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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

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There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

22 reports with mileage · 3 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

What owners actually said

25 reports
112,000 miles · Nov 10, 2015
Air BagsElectrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V382000 (AIR BAGS) AND HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ODI #10789594

147,000 miles · Jun 1, 2015
Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control

MY BRAKE LIGHTS COME ON WITHOUT ME HITTING THE PEDAL AND STAY ON UNTIL I TAP THE BRAKE TO MAKE THEM GO OUT. I NOTICED THAT I COULDN'T USE MY CRUISE CONTROL.I NOTICED I WOULD SET MY CRUISE CONTROL BUT WHEN THE TAILLIGHT/BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON IT KICKED ME OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL.

NHTSA ODI #10722807

155,000 miles · Oct 30, 2014
Steering

WHILE TURNING ON THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN ON. WE HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GAIN POWER STEERING BACK. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WE NOW LOSE POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT RANDOM POINTS IN TIME. WE HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR TO REGAIN THE POWER STEERING. OTHER …

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WHILE TURNING ON THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WILL NOT TURN ON. WE HAVE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GAIN POWER STEERING BACK. THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. WE NOW LOSE POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT RANDOM POINTS IN TIME. WE HAVE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR TO REGAIN THE POWER STEERING. OTHER 2009 CHEVROLET MAILBU'S HAVE THE RECALL, BUT OURS DOES NOT ALTHOUGH WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE TURNING ON THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10651437

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

ON THE MORNING OF JULY 17, 2014 I EXPERIENCE MY POWER STEERING NOTIFICATION ILLUMINATE AS WELL AS SERVICE TRACTION NOTIFICATION AS I WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. LUCKILY ENOUGH I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS ALMOST HIT BY A 18 …

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ON THE MORNING OF JULY 17, 2014 I EXPERIENCE MY POWER STEERING NOTIFICATION ILLUMINATE AS WELL AS SERVICE TRACTION NOTIFICATION AS I WAS PREPARING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND MADE IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. LUCKILY ENOUGH I WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR OUT OF THE WAY BEFORE MY VEHICLE WAS ALMOST HIT BY A 18 WHEELER. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AS I WAS DRIVING MY POWER STEERING NOTIFICATION CAME ON AND ALMOST CAUSE ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT, THE FIRST TIME HAPPEN IN MAY OF THIS YEAR BOTH TIMES MY SON WAS IN THE CAR. IN FEBRUARY OF 2013 I WAS MAKING MY WAY ACROSS A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION AND THE CAR CUT COMPLETELY OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE "SERVICE TRACTION" AND "SERVICE ESC" ILLUMINATED THEN AS WELL. THE CAR ACCELERATION IS SLOW WHEN THE AIR CONDITION IS ON. I AM AT A POINT I NO LONGER WANT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. I FEAR THE NEXT TIME MAY RESULT IN INJURY OR A FATALITY. I HONESTLY CARE NOT TO OPT FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS SENT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS ONE TIME AND NOW IT MUST GO AGAIN, THE THIRD TIME MAY BE THE LAST AND BEFORE I GET TO THAT POINT I WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS VEHICLE. FOR THE SAFETY OF NOT ONLY ME BUT MY SON WHO IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD. I CALLED GM AND INQUIRED IF THEY CAN OFFER SOME SORT OF A REBATE THAT I MAY USE TOWARDS ANOTHER VEHICLE, BUT I WAS TOLD NO AND ONLY OFFERED AN APOLOGY AND INFORMED THAT GM IS CURRENTLY NOT OFFERING A REBATE, YET I STILL HAVE TO WAIT TO BE INFORMED AS TO WHEN I CAN TAKE THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT OF PARTS, IF THAT DOES NOT RING A BELL I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL. I FEAR THIS CAR WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME. I AM REACHING OUT FOR HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10611378

59,000 miles · Mar 20, 2014
Power Train

PLEASE REVIEW NHTSA ID NUMBERS 10360384, AND 10464366. MY ORIGINAL CASE IS 10360384, AND BOTH ARE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WORKED WITH GM A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I SUBMITTED MY CASE. THEY NOTED THE HESITATION AND SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL. MY CAR WAS "BETTER" FOR A WHILE AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE LATELY. I AM WANTING TO KNOW NOW IF THIS I…

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PLEASE REVIEW NHTSA ID NUMBERS 10360384, AND 10464366. MY ORIGINAL CASE IS 10360384, AND BOTH ARE THE SAME PROBLEM. I WORKED WITH GM A FEW YEARS AGO, WHEN I SUBMITTED MY CASE. THEY NOTED THE HESITATION AND SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL. MY CAR WAS "BETTER" FOR A WHILE AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE LATELY. I AM WANTING TO KNOW NOW IF THIS IS A SIMILAR ISSUE IN REALITY TO THE OWNERS THAT COMPLAIN OF THE BRAKES BEING LOCKED ON. NOW I AM ALSO NOTICING THAT WHEN AT A CRUISE AND HAVING TO ACCELERATE SOME, THERE IS A CHUGGING FEELING. MY FUEL ECONOMY FOR CITY DRIVING HAS ALSO DROPPED DOWN TO 18 MPG OR BELOW, WHICH IS UNUSUAL. I HAVE NOT TAKEN BACK IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE I HAVE ALREADY HAD NO LUCK DEALING WITH THEM ON THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS WHY REPORTED TO NHTSA. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE AND IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THERE IS NO WARNING. IF THE VEHICLE ISN'T CHUGGING, IT IS JUST EXTREMELY BOGGED DOWN, ESPECIALLY WHEN ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC AND TURNING. THIS COULD INDICATE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE STEERING SYSTEM SINCE IT IS INTEGRATED WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I 100% AGREE WITH HAVING TO PUSH THE PEDDLE ALL OF THE WAY DOWN TO MAKE IT NOT FEEL THAT IT WILL STALL WHEN I NOTICE THE CHUGGING IS HAPPENING. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CHUGGING IS EXTREMELY RANDOM, SO HOW TO REPRODUCE FOR A DEALER. THE SLUGGISHNESS IS FREQUENT. IN RELATION TO THIS BEING SIMILAR TO THE BRAKES BEING LOCKED ISSUE, I AM WONDERING IF IT IS SIMILAR BUT OUR VEHICLES CORRECT THEMSELVES QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE DOES ACT AS IF THE HYBRID AUTO STOP FEATURE IS TRYING TO TURN THE CAR OFF WHILE ACCELERATING. THERE HAS TO BE MORE PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM AND CONCERN WITH THE MALIBU HYBRID, BUT NOT THAT MANY WERE BUILT OR SOLD, SO YOU MAY NOT NOTICE ENOUGH CASES TO WARRANT INVESTIGATION OR A RECALL. THIS PROBLEM IS OBVIOUSLY WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM BECAUSE I HAVE DRIVEN THE STANDARD 2009 4 CYLINDER MALIBU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573888

45,000 miles · Mar 12, 2014
Electrical SystemVisibility

DEFROSTER DIDN'T WORK CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V634000 COMPONENT(S): VISIBILITY MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. SUMMARY: GM IS RECALLING (77) 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEF…

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DEFROSTER DIDN'T WORK CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V634000 COMPONENT(S): VISIBILITY MANUFACTURER: GENERAL MOTORS CORP. SUMMARY: GM IS RECALLING (77) 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 103, "WINDSHIELD DEFROSTING AND DEFOGGING SYSTEM." THE HEATING, VENTILATION, AND AIRCONDITIONING (HVAC) SYSTEM MAY BECOME INOPERATIVE. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE BLOWER WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THE MODE SELECTOR WOULD REMAIN IN THE LAST KNOWN SETTING. CONSEQUENCE: 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 WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. MY CHEVROLET DEALER SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT MY VIN IS OUTSIDE THE VIN RANGE OF THIS RECALL NOTICE AND THEREFORE WAS NOT COVERED FOR REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10568841

18,000 miles · Jul 5, 2012
EnginePower Train

MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS ALMOST GOING TO STALL OUT WHENEVER I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THIS HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME WHEN CROSSING AND INTERSECTION FROM A STOP. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES. I AM NOT SURE, BUT I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THIS USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, BUT…

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MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT IS ALMOST GOING TO STALL OUT WHENEVER I ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THIS HAS BECOME VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME WHEN CROSSING AND INTERSECTION FROM A STOP. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT SEVERAL TIMES. I AM NOT SURE, BUT I THINK IT HAS TO DO WITH THE HYBRID SYSTEM. THIS USUALLY ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS ON, BUT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IT WITH IT OFF TOO. NOW, WHENEVER I COME TO A STOP AND TRY TO ACCELERATE, I HAVE TO PUSH THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE IF I DO THAT, IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE ITS GOING TO STALL OUT NEAR AS BAD. I AM VERY CONCERNED OVER THIS ISSUE, BUT I CANT AFFORD TO PAY FOR FIXING THE ISSUE IF THE DEALER TRIES TO SAY ITS NOT DRIVE TRAIN OR HYBRID (WHICH I STILL HAVE WARRANTY FOR). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10464366

23,000 miles · Jul 5, 2012
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES AS A RESULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23,000. UPDATED 08/30/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI #10464272

66,772 miles · Jun 13, 2012
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS DEVELOPED CONDENSATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THEY WOULD CONTACT HER AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS DEVELOPED CONDENSATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THEY WOULD CONTACT HER AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,772. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,002.

NHTSA ODI #10461485

53,000 miles · Oct 26, 2011
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE SHIFT CABLE FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECAME DETACHED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE SHIFT CABLE FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BECAME DETACHED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS STUCK IN GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V073000 ( POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

NHTSA ODI #10432875

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.