NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the power steering failed to operate with the electronic stability control and power steering warning lights illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The approximate failure mileage was 144,000.
Lost power steering while driving on the highway. The display board is reading power steering, service ESC, and the traction control symbol is on.
Power steering shut off
The contact's son owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while his son's wife was driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning light was illuminated. The driver parked on the side road, restarted the vehicle, and was able drive to her residence. The contact's son called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E044000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The contact attempted to call the manufacturer but was unable to speak to a representative. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brake lights would illuminate briefly but for a shorter period than the normal time duration. Additionally, the brake lights would illuminate spontaneously without depressing the brake pedal. The electronic stability control warning light was illuminated. The contact also stated that the driver’s side lock would malfunction causing the door to remain locked. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 181,326.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the power steering warning light and the message to "Service ESC" illuminated. The contact stated he turned off and restarted the vehicle, the warning light and warning message were no longer illuminated; however, the vehicle lost power steering while driving and making a turn. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and assisted the contact with setting up an appointment with the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the power steering assist control motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring daily while driving. The failure mileage was approximately 149,450.
Service traction light/ service esc / esc off has come three times replace what was told to be to problem three times
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND I COULD NOT STEERING MY CAR AT ALL.
I OWN A 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. I noticed a few times while stopped at a traffic light, the steering wheel started to vibrate. On start up, intermittently the power steering assist and traction control warning light will illuminate. I also noted no power steering when this happened. I shut the vehicle off. Upon restart the problem was solved.
The power steering light comes in every time car is turned on and I don’t want to be driving like this
Electric power steering randomly shuts off
I was diving when my power steering stops working. Stop the car, turn it off restart it and it works again. It's been happening for the past few weeks and is happening more often as time goes on.
I was driving and my steering wheel got extremely tight not allowing me to turn the car steering left or right. My service ESC light is on and power steering came across the dash.
I went to move the Lever to the driver side seat to adjust the back of the seat for support. And I went to go pull the level and the seat assembly snapped and broke off causing the seat to move backwards and forwards(up and down) and won't sit still. the seat can move at almost all angles. It does not slide just moves side to sides. It was a perfectly fine and I never used that level before until the first time ever and it just complete fell apart. It still looks like it's intact but I took it to the dealership and they said part of the assembly snapped.
I was driving on a main road when my steering wheel locked up and was almost impossible to turn. It read SERVICE ESC and POWER STEERING. Barely made it home without an accident.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the steering wheel started to vibrate. The contact stated that the power steering assist and traction control warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed her that the vehicle needed further diagnostic testing and should be taken to an authorized dealer. The dealer was contacted and informed her of an unknown recall however, the recall had expired. The contact stated that she then contacted the manufacturer who referred her to the NHTSA for assistance. The failure mileage was 103,967.
Steering affected, unable to control direction of vehicle. Luckily I was not on highway driving at high speed ....it very well had caused a serious accident. Warning lights on : dashboard monitor messaged " power steering " traction control light First time it happened was on December 22, 2021 . The most recent time was on February 21, 2022.
I started to smell a slight burning smell, as I pulled off the road to investigate at the gas station my power steering failed upon restarting the vehicle. On the message center it says power steering, service ESC, ESC off. This could have caused an accident if i had not pulled off the road. Upon research, it shows a recall bulletin has been issued for 2008-2009 Chevy Malibu for a torque sensor, which appears to be the same issue. Bulletin No.: 14116B Date: October 2014 GM recall search returns no results for this VIN#, so we were not notified of a recall. This appears to be a mistake, as the recall is for the same issue as what we have experienced.
When i start my car the TC light will cut on them my steering wheel will start being rough and rough to start , i would turn my car off and turn it back on , it would run good for a few mins then it would do it again
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel suddenly seized. The power steering warning light and the traction warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted however, the vehicle failed to regain power steering functionality. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 123,025.
Power steering failed at driving speed. Could have caused an accident. Research shows a recall bulletin has been issued for 2008-2009 Chevy Malibu for a torque sensor, which appears to be the same issue. Bulletin No.: 14116B Date: October 2014 GM recall search returns no results for this VIN#, so we were not notified of a recall. This appears to be a mistake, as the recall is for the same issue as what we have experienced.
My cars power steering failed while making a right turn the steering wheel locked up and wouldn’t move I turn the car off and the issue went away but I know it will come apparently there has been a recall on this cars EPS but there’s no open recall on my vehicle
The power steering goes out and the light for service ESC and power steering comes on. The steering becomes nearly impossible to use even at higher speeds. Took to GM they acknowledged the problem and said that there is a recall on other VINs, just not mine.
Bad oss says it doesnt detect occupants in front seat
experience a sudden loss of electric power steering assist. If power steering assist is lost, a message displays on the Driver Information Center and a chime sounds to inform the driver. Steering control can be maintained because the vehicle will revert to manual steering, but greater driver effort would be required at low vehicle speeds, which could increase the risk of a crash. the power steering motor, the steering column, the power steering motor control unit or a combination of the steering column and the power steering motor control unit.
The car displayed a warning for the power steering and ESC service. I lost the power steering.Now after turning the car on and off it disappeared and the power steering was back.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel locked up. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) warning light and power steering assist warning message were displayed. The failure nearly caused a collision. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The dealer performed a P-Module program and relearn, a T-S module unit, and a multi-point inspection; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 48,477.
Steering wheel locks while driving. Only way to unlock steering is by parking the car, turning off the ignition, starting the ignition and it will unlock. Parking brake light, ABS and traction control lights come on when this happens.
I couldbt turn tge car out of nowhere an nout ran off the road
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated with several unknown warning lights and messages displayed. The contact stated he pulled over and waited 45 minutes to restart the vehicle. Upon restart, the vehicle resumed normal operation. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred several times and he was able to restart the vehicle with normal operation. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer who diagnosed the failure as a power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that he found Manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin: 14116B however, the dealer and manufacturer declined repairs as he was over the allowed mileage. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The contact stated that the manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The manufacturer referred the contact to NHTSA to file a complaint. The approximate failure mileage was 188,000.
Power Steering and ESC both failed at the same time randomly, no warning lights or signals until after the incident. Can get it to turn back on by starting car and jerking wheel, steering wheel shakes back and forth, power steering and ESC goes back out once wheel is turned even slightly. Electronic power steering is constant, so I am fighting my car just to drive it, and I have no electronic stability control in snow/ice. Impossible to react/turn quickly enough to prevent an accident in the worst case scenario. Most likely torque sensor, extremely common issue with 09 Malibu’s, no recall issued.
Power steering message appeared and complete loss of power steering occurred immediately while driving. After researching, it appears this is a recall issue with these models and year, but does not apply to this vehicle? A teenage driver was behind the wheel when this known safety issue occurred.
Steering failed when driving on freeway, abruptly stopped and had to restart on the road to can control of steering. Spent several hundred dollars, replacing breaks and to fix the check engine light error. Despite service, ABS, service tire pressure, service + passenger air bag and other controls flash in and out when driving at various speeds/times. Breaks seem not to work right when stopping and speeding up is strained. Now cruise control is not disengaging consistently.and power steering issues are returning this winter. Dashboard lights are in and out and I can't read speed. Do not purchase!
Power steering failed when turning from a stop and/or low speed into traffic. Steering was nearly impossible and required great effort from driver. A brief message flashed on the Driver Information Center and a unique chime was heard. The safety of the driver was affected by oncoming traffic. The failure has not been inspected by a mechanic as of yet, but the vehicle is available for inspection at any time.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact’s daughter stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be inspected. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in an active recall. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
There was a recall in 2014 on this car.I did not receive a notice so I did not know anything about it. My car has 78,500 miles.I have noticed a power steering leak. I am unable to purchase a new car or have this fixed without the past recall being honored. I am afraid of having a crash. Please send me a recall from the year it was recalled so that I can have it fixed.I have owned this car sense 2009 the year it was manufactured.
The power steering will just randomly shut off, no rhyme or reason and then when the car is turned off and on it will be back.
Power steering will stop working while driving. EPS Light will start blinking. Once you shut off car and turn it back on it works again.
While driving the "power steering" light and traction control light came on the dash and immediately the car became almost uncontrollable as the steering became VERY hard to steer. I pulled over and turned the car off and restarted and it seemed to be fine, but did it a couple of days later. I have not driven the car since as it is unsafe to drive in this condition since there is no warning when it will happen. The car is available for inspection if needed.
While making a turn, power steering message appeared on the dash, but went away after I parked. I continued to drive and the next time I attempted a turn the message appeared again and I lost steering capability. This happens periodically and the car is impossible to steer when it does occur.
2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION AND SUSPENSION FAILURES. *LD
Electric power steering failure while vehicle was in motion resulting in difficulty to steer vehicle. "Power Steering," "ESC OFF" message codes on information panel. GM issued a recall for a series of 2009 Chevrolet Malibus regarding the same safety issue with the power steering, unfortunately my NIN is not covered under the recall. Issue started at ~188k miles and has not yet been verified by a certified mechanic. Power Steering failure has occurred once while vehicle was in motion and on multiple occasions on start-up; would clear on restart.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while turning the ignition key, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact stated that the power steering and the service ESC warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated when she turned off the vehicle, the failure would cease. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 202,000.
When i turn the wheel almost all the way i loose power steering i almost hit some one & their car due to this i took it to the dealer and they said my vin wasn't apart of the recall
I purchased the car used and been driving one week. I was driving at approx 55-60 and attempted to accelerate going over hill. The car rpm went up to about 3000 and was reving high until I let of gas. I attempted again to push pedal which repeated same acceleration of rpm. I stopped and checked Trans fluid and oil both were fine. Pulled into drive and turned off ignition to check fluids again. Which were ok. Got back in car to move and had no reverse. Car would slowly go forward but Nothing else. In searching onstar ran codes and I found info about 3/5-r wave plate “service bulletin”. Had car towed to dealer who confirmed and said metal flakes in tranny and was due to “common issue of wave plate” Contacted gm several times and gm will not cover cost of tranny replacement because my car is inoperable. This is a “common problem” with 09 Malibu. Why isn’t it recalled tranny. Very sad I feel I’ll never buy a Chevy/gm product again
UNKNOWN I was driving to work last week on Thursday and when I attempted to make a right turn my steering wheel was difficult to turn and a few seconds later it locked and the car turned off and on the dash board the battery light turned on and the words that appeared were Service Traction, Service ESC, and Power Steering.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the ESC and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact continued driving to his residence. The contact was informed that while pulling into the driveway, the brake lights were not operational. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake sensor and Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The parts were replaced. The manufacture was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
I started my vehicle and began to drive it as I normally would. After stopping at a stop sign, I began accelerating and turning 90° left onto the street. Mid-turn my power steering completely shut off and I almost got into an accident. Luckily there was a turn around right there I was able to veer to. Turning this vehicle without power steering is nearly impossible. I'm a strong guy and it was pretty tough for me. This issue happened completely out of the blue without any warning whatsoever. When it happened, the ESC light came on as well as saying something about power steering. I turned the car off and then back on and noticed that the ESC light and power steering message were now gone and the car drive as it should. But it decides to go out randomly at any given time while driving and that is a HUGE safety hazard for not only me but others on the road as well. It has come to my attention after plenty of research that this seems to be massive issue among Chevrolet Malibu owners. The issue was recalled for different models/engines but not the 2.4 liter. At this point it's obvious that this is a vehicle wide issue and needs to be recalled for all models/engines.
My power steering has intermittently gone off making the vehicle nearly impossible to steer at times while driving. It appears to be in line with recall # 14V153000. When I brought this to the attention of a local dealership, they advised my car now has too many miles and is past the end date of this recall. For one, I never received notice that my car was eligible for this recall and two, it wasn't causing these issues until recently- and the dealership said to repair this would be in excess of $2000. The car is still drivable and available to be inspected. It would be preferred that it was examined soon as this is not only a hazard to myself & those in my vehicle, but others on the road as I would not be able to avoid them. The power steering alert comes on when this occurs, but obviously it is too late as it provides no prior warning that this is about to happen - and this has happened multiple times.
Power steering intermittently fails.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026