494 complaints reported

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
494
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Injuries
1

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS INTENDED. ADDITIONALLY, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED ABNORMALLY WHILE THE ESC WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED EAGLE CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (329 E W MAIN ST, MOREHEAD, KY 40351 (606) 784-6411) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,498.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENS UP WHILE DRIVING CANNOT TURN STEERING WHEEL

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

LOCKED WHILE DRIVING. (IN MOTION) - THOUGHT WAS A FLUKE THING NOW WHEN ATTEMPT TO START THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP PRIOR TO STARTING - (STATIONARY) WHEN STARTED THE STEERING SHAKES VIGOROUSLY - (STATIONARY)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING CEASED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. SEVERAL DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DIVER CHEVROLET (2101 PENNSYLVANIA AVE, WILMINGTON, DE 19806) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH AN UNSTATED POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

SAME ISSUE AS EVERYBODY ELSE. I LOSE STEERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE POWER STEERING. MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND IM ANYBODY TO TURN THE CAR. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD PARKED OR PRETTY MUCH AT ANYTIME. WHEN IT DOES WORK MY STEERING WHEEL JERKS. WHILE DRIVING IT JERKS AS WELL VERY SCARY STUFF. WHEN IT HAPPENS THE ESC AND POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON. THIS WAS SPECIAL TYPE OF RECALL WITH A EXP DATE? REALLY SO YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT THE PEOPLE DRIVING YOUR CAR FOR 5 YEARS? AFTER THAT WHO CARES IF THEY DIE HUH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND THE LOW TRACTION LIGHT(CAR ICON) COMES ON AND I LOSE POWER STEERING. WHEN I START THE CAR THESE SENSORS COME ON AND I LOSE POWER STEERING. SOMETIMES I'LL START IT AND THE SENSORS ARE OFF THEN I HAVE POWER STEERING THEN I'LL START DRIVING AND SOMETHING TRIPS THOSE SENSORS TO COME ON AND I LOSE POWER STEERING. THIS STARRED IN JANUARY 2020.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Feb 2020

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON MY CHEVY MALIBU 2009, 2.4 LITER ENGINE. THE CAR CAN BE TURNED ON AND THE POWER STEERING WILL SHUT OFF AND I AM UNABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING. THE SENSOR WILL PICK UP AN ERROR AND IT WILL DISPLAY 'POWER STEERING' ON THE DASH. THEN I WILL TURN THE CAR OFF AND THE POWER STEERING WILL TURN BACK ON. TURNING WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS STILL WORKING CAUSES IT TO HAVE A WEIRD TWITCH OR JERK WHEN DRIVING WHERE IT MOVES THE STEERING WHEEL BY ITSELF WHEN TURNING AND DRIVING STRAIGHT. GM HAD A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WITH MY EXACT MODEL BUT I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO HELP ME AND THAT MY CAR WASN'T ON THE RECALL BULLETIN YET MY CAR IS THE SAME MODEL AND YEAR THAT ON THE BULLETIN HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IT IS ALSO NOT ME, I SEE OTHERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT GM IS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS 160,000 MILES ON IT. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE POWER STEERING IS ESSENTIAL TO DRIVER SAFETY. THIS HAPPENS ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME THE POWER STEERING DECIDES TO JUST SHUT ITSELF OFF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2020
Feb 2020

MY VEHICLE IS HAVING EXACT SYMPTOMS AS OTHER VEHICLES IN THE SAME YEAR RANGE WITH THE EXACT ENGINE SIZE AND POWER TRAIN. I HAVE A 4 - CYL ECO TEC ENGINE AND I HAVE FOUND THAT GM RECALLED LOTS OF UNITS FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM YET MINE IS NOT IN THE DATABASE. MY ELECTROINC STEERING SHUTS ON AND OFF ALL WINTER!

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING, AND I WAS IN DANGER OF CRASHING THE VEHICLE. THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP SAYS ITS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN TORQUE SENSOR, AND THAT GM HAD A MILLION CAR RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THEY STATED THIS SAFETY CONCERN HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE AND FOR MY VEHICLE, IT EXPIRED MAY 2019. IT APPEARS TO BE HAVING EXACTLY THE SAME SYMPTOMS, WITH THE SAME DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES, AS THOSE RECALLED VEHICLES, AND YET GM WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS SAFETY MATTER. THIS CONDITION OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY, AND THEN ALL OF THE TIME. IT OCCURS WHEN IN REVERSE, AND FORWARD GEARS, WHEN TURNING AND WHEN TRAVELING STRAIGHT. IT OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS. AGAIN, THE GM MECHANICS STATE THE PROBLEM IS THE STEERING COLUMN TORQUE SENSOR.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2020
Feb 2020

UPON STARTING MY CAR ONE DAY, MY SERVICE ESC LIGHT CAME ON AND MY POWER STEERING DISABLED. THIS HAPPENED OUT OF ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD NO STEERING PROBLEMS UNTIL THAT DAY. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT. NO LIGHTS CAME ON AND EVERYTHING WORKED JUST FINE. LATER THAT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. SO I RESTARTED MY CAR AND IT WAS OKAY. THE NEXT DAY I STARTED IT AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS DISABLED, ONLY THIS TIME IT WOULD NOT GO AWAY. SO I DROVE WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. LATER, THE EPS WORKED FINE AND ALL THE SUDDEN WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. SINCE THEN, THE EPS HAS STAYED DISABLED AND THE ESC LIGHT HAS STAYED ON. IN THE EVENT THAT I START THE CAR AND EVERYTHING IS IN WORKING ORDER, IT'S NOT LONG (5-10 MINUTES) BEFORE THE EPS STOPS WORKING AGAIN. THERE WERE OVER A MILLION CARS THE EXACT SAME YEAR AND MODEL RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2020
Feb 2020

I JUST GOT MY CAR FIXED AND INSPECTED A FEW WEEKS AGO $1000 AND NO SENSORS WERE ON THEN THE POWER STEERING STOPPED AND I COULDN'T BARELY MOVE THE VEHICLE. MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR AND I WAS DRIVING HER TO SCHOOL PULLED OVER AND WAS SCARED BECAUSE I HAVE A HERNIATED DISC IN MY NECK AND COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL. I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR IN 2017 AND FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. THEN CONTACTED A CHEVROLET DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THE SPECIAL COVERAGE WAS 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES WHICH EVER COMES FIRST AND MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY. HOW CAN I GET A CAR FIXED ON A RECALL THAT WAS MADE IN 2014 AND I DIDNT GET IT TILL 2017. ALSO MY VIN# DOES NOT POP UP FOR RECALLS. JUST BLOWS MY MIND. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE SHOP WERE I GOT IT FIXED AND HE GAVE ME A COPY OF THE BULLETIN. SEE ATTACHED

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Feb 2020

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,POWER STEERING GOT HARD TO TURN,LIGHTS CAME ON WARNING OF POWER STEERING.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Feb 2020
Jan 2020

INTERMITTENT ISSUE WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. SO FAR, IF I SHUT THE VEHICLE DOWN AND RESTART, THE POWER STEERING WORKS AGAIN. BUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I FEEL A SLIGHT TUGGING TO THE RIGHT ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE TUGGING ALSO HAPPENS WHEN STOPPED IF I SLIGHTLY TURN THE WHEEL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2020

VEHICLE POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING RANDOMLY. TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WILL WORK. THE BEHAVIOR LINES UP WITH RECALL: 14V153000 HOWEVER, VIN IS NOT COVERED POSING A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2020

PROBLEM WITH STEERING CONTROL IT STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD NOT BEING ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SO I ASKED THE MECHANICS THEY SAID IT MAD NEADS THE POWER STEERING AND THIS ONE IS ELECTRIC IS GOING TO COST ALOT SO MY QUESTION IS THERE ANG RECALLS ABOUT THIS ISSUE?

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Jan 2020

OCCASIONALLY, THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WILL NOT INITIATE / FUNCTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. I WOULD TURN OFF THE IGNITION THEN RESTART THE ENGINE THEN THE POWER STEERING WOULD FUNCTION. ON JANUARY 9, 2020 WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO RESTART THE ENGINE HOPING THAT IT WOULD REBOOT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING BUT I COULD NOT GET IT TO WORK EVEN AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS. I DROVE THE CAR HOME WITHOUT POWER STEERING, WHICH TOOK CONSIDERABLE EFFORT. DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT VERY DIFFICULT BUT NEGOTIATING TURNS WAS QUITE HARD. I'M NOT SURE MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT. I CHECKED FOR RECALLS FOR MY VIN NUMBER BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT THERE ARE ZERO RECALLS FOR THAT VIN. HOWEVER, THERE ARE OVER 1.3 MILLION RECALLS FOR THE SAME SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING (EVEN ON THE SAME MODEL YEAR OF MALIBU AS MINE.) RECALL NUMBER N140115 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V153000

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2020
Dec 2019

I HAVE A 2009 MALIBU 2.4 ENGINE WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WHEN IT GOT COLD OUTSIDE POWER STEERING STARTED GOING OUT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ACROSS THE MESSAGE CENTER. TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND THE LIGHT GOES OUT AND THE POWER STEERING WORKS AGAIN IT DOES IT WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING OR EVEN IF THE CAR IS PARKED AND I TURN THE WHEEL IT HAS DONE 3 TIMES WHILE DOING 65 ON HIGHWAY LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON SO THE STEERING CAN WORK AGAIN THE COLDER TEMPERATURES GET THE MORE OFTEN THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT I'M AFRAID I MIGHT HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2019
Dec 2019

SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. CAN HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING OR AT IDLE AND CAN CAUSE TOUGH STEERING OR LOSS OR VEHICLE CONTROL. FROM THE COMPLAINTS IVE READ THIS SEEMS TO BE MORE COMMON DURING COLDER TEMPERATURE DAYS. COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IN ICY CONDITIONS... MY DAUGHTER IS NOW TERRIFIED TO DRIVE HER VEHICLE. I HAVE CONTACTED GM AND THEY REFUSE TO COVER ANY COSTS FOR THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH ITS A NATION WIDE KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Dec 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. UPON PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL RATTLED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ON OTHER OCCASIONS, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, THE WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE FAILED TO TURN AND PERFORM AS DESIRED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO BALDWIN CHEVROLET CADILLAC (621 S WESTWOOD BLVD, POPLAR BLUFF, MO 63901, 573-840-0228) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING) PRIOR TO HER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS REPAIRED; THEREFORE, ANY REMAINING ISSUES WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID OUT OF POCKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2016
Dec 2019

POWER STEERING LIGHT IS ON. BEFORE THE LIGHT CAME ON THE WHEEL RANDOMLY BECAME HARD TO TURN AND A DANGER TO DRIVE

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2019
Dec 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND HAD TO MAKE MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE STEERING WHEEL MOVED ON ITS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AND THE POWER STEERING AND ESC WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2019
Nov 2019

STOPPED CAR, GOT GAS, TURNED CAR BACK ON AND HAD NO POWER STEERING. THEN TURNED CAR OFF, WAITED A FEW MINUTES, TURNED IT BACK ON AND POWER STEERING RETURNED BUT POWER STEERING NOTICE CAME UP ON THE DISPLAY.. NOTICED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS BUT WHEN ENTERING THE VIN, THIS VEHICLE DID NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD DUE TO OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERNS. I ALSO READ THAT CHEVROLET HAD A SPECIAL RECALL FOR THIS THAT DIDN'T SHOW UP IN RECALL LISTS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING TWICE TODAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019
Nov 2019

START THE CAR AND ESC IS OFF AND POWER STEERING IS OFF. SHUT THE CAR OFF, RESTART AND IT COMES ON. SOMETIMES IT TAKES A COUPLE OF TIMES. ALSO WHEN IT IS ON AND SITTING WITH THE CAR IN DRIVE, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES BACK AND FORTH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2019

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu has 494 Steering complaints on file. 6 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.