well as other Chevy cars. I was getting ready to take in to for repair and was told by ntb when brought in for a wheel alignment that there is a recall for steering issues. I called Chevy dealership(jack schmitt) and GM customer service and was told that my car was not on the recall list. How can over a million Chevy cars be recalled for the same issue and I'm being told mine is not'make no sense to me. Please help me understand....as this is a life threatening and can cause total loss of control and cause me to crash, which can be fatal to me and other people. Also my brake light illuminates all day long...took my car in to have it checked out and the Chevy dealership repaired it at no cost to me...because it was a recall issue that I again did not know anything about..now the brake lights are illuminating again and I was told that since I had it repaired the 1st time its no longer covered under the recall....never knew recalls expired. I am not at fault for either of these issues. I refuse to pay out of pocket for known recall issues, ,, information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Belleville, IL, USA

problem #79

Aug 202017

Malibu

  • miles
Serious safety issue for 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. Headlights low beam both right and left keep going out soon after replacement of the pigtail connector that connects the headlamps to the electrical system. Burns out within one or two weeks of being replaced. The local repair shop and Chevrolet dealership service departments say it cannot be repaired to stop the pigtail from burning out. We called Chevrolet and they will not help. In researching this issue in Chevrolet Malibu 2009 chatrooms this is a very common safety problem. If the lights burn out at night we are in trouble. To replace the pigtail connector the front bumper has to be removed, costing over $200 per incident. This is a serious safety issue that cannot be resolved at Chevrolet service departments. How is it possible to not permanently be able to repair this serious safety issue?

- Henderson, NV, USA

problem #78

Aug 102017

Malibu

  • 98,000 miles
The brake lights do not always come on when the brake pedal is pressed. Other times the brake lights, including the center brake light is on without the pedal being pressed. Note this occurs both when stationary and moving.

- New Haven, WV, USA

problem #77

Jul 032017

Malibu

  • 170,000 miles
1) awhile back, after starting and warming engine and taking off, while making a left turn on city street, car turn off completely..wheel froze after turn. I turned key off and restarted car and it would work ok. It happened 3 0R 4 times. No warning light came on. I took it to dealership and they could not find the problem. 2) while on freeway, tire monitor warning light came on twice, I bought tires but did not have monitors checked. A few days later engine light came on. Now, I needed smog done, had to replace catalic converter (1400.00) and mechanic has a problem with car communications system. Its costing me too much. There is recall on something having to do with brakes.. could this communications problem be related? I did have brake pads replaced last year. The recall has to with BCM and bas (my dashboard lights occassionally fluctuate and take a while for lights to come on bright with dashboard button all way to bright.). remote control stopped working 6 months after I bought car in 2010...doors have to be locked manually..except for passenger side door, power windows do not work. My concern right now is having it smogged and tire monitors.

- Salida, CA, USA

problem #76

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 #75

May 292015

Malibu

  • 78,000 miles
The chmsl - center high mount stop light (3rd led brake light) works for a short period until it overheats or not at all failing to illuminate. It is not an wiring issue but the led unit itself. Note - this issue is not associated to the BCM (body control module) GM is addressing. I have notice this is an issue not only with my individual car but several others I have seen on the road of same make/module-generation and corresponding model/year plus also mentioned in forums. I feel this is an very important safety feature that should not fail given it is an led lighting system to assist in preventing rear end collisions. Once the warranty period expires, GM will not cover and is up to the individual to cover costs to replace/repair and is required to work for some states safety inspections. Led lighting units like this should not fail, should be addressed by the car manufacturer for repair/replace costs and not passed on to the consumer. Pictures can be provided if requested.

- Lawrence, KS, USA

problem #74

Apr 262017

Malibu

  • miles
We have had to replace the dim lights on the passenger side last November and now my left side dim light has gone out. Is this common in these cars? someone said that there might be a recall for this. How do I find out.

- Baldwin, MI, USA

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