2009 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System Problems
- 273
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 273 stored complaint records:
- 4 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 3 indicate fire
What owners report
- power steering · 42 records
- brake lights · 31 records
- brake pedal · 18 records
- traction control · 16 records
- stability control · 14 records
- door locks · 14 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 75 |
| 100–150k mi | 61 |
| 30–60k mi | 49 |
| 150–400k mi | 22 |
| 1–30k mi | 17 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Service Brakes
My 2009 malibu, which i purchased new in 2009: about 1&1/2 years ago it started running irregular, service esc-service traction messages came on car skidding emblem came on. I have had it to dealership where i bought it 3 times-each time they could find nothing wrong-took it to independent mechanic-he told me same thing. About a week ago i called general motors-first person i talked to said to call nhtsa that they…
ODI 10945742
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Steering
My electronic power steering failed to operate while driving suddenly and without warning. Along with this happening, an esc inoperative light is illuminated along with a service power steering message on the instrument display. Vehicle steering very hard to operate. Have to turn car off and on multiple times to clear message and for some reason the power steering resumes to work. This now is a constant occurrence,…
ODI 10945045
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Exterior Lighting
The power door locks engage and disengage at random. When using the unlock button on the key fob or using the button inside the car, the passenger and rear door looks will partially disengage making it hard/impossible to open the door with out manually pulling the lock tab on the door. The electric stability control and traction control will random engage/disengage or display a service message on the cluster screen.…
ODI 11162174
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Service Brakes
Brake lights, radio, trunk opener on drivers door , left turn signal, doors randomly lock , 3rd brake light dim, sometimes driver door won't open from inside or outside with door unlocked , sometimes drivers door won't shut, 105k miles on this car. This is the most expensive vehicle i've owned and it's the worst vehicle i've ever owned. The drivers door is stuck shut currently.
ODI 10933762
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Vehicle Speed Control
My rear passenger door lock disengaged from the automatic locks and can only be opened from the inside. (spring 2016) my traction control is periodically saying that it has malfunctioned but does not always. When the light comes on, i feel a pulse as i'm braking and sometimes if it comes on while i'm driving i'll feel a slight jolt through the accelerator pedal. I also hear a click noise like the pedal may…
ODI 10929854
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Power Train
Vehicle shut off while i was driving on city street to pick up my daughter from school, and has not started since. No traction, service esc and power loss messages appeared on the dash display. The dealer was unable to communicate with the onboard computers.
ODI 10924837
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 35 mph, the contact noticed other vehicles flashing their headlights and blowing their horns. The contact realized that the driver side low beam headlight was out. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and repaired. Two weeks after the repair, the failure recurred. The vehicle was repaired again, but the failure recurred three weeks…
ODI 10979132
Electrical System
All 4 door locking latches are not functioning correctly, right front door was locked in the lock position and would not open from inside or the outside, even after manually unlocking the lock or pulling the lock lever in the unlock position. I feel this is a safety issue and there should be a safety recall investigation performed on this mater. There is a possibility that the doors will not unlock manually or…
ODI 10904823
Electrical System
Not sure why my car wasn't on the gm safety recall 13036. The problems that are listed on this recall are the same problems i am having now. Brake lights staying on while driving, cruise control not working, traction control and esc service lights coming on, brake pedal not working properly, etc. I am afraid someone will end up hitting me. I don't have the $ to fix it. And in this recall, which i'm not on,gm would…
ODI 10910009
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control
Service traction, service electronic stability control, electronic stability control off occurs while sitting and driving. Car jerks skips and shakes. Hard to pick up speed or go to the next gear, door lock on driver side stop working.
ODI 11006533
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Vehicle Speed Control
The brake lights would turn on while driving and the rpm tach would rev uncontrollably. When the brake is applied, the light turns off and the esc warning appears on the dash. Fixed in 2014 as part of the exterior lighting recall (14v252000). As of the last two months, the problem started up again. First, i went and diagnosed it at a repair shop and it told me the brake position sensor needed to be calibrated. After…
ODI 10888055
Electrical System · Service Brakes · Traction Control System
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. While operating the vehicle, the traction control, brake, and esc sensor lights illuminated. Also, the brake lights would illuminate even though the brake pedal was not depressed. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa…
ODI 10892521
Electrical System
Door lock actuators on this vehicle have failed within 30,000 miles of manufacture. This is a widespread problem with door lock actuators on 2008-2009 models documented all over the internet. I am unable to lock or unlock my doors electronically due to this chronically faulty part. It is unsafe for me to drive the car with my kids in the backseat because i would be unable to get them out of the locked car in an…
ODI 10882943
Electrical System · Engine · Unknown Or Other
Car will intermittently not start. While camping in arizona my car wouldn't start. I took it to a repair shop where they replaced the starter and fuel pump. It started fine for a little while and then decided to randomly stop starting again.
ODI 11176170
Brake Lights · Electrical System
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact was alerted by another motorist that the brake light was constantly illuminated, as if she were applying the brakes. The brake light dimmed when the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired per a manufacturer recall in april of 2015 for the same failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The…
ODI 10886072
Electrical System
The rear door electric door locks don't function all the time to lock or unlock the doors. Operation is intermittent. I'm very concerned when children are in the car. The problem has existed for several months.
ODI 10903644
Electrical System
2009 chevy malibu - we've been having issue with the power window controllers/buttons to operate for several years but haven't had a change to get them checked. We have been avoiding to open and close the windows because there were times that they will open and close back up but yesterday, i open the window from the driver side and tried multiple times to close it and don't have any sucess.
ODI 10869970
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Unknown Or Other
Theft system light is on and i'm not able to start my car. The radio still works and all the lights and heater and a/c. I try to start the car a few times and sometimes it take several trys to get the car to start. This has been happening quite a bit
ODI 10870036
Electrical System
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that there was a progressing failure in which the key was turned over and the vehicle would not start. The contact experienced the failure numerous times without warning and had to wait an extended period of time for the vehicle to randomly restart. The contact had not received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system,…
ODI 10863992
Electrical System · Steering
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn and the vehicle also started decelerating while the accelerator pedal was being depressed. As a result, the contact was involved in a crash but the details were not available. The contact was able to get the vehicle pulled to the side of the road and shut it down. The vehicle…
Crash reported
ODI 10852080
Electrical System · Electronic Stability Control · Engine · Traction Control System
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. While driving 60 mph, the vehicle jerked when the brake pedal was depressed and stalled as the traction control, electronic stability control, and check engine warning lights illuminated. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuse box was missing some fuses and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was…
ODI 10874658
Electrical System
2009 chevrolet malibu ls 2.4l gas all door locks intermittently locking or unlocking by using either the key fob or the door panel buttons. The failure to lock and unlock occurs almost always when it's hot outside and the car sits in the sun, then the doors need to be locked and unlocked manually.locks are controlled by the (bcm) body control module which already has a recall #13036 for a faulty connector that…
ODI 10920025
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Consistent problems with headlamps failing frequently. Alternator fine. Cause is due to corrosion of the wiring and wiring harness. Manufacturer defect prevents replacement of headlamps, wires or wiring harnesses without removing front bumper, wheel and wheel well, making maintenance virtually impossible. Headlamps failed in october 2014 and again in march of this year. General motors unwilling to help with problem.…
ODI 10863402
Electrical System
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. While driving at any speed, the brake light remained illuminated, the traction control light illuminated, and the cruise control failed to function. In addition, the interior lighting would go from bright to dim and the daytime running lamps also failed to illuminate. The failure recurred everyday. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified…
ODI 10850072
Electrical System
My power locks want to unlock & lock while i am operating the vehicle. I am concerned because because with grandchildren if the doors malfunction as they have been they can open the doors while i am driving. This is a problem with these particular years. On carcomplaints.com 29 complaints not a lot however it is a safety hazard that needs fixing.
ODI 10836404