There are 50 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was approximately 120,000 however, the contact researched and discovered in a Carfax Report that the mileage was approximately 234,000. The contact stated that the vehicle had several issues, leading the contact believe that the odometer had been tampered with. The contact stated that the current approximate mileage on the vehicle was 141,000, which the contact believed to be inaccurate.
Had a recall repaired yet it still randomly my brake lamps still don’t function correctly
While driving at night with the lights on, the rear taillights are bright all the time. when you press the brake pedal, the rear taillights go dim or completely dark. brake lights are working opposite what they should be doing. Fixed once with local mechanic. Fixed second time at dealership with a 'technical service bulletin' and now it is having the same problem for third time.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and the lights became inoperable. When the brake pedal was released, the lights returned to normal functionality. The contact also stated that the cruise control failed to engage as needed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, and it was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle Speed Control, Electronic Stability Control (ESC). The contact stated that the failure recurred after the repair. The dealer informed the contact the recall repair was a one-time free repair. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer covered under the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal, the third brake light failed to illuminate intermittently. Additionally, the contact stated that the third brake light would randomly illuminate while driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the third brake light was defective. Additionally, the local dealer and an unknown dealer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist due to the mileage on the vehicle. Additionally, the manufacturer informed the contact that the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting, Vehicle speed Control, Electronic Stability Control) was previously performed on the vehicle and that the repair was one-time free of charge. The failure mileage was approximately 170,000.
Per GM July2014 recall 13036 This issue with the BCM has caused my rear window break lights to function the opposite of how they are to work. I continue to experience Service ESC and Traction Control messages while driving the car. This is the second issue I have had since the recall. Per the recall, it is for the owners safety. I cannot take this chance and I need to have GM revisit the original recall and note it has not resolved the issue for my car. I fear I will be hit from behind because the brake light is not illuminated. I drive children!! Please look into why the break pedal position sensor is faulty.
My car is having issues driving over 60miles per hr, I have to keep pressing the gas to get the car to move, the car battery is dead and won’t turn on, I got the car repaired twice and the second time I got it repaired, it just was even worse then before . The car smells like gas , the salesman only told me that I needed a value cover gasket and he had someone repair it , but when I went to auto zone , it was still cracked, I have a oil leak and my car eats up gas.
The fuse box is faulty. It’s not giving power to the starter when the car heats or if it is hot outside. My car has been showing “reduced engine power” and it will no longer turn on. I have researched online and on YouTube from mechanics that the fuse box is the problem. I have taken the car in multiple times and my mechanics never get a code for electric issues. There is a brand new radiator, alternator and battery that has been put into my car. There is no problem with the actual starter itself. When the car is jumped it comes on but turns off while driving when it gets hot. Multiple cars similar to mine have been having this problem and it was never made public.
Having problems with my rear stop lights, traction control/ indicator light, ECS/ indicator light. When driving center brake light remains on but when I need to apply brakes they go off, lights on dashboard have been on since I purchased the vehicle which were never addressed the only light addressed was the check engine light. All other issues were voided being that they let me drive down to N.C. knowing it would void my warranty with them after putting 1 thousand miles on the vehicle without notication to me.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while exiting a parking lot, the contact smelled a burning odor and felt her leg burning. When the contact exited the vehicle, she became aware that her sweater was burned, and the driver’s seat was burned. The contact was not severely injured. The contact had not sought medical attention. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the fuse for the seat warmer was removed, but the seat was not replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 193,000.
There is a recall that was preformed on my vehicle before I bought it for brake light issues NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V252000. The issue has come back I just bought the car. I called the dealer and they said it had been fixed in 2014 but it has started doing the same thing and they said that they can fix it but I will have to pay. I have tried to call the corporate gm office but keep getting sent back to the dealer near me
Just bought the car and it started acting funny. The windshield wipers haven't worked almost the whole time we've had the car. We have attempted to fix them and we think the problem is fixed all for them to stop working again. So needless to say we either can't drive while it's raining or we attempt to risk ours and others lives by driving with no windshield wipers at all. Now the temperature gauge, and ac are randomly deciding to stop working. Plus the check engine light would randomly come on and off. Found that there was a recall out for these exact problems. So we took it to the dealership and they told us there's nothing they can do the recall has expired almost 3 years ago. Now we just bought the car and all this stuff started and now we're being told it's pretty much our problem because the last owner didn't stay up to date on the car and it's recalls. so I'm trying to figure out how we can still get this fixed specially since we have kids and even grandkids that ride in this car. But now as of these last few days we haven't been able to drive it at all. So we're trying to figure out how we can get the problem that is now ours and shouldn't be fixed.
Service traction light/ service esc / esc off has come three times replace what was told to be to problem three times
The power steering light comes in every time car is turned on and I don’t want to be driving like this
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.
Occassionally and unpredictably, the service ESC, power steering, traction control and anti theft light come on and the car goes on limp mode, unable to shift past first gear. Also power locks do not work (all four doors) and tire pressure sensor is on and service tire sensor pressure light is on all the time. Took car to an independant mechanic who stated that when using his diagnostic tool, no code or fault indicated for ESC, power steering, traction control or anti theft device. It should be noted that these reset themselves when car is turned off and then go back on unpredictably, once you start driving the car. This mechanic then tried fixing the powerlocks, and stated that after replacing two of the powerlocks, he realized that they still did not work. This mechanic contacted GM and was told that the issue with the powerlocks came from the the body control module, which aparently was causing the powerlocks to fail and was also the cause of the tire pressure sensors being on all the time, since the body control module controlled the powerlocks and the tire pressure sensors. He also stated that the Chevy dealer was the only ones who could change the body control module, since they were the only ones who reprogram the new module to the car. This mechanic also stated that all four tires pressure sensors were working. I took the car to a Chevy dealer with same problem. The dealer claimed that gasoline which contained a high level of ethanol was causing the ESC, traction control and limp mode problem. They suggested for me to run the gas out and fill the car up three times with regular gasoline (87 octane) and that this would resolve this issue. They claimed that the tire pressure sensors on two of the tire were not reading properly and needed to be replaced and that the power lock switch was the root of the powerlocks not working, since two of them (the ones that were not replaced by the first mechanic) were not working. Problem with ESC wasnt resolved
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated after he had the vehicle serviced for maintenance at the local dealer, he noticed an ignition odor after parking the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact called and made the local dealer aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 94,276.
Electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control
My car keep showing the engine reduced light and esc service light I have paid to get a new computer and gas petal and a throttle body from the Chevy computer and it’s still doing the same thing
I HAVE HAD RECURRING AND CONSTANT PROBLEMS WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS IN THIS CAR. I'VE ALREADY HAD THE PASSENGERS SIDE HEADLIGHT AND DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT "FIXED" BETWEEN 3 AND 4 TIMES. THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM IS OUT AGAIN AS OF 2 DAYS AGO. AS FAR AS THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, MY TRUNK POP BUTTON DOESN'T WORK, THE RR PASSENGERS SIDE DOOR DOESN'T LOCK, AND I SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE GETTING ANY OF THE BUTTONS ON MY DASH TO WORK TO CHANGE OR CONTROL ANYTHING IN THE CAR. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE BUTTONS ON MY STEERING WHEEL. MY CAR HAS JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT. THE HEADLIGHT BEING OUT IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE WHEN I'M DRIVING. I GOT PULLED OVER TWICE THE OTHER NIGHT BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT WAS OUT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM - I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH AND I KNOW THAT LOTS OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. NOT TO MENTION THE LABOR INVOLVED TO EVEN ACCESS THE HEADLIGHT. IT'S MADDENING TO HAVE WASTED A LOT OF MONEY TO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE FIXED. I'VE HAD THE BULB REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES, NEW PIGTAILS INSTALLED AND EVEN REMOVED THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS CONNECTION FROM THE FUSE BOX BECAUSE I READ THAT HAVING THAT CONNECTED MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE. EVEN THAT DIDN'T WORK. CHEVY NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL. 2 WORKING HEADLIGHTS IS A BASIC NEED TO DRIVE A CAR. TO HAVE THIS CONSTANT ISSUE IS RIDICULOUS.
Showing 1–20 of 50 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