repaired · 2015 Q4
Electrical system: wiring
Risk. Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.
2009 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,511 owner complaints about the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about the steering. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-252 the manufacturer reports only 60% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu has problems
1,511 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
769Steering16 crash/fire/injury
368Electrical system12 crash/fire/injury
255Electronic stability control (ESC)7 crash/fire/injury
172Exterior lighting1 crash/fire/injury
142Service brakes3 crash/fire/injury
121Power train
73Vehicle speed control
63Air bags
61Engine
27020 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 769 | 16 |
| Electrical system | 368 | 12 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 255 | 7 |
| Exterior lighting | 172 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 142 | 3 |
| Power train | 121 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 73 | 0 |
| Air bags | 63 | 29 |
| Engine | 61 | 2 |
| 20 other systems | 270 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2009 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q2
Steering: electric power assist system
Risk. If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
no report yet
Automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
Risk. If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match.
no report yet
Lever and linkage: column shift
Risk. THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL AWAY AFTER THE DRIVER HAS EXITED THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE CRASH…
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
Risk. IF THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO FOG OR FROST, THERE MAY NOT BE ENOUGH AIRFLOW TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD, RESULTING IN REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY AND A POSSIBLE CRASH…
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do steering problems start?
120kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 593 steering complaints. 32% were reported before 100,000 miles.
22under 30k miles188under 100k miles405100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Steering
31 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $588 – $1,200
Electronic stability control (ESC)
9 owners mentioned a cost$800median
Middle half: $600 – $1,200
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2009 vs. every other Malibu year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Malibu median. How we score
0120245321134439767899227215675691,1489751,1199779891,5111,36397890783735127084170570119320390100734612
'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'86'89'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2009 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings
2009 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, and the recalls they led to.
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion AuditNo recall
In owners' words
What Malibu owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The power steering motor failed,ESC, TRACTION and power steeringg lights came on, i am a woman and coould NOT control the car and my safety and others was at risk for an accident or crash,there was nothing prior to this just suddenly loosing control of my car and a very scary position to be in, yes…
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, the traction and power steering assist motor warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent…
I was cruise control 80mph and my.power steering went out. Esc power steering warning on dash. Car is incredibly hard to steer. When I turn car off and back on it might go away for a few minutes but then come.back randomly in a scary scenarios. Thing is a death trap.
Own a 2009 Malibu?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.