2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic problems
Owners have filed 36 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic. Electrical system is the most reported problem area, at 31% of complaints. Next are steering (17%) and latches & locks (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 36 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 31% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 4 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 69,000 miles 31 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 3 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 8 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 9 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 1 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 5 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 31 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 69,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 4 complaints mention a crash; 3 injuries reported.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was t boned by another vehicle going the wrong way on a one way. I then was sent up a curb 35 MPH hitting a tree head on dragging the car down the tree then went up a small hill almost ending up in someones porch. I passed out at some point. Not one airbag went off in my vehicle. I contacted GM and they requested pictures first. I sent pictures of the malibu and was told they didn't feel the airbags should of deployed. I would have to find the vehicle for them to check the module.
This has occured multiple times over the last year. When driving, the brake lights come on by themselves and you have to tap the brakes to get them to go out. Then they might or might not go off and totally cancels any cruise control opetation. There is no actual braking and this even happens when accelerating. This last time, they would not go off at all and it even triggered a 'service traction' warning on the dash.
Door locks are failing to lock and unlock, with the key fob or, with the inside switch, from the drivers side or from either one of the three other doors. This is a major safety issue as, if someone is about to get robbed, raped, beat up or a car jacking is about to occur and, the door locks fails to lock or unlock then, someone could get raped, injured or even killed. Please pay attention to this message and take action against general motors to get this issue resolved.