Worst 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Steering Defects
Electrical Faults
Headlight/Taillight Failures
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering Defects | 450 | 11 | 1 | 90,825 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 223 | 7 | 1 | 87,823 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 95 | 1 | — | 88,257 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 75 | 4 | — | 95,793 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 68 | 5 | — | 104,504 mi | |
| Latches / Locks | 67 | — | — | 55,204 mi | |
| Airbags | 62 | 10 | 1 | 87,215 mi | |
| Brakes | 61 | 4 | — | 88,650 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 60 | 3 | 1 | 96,940 mi | |
| Fuel System | 44 | — | — | 101,933 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 42 | 2 | 1 | 99,563 mi | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 23 | — | 1 | 49,334 mi | |
| Body Structure | 15 | 2 | — | 70,415 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 11 | — | — | 50,598 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 10 | — | — | 75,538 mi | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 9 | — | 1 | 66,229 mi | |
| Automatic Transmission | 9 | 1 | — | 49,540 mi | |
| Traction Control System | 8 | — | — | 76,429 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 8 | — | — | 38,905 mi | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 7 | — | — | 73,667 mi | |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 5 | — | — | 102,500 mi | |
| Steering:Column | 5 | — | — | 63,529 mi | |
| Steering:Electric Power Assist System | 5 | — | — | 70,885 mi | |
| Tires:Pressure Monitoring And Regulating Systems | 5 | — | — | 47,407 mi | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 4 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~5,371,054 vehicles.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
Other Chevrolet Malibu Years
2008 Chevrolet Malibu — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
What are common problems with the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
How safe is the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
Does the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Chevrolet Malibu reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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