2008 Chevrolet Malibu problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1015 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The most-reported areas: Steering (468), Electrical System (244), Exterior Lighting (107).
Key takeaways
- 1015 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 33 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 20 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 468 | 46% |
| Electrical System | 244 | 24% |
| Exterior Lighting | 107 | 11% |
| Service Brakes | 90 | 9% |
| Power Train | 89 | 9% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 76 | 7% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 71 | 7% |
| Air Bags | 66 | 7% |
| Engine | 62 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 48 | 5% |
| Unknown Or Other | 43 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 42 | 4% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,service Brakes - filed 2026-06-29
Randomly when I press the brakes the brake lights don't turn on. Other times they work fine. All of the light bulbs are good. All three brake light don't turn on randomly. I have almost been rear-ended on numerous occasions.no dash lights came on. And I have not had it inspected yet just my girlfriend pushing the brake...
Steering - filed 2026-05-17
As I'm driving I hear a chime and the radio says power steering and I just loose power steering it's scary and I really wish gm would have made this a permanent recall
Engine - filed 2026-04-27
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start up. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed DTC: P0016 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the camshaft position correlator and crankshaft and intake were not alig...
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More for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.