Chevrolet›Malibu Classic›2008›Overview/chevrolet/malibu-classic/2008/base/

2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Malibu Classic.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic is a passenger car whose engine takes 5W-30 API oil at a 5-quart capacity, placing it within the conventional sedan mainstream of its era. Its reliability profile, however, is far from ordinary: 1,008 owner complaints have been logged against this model year, with steering emerging as the dominant complaint area, alongside five recalls. For anyone researching this vehicle, those numbers position the 2008 Classic as a notably problematic chapter in the Malibu's reliability history — one where steering concerns and recall frequency should be treated as primary considerations rather than edge cases.

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 90 · 590 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12690386. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 90 · 590 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT P225/50R17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12690386 alt 12731179
Engine air filter22676970 alt 10366901
Spark plug19300872 alt 12681663
Front wiper blades19432583 alt 19432584
Serpentine belt12594450 alt 12639468
Thermostat12622410 alt 12591881

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length191.7 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Track (front / rear)59.8 / 60.2 in

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity4.2-6.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts10 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub159 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.00 oz
RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.10 lbs
Oil GroupPAG

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature185-206 °F
Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief20 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle96 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle96 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.023 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 12574 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 12574 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1installation, 92 ft. lbs., step 2: remove bolt, step 3: install new bolt, 92 ft. lbs., step 4: 13092 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 15074 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Classic dominate in one area — the steering, 346 of 1,008 reports (34%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 32 of the reports describe a crash and 5 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
1075
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,008
Owner complaints
32 involved a crash · 5 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,008 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering346
Electrical System51
Power Train47
Exterior Lighting40
Air Bags37
Latches/Locks/Linkages29
Electrical System,Latches/Locks/Linkages26
Steering,Electrical System25

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 1075 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Malibu Classic. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 90 batteryVehicles taking 5 qtEngine oil filter 12690386Engine air filter 22676970Spark plug 19300872Front wiper blades 19432583

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Malibu Classic take?

5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Malibu Classic have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.