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.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE GLARE FROM THE DASH DISPLAYED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. AS A RESULT, VISIBILITY WAS GREATLY REDUCED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO REMEDY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 250. UPDATED 12-04-08 *BF UPDATED 12/10/08. *JB
ALTHOUGH THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACCIDENT YET, DUE TO THE DESIGN OF THE CARS HEADLIGHTS, AND TAIL LIGHTS, (AND THE REMOVAL OF THE SIDE REPEATER LAMP FOR TURN SIGNAL INDICATION ON THE 2009 MODEL YEAR MALIBU), THERE IS NO VISIBLE TURN INDICATOR FOR OTHER DRIVERS TO SEE INDICATION OF A SIGNAL FROM THE CAR UNLESS OTHER DRIVERS ARE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF, OR BEHIND THE CAR. FOR EXAMPLE, IF A DRIVER IS SITTING AT A 4 WAY STOP, OR LIKEWISE, BECAUSE THE TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT WRAP AROUND THE FRONT OR BACK OF THE CAR, DRIVERS TO THE LEFT, AND RIGHT OF THE CAR, CANNOT SEE THE TURN SIGNAL, WHICH POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. ON THE 2008 MALIBU, THERE WAS A SIDE MARKER REPEATER LAMP ON THE FRONT QUARTER PANEL, AND IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE 2009 MY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A LARGE SAFETY CONCERN, AND THEY SHOULD BE PUT BACK ONTO THE CARS, OR A REDESIGN OF THE HEADLAMP ASSY. *TR
THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DUE TO AGGRESSIVE BRAKING...
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 AM, THE CAR I WAS DRIVING SUDDENLY WENT INTO A SKID AFTER WHICH I AGGRESSIVELY DEPLOYED THE BRAKES WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED LEAVING ME UNCONSCIOUS AND NOT IN CONTROL OF THE CAR. THE CAR THEN HIT THE BARRIER AND THEN A PARKED DISABLED CAR AT A HIGH SPEED. I WAS INJURED AND THE DRIVER OF THE PARKED CAR WAS FATALLY KILLED. I WENT TO PRISON FOR FIVE YEARS BECAUSE NO ONE WOULD BELIEVE MY STORY. *TR
AIRBAGS DEPLOYED WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES IN 2008.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BOLSTER CONTAINED POLYETHYLENE AND SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY HAZARD. IN THE EVENT A FIRE OCCURRED, THE POLYETHYLENE COULD BURN HER SKIN. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BOLSTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED; HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE, SINCE THE BOLSTER WAS CUT. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000.