There are 26 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibuin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I AM HAVING ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH RECALL NUMBER 14V252000, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF MY VEHICLE WAS EVER RECALLED AND/OR REPAIRED.
WAS DRIVING DOWN BUSY STREET AND THEN A SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON MY CAR AND STARTED LOOSING POWER TO CAR AND THE DASH BOARD KEPT FLASHING SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING LIGHT. IT KEPT DOING THE SAME THING LIKE EVERY MINUTE. EVEN IT FINALLY STARTS RUNNING OUT STARTS JERKING BUT THEN IT LOOSES POWER AGAIN BUT GOES NECK ON. *TR
WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION THE DASH WILL DISPLAY THE TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE LIGHT AND THE SCREEN WILL READ SERVICE TRACTION SERVICE ESC, THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT PUSHED AND TURN OFF WHEN IT IS PUSHED. THE CRUISE CONTROL ALSO CAN NOT BE ENGAGED. THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS REPLAYED HOWEVER ALL PROBLEMS CAME BACK 2 WEEKS LATER. ALL THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN ON GOING.
WHEN STARTING MY CAR, I ATTEMPT TO TAKE IT OUT OF PARK AND I NEED TO STEP ON MY BRAKES AS IF I AM SLAMMING THEM JUST TO MOVE MY CAR OUT OF PARK. MY BRAKE LIGHTS ARE REVERSED, I NOTICED THIS AT NIGHT WHEN A CAR ALMOST HIT ME. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BRAKE SENSOR SO I CHANGED IT AND THAT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. SINCE THEN 3 CARS HAVE ALMOST HIT ME BECAUSE OF THIS BRAKING ISSUE. WHILE DRIVING MY TRACTION LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, IT STATES 'SERVICE TRACTION, SERVICE ESC' AND MAKES MY CAR SHAKE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REGAL LAKELAND (925 BARTOW RD, LAKELAND, FL 33801, 863-904-1170) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 118,368.
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE SERVICE TRACTION SERVICE ESC & ESC OFF LIGHTS COME OFF/ON SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN I TURN THE VEHICLE WILL DRIVE ROUGH AT TIMES, ALSO THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL FAIL TO WORK. GOT A RECALL ON THIS IN 2017 TOOK IT INTO A DEALER SHOP WHO APPLIED GEL TO CONNECTORS SAID THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM, IT CERTAINLY DID NOT.I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS IS SAFE TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE SINCE IT IS THE ONLY ONE I OWN I DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE. SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW I CAN NOT GIVE AN EXACT DATE BUT IT DOES HAPPEN DAILY..I NEED THE REPAIRS MADE BY GM NOT ME
MY 09 MALIBU BEGAN ACTING UP 1 YR AGO WHEN USING CRUISE CONTROL, THE SECURITY LIGHT WOULD COME ON THE CAR WOULD BOG DOWN LIKE IT WAS LOSING POWER AND THE SERVICE ESC AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF LIGHT WOULD COME ON, THEN ABOUT 3 MIN LITER IT WOULD ALL TURN OFF, MY MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW WHY. RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN MISFIRING AND SHOWING LIGHTS THAT SAY SERVICE ESC, TRACTION CONTROL OFF AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS AS CAR BUGS DOWN LIKE IT IS LOSING POWER. IT DOES THIS AT 30 MPH AND 50 MPH. WHEN I GET THE LIGHT CHECK IT SAYS MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 3. I HAVE CHANGED THE PLUG AND COIL MULTIPLE TIMES IN LAST 2 MONTHS. UPON GOOGLING I FOUND MANY OTHERS HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL. THIS STARTED JUNE 2017
MY BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN I AM DRIVING THE CAR. THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL JUST STOP WORKING AND THE CAR OF COURSE SLOWS DOWN AT THIS POINT. YESTERDAY THE LOW TRACTION AND EIC LIGHT CAME ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SEVERAL MONTHS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL THE LOW TRACTION AND EIC PROBLEM JUST STARTED YESTERDAY. I HAVE READ PAGE AFTER PAGE OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME THING HAPPENING ON THIS MODEL YEAR MAKE OF CAR. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE MY CAR IN FOR SEVERAL RECALLS BUT I HAVE NOT SEEN ONE ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. MY CAR HAS 138,000 MILES ON IN IT AND OF COURSE THIS HAPPENS WHILE IT IS IN MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY ROAD STREET ETC. IT COULD NOT HAPPEN IF THE CAR WAS NOT IN MOTION. THIS IS A SCARY THING TO BE DRIVING YOUR VEHICLE AND PRAY YOUR GOING TO MAKE IT TO WHERE YOU ARE GOING WITHOUT A CRASH.
A FEW MINUTES AFTER I START DRIVING THE ESC OFF/SERVICE TRACTION LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IT KEEPS FLASHING BACK AND FOURTH BETWEEN ERROR MESSAGES. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS NOT ON, BUT WHEN I GO TO ACCELERATE MY CAR JUMPS KIND OF. AND IF I LET MY FOOT OFF THE GAS IT FEELS LIKE I'M SHIFTING GEARS AND MY CAR WILL START GOING SLOW. I'LL PUSH BACK DOWN ON THE GAS AND I WILL SEEM LIKE IT'S TRYING TO GET SPEED BUT TAKES A MIN. THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY I DON'T HAVE A RECALL BUT SOMETHING IS WRONG CLEARLY. THE ERROR LIGHTS WILL GO ON NO MATTER IF I'M DRIVING OR PARKED.
RECALL FIX FAILURE - THE RECALL FIX WAS APPLIED BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE 'BRAKE LIGHTS MAY OR MAY NOT RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE' ISSUE, NHTSA ACTION 13005, HOWEVER IT IS ONLY TEMPORARY. AFTER A FEW MONTHS THE IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS OCCUR AT THE SAME FREQUENCY. NO NEW SYMPTOMS ARE PRESENT AND NO PREVIOUS SYMPTOMS ARE ABSENT. THESE INCLUDE; BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING WITH NO PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BRAKE LIGHTS TURNING OFF WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO BRAKE PEDAL (INCLUDING HOLDING THE BRAKES AT A STOP), CRUISE CONTROL FAILING TO ACTIVATE, TRACTION CONTROL TURNING OFF, ESC TURNING OFF, AND VEHICLE GEARING DOWN (AS LOW AS 3RD GEAR AT 60 MPH BEFORE INTERVENTION) TO ASSIST BY ENGINE BRAKING. MOST SYMPTOMS OCCUR AT STANDSTILL AS WELL AS CITY AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP'S STANCE IS THAT, ONCE A RECALL IS APPLIED, THE TICKET IS CLOSED AND IS THE VEHICLE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO COVER THE COST OF FURTHER FIXES.
IN DECEMBER OF 2014, A CHEVROLET DEALER PERFORMED REPAIRS TO ADDRESS NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (I HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE AT THE TIME). RECENTLY I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE SYMPTOMS RELATED TO THIS RECALL, INCLUDING THE "SERVICE ESC" AND "SERVICE TRACTION" MESSAGES, THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRING EXTRA PRESSURE TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, AND THE DISABLING OF CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE NOT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK IF THE BRAKE LIGHTS ALSO EXHIBIT THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. THE PROBLEM HAS TRIGGERED WHILE I'M BRAKING, AS WELL AS WHEN I WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.
BEGINNING ON APRIL 15, 2014 MY CAR FLASHES ESC OFF, SERVICE ESC, SERVICE TRACTION. THIS HAPPENS OFTEN AND IT TURNS OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL IN MY CAR AND CAUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL TO CEASE FUNCTION. *TR
WHEN DRIVING THE ALERT WILL SOUND ALERTING THAT ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN REDUCED. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL IS THEN TURNED OFF AND TRACTION CONTROL IS LOST. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PUSHED IT HESITATES BEFORE ACCELERATING. *TR
FOR THE LAST YEAR OR SO I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS INGAGING AND MY CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE. I CURRENTLY HAVE A 2009 MALIBU. A FRIEND WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME ONCE AND MENTIONED LATER THAT I WAS RIDING MY BRAKES ALL THE WAY HOME. I WAS NOT. I NOTICE A FEW DAYS LATER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN, BUT IT WAS DUSK AND I COULD SEE FROM MY REAR WINDOW THE REFLECTION OF MY BREAK LIGHT, IT WAS ON AND MY BRAKE WAS NOT INGAGED. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL OTHER TIMES, TO MY KNOWLEDGE. IF I TAP MY BRAKES THE LIGHTS WILL GO OFF, HOWEVER WILL COME BACK ON WITHIN A FEW SECONDS. I'M HIGHLY CONCERNED ABOUT A REAR END COLLISION. IF I ACTUALLY DO HAVE TO STOP QUICKLY AND THE PERSON BEHIND ME HITTING ME BECAUSE MY BREAK LIGHTS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I'VE TAKEN IT IN TO A MECHANIC AND THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUES. IT'S INTERMITTENT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN AND THE RPM WILL INCREASE TO 4 OR HIGHER AS IF I AM SMASHING THE GAS. DURING THIS TIME OF THE RPM FLUCTUATION YOU CAN HEAR THE ENGINE SOUND LOUDER AND FEEL THE ACCELERATION ALMOST LIKE A JOLT. AT NIGHT WHEN DRIVING THE CAR YOU CAN SEE THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATE WITHOUT EVER TOUCHING THE BRAKES. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THIS MATTER THEY CLAIM IT HAS BEEN FIXED, HOWEVER I'M STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN IT IS WARM/HOT OUTSIDE, WHEN USING THE KEYLESS REMOTE TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE CAR ALL LOCKS WILL STICK. THE ONLY WAY I CAN GET INTO THE VEHICLE IS TO USE THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOORS AND IF I HAVE GROCERIES IN THE BACK SEAT I WILL HAVE TO CRAWL FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK TO OPEN THE DOORS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BCM WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC , VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE REPAIRS, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.
WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE THIRD BRAKE LIGHT IN THE REAR WINDOW WOULD RANDOMLY COME ON CAUSING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SHUT OFF. SOON AFTER THIS HAPPENS I GET WARNINGS ON THE DASH TO SERVICE THE ECS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. IT HAS BEEN GETTING GRADUALLY WORSE AND WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT ACTIVATING, COULD CAUSE DRIVERS BEHIND ME TO THINK I AM STOPPING WHEN I AM NOT. THIS PROBLEM WAS MENTIONED IN AN ARTICLE IN USA TODAY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, THAT GM WILL BE ISSUING A RECALL FOR. *TR
2009 MALIBU BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING THEN WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF NO ONE KNEW WHEN I WAS USING MY BRAKES HEARD THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME WHY DO THE HAVE TO WAIT TILL SOMEONE CRASHES OR DIES BEFORE THEY FIX IT ALSO IT KICKED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL . *TR
2009 MALIBU BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON WHILE DRIVING THEN WHEN I PRESS MY BRAKES THE LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF NO ONE KNEW WHEN I WAS USING MY BRAKES. THIS WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHEN I WAS ON A MAJOR HWY/SPEED LIMIT 70 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN TRAFFIC WAS STOPPING. THE CARS BEHIND ME WERE COMING AT A HIGH SPEED, BUT LUCKILY THE CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME JUST SHORT OF CRASHING INTO MY REAR MISSED ME. . HE GOT OUT OF HIS CAR WHILE THE TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED AND APPROACHED ME TO LET ME KNOW I HAD NO BREAK LIGHTS AND HE ALSO NOTICED THAT PRIOR TO STOPPING MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE ON. IN THE MEANTIME I HAD WARNINGS POP UP ON MY CAR SERVICE TRACTION/ESC SERVICE. WELL OF COURSE, MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO A SHOP WHERE IT SHOWED A BREAK SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND SWITCH BRAKE NEEDED TO BE CALIBRATED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE BREAK SWITCH FAILED WHEN THEY PERFORMED BRAKE POSITION CALIBRATION. THE GENTLEMEN SAID THAT THE SWITCH COULD BE BAD EVEN THOU IT WAS A NEW ONE THAT WAS PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED IT AGAIN AND RE-CALIBRATED AND AFTERWARDS SAID EVERYTHING WORKS WELL. WITHIN TWO WEEKS THE PROBLEM WITH BREAKS ARE STILL THERE. THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WE HAVE WITH THE 2009 MALIBU. I?M JUST LUCKY I?M STILL ALIVE. WHAT UPSETS ME THE MOST IS THE PROBLEM IS THERE, BUT DEALERSHIPS WANT TO KEEP REPLACING PARTS AND CHARGING YOU $$$$ FOR SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED! *JS
Showing 1–20 of 26 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