There are 46 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
On 5/23/2022, we were involved in a crash where a loaded asphalt dump truck pulled out in front of us on major highway. Vehicle was totaled from front end impact. Air bags did not deploy!!
Air bag sensor is reading airbag as a foreign object and not apart of the vehicle. Airbag has never been deployed, nor has it ever been changed. This should not be happening.
AIRBAG OFF LIGHT STAYS ON
CARS PURCHASED ON OCTOBER 31ST 2018 THE CAR CAN I PASS INSPECTION WITH NO ONE TO DMV THEY GAVE US A CALL BACK SAYING THE CAR WAS TOTALED IN THE SALVAGE CAR DECLARED IN 2016 THE CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR $2,700 WHEN CONTACTED DEALER HE REFUSED TO GIVE US OUR MONEY AND HE SAID ONLY I CAN GET ANOTHER CAR IF I PAY YOUR CAR NOTES AT THIS TIME WOULD JUST LIKE FOR MY MONEY TO BE REFUNDED THE VEHICLE CANNOT PASS INSPECTION AND IS UNSAFE TO BE DRIVEN ON THE STREET I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK HE'S PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER
RED AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON ALSO SERVICE AIR BAG MESSAGE IS ON. THIS IS ON WHILE STATIONARY AND WHILE MOVING. NO ISSUES TO THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO OCCUR.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND IT SAYS TO BE SERVICED. SOMETIMES IT COMES ON AND IT CAN STAY OFF FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THE SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CAN COME ON WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION AND THEN TURN OFF, SOMETIMES IT DOES STAY ON. MY VEHICLE IS GIVING A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. I NOTICE IT BEING A STRONGER SMELL AFTER I STATION IT AFTER A DRIVE. I HAVE NOT SEEN A NOTICEABLE LEAK YET. I WILL HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK THAT FOR ME.
AIR BAR WARNING LIGHT AND TIRE SENSOR WARNING LITE BOTH CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG WAS FAULTY.
SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON
SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON TAKEN TO GARAGE SCANNED NO ERRORS RESET LIGHT BACK ON TAKEN BACK TO GARAGE SCANNED AGAIN NO ERROR CODE.THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE UP FOR A RECALL.
PASSENGER AIR BAG ERROR MESSAGE THAT AIR BAG SENSOR DOES NOT WORK.
A FEW WEEKS AGO MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HERE 2008 MALIBU AND SHE SMELLED A SLIGHT BURNING AND VERY STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR IN THE CAR, SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE SERVICE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. WINDOWS HAD TO BE OPENED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE 30 MINUTE TRIP. SOMETIME LATER MY WIFE REMOVED SOMETHING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND NOTICE A COLOR CHANGE TO CIRCULAR PALE YELLOW WITH A CENTRAL CHARRED MARK IN PART OF THE COVER MATERIAL, UPON TOUCHING SEAT COVER MATERIAL DISINTEGRATED AND DISAPPEARED INTO THE SEAT. A PICTURE IS ATTACHED OF THE PASSENGER SEAT. LATER I INVESTIGATED THE SERVICE LIGHT AND FOUND B0081 SYMPTOM 71 WAS SET. I BELIEVE THE SEAT SENSOR SHORTED OUT CAUSING THE SEAT COVER AND FOAM TO SMOLDER POSSIBLY ON ITS WAY TO AN OPEN FLAME BEFORE THE POWER SOURCE FAILED. THE VIN NUMBER [XXX]. A COPY OF THIS LETTER WILL ALSO BE SEND TO THE NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
BOUGHT MY CAR 3 MONTHS AGO FROM A CHEVY DEALERSHIP, 3 DAYS LATER MY SERVICE AIRBAG LIGHTS CAME ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED, THEY SAID THAT MY AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY IF THIS LIGHT WAS ON. WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR A SAFETY FEATURE THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS? ITS LIKE SELLING A CAR WITH A PASSENGER SEATBELT ONLY. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR MY AIRBAGS TO BE WORKED ON. WITH ALL OF THE RECALLS FOR AIRBAGS I THINK THEY MISSED MY YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. ITS REDICULOUS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.
AN AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT SHOWS ON AND OFF ADVISING THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM NEEDS CHECKED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,687. UPDATED 11/06/15*LJ UPDATED 11/10/15. *JB
TAKATA RECALL, THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY DISPLAYS SERVICE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND WILL NOT ACTIVATE. DOESNT MATTER IF IN MOTION OR NOT THE WARNING GOES ON AND OFF AT RANDOM.
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND SAYS TO SERVICE AIRBAGS. WILL STAY ON UNTIL I TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT. WILL DO THIS EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS. I HAVE PICTURES OF IT. *TR
WENT I BOUGHT THE CAR HAD BEEN GIVE PROBLEM NOW THE CAR SMELL LIKE IS LEAKING GAS AND THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TURN ON MY FRONT WHEEL CRACK WENT I TURN RIGHT OR LEFT I TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THEY FIX THE PROBLEM BUT STILL DOES SAME THING THEY DON'T HELP ANYTHING MAKE ME WASTE MY TIME MY CAR I PEACE [XXX] I WANTED MY ALL MY MONEY BACK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWS THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF WHEN THERE IS SOMEONE SITTING IN THE SEAT, SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES NOT. THIS IS A SAFETY ITEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS. *TR
MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE AND HIS DRIVER AND PASSENGER CURTAIN AIRBAGS AND DRIVER SEAT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. HE DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AND NOTHING HIT HIM. HE SUSTAINED MILD INJURIES DUE TO THIS MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRBAGS. HE WILL BE GOING TO THE DOCTORS DUE TO RESIDUE IN THE EYE, A BURNING FEELING ON SIDE OF FACE, AND NECK HURTING. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 46 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026