2009 Chevrolet MALIBU problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,509 owner complaints analyzed
5 distinct recall campaigns
100,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2009 model year. Data snapshot: . 1,198 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 764 of 1,509 complaints (50.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 768 | 50.9% |
| Braking behavior | 263 | 17.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 135 | 8.9% |
| Transmission and shifting | 72 | 4.8% |
| Engine operation | 70 | 4.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 24 | 1.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Steering | 764 |
| Electrical System | 359 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 255 |
| Exterior Lighting | 154 |
| Service Brakes | 142 |
| Power Train | 103 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 71 |
| Air Bags | 61 |
Steering: 764; Electrical System: 359; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 255; Exterior Lighting: 154; Service Brakes: 142; Power Train: 103; Vehicle Speed Control: 71; Air Bags: 61
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 87 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 98 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 193 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 217 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 373 |
| 150,000 and above | 230 |
Under 25,000: 87; 25,000 to 49,999: 98; 50,000 to 74,999: 193; 75,000 to 99,999: 217; 100,000 to 149,999: 373; 150,000 and above: 230
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (373). 311 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 19 |
| 2010 | 26 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 35 |
| 2013 | 72 |
| 2014 | 199 |
| 2015 | 231 |
| 2016 | 105 |
| 2017 | 133 |
| 2018 | 142 |
| 2019 | 180 |
| 2020 | 114 |
| 2021 | 69 |
| 2022 | 67 |
| 2023 | 36 |
| 2024 | 21 |
| 2025 | 19 |
| 2026 | 11 |
2008: 2; 2009: 19; 2010: 26; 2011: 28; 2012: 35; 2013: 72; 2014: 199; 2015: 231; 2016: 105; 2017: 133; 2018: 142; 2019: 180; 2020: 114; 2021: 69; 2022: 67; 2023: 36; 2024: 21; 2025: 19; 2026: 11
Pattern summary
Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 768 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 263 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 135 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10268594 · 2009-05-13 (May 13, 2009)
MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU HAS AS SEVERE STEERING BIAS TO THE LEFT THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO FIX. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10268594 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10284938 · 2009-09-22 (September 22, 2009)
AN ONGOING POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE ON MY 2009 CHEVY MALIBU (4 CYLINDER MODEL ONLY) IS DESCRIBED BELOW. THIS VEHICLE HAS ELECTRONIC STEERING AND THE COMPLAINT I HAVE IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD AND WANT TO MAKE VERY SMALL STEERING INPUTS TO GO STRAIGHT, THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ASSIST MAKES YOU OVER CORRECT. IF YOU ARE SITTING STILL WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL VERY SLIGHTLY LEFT OR RIGHT, IT FEELS STIFF AT FIRST, FOLLOWED BY A SUDDEN BURST OF ASSIST, WHICH CAUSES YOU TO CONTINUALLY FIGHT THE CA…
Owner-reported narrative. 318 miles reported. Look up ODI 10284938 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10266047 · 2009-04-20 (April 20, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V073000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT). SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL. ONE MONTH LATER, WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO PLACE THE GEAR INTO PARK, IT WOULD NOT MOVE. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE TO A SPOT WHERE IT WOULD NOT ROLL AWAY AND PLACED THE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. SHE THEN APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266047 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10267582 · 2009-05-03 (May 3, 2009)
2009 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 6 CYLINDER ENGINE. HAS A SEVERE AND SIGNIFICANT TORQUE STEER ON ACCELERATION (MOST NOTICEABLE FROM A STOP) CAUSING CAR TO DRAMATICALLY AND DANGEROUSLY PULL TO LEFT. HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS MORE THAN ONCE. . IN ADDITION IT REQUIRES A LOT OF PRESSURE TO PUT THE EMERGENCY (PARKING) BRAKE DOWN TO WHERE IT WILL HOLD THE CAR ON A HILL. HAVE HAD THIS CHECKED OUT BY 3 SEPARATE CHEVROLET DEALERS AND ALL TELL ME THEY ARE DESIGN ISSUES, NORMAL CONDITIONS THAT CANNOT BE CORRECTED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 22 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267582 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10345134 · 2010-07-25 (July 25, 2010)
I HAVE A 2009 MALIBU, RECENTLY EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDOWS. THIS PROBLEM CREATES A SAFETY RISK FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. THE WINDOWS WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN, THE REPAIR SHOPS STATES THERE WAS A BLOWN FUSE WHICH THEY SAID WAS REPLACED. WINDOWS WORKED FOR A WHILE. SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED IN SAME DAY. CAR REMAINED IN SHOP FOR A WEEK. DROVE CAR FOR ABOUT A WEEK PROBLEM OCCURRED AGAIN, THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD, HOPE REAL PROBLEM IS DISCOVERED. ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT SQUEAKY BRAKES BUT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM FOUND. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 27,697 miles reported. Look up ODI 10345134 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10374043 · 2011-01-03 (January 3, 2011)
I HAVE AN 2009 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND IT WILL SHAKE AT A STOP LIGHT AND WHILE IM DRIVING . WHEN IT SHAKES WHILE IM DRIVING IT FEELS LIKE ITS BEGINNING TO LOCK UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY ITS FROM A POWERSTEERING PROBLEM AND ITS BECAUSE IT IS ELECTRICAL POWERSTEERING. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10374043 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10267834 · 2009-05-06 (May 6, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT'S RELATIVE OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HESITATES WHILE ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT HESITATES, BUT THE DEALER CANNOT REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A STANDARD FEATURE ON THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION, WHICH WAS TESTED BY GM. THE CONTACT ASKED THE DEALER TO INSTALL A FOUR CYLINDER TRANSMISSION FROM THE CHEVROLET IMPALA, BUT GM REFUSED WITHOUT PROVIDING AN EXPLANATION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10267834 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10280559 · 2009-08-16 (August 16, 2009)
PURCHASED NEW 2009 CHEVY MALIBU 6/16/09 AT JOHN THORNTON CHEVROLET. TOOK CAR BACK ON 6/20/09 DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING BRAKES; ROTORS WERE RUSTED AND HAD TO BE SKIMMED. ON 7/27/09, ON WAY TO WORK, CAR KEPT STALLING IN TRAFFIC; PUT FOOT ON GAS, WOULD HESITATE; HEARD WHIZZING NOISES. BECAUSE MOVING THE CAR WAS GETTING WORSE, I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND HEAD TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I GOT ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ENOUGH TO PROCEED, IT WOULD NOT GO PAST 20 MPH AND I KNEW IT WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO KEEP GOING. I PULLED OFF FREEWAY AND F…
Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10280559 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10316291 · 2010-03-03 (March 3, 2010)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED LOOSENESS; FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THERE WAS DIFFICULTY TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AS A RESULT OF THE DRIVER SUSTAINING PAIN TO THE ARM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,900.
Owner-reported narrative. 134 miles reported. Look up ODI 10316291 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546339 · 2013-10-01 (October 1, 2013)
I OWN A 2009 CHEVY MALIBU AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVY SERVICE CENTER FOR FUEL SMELL ON THE EXTERIOR OF VEHICLE ON 09-2013. CHEVY SERVICE CENTER FOUND CAUSE FUEL PUMP MODULE CRACKED AND REPLACED FAULTY PART AT NO CHARGE AND STATED THAT IT WAS COVERED UNDER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. NHTSA/GM RECALLED 40,000. 2007-2009 CHEVY COLBALTS AND OTHER TWIN VEHICLES IN 09-2012 FOR FAULTY FUEL PUMP MODULES THAT CRACK AND CAUSE FUEL LEAKS THAT HAS A POTENTIAL OF IGNITING A FIRE. I'M HERE TO FILE A COMPLAINT AGAINST GM AND MAKE THE PUBLIC AWARE OF OTHER …
Owner-reported narrative. 62,855 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546339 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10546409 · 2013-10-01 (October 1, 2013)
I BEGAN TO SMELL GAS AROUND MY CAR ONE DAY, NOTICED THE NEXT DAY THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF FUEL UNDER MY VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE FOR THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WE FOUND THAT THERE IS A PLASTIC ADAPTER THAT PLUGS A FUEL LINE INTO THE FUEL PUMP THAT IS CRACKED AND BUBBLING GAS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 77,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10546409 at NHTSA ↗