Model year record
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid recalls & problems
The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 25 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electronic stability control (esc) (6 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2009 Chevrolet Malibu 4-DR Hybrid w/SAB
| Frontal crash | Not Rated |
|---|---|
| Side crash | Not Rated |
| Rollover | Not Rated |
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Malibu Hybrid Hybrid
| City / highway | 26 / 34 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
2.4 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,300/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 6 | 52,625 mi |
| Steering | 6 | 133,500 mi |
| Electrical system | 5 | 112,000 mi |
| Power train | 5 | 35,500 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 2 | — |
| Air bags | 2 | — |
| Engine | 2 | — |
| Structure | 1 | — |
| Equipment | 1 | — |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | — |
| Visibility | 1 | — |
| Service brakes | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Power train
2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS ISSUES. THE DASHBOARD WARNED TO SERVICE THE TRACTION CONTROL AND HYBRID. *JS
- Electronic stability control (esc)
TAKATA RECALL: I DON'T KNOW IF I'M DOING THIS RIGHT BUT MY CAR'S WARNING SYSTEM ALERTED ME THAT THE ESC WAS TURNED OFF AND TO "SERVICE ESC", THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING MY CAR, NEVER STATIONARY.IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BUT ONE THAT IS MENTIONED AS A RECALL FOR MY MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. WHEN I SEARCH MY VIN I GET NO ALERTS ON RECALLS FOR MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE BUT WANTED TO BE SIRE IT WASN'T SKIPPED OR MISSED. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING WORKED ON SO IF I DID NEED RECALL WORK THEN I WOULD NEED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WORK DONE ON MY CAR SINCE A DEALERSHIP WOULDNT DO THE WORK FOR FREE WITHOUT A RECALL NOTICE.
- Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL VIOLENTLY VIBRATED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO GR CHEVROLET BUICK GMC CADILLAC (930 FAIRYSTONE PARK HWY, STANLEYTOWN, VA 24168, (855) 910-9228), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
- Electrical system
THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM GOES OUT BECAUSE OF A BAD CONNECTION.
- Electronic stability control (esc)
THIS MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK I EXPERIENCED THE MOST SCARIEST MOMENT, WHEN I WAS IN MOTION MAKING A LEFT TURN MIDWAY ON A BUSY INTERSECTION MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED MAKING ME UNABLE TO CONTROL IT ,WHILE LOCKED THE (TSC) LIGHTS CAME ON , I WAS FREAKING OUT I WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE OTHER CARS ON MY RIGHT SIDE TURNING LEFT WITH ME AS WELL , I QUICKLY REACTED AND LET GO OF THE GAS PEDAL AND LET THE CAR SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN AND LET EVERYONE TURNING PASS ME, ONCE PULLED OVER HAZARDS ON , I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND ON AND THE STEERING WHEEL WENT BACK TO WORKING. I AM NERVOUS TO GET BACK IN THE CAR AGAIN. UNKNOWN
- Steering
POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ON. IF I TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON THE ERROR MESSAGE GOES AWAY AND POWER STEERING IS RESTORED TILL IT HAPPENS AGAIN. HAPPENED YESTERDAY ON HIGHWAY SUDDENLY I HAD NO STEERING. LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH OTHERS HAVING SAME PROBLEM. STATING THAT STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OTHERS MENTION A SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY ON POWER STEERING FAILURE FOR 10 YEARS AND 150,000 MILES. I INQUIRED AT DEALER AND SO FAR THEY DON'T RECALL WARRANTY PROBLEM HAPPENS SOMETIMES USUALLY WHEN STARTING BUT YESTERDAY IT HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. SCARY FEELING
- Electronic stability control (esc)
BEGINNING IN DEC/JAN OF 2016/2017 I BEGAN HAVING MAJOR ISSUES WITH MY POWER STEERING WHERE IT WOULD STOP WHILE I WASN'T DRIVING BUT ALSO WHEN I WAS DRIVING. THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO AGGRESSIVELY SHAKE AND MY TRACTION CONTROL WOULD CUT OFF. IT GOT TO THE POINT I COULDN'T EVEN DRIVE MY VEHICLE. I THEN CONTACTED GM AFTER RESEARCHING THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE. THEY THEN TOLD ME THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED. I GOT IT FIXED AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL THIS WEEK JANUARY 2019. I CONTACTED GM TO LET THEM KNOW OF THE ISSUE, AND THAT IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE I HAD BEFORE. THEY THEN PROCEED TO TELL ME TO DRIVE MY UNSAFE VEHICLE WITH MY 7 MONTH OLD INFANT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO LOOK AT…
- Unknown or other
ON MAY 18, 2018 ALL DOORS ON MY CHEVY MALIBU WERE WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN MY FIANCE LEFT TO LEAVE FOR WORK ON MAY 19, 2018 THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM NEITHER THE INSIDE NOR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE; IT WASN'T UNTIL MAY 21, 2018 WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO OPEN AND FOUND THAT THE LATCH ON THE SIDE OF THE DOOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE CAR WAS STATIONARY, BUT MY MAIN CONCERN IS WHAT IF IN THE CASE OF AN EMERGENCY, EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OR MY PASSENGER WAS NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR.
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.