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2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

2 reports
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10,250 miles · Jul 5, 2011
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 20 MPH AFTER STARTUP FROM INTERSECTION. LEFT FRONT & RIGHT REAR BRAKES APPLIED THEMSELVES. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 20 MPH EVEN AT 4100 RPM. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED ENGINE OFF. WENT FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL - LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR TOO HOT TO TOUCH. RIGHT FRONT & LEFT REAR COOL TO…

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VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO MORE THAN 20 MPH AFTER STARTUP FROM INTERSECTION. LEFT FRONT & RIGHT REAR BRAKES APPLIED THEMSELVES. VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 20 MPH EVEN AT 4100 RPM. PULLED OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED ENGINE OFF. WENT FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL - LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR TOO HOT TO TOUCH. RIGHT FRONT & LEFT REAR COOL TO TOUCH. APPLIED MOISTURE TO LEFT FRONT AND RIGHT REAR BRAKE ROTORS; BOILED OFF IMMEDIATELY. TURNED ENGINE BACK ON & VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. SAME FAILURE HAPPENED IN MAY 2011 AT 8,601 MILES. NOT TDC'S EITHER TIME. IN MARCH 2011 AT 6,849 MILES, ESC MALFUNCTIONED WITH 3 TDC'S.

NHTSA ODI #10411238

8,300 miles · May 4, 2011
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CAR REFUSED TO GO ABOVE 30 MPH WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LIGHT ON RIVER ROAD EVEN WHEN APPLYING FULL THROTTLE. WENT ABOUT HALF MILE UNTIL I SMELLED FRICTION MATERIAL. PULLED CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. WALKED FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL TO SEE HOW HOT THEY WERE. LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS EXCEEDINGLY HOT AS WAS RIGHT REAR WHEEL. LEFT REAR WHE…

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CAR REFUSED TO GO ABOVE 30 MPH WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LIGHT ON RIVER ROAD EVEN WHEN APPLYING FULL THROTTLE. WENT ABOUT HALF MILE UNTIL I SMELLED FRICTION MATERIAL. PULLED CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. WALKED FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL TO SEE HOW HOT THEY WERE. LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS EXCEEDINGLY HOT AS WAS RIGHT REAR WHEEL. LEFT REAR WHEEL & RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WERE COOL ENOUGH TO TOUCH. CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 5 MINUTES IN URBAN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WHEN CAR WAS RESTARTED, THE BRAKES RELEASED & NO FURTHER TROUBLE ENCOUNTERED. TWO DAYS EARLY, CAR HAD INTERMITTENT MILD, LOW-FREQUENCY JERKING WHILE DRIVING WHICH WENT AWAY AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES. AGAIN, THIS HAPPENED IN URBAN DRIVING ABOUT 5 MINUTES AFTER STARTING. BOTH DAYS CLEAR WEATHER. NO DASH TROUBLE MESSAGES DISPLAYED. CAR HAD BEEN IN FOR REPROGRAMMING OF ESC MODULE ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER AFTER THREE DIFFERENT ESC TROUBLE MESSAGES APPEARED ON DASH - TRACTION CONTROL, ESC AND HILL START. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10399127

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.