Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Chevrolet Malibu owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Several months ago I noticed the strong odor of gas coming from the rear of the car., but saw no leaks. Last week I noticed a leak coming from the top of the fuel tank and dripping on to the exhaust system. I took the car to folsom Chevrolet and they diagnosed the problem as a defective fuel pump housing and estimated the replacement of the fuel pump to be about $1,200. However, I went to the Chevrolet forums on the internet and found hundreds of identical problems reported to GM by users, but GM has taken no action to correct this dangerous fire hazard. The complaints begin in 2012 when the cars were only 3 years old and continue to be filed. I contacted GM and was simply told "the car is out of warranty". There have been announced recalls for other GM vehicles with the same fuel pump and problem and this vehicle should have been included. …
Nov 10-started to smell a fuel odor near left wheel -smell became worse on daily basis to the point I could smell fumes as I drove. I park in a car park and was told I could not park my car there because of the strong fuel smell-that it was a danger and I needed to take care of it. I went to the service station across the street and the technician told me to leave the car that it was leaking fuel and I was in danger. The agent had to replace the fuel pump because the feed line (outlet) was leaking. Total replacement was necessary and clean up as leaking fuel was making its way onto the exhaust. The technician stated it was a dangerous situation and was surprised at the low mileage and this defective feed line. I wrote GM about this because this was so dangerous-had I been involved in an accident-my car would have gone up in flames. …
I had been noticing the smell of gasoline around the exterior of my 2009 Malibu after shutting down the motor. I could not detect any location of where the leak was coming from. Additionally, at times my check engine light would come on and then go off. This coincided with the vehicle running "oddly". So, I took it in to michael's Chevrolet in fresno, ca for a repair estimated at $350. Later they called me with a revised estimate of $1950 to cover replacement of the "cracked fuel pump module reed line, and, replacement of the air pump.... I refused to let them do the work after being educated on the problem via the internet. They tried to charge me the original estimated amount for the cost of the diagnosis. Is there a recall on this vehicle for a defective fuel pump?
After smelling gas fumes for about a week, I pulled into the driveway with the gas tank close to full. After about 5 minutes I looked under the car and saw a 4 to 5 inch diameter wet gas stain on the driveway. Over the next 3 to 4 minutes I observed several drips of gasoline from below the gas tank fall to the driveway. This is a very serious safety and emission problem. This car was purchased new and I plan on bringing it to the dealership where it was purchased asap. I have seen other complaints of this problem on line and hope there will be a recall. Sometimes emission components are covered up to 100K miles.
Car turned off while sitting in the drive thru line. Car turned off driving down the road at various speeds. Sometimes will start back, sometimes will not start back and has to be towed. After waiting a few days the car will drive as normal and then the next time the car will turn off again. The car will turn over, but not crank. If you wait a few minutes, hours or days, the car May start and drive as normal for a few weeks and then have the problem again.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. After starting the vehicle, there was a strong fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the fuel pump connector was destroyed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 12/03/15 updated 11/07/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. After parking the vehicle, fuel fumes emitted from the rear of the vehicle. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the fuel line fractured near the fuel tank and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
While driving the car the service traction/ESC light comes on and startes jerking the rpms shoot up to 4000 and makes a rattle noise. When doing this the speed does not change to reflect the rpms. When at a idle the rpms rest at about 2200. The car doesnt fully want to stop when coming to red light or when breaking. I have had the car a diffrent speeds and tends to stall and shack no matter what.
I have been experiencing an issue with the check engine light coming on almost every fuel fill up I have replaced the cap 3 times already and I keep getting the same code. Now I am getting a p0420 code for either the catalytic converter or the oxygen sensor. Is there a way for checy to assist with the repair costs? I need my car and I am affected by covid-19.
I have had to replace the entire fuel pump because of a leak in one of the lines that are permanently attached to the pump. The pump was fine. But the only way to correct the leak in the line was to replace the entire pump. It was a fire hazard and emitting carbon monoxide inside the cab of the car. This is a serious design flaw and very expensive to repair.
Fuel System complaints in other Malibu years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA has 34 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2% of the model year's 1,509 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Chevrolet Malibu fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 2009 Chevrolet Malibu, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Chevrolet Malibu fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 88,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.