40 complaints reported

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Exterior Lighting

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
40
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Oct 2015

WAS HEADING HOME FROM WORK AND MY LOW BEAMS WOULD NOT COME ON. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WORK BUT LOW BEAMS WILL NOT. HIGH BEAMS WILL COME ON. SOMETIMES WITH THE HIGH BEAMS YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE SWITCH FOR THEM TO STAY ON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2015
Feb 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FOLLOWING DAY, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V251000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Nov 2015
Dec 2014

PASSENGER HEADLIGHT STARTED BLINKING TURNING OFF, HIT A BUMP THEN COMES BACK ON, WE CHANGED BULB AND LIGHT WORKED FOR TWO DAYS THEN WENT OUT CAME BACK ON FOR A MOMENT THEN WENT BACK OUT. THE BULBS ARE GOOD SO I SUSPECT A WIRING PROBLEM. THERE IS ABOUT 60,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS A HAZARD I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH HIGH BEAMS ON. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2014
Jun 2014

LOW BEAMS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS NOT WORKING. REPLACE WIRE HARNESS ON BOTH LIGHTS AND LIGHT BULBS TWICE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2013
Oct 2013

BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON WHILE CAR IS MOVING ,THEN THEY GO OFF WHEN BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED OFF AND ON AGAIN PROBLEM. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2013
Sep 2013

BRAKE LIGHTS ARE STAYING LIT WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT GO OFF. RETURNED CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR THE THIRD TIME FOR SAME ISSUE. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Sep 2013
Aug 2013

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND AN UNKNOWN REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR MOST RECENT FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jun 2009
Mar 2013

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. THE FIRST COUPLE OF TIMES I TOOK IT IN, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD NOT FIX/DIAGNOSE IT UNLESS IT WAS DOING THIS RIGHT THEN. WELL ANOTHER SHOP FOUND A SAFETY BULLETIN ON THIS ISSUE AND COMPLETED THE RECOMMENDED FIX. THIS WORKED FOR QUITE A WHILE UNTIL NOW AND HERE WE ARE AGAIN. I WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER DRIVER TAKING FAULTY ACTION THINKING I AM BRAKING, WHEN I AM NOT. ALSO IT HAS BECOME A RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE AND I SEE OTHER OWNERS ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Mar 2013
Nov 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED WITHOUT THE BRAKE PEDAL BEING ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Dec 2012
Oct 2012

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS ERRONEOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2012
Jan 2012

VEHICLE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ON WITH OUT ANY APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE PEDAL. VEHICLE ALSO HAS ADJUSTABLE PEDALS, YOU CAN MOVE PEDALS FORWARD OR BACK AND GET LIGHT TO GO OUT. GENERAL MOTORS HAS REPLACE BRAKE SWITCH ONCE. LITTLE OVER A YEAR LATER VEHICLE IS DOING EXACT THING AGAIN. THERE IS A BRAKE POSITION SENSOR IN THIS SYSTEM AND IT APPEARS TO BE LOSING ITS CALIBRATION WHEN PEDALS ARE MOVED CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO COME ON. THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE CONDITION FOR ANYBODY FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE OR RIDING IN IT. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Oct 2010
Nov 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Aug 2011
Aug 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS. THE BRAKE LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,757.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 2011
Jun 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED BOTH WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT. THERE WERE NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SENSOR, FUSE AND OTHER PARTS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: May 2010
Mar 2010

2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TURN SIGNAL CANNOT BE HEARD WHEN THE CLIMATE CONTROL OR THE RADIO ARE OPERATING. *TGW

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU, Manufacturer: General Motors, LLC
Incident: Jan 1901

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu has 40 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.