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2.1

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
73,121 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 3 of 4)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #28

Jan 282015

Malibu

  • 72,000 miles

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

I was picking my little brother up from school I was at the light and the car started to shake violently and engine reduced power light came on is does this on and off and this is not safe for any driver.

- Bowie , MD, USA

problem #27

Mar 142012

Malibu

  • 50,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate and all of the lights on the instrumental panel illuminated. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. The technician diagnosed that the accelerator pedal needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal had been replaced twice before but the most recent failure. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

- Burton, MI, USA

problem #26

Aug 262014

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 40,800 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle failed to shift into gear and excessive force was required to depress the accelerator pedal. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,800. Updated 1/7/15 the consumer stated while driving, the vehicle would stick in gear decelerate without apply the brake. Updated 03/03/15

- Salem, NH, USA

problem #25

Aug 012014

Malibu

  • 93,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control). The contact stated the headlights failed to illuminate while driving. The contact had to use the high beams to drive at night. The failure occurred for one month. Also, the vehicle failed to accelerate after a stop was made. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle decelerated, vibrated violently, and stalled. The deceleration failure began one week ago and the acceleration hesitation began two months ago. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

- Katy, TX, USA

problem #24

Jul 282014

Malibu

  • miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control); however, the parts needed for the repair were unavailable. The dealer could not provide an estimated date for arrival. The manufacturer was notified. The contact had not experienced a failure.

- Sinton, TX, USA

problem #23

Jul 232014

Malibu

  • 26,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted after the first attempt, but the failure recurred multiple times. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (vehicle speed control) however, the dealer stated that the part needed for the repair was unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 26,000.

- De Queen , AR, USA

problem #22

Apr 152014

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 51,000 miles

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

Beginning on April 15, 2014 my car flashes ESC off, service ESC, service traction. This happens often and it turns off the traction control in my car and causes the cruise control to cease function.

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #21

May 032010

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 8,000 miles
The brake lights come on without pressing the brake pedal. When you push on the pedal the lights go out. While on the speed control will not work. Several other issues with the BCM. GM announced a recall on this vehicle on May 15, 2014 but the NHTSA website letter on that date letter nvs-215ks / 14V-252 stated that GM must notify the owners within 60 days. It has been 60 days and there has not been a notification. This issue has been in the shop under warranty approx. 5 times and I have had to also repair the same issue. Now the car is not drive able because if I place it in park it will not go in reverse. This is also due to the same BCM problem. If they (GM) has 60 days, why have they not recalled this vehicle? I took it to the GM dealer and gave them the recall number found on the internet and was told they have no information about it. How can I get this information but their own dealers can't.

- Eads, TN, USA

problem #20

Jul 052014

Malibu

  • 113,421 miles
I was driving down the freeway between 70 & 75 mph. I heard brakes screeching behind me. I then realized that my cruz had also went off. I knew that my brake lights had come on for no reason again as they had in the past. I was sure cars were going to start rear ending each other because they thought I had slammed on my brakes. When this is occurring with my vehicle the brake lights are off when I'm stopped at a light or a stop sign and the brake lights come on when I take my foot off the brakes. The car will jerk like it is trying to stall. The RPM's will surge to 4000 while at the same time the car is slowing down. The cruz will not engage when the brake lights are on. These problems only occurs when the brake lights will not go off.

- Pierson, MI, USA

problem #19

Dec 102013

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 58,000 miles
While driving at 70 mph with cruise control engaged, the third brake light in the rear window would randomly come on causing the cruise control to shut off. Soon after this happens I get warnings on the dash to service the ecs and traction control system. It has been getting gradually worse and with the brake light activating, could cause drivers behind me to think I am stopping when I am not. This problem was mentioned in an article in usa today a couple of weeks ago, that GM will be issuing a recall for.

- Oak Park, MI, USA

problem #18

Jun 032014

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles

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

After filing two complaints with you, and receiving a recall alert from you, I am being told by GM that my vehicle, a 2009 Malibu built between the years specified in your recall notice, is not included in the recall you alerted me about. How is this possible? the referenced recall # 14V252000, as he experienced the same malfunction, as described in the recall. The consumer has invoices, that date bate to 2011, where he had to take the vehicle, back to the dealer several times, for an inoperable cruise control and ESC lighting illuminating. Updated 07/16/14

- Pleasant Prairie, WI, USA

problem #17

Apr 142014

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
When driving the alert will sound alerting that engine power has been reduced. The electronic stability control is then turned off and traction control is lost. When the accelerator is pushed it hesitates before accelerating.

- Conway, AR, USA

problem #16

Mar 032014

Malibu

  • 120,000 miles
For the last year or so I have been having issues with my brake lights ingaging and my cruise control inoperable. I currently have a 2009 Malibu. A friend was driving behind me once and mentioned later that I was riding my brakes all the way home. I was not. I notice a few days later this happened again, but it was dusk and I could see from my rear window the reflection of my break light, it was on and my brake was not ingaged. This has happened several other times, to my knowledge. If I tap my brakes the lights will go off, however will come back on within a few seconds. I'm highly concerned about a rear end collision. If I actually do have to stop quickly and the person behind me hitting me because my break lights are not functioning properly. I've taken it in to a mechanic and they can't replicate the issues. It's intermittent.

- Indianapolis, IN, USA

problem #15

Dec 162013

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 64,000 miles
The brake lights will come on randomly. This also causes the cruise control to kick off. The lights will stay on for varying lengths.

- Walnut , IA, USA

problem #14

Sep 022013

Malibu

  • 68,000 miles
The cruise control was malfunctioning and after researching the problem I discovered that the brake lights could also be affected. When applying the brake the light in the rear window would actually go completely off. The repair is described in tsb 08-05-22-009C and was completed. The problem appears to be fixed. However it appears there was a previous recall for this type of problem with earlier General Motors models and the problem is still recurring. Chevrolet has not send any kind of notice to owners about this potentially dangerous situation. The computer code C0131 is activated when this occurs.

- Twin Falls , ID, USA

problem #13

Aug 082013

Malibu 4-cyl

  • miles
2009 Malibu brake lights stay on while driving then when I press my brakes the lights would go off no one knew when I was using my brakes. This was brought to my attention when I was on a major hwy/speed limit 70 mph when all of a sudden traffic was stopping. The cars behind me were coming at a high speed, but luckily the car directly behind me just short of crashing into my rear missed me.. he got out of his car while the traffic was stopped and approached me to let me know I had no break lights and he also noticed that prior to stopping my break lights were on. In the meantime I had warnings pop up on my car service traction/ESC service. Well of course, my car was taken to a shop where it showed a break switch needed to be replaced and switch brake needed to be calibrated by the dealership. The car was taken to the dealership and the break switch failed when they performed brake position calibration. The gentlemen said that the switch could be bad even thou it was a new one that was purchased from the dealership. They replaced it again and re-calibrated and afterwards said everything works well. Within two weeks the problem with breaks are still there. There is a major problem we have with the 2009 Malibu. I"M just lucky I"M still alive. What upsets me the most is the problem is there, but dealerships want to keep replacing parts and charging you $$$$ for something that needs to be recalled before someone gets killed!

- Mullins, SC, USA

problem #12

Sep 012013

Malibu 6-cyl

  • 75,000 miles
Brake lights come on intermittently while driving. There is no indicator when or how this is happening. It has affected the cruise control option as well as the traction control on the vehicle. This is a safety concern for all motorists - unsure when a care is actually stopping and or accelerating.

- Ravenswood, WV, USA

problem #11

Aug 192013

Malibu

  • 68,477 miles
2009 Malibu brake light stayed on while driving then when I hit my brakes the lights would go off no one knew when I was using my brakes heard this isn't the first time why do the have to wait till someone crashes or dies before they fix it also it kicked off the cruise control.

- Senecaville, OH, USA

problem #10

Jun 222013

Malibu

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 75 mph with the cruise control activated, the cruise control disengaged independently and the contact noticed that the brake lights were illuminated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The failure and current mileage was 80,000.

- Santa Fe, NM, USA

problem #9

Jun 082012

Malibu

  • 54,131 miles
The vehicle began to display a "service traction/ESC" message on the hud. Brake lights would come on randomly and stay on, sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours. As a result of brake lights being on, cruise control was not functional. Had a sensor replaced which temporarily resolved the issue. The problem has returned 53 weeks and 17,000 miles later.

- Ypsilanti, MI, USA

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