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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,755 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 lights problems

lights problem

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments (Page 2 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #133

Jan 012020

Malibu

  • 125,000 miles

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

My passenger side headlight low beam continues to go out. I get it replaced and it will go out again in as short of time as 6 months. Driver side does not have the same issue. The I internet is full of complaints about this same issue.

- Columbia, CT, USA

problem #132

Dec 312019

Malibu

  • 189,000 miles
My 09 Chevy Malibu lt brake lights will illuminate without the brake pedal being pressed.therefore signalling to other drivers that I am slowing, when in fact I am not. Also when the brake pedal is deliberately pressed to indicate the vehicle is slowing, the lights go out entirely, signalling to other drivers that I am not slowing down when in fact I am! this is a huge safety issue! I parked my vehicle today January 1, 2020 to test the functionality of my brake lights and the brake lights illuminated while I was outside of the vehicle, indicating I was pressing the brake pedal. Once the pedal was compressed, the rear lights went out entirely indicating the brake pedal was not compressed. Also the cruise control of the vehicle has never worked properly since purchasing the vehicle. It will not initiate or maintain set speed causing fluctuations in travel speed. So I refuse to use the feature as this too is a real safety concern.

- Aberdeen, MD, USA

problem #131

Dec 272019

Malibu

  • 150,000 miles
The passenger side low beam headlight keeps failing. The wiring harness keeps frying over and over. Chevy needs to fix this issue!

- Cape Girardeau, MO, USA

problem #130

Nov 302019

Malibu

  • 65,000 miles

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

Right front low beam headlight worked intermittently, then not at all. The wire harness was removed and replaced. Pictures attached show melted low beam bulb connector on the oem harness.

- Simi Valley, CA, USA

problem #129

Oct 052019

Malibu

  • 75,000 miles
Passengers side headlight keeps going out. Harness is actually melting causing connection problems. This needs to be recalled before a fire starts in these vehicles.

- North Waterboro, ME, USA

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problem #128

Oct 032019

Malibu

  • 1 miles
My brake lights are coming on by themselves and when I press the brakes it goes off but my brake light want work at all it a big safe issue

- Anderson, SC, USA

problem #127

Jan 012014

Malibu

  • 185,200 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that they had to replace the headlights an excessive amount of times. The contact stated that replacement headlights were needed an average of once or twice a year. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the wiring harness that was connected to the headlights was faulty, would overheat, and burn out, causing the headlights to fail. The wiring harness had not been replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that there was no recall regarding the failure. The contact was referred to NHTSA to file a complaint. The dealer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 185,200.

- Mantua, OH, USA

problem #126

Oct 072019

Malibu

  • miles
My cars passenger side low beam head light connector keeps frying out. Ive changed the bulb numerous times and the light never stay on longer than 2 weeks at a time. I was looking into the issue and noticed that the whole connector has melted and the wiring too.

- Winchester, VA, USA

problem #125

Oct 012011

Malibu

  • 95,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the driver's side headlight failed to illuminate. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the bulb and harness were replaced, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

- Houston, TX, USA

problem #124

Aug 202019

Malibu

  • 160,000 miles
The wire harness for the passenger front headlight keeps burning out the lightbulb now the harness has burned out

- Aiken, SC, USA

problem #123

Sep 122019

Malibu

  • miles

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

Passenger headlight keeps going out. Changed the bulbs, still out. Changed the wiring harness, still out. Next step is the signal switch! the high beam was working until I changed everything and now I have no low or hugh beam on that side!!I have changed the bulbs numerous times on that same side over the past few years. The time prior the connector on the bulb was melted!! I have been reading all over the internet numerous people who continue to have this issue. Replacing these items over and over again is costly. It has been happening too many times!! this needs to be a recall! it is clearly an issue in manufacturing. We should not have to constantly come out of our pockets for lazy wiring and manufacturing.do right by your customers and make it a recall issue GM!!

- Canonsburg, PA, USA

problem #122

Aug 292019

Malibu

  • 200,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving various speeds, the rear brake lights seized intermittently. Corning Chevrolet Buick (2087 solano St, corning, ca 96021, (530) 838-4371) was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The contact replaced the bulbs multiple times, but the vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14V252000 (service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, exterior lighting, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

- Red Bluff, CA, USA

problem #121

Aug 222019

Malibu

  • 219,000 miles
Passenger low beam headlights keep going out on 2009 Chevy Malibu. I have replaced the bulbs, and the pigtail harness 3 times a year for the last 4 years.

- Millbrook, AL, USA

problem #120

Jul 232019

Malibu

  • miles
Everyone that I know that has a Chevrolet Malibu is having problems with their headlights. I am getting tickets and replacing bulbs every 2/3 weeks. Replacing them constantly is getting expensive and it's getting expensive because I keep getting tickets.

- Thomaston, GA, USA

problem #119

Mar 182019

Malibu

  • 66,000 miles
In the last 5-6 months my passenger side headlight has been going out, I have replaced the light bulb like 4-5 times, the harness adapter to the headlight lightbulb connector and lastly the entire headlight wire harness from the factory and it is still going out after a day or two.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #118

Feb 282019

Malibu

  • 105,000 miles
Brake lights stay on while driving and brake light goes off when stepping on the brake pedal. The lights are intermittently working and I've taken the car to get the problem taken care of, but it returns.

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #117

Apr 152019

Malibu

  • 146,714 miles
Steering wheel locks up in cold weather even after being warmed up for more than 5 minutes. Happened twice, second time I did a normal turn to the right it locked up and had to pull over right away. Always unlocks when restarting the car. Right headlight also doesn't properly work. Changed the light bulb two weeks ago and turned off just today. Checked the bulb and still works. I've researched the problems online and there's been recalls and complaints about both of my problems.

- Waukegan, IL, USA

problem #116

Apr 112019

Malibu

  • 130,000 miles
I purchased the car March 14, 2019 from a family member. The front passenger low beam headlight was not working. The prior owner stated they had taken the car in to have the light repaired at least 6 times in since 2009. April 2, 2019 I took the car to clint newell Chevrolet to have the low beam headlight fixed. The problem was the wire that plugs into the light was melted. The repair cost was $172.33. On April 4, 2019 the rear passenger turn signal quit working. I replaced the bulb. April 9, 2019 the passenger tail light quit working. April 11, 2019 I replaced the bulb. As soon as that was done the front passenger low beam headlight quit working again. I checked the low beam fuse and it was fine. I cannot afford $172 again 9 days later for this repair. I have also found online in Chevy forums, this seems to be a problem for many people that own Chevrolet Malibu.

- Roseburg, OR, USA

problem #115

Jun 102018

Malibu

  • 115,000 miles
Passenger side low beam keeps going out. I have replaced the bulb numerous times over the past few months

- Fern Park, FL, USA

problem #114

Mar 042019

Malibu

  • 18,000 miles
Takata recall, as I was dropping my daughter off at the bus stop I tried to pull back up to my house and the power steering came on and the wheel was hard to turn while my vehicle was in motion and there was alot of cars coming my way as I was trying to turn. I told my husband about it he went to check that it had power steering fluid in it and it was not low at all then he got in it to drive and it worked just fine. That was a scary experience for me. Another incident when I went to go get my car inspected the third brake light would not come on but when I went to my mother in laws it worked just fine and when I left to go home lastnight it was coming on when I wasn't even pushing the brakes so me and my husband figured it was a shortage in it or the wires need replaced. Someone needs to do something about this before there be an accident. I was doing some research about my vehicle and I seen that it had serveral recalls. The manufacturer recall #: N130036 the NHTSA recall #: 14V252

- Palestine, TX, USA

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