2008 Chevrolet Malibu Engine Problems
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 94,362 miles. The words owners use most often: “engine power” (21% of reports).
- 62engine complaints
- 94,362median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 32%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Engine power: mentioned in 13 of 62 complaints (21%)
- Traction control: mentioned in 7 of 62 complaints (11%)
- Service ESC: mentioned in 6 of 62 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 50 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 62 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Malibu | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 13 | 18% | 63,810 |
| 2022 Malibu | 29 | 30% | 76,000 |
| 2021 Malibu | 15 | 17% | 36,500 |
| 2020 Malibu | 59 | 30% | 65,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 64 | 33% | 51,724 |
| 2018 Malibu | 281 | 40% | 50,000 |
| 2017 Malibu | 253 | 36% | 56,114 |
| 2016 Malibu | 302 | 36% | 52,000 |
| 2015 Malibu | 70 | 26% | 66,000 |
| 2014 Malibu | 125 | 36% | 75,000 |
| 2013 Malibu | 204 | 24% | 78,825 |
| 2012 Malibu | 99 | 11% | 81,000 |
| 2011 Malibu | 160 | 16% | 75,000 |
| 2010 Malibu | 115 | 8% | 76,000 |
| 2009 Malibu | 61 | 4% | 113,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 62 | 6% | 94,362 |
| 2007 Malibu | 28 | 3% | 92,434 |
| 2006 Malibu | 33 | 3% | 120,500 |
| 2005 Malibu | 49 | 5% | 107,261 |
| 2004 Malibu | 17 | 1% | 127,500 |
| 2003 Malibu | 47 | 8% | 85,600 |
| 2002 Malibu | 22 | 4% | 95,666 |
| 2001 Malibu | 26 | 4% | 109,740 |
| 2000 Malibu | 19 | 2% | 109,500 |
| 1999 Malibu | 5 | 1% | 86,950 |
| 1998 Malibu | 2 | 0% | 178,000 |
| 1997 Malibu | 4 | 1% | 68,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The wiring harness in the 2008 Chevy Malibu hybrid has a open ground somewhere in the wiring harness it is draining the 12 volt battery and affecting the starter and the alternator generator in the hybrid it will not let the starter engage all fuses appear to be good after checking all of them…
The contact owns a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it failed to start up. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed DTC: P0016 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the camshaft position correlator and crankshaft and…
When I walk up to my car all I smell is gas and my gas tank doesnât last as long as it should the first half of my tank is gone within 2-4 hours the second half last a couple days . I just had a child and I wanna make sure I can get these things fixed . I just purchased this car like 3 months ago…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Chevrolet Malibus have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 62 owner complaints about engine for the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu (6% of the 989 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 94,362 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “engine power”, in 13 of 62 complaints, followed by “traction control” (7).
Other 2008 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 2008 Chevrolet Malibu problems or engine problems across all Malibu years.