YearToAvoid

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System Problems

NHTSA has 465 owner complaints about electrical problems in the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 31% of all 1,509 complaints for this model year. That is the highest electrical complaint count among 21 Malibu model years. These complaints report 5 crashes, 5 fires, and 3 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 90,500 miles.

Electrical System complaints
465
31% of 1,509
Crashes reported
5
Fires reported
5
Injuries reported
3
Median mileage
90,500 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2009 Chevrolet Malibu electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 19, 2008, latest Mar 15, 2026.

2009 Chevrolet Malibu electrical system complaints: complaints filed per quarter372008 Q42012 Q32014 Q32016 Q32018 Q32020 Q32022 Q32024 Q4
465 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q4 to 2026 Q1; peak 2014 Q3 (37).

Electrical System recalls for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by Malibu model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005288 (30%)
  2. 2006189 (17%)
  3. 2007129 (13%)
  4. 2008291 (29%)
  5. 2009465 (31%)
  6. 2010419 (31%)
  7. 2011327 (33%)
  8. 2012407 (45%)
  9. 2013378 (45%)
  10. 201489 (25%)
  11. 201571 (26%)
  12. 2016235 (28%)
  13. 2017174 (25%)
  14. 2018198 (28%)
  15. 201963 (33%)
  16. 202058 (29%)
  17. 202129 (33%)
  18. 202233 (34%)
  19. 202312 (17%)
  20. 202417 (44%)
  21. 20254 (36%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu have electrical problems?
NHTSA has 465 owner complaints about the electrical in the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 31% of all complaints for this model year, including 5 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 90,500 miles.
Which Chevrolet Malibu year has the most electrical complaints?
The 2009 Chevrolet Malibu has the most electrical complaints (465), compared with 465 for the 2009.
Is there a electrical recall for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu is classified under electrical system. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.