Problems with 2009 Chevrolet Malibu POWER TRAIN

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. while attempting to shift into the park position, the gear indicator light would only display reverse and the vehicle would only operate in reverse. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. no further information was available. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the gear shift failed to switch into the park position. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the shifter cable kit and bracket needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v224000 (power train). the failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at 55 mph, the vehicle slipped gears and stalled. the contact activated the emergency brakes in order to stop the vehicle safely. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the shift cable fractured. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 123, 000.

Door locks and windows stopped working in suspect due to some electrical problems. and when i'm on the gas it won't pick up any speed and i think that's due to the cam shaft. and i know im not the only one having the same problems with the same car. it's really becoming a problem

When driving the power steering went out. this has happened 4 times in the past year.

Vehicle suddenly starting jerking while driving on main road barely made it home unable to put car in reverse had car towed to dealer wave plate disintegrated and had to have transmission rebuilt. general motors has issued a special service coverage for certain vehicles with this problem mine is not included and being that this is a known problem they really should include all vehicles affected by this known issue. *tr

While driving on city street going maybe 35 mph my 3year old who was strapped into his car seat in the backseat began to choke. i immediately pulled over and got out to go to his aid but i couldn't unlock the back door. i panicked and had to try to climb through the small space from the front seat to the back but could not quickly get my choking child out of the car. later that day i checked the door locks after calming down and i am not able to lock or unlock the doors.i noticed clicking noises but never paid any attention to it as it was not a concern until i could not free my chocking child from the back seat.i just purchased the car used last month. after review the locks on this car is a know'n common problem that is a safety concern . my helpless child was locked in. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. while the cruise control was activated, it randomly deactivated. also, when the brake pedal was depressed, the center brake light would not illuminate and the rear brake lights illuminated very dimly. the contact also indicated that the transmission was replaced due to failures that prevented the vehicle from accelerating normally. no further information was available. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the gear shifter failed to switch into the park position and the parking indicator would not illuminate. the vehicle failed to start. the issue occurred on several occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the failure was unable to be diagnosed. the contact was informed of nhtsa campaign number: 12v460000 (power train) and service bulletin number: 12106, but the vin was excluded. the manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 70,000.

I was picking my little brother up from school i was at the light and the car started to shake violently and engine reduced power light came on is does this on and off and this is not safe for any driver. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle suddenly decelerated as the check engine warning light illuminated. in addition, the contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the gear shift failed to switch into the drive position. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 87,000.

I could not shift car into park. i could not turn the key to off. car was stuck in drive. had to call a towing service to pick up. the nearest auto shop had to put in park, and fix the shift cable. we were out of 165.00 dollars, plus rental fees cost of 85.00 dollars. they kept our car for five days. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when the vehicle was put into park and turned off, the vehicle would continue to roll and failed to restart. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was not included in recall nhtsa campaign number: 12v460000 (power train). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the vehicle failed to shift into gear and excessive force was required to depress the accelerator pedal. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 40,800. updated 1/7/15*cn the consumer stated while driving, the vehicle would stick in gear decelerate without apply the brake. updated 03/03/15

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate on several occasions while driving at various speeds. in addition, the contact stated that the power steering, the door locks, windows and rear tail gate failed. the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was 125,000. ma 10/23/15

I was trying to accelerate to go onto the high way and my car would not go, there was a truck behind be and he just missed me and my family. took the car to rodgers chevrolet and they said that the transmission needed to be replaced. i remember complaining about my car not wanting to accelerate before i think it was to gordon chevrolet. i had to dish out $2,500 that i did not have, i also had to replace my tie rod, i think gm should have stood by their product and replaced this under warranty. this is my second complaint with you about this vehicle, i have had my front end worked on by gordon chevrolet countless times. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle speed suddenly decelerated and the vehicle would not shift into gear. the vehicle was restarted and the vehicle would not accelerate over 20 mph or operate in reverse. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the clutch wave plate ruptured and caused the failure. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,016.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle decelerated when the acce;erator pedal was engaged and the engine light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnose that the input speed sensor and transmission control module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 71,000 and the current mileage was unknown.

I had pulled into a parking lot and was waiting for customer to close their car door when my car would not move. the car was in drive and it felt like it was out if gear. it grabbed and i was able to pull in. when i was ready to leave the store i had gotten onto the highway and around 25mph the car did not want to shift into 2nd gear, i was also having trouble going into reverse. i decided to take my car home and i was unsure what was wrong with it. i took it to the dealership the next day where they ran a test on it. i was told the wave plate was broke in my transmission. wow an 2009 with transmission problems. i was told the wave plate that was used for the malibu's were bad. they really should have a recall for the malibu's that are having transmission problems due to poor design using that style of wave plate. *tr

Driving in traffic, vehicle suddenly lost power and i had to pull out of traffic, nearly causing an accident. engine revved, rpms were high. shut car off, restarted and car would not get out of second gear. i had the car towed to a chevrolet dealer, who told me my transmission failed due to a wave plate issue. although 6t70 transmission warranty was extended to some 6 speed 2009 malibu's, i was told mine was not, even though the problem is known to exist in all gm 6 speed transmissions. this transmission is a definite safety hazard and the 10 year 120k mile extended warranty should be offered to every automobile with this transmission....updated 09/22/15 *bf

While driving power steering went out. 2014 april 26. same thing happened a year later the exact date 2015. *tr

Transmission bell housing and torque converter seals. why was the transmission not under warranty for this repair. i purchased the car at 36,045 miles, at 78,798 miles this transmission pan leakage occurs. this result in 3rd gear shift slipping. rendering me to pay a total to roger dean of 1,234.15, mind you the seals were 30.00 and the labor 1086.40. there must have been a defect in the seals for that situation to occur in the transmission. please investigate. purchase car from roger dean on 7/30/11 at 36,045 miles. had repairs done on 1/28/14 at 78,798 miles.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the power steering failed and the vehicle stalled. the contact indicated that the steering wheel had become tight and extremely difficult to turn. the vehicle was merged to the side of the road where the vehicle was restarted after several attempts. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer. the technician diagnosed that the steering column and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who replaced the steering column. the vehicle was repaired. the vehicle was not included in recall nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 115,590. updated 12/22/14*lj updated 9/28/2015 *js

Wave plate failure of transmission resulted in sudden loss of 5th gear and loss of speed at highway speeds. this resulted in a near collision at interstate speeds. also, while attempting to turn around and get the vehicle to a safe stopping point off the interstate the vehicle lost reverse resulting in a second near t-bone collision due to having to push the vehicle out of the roadway. the vehicle was repaired in 12/2013 at the dealership under warranty a second wave plate failure resulting in loss of transmission occurred in 11/2014. *tr

I own a 2009 chevy malibu and vehicle was taken to a chevy service center for fuel smell on the exterior of vehicle on 09-2013. chevy service center found cause fuel pump module cracked and replaced faulty part at no charge and stated that it was covered under power train warranty. nhtsa/gm recalled 40,000. 2007-2009 chevy colbalts and other twin vehicles in 09-2012 for faulty fuel pump modules that crack and cause fuel leaks that has a potential of igniting a fire. i'm here to file a complaint against gm and make the public aware of other vehicles in the gm family that are not listed in the recall and advising nhtsa to further investigate 2007-2009 chevy malibu. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. while driving 50 mph, the traction control warning light illuminated and the vehicle independently decreased in speed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while traveling 45 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration power. the vehicle was moved to the shoulder where it was shut down and restarted but to no avail. the contact also stated that the vehicle rolled away while in park. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number 09v073000 (power train). the failure mileage was 100,000.

I purchased a used 2009 chevrolet malibu in 2011. on february 21, 2013, i took my car to ourisman chevrolet in marlow heights, md due to a recall notice related to the transmission. my invoice says they repaired the cable kit. on july 29, 2013 i pulled into a service station for gas in north carolina. all pumps were taken. i waited. a car pulled out so i put my car in reverse to back up in order to get to the pump. when i tried to put the car in drive, the gear shift would move, however, the car remained stuck in reverse. i had to back up to the side of the gas station to move out of the way. i put the emergency brake on because the car would not go into park. i turned off the ignition, then tried to restart it. the car would not start because is was not in park. i called my brother for help. he noticed the shift cable had come apart. he used a twist tie, a washer, and a rubber cap that he found in his vehicle to repair the shift cable so that i could hopefully make it back home. it worked.the next day i made an appointment (07/31/13) to take the car back to ourisman to fix the cable. that invoice states that i need a shifter cable. according to ourisman, this part is not covered under the initial recall. the shift cable adjustment clip broke off somehow. the cable is still intact. that's why my brother was able to fix it enough to get me back home. i was told by the customer service technician that the part broke due to normal wear and tear. in the past, i've owned a chevrolet cavalier for 12 years, and a chevrolet beretta for 8 years. neither car had this problem of "normal wear and tear". it's a defect. the 2/21/13 invoice says replaced cable kit. the 7/31/13 invoice says "needs shifter cable". the bottom line is the shift cable adjustment clip broke off the shifter cable. why is this not covered under the recall? it's a piece of the same part. *tr

We reported last year to gm that we were without power steering, instead of fixing our car the argued with us that there hasn't been a recall on the power steering. now we are having problems with the tracking. and the transmission has been slipping since last summer. *tr

Odor from leaking cooling system. car pulls to left. driver does seat not adjust with the control. front tires are worn down cords showing. bought car at ourisman chev. car dealer (34,523 miles) with platinum coverage. car current (49,512 miles). they insisted that i should pay for new tires$295. transmission flush $249.00. fuel induction service $179. coolant hose$10. that my plan only cover surge tank which i have to pay $100.00 deductible. i brought the car 5/17/12. reading through complaints 2009 malibu have similar car problem. i don't have the funds for all these problem for a car that own for this short period of time. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated there was a recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 12v460000 (power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl.) the manufacturer was notified and they informed the contact that the remedy parts would not be available until january of 2013. the recall summary stated it was expected to begin on or around november 12, 2012. the contact had not experienced any failure; however was concerned about the potential safety hazard. updated 12/21/12*lj

Bought vehicle new 01/09, 3 mon. later received letter from gm citing recall for transmission shift cable, took vehicle to dealer and they replaced. recall id # 78844 - power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift no problems with vehicle until 12/12 driving on interstate at approx. 50 mph vehicle began to shift hard/erratic with rpm gage going to 6-7 before vehicle would shift/accelerate, check engine, abs, check tire pressure lights all came on. called onstar was told there nothing indicated on diagnostics report and to contact gm. contacted gm was told there was another recall on my vehicle for recall id # 94402 - power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl). took vehicle to dealer, dealer said they could not replicate problem i was having and would not have parts until late jan. to fix recall if that was in fact the issue. told by dealer that erratic shifting is a normal problem with those vehicles. on 4/2/13 car will not go in park completely and ignition will not turn to "off" position, cannot remove key from ignition. contacted gm was told there were no active recalls on my vehicle because original recall from 2009 fixed the shift cable and replacement part was only covered by gm for 12 months. gm said second recall was not attached to vin# and therefore my vehicle was not affected although gm rep and dealer verified it was in nov 2012. gm said to take to dealer and get diagnostic report and they would go from there but issue would probably not be covered if it has something to do with shift cable because warranty of 12 mon. on replacement parts has expired. if gm knows there is a continuous problem with this make/model and this component then it should be covered regardless. how many times should you have to take vehicle in for same set of issues. if gm does not own this problem i will never buy a gm vehicle again! *tr

Within a one year period, had to have all 4 wheel bearings replaced, a strut, and the front sway bar linkage. 2009 malibu ltz, 3.6 l v6 with approx. 32,000 miles.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that she was unable to shift from park to drive. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 81,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when driving at various speeds, the service traction, service esc and esc off warning lamps illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician advised that the body control module was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but only offered to cover part of the repair costs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 67,000. ..updated 01/16/2013 *bf the consumer stated when the driver's foot is on the brake the brake lights go off. upon taking foot off the brake the brake lights stay on. this happens when the service traction light comes on. updated 1/28/2013 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle jerked while decelerating at low speeds. in addition, the contact stated that the vehicle would not reverse on an intermittent basis. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on numerous occasions, but they were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 65,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. in addition, the gear shifter would not remain in park. on one occasion, the vehicle was parked and rolled away, crashing into a concrete barrier. the dealer was contacted who made her aware that the vehicle was previously repaired under a nhtsa campaign id number: 09v073000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift) and advised her to schedule an appointment to have the vehicle inspected. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage 61,000.

Vehicle would not recognize that vehicle was in park. *tr

The event leading up to : turning right from side street the car lunges into the left lane when accelerating . the failure occurs every time when the car takes off from a stop to enter into freeway. steering wheel rotates with fast action clock wise 360 degrees.what was done took car to 4 dealers all said it meets the specifications of the car. car dealer said it was a glitch corporate said there was nothing they can do. updated 10/05/10 *bf the consumer stated the vehicle pull to the right. updated 10/07/10 *tr

On june 29, 2010 my son was able to bypass the safety lock switch on our 2009 chevrolet malibu....we took the vehicle to the dealer on june 30 and had the switch replaced along with a drivers side door handle my wife pulled off the door in a frantic frenzy to try to stop him. on july 8th while tightening down my child's car seat, my son again was able to bypass the safety switch by turning the key to the acc mode of the ignition and pushing the button on the shifter, he then started the car and began dragging me across a parking lot into a cement light pole. when we called gm to inform them that this should be a safety concern that children can bypass this switch, they informed us the vehicle isn't designed for a two year old!!!!!! they also referred us to the owners manual claiming that this is a dinghy towing option. in that section it tells you to place the parking brake on. in three other areas the book claims that you must push the brake to get the shifter to move from park. my son never touched the brake pedal, and the car came out of park and began to move... while i understand than my child is well below driving age, i do believe that gm has a serious safety problem here. while my insurance is covering the damages and not gm, i would think that they would at least want to look at this as a potential for a huge liability claim......i hope that someone can get through to them before someone seriously gets hurt or killed. *tr

Safety incident:transmission gear shift indicator setting: parked in tom thumb grocery store parking lot. nose to nose with another vehicle (with no parking curb between). incident: i started the car and the car began to creep forward, while still in park. i immediately turned off the ignition. i restarted car. the same thing happened again. i turned off the ignition. i started car a third time, this time with left foot firmly on brake, and my right foot ready to use gas pedal. i put car into reverse and the car still inched forward. i turned off ignition and put on emergency brake. by now, there was very little room left between my car and the one parked across from it. so i gave up and called for a ride. several hours later, a friend drove my husband to the car. there was no longer any car parked across from ours, so he felt it was safe to try starting it again. this time, the car started up normally. this incident is intermittent. we drove the car to the dealership and they looked it over and said they could not duplicate the issue. since recall #09077a: f/cmvss was performed on the car, they would do nothing. they would not redo the recall again. gm would not allow them to do anything unless they recreate the incident again. they said gm has tied their hands and they would not do anything because of liability issues and fears. we contacted gm and they created a case stating that we had a very good case and that this was a safety issue. after a few days we were contacted by gm and that, since it cannot be duplicated, they will not do anything until it happens again. i expressed our safety concerns. the gm representative said, 'if it happens again, i suggest that you have the car towed in. i completely understand your concern, but gm will do nothing until it happens again.' what if it happens again and someone gets hurt, either the driver or a pedestrian? what if the car gets damaged or another vehicle when it occurs again? *tr

Ongoing issue that dealership cannot diagnose or repair -- transmission will slip out of gear, resulting in a loss of power; car behaves as if it is in neutral. if pressure is removed from accelerator, transmission will re-engage. since incident is intermittent and unpredictable, dealer has not been able to replicate. i have asked them multiple times if other 2009 malibu have the same problem and have been told no. given recent events i am skeptical now of that answer. because power to the vehicle is lost, this can be very dangerous and i would like to know if other gms with the six-speed transmission (new on the 2009 model, i believe) are experiencing this problem. *tr

Power steering train, i personally purchase new last one, end of the year vehicle on the available list. *tr

My service engine light has been on continuously because of my ignition switch is malfunctioning; at times it locks up disallowing me to be able to start my car or remove my keys. i have had issues with the camshaft actuators and has since been replaced on the engine; but this car is still malfunctioning. also, my low beam headlight will not come on, on the passengers side of my vehicle after the bulb has been replaced. all of gm cars made between 2008-2012, needs to be recalled for these issues not just some but all! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2009 chevrolet malibu. the contact was driving 60 mph when the vehicle began to jerk abnormally followed by unintended acceleration. the dealer reloaded the transmission software. the contact stated that after repairs, the vehicle would not properly shift gears and when downshifting, the vehicle would abnormally accelerate. the contact was able to apply the brakes to stop the unintended acceleration. the dealer reloaded the transmission software a second time but to no avail. in addition, the contact stated that the power windows would intermittently fail, the fuel level gauge was inoperable and the air conditioner would not engage. the vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was awaiting the rebuilding of the transmission and repairs to all failed components. the failure mileage was 12,000 and the current mileage was 25,000.

Tuesday december 15th 2009 i took my new 2009 chevy malibu to the dealership where i purchased the vehicle for service. service done was state inspection, oil change, tire repair and for a recall on the transmission lever. the recall service work completed was the installation of the transmission shift cable kit. i picked my vehicle up at 2pm that afternoon after all service work was complete. about 20 minutes later after leaving the dealership my vehicle caught fire on the interstate. the police and fire crew were on the scene to control traffic and the fire. cause of the fire is currently under investigation with my insurance co. *tr

In october of 2009 i noticed the shifting of vehicle was erratic and improper. car would act like it would not shift or if it did was really labored. november of 2009 as i pulled into work transmission exploded. had towed to dealer said repaired/ replaced/rebuilt, was back with more problems only to find out parts were replaced backwards onto transmission fixed that only for me to return again for transmission issues. now again the car acts like it wont shift properly will not attempt to go sometimes, was back at shop, they said they couldn't find anything wrong. so now i have made a video and have taken pictures of transmission fluid leaking from pan under car. i am afraid to take it back to where i have been going because when they have attempted to repair its worse or in same condition,so have appointment today with another auto mechanic to try an diagnosis. this is the fifth time i have had my 2009 chevrolet malibu in for defective and dangerous transmission issues. *tr

Bought a new 2009 malibu with a six speed automatic transmission in sept. '09. i noticed the problem after about a week and a half or driving the car. i feel a hesitation, then jerk when resuming acceleration while traveling 5-35 mph after having decelerated to the lower speed from a greater speed. it happens consistently while driving, but does not occur when acceleration begins from a stop or at speeds greater than 35 mph. brought the car to the dealer, and transmission was reprogrammed and updated twice. because the computer is reading everything as normal, gm will approve no work on vehicle. so far gm has said there is nothing they will do to solve this problem. *tr

Own a 2009 malibu that hesitates when trying to accelerate into traffic, or slow down and try to pick up speed again brought it to dealerships attention every time i take it in for service, they say this is normal and nothing is being done to fix the problem, this is going to cause an accident or death in this make of car. *tr

Purchased new 2009 chevy malibu 6/16/09 at john thornton chevrolet. took car back on 6/20/09 due to malfunctioning brakes; rotors were rusted and had to be skimmed. on 7/27/09, on way to work, car kept stalling in traffic; put foot on gas, would hesitate; heard whizzing noises. because moving the car was getting worse, i decided to turn around and head to the dealership. when i got on the freeway, the car would not accelerate enough to proceed, it would not go past 20 mph and i knew it was too dangerous to keep going. i pulled off freeway and found a lot to pull over. called onstar who tapped into my diagnostic and informed me there were two problems indicated in the transmission. i had to have the car towed to the dealership. since then john thornton gave me a rental. said they were going to replace a part and last week advised me they have to install a new transmission; it will be coming from the factory and offered to reimburse me the amount of my first car note. as of 8/17/09 they have had my car 3 wks. as of 8/26/09 it will be the 30th day and i will be eligible to either get a refund or replacement vehicle. my complaint is that i have a faulty transmission. *tr