2009 Chevrolet Malibu problems and complaints
Owners have filed 1511 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The most-reported areas: Steering (769), Electrical System (368), Electronic Stability Control (esc) (255).
Key takeaways
- 1511 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 41 involve a crash, 9 a fire, 44 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 769 | 51% |
| Electrical System | 368 | 24% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 255 | 17% |
| Exterior Lighting | 172 | 11% |
| Service Brakes | 152 | 10% |
| Power Train | 121 | 8% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 73 | 5% |
| Air Bags | 63 | 4% |
| Engine | 61 | 4% |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 56 | 4% |
| Unknown Or Other | 53 | 4% |
| Structure | 31 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Wiper blades
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR w/SAB | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags - filed 2026-10-28
The contact owned a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver's side air bag deployed without impact. The air bag struck the ear of the contact. The contact sustained a loss of hearing in the left ear. The contact received medical treatment for the injury. The vehi...
Steering - filed 2026-10-27
Power steering and esc lights came on, Lost power assist.
Steering - filed 2026-06-20
The power steering motor failed ,ESC , TRACTION and power steeringg lights came on, i am a woman and coould NOT control the car and my safety and others was at risk for an accident or crash ,there was nothing prior to this just suddenly loosing control of my car and a very scary position to be in , yes the chevy dea...
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More for the 2009 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.