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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
88,763 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2009 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems

engine problem

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #61

Sep 192023

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #60

Mar 212022

Malibu

  • miles
Service traction light/ service esc / esc off has come three times replace what was told to be to problem three times

- Sheffield Village, OH, USA

problem #59

Nov 162021

Malibu

  • miles
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

- Ionia, MI, USA

problem #58

Oct 012021

Malibu

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

As I drive on highway and go a certain speed it slows down and engine power reduced and service traction pops up on my dashboard if cut it off it will not crank back up until I let the car cool down

- Bastrop, LA, USA

problem #57

Feb 122021

Malibu

  • 86,000 miles
Currently my car has about 86,000 miles always have kept up with any fixes that need to be made randomly I start hearing this noise like a wheel bearing so I fix all my wheel bearings come to find out it's my transmission bearing. It went out and it'll be 3,800. Mechanic said they sent out the car at the manufacturer plant knowing full well it was going to go out because these things don't just go out.

- Fond Du Lac, WI, USA

problem #56

Dec 112020

Malibu

  • 7 miles
I was driving on the parkway my vehicle started making a loud sound idling high then it made a loud pop sound then began to smoke by the time I pulled over smoke was coming through the vents and fire was coming from the hood I was able to get my two small boys out before it completely went up in flames

- College Park, MD, USA

problem #55

May 072020

Malibu

  • 113,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

When I bought it worked good for bout 2 days and I started noticing a light would be blinking like the engine light and a light with like a exclamation mark in side of like a bowl and the speed would reduce and then it would just quit even while your in traffic at a stop light, going up a hill it would do it just when it got ready

- Calhoun City, MS, USA

problem #54

Aug 142020

Malibu

  • 134,000 miles
I was driving down the road ( a country backroad and not a highway luckily), and suddenly my car lost all power to the powertrain. I was going about 45 when it happened, and I lost power steering, all power to the motor, and my brakes were incredibly hard to push. After this happened, the car has a no start no crank condition. If I were in the middle lane of a highway, or a the right lane of a busy highway or freeway, or even just going around a sharp curve, I have no doubt that I would have wrecked.

- Bainbridge, OH, USA

problem #53

Aug 132020

Malibu

  • 171,000 miles
While I was driving on my way to work going 45 miles an hour the steering wheel suddenly locked up on me almost as if the car was off and I lost complete control of the car resulting in crashing into a street light pole head on.

- Richmond, VA, USA

problem #52

Aug 022020

Malibu

  • 100,145 miles
Whenever it's extremely hot outside my vehicle start to act up as in the 2 front wheels would jerk like they're not getting enough power. My car would also stall out whenever it's extremely hot but the temperature gauge would still show as the car being 1/4 near cold. All of this would have at a stationary position or city street or highway position.

- Woolwich, NJ, USA

problem #51

Jun 292020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 130,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Burbank, IL, USA

problem #50

Jun 082020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 159,590 miles
The ESC light comes on and the steering gets kinda stiff like it's going to lock up and then it flashes engine power reduced as I was at a stop sign I pressed on the gas to go and the car took off as normal then as I was turning onto the other street to enter the freeway on-ramp the ESC light started flashing the steering began feeling like it was going to lock up and the engine power reduced started flashing.

- Perris, CA, USA

problem #49

May 242020

Malibu 4-cyl

  • 126,000 miles
I have been experiencing an issue with the check engine light coming on almost every fuel fill up I have replaced the cap 3 times already and I keep getting the same code. Now I am getting a P0420 code for either the catalytic converter or the oxygen sensor. Is there a way for checy to assist with the repair costs? I need my car and I am affected by covid-19.

- Fort Mill, SC, USA

problem #48

Dec 092019

Malibu

  • 115,000 miles
Stopped behind another vehicle, when I started moving again there was a severe shudder or vibration. Then my car did not want to start moving again. Once it did start moving it would not shift out of first gear.

- Linden, AL, USA

problem #47

Nov 122019

Malibu

  • 17,000 miles
While vehicle is traveling along at interstate traffic speeds(60-65 mph) the car will go into an engine reduced power mode, and emergency traction displays on the dash. The vehicle will not increase in speed, (20 mph max) have to hurriedly find an exit to the right to avoid a crash. At the end of recall 14V252, it states service ESC and/or traction control tell-tales illuminate with this condition. The dealer has agreed to repair the brake light malfunction recall # 13036 but will not repair the engine stalling issues, or the problem previously stated.

- Suffolk, VA, USA

problem #46

Nov 092019

Malibu

  • miles
Gauges go crazy on dashboard

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #45

Sep 122019

Malibu

  • 112,000 miles
Engine shuts off while driving when traveling over 30mph.

- Saddle Brook, NJ, USA

problem #44

Jun 072019

Malibu

  • 70,000 miles
ESC car, car completely shuts down and ESC tracking light comes on and it says no power/low power ESC - this can cause an accident. The car completely shuts down!

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

problem #43

May 312019

Malibu

  • miles
I have had problems with this vehicle from day one. I filed a report previously and I am filing another one in reference to my power transmission. I have a 2009 Chevy Malibu, 4 speed, automatic. I was driving and the vehicle downshifted itself without my doing anything, almost causing an accident because it would not shift into high gear. Something popped in the vehicle and the gear shifted for a little bit and worked and then it happened again. I think the shifting cable may have fractured or separated. This was very nerve wracking, because it was in the late evening hours and traffic was extremely heavy. Now it is sitting in the driveway.

- Bel Air, MD, USA

problem #42

Mar 252019

Malibu

  • 145,000 miles
The service ESC light came on, then the power steering light came on. I was in motion at the time about to make a turn. After a few days of the problem being intermittent, my car wouldn't start at all. I tried to start it and nothing. Replaced battery and a engine power reduced light came on. Car still won't start.

- Barberton, OH, USA

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