My malibu maxx power steering light comes on while driver intermittently. I had the steering column replaced in 2008 for another issue. I know some day the steering will fail at a most critical time. Please investigate this and other steering column problems continue to occur. I can not buy another chevy with this kind of workmanship. Not looking good for the bailout repayment promise.
2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering complaints
Page 6 of 10: complaints 131 to 160 of 251, newest first, as owners wrote them.
I have a 2004 malibu maxx and I was driving on the freeway and lost my power steering in the vehicle while exiting on a ramp that turned 360 degrees... I suddenly had to fight with all my might to keep the car on the road and nearly crashed. I've been researching this issue and it is a highly known issue on the internet. If I turn off the car and restart it moments later it will work for a while then fail again unexpectedly... Dangerous!!! Very dangerous! I'm in the process of contacting a gm service department for a fix... But please help the tens of thousands of drivers on the road who are unsuspecting of this known issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 malibu max. The contact was driving 30 MPH when the power steering assist malfunctioned as the steering wheel became tightened. The power steering warning light was illuminated just before the failure and the contact stated that the vehicle became extremely difficult to control. The failure was experienced a minimum of three times and the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was informed that the power steering sensor failed and would need repairing. The vehicle was not repaired. There were no recalls for the vehicle. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. The contact was driving 35 MPH when the power steering failed. The steering wheel became firm and the vehicle was uncontrollable. The engine was shut off and when restarted, the power steering was reset and the vehicle resumed normal operation. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted in regards to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 03/24/11*lj updated 04/07/11
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. While driving 5 MPH, the power steering locked up suddenly. The engine was turned off, restarted and the steering reset itself. The contact planned to have the vehicle inspected by an authorized dealer. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 65,000.
Power steering column is about to fail for the third time. First time at 45,000 miles, second time at 83,000, now at 169,000.
In a turn at higher speeds, the steering wheel becomes stiff, hard to turn, and the bell alarm goes off.
I own a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. The power steering in the vehicle goes out while the car is in motion. When power steering goes out, I have to stop the vehicle where I am and turn the car off and restart the vehicle to get power steering to come back on. Also the left turn signal light continues to go out. I have replaced the light several times and it continues to blow after a day. The turn signal being out makes it hard for me to turn when at stop signs. Other drivers don't know I am turning and try to drive while I am making a turn.
Steering column failure, lack of control over vehicle.
Loss of power steering. Was leaving a parking lot and pulling out onto street when power steering stopped working. Steering wheel then abruptly felt seized for a moment causing me to go straight into opposite lane. Then was able to regain control however steering with great difficulty to nearest dealer. When at dealer asked about recall or bulletin. Dealer said there was none, however they offered a fifty /fifty split to repair. Strange if they didn't think it was a defect. Refused service and contacted manufacture, they said my vehicle didn't qualify for "special recall" . My car was an 04 "special recall" is for 05, I asked for an exception stating that it is the same part, they refused. One month later my car is totaled and it no longer has power steering.
My 2004 chevorlet malibu maxx has had repeated failure of the electronic power steering. The power steering has failed at both low and high rates of speed. The power steering assist goes out and makes the vehicle nearly impossible to steer.
I was driving on highway at 35mph and I changed lanes. Upon steering to the right, the steering wheel locked up completely and a noise like the ding an open door makes sounded twice. I was able to make it to the side of the road. I turned off the car while I tried to catch my breath from being frightened. When I restarted the car everything was fine. I decided to drive through the parking lot making turns to see if it would happen again and it didn't. I am just very lucky that traffic was light today and I wasn't hit!
Getting "power steering error" intermittently since last one year. The error message goes away at restart, but comes back again later. This is serious matter as it could mean loss of power to the steering and may result in a crash. Please investigate it and have it recalled before some one gets killed.
I own a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx VIN [xxx]. Every time I accelerate during a turn, the steering wheel locks, making it near impossible to turn the wheel. The lock stops when I let up on the gas. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
I have had my 2004 malibu maxx since november 2007. I have never had any issues with the power steering until today (november 1st, 2010). I was trying to make a left turn when the check engine light came on, a few "dings" sounded, and the steering locked up. I was able to steer it to the shoulder to get out of the way of traffic. I had absolutely no idea what to do after that. I turned the car off, then on again, and the light was no longer on and the steering was fine. About 15 minutes after that when I was trying to make a slight right turn to exit the highway, it happened all over again. Thank god I wasn't going that fast both times. The second time, I turned the car off again and the car was fine after I turned it back on. I decided to research the issue and I am amazed that there are so many issues with the steering with this year, make, and model and nothing is being done about it. I am scared out of my mind to drive that car now.
2004 malibu maxx power steering cuts out while driving. Must put car in park turn it off and restart. Happens in the winter. Found on internet that other people have had the same problem. Happened numerous times last winter.
I have a 2004 chevy malibu maxx that I bought in may, 2006. About a year ago, while driving, the power steering went out. I searched for recalls and called a chevrolet dealer. In my research I have found that I am not the only one with this problem. Not long after this, gm recalled the chevy cobalt and some pontiac models for the same thing. Everything that I have read says that you can still steer at the speed consistent with being on the interstate. My problem is, I live and work in a small town. It has now done this on me several times and at the slow speeds for a small town, I have trouble steering. Two of these times that the power steering went out I was at an intersection. Trying to take off and cross the intersection when this happens is very difficult. This is going to cause an accident. I want to know what gm is going to do about this problem.
Failure of power steering while accelerating vehicle. Steering direction becomes impossible to change until acceleration ceases. This has supposedly been fixed by the dealership two times previous to today. The last time it was fixed was only two weeks ago and while I was driving the kids into school this morning, the steering locked up, the dinging sound turned on, and the message board read power steering along with a tool that lit up on the dashboard.
I was driving back home at night after work a hour away to bowie tx I work in fort worth. Going on hwy 287 which is a big hwy for traveling rigs, I was going 65 MPH and I came to a turning the hwy and my power steering just goes out with any warning. I slammed on my brakes tapping the wall in the median. Looked on the information board and it said power steering. The next morning I looked on the internet and found around 10 to 15 websites that had this complaint with the chevrolet malibu maxx. I called gm chevrolet in north richland hills and the on in decatur and they both told me that the know this is a big deal the know about it but at this time there is nothing they can do for me. This is my wife's car and lucky this day I took it instead for her and my 3 year old son.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. The contact was driving 25 MPH when the steering wheel froze and would not respond. The contact was unable to control the vehicle as it abnormally pulled to the left across several lanes and crashed into a ditch. The contact sustained bruising on the shoulder and neck from the seat belt. A police report was available. The vehicle was towed to a local auto body repair facility where the steering column was ruled as the cause of the crash. The steering column was replaced. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 122,000. Updated 12/09/10 *bf according to the police report, the consumer stated the power steering failed. Updated 12/13/10*jb updated 4/29/14*cn updated 05/15/14
2004 malibu max power steering fails with no warning! It hasn't happened just once, but many times in the past few months. Took car to the dealer, they can only find 1 of the components to do the repair. Said it could take up to 3 months to get the part. Then the repair is going to cost a total of $1200.00. I have read hundreds complaints about the same thing happening. When are they going to do a recall? How many people have to die first? I don't want to be one of them. When is someone going to do something about this. I see that the federal safety agency closed the investigation of the matter in 2004. What's that? Open it up again.
Electric power steering suddenly fails resulting in loss of power steering assistance.
I have a 2004 malibu max. I have had problems with the steering column for the past 1 1/2 years. The rack and pinion and steering column was replaced last year after the power steering kept going out. A year later and the rack and pinion as been replaced again! The steering column is going to have to be replaced again as well! The power steering goes keeps going out, but if I turn the car off and back on it corrects the problem temporarily. There is no warning before it goes out. The 2005 has a recall out on it but not the 2004 and it is the same problem!
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. The contact was driving at approximately 35 MPH when the power steering failed. The power steering warning light was illuminated as the vehicle independently veered off to the right. The contact was unable to maintain control of the vehicle and drove up a sidewalk, barely missing a mailbox. The contact shut off the vehicle and when restarting, the vehicle resumed normal operation. The vehicle was not yet taken to the dealer for a diagnostic of the failure. The failure and current mileages were approximately 110,000.
Driving down the highway and power steering warning and chime start, then power steering goes out. After stopping for a while and starting the car it worked. Brought it to a chevy dealer and they said the steering column needed to be replaced to the tune of $650.00. After researching this problem I discovered hundreds of malibu owners with the same issue. An obvious design and engineering flaw from gm. I can't understand that this has not been a recall item due to the number of complaints.
I have a 2004 chevrolet- malibu maxx lt. The power steering kept on going out with out warning. First time it did it, it almost caused an accident. I pulled over. I shut off the car and turned it back on. I was thinking maybe it was just a one time problem. It didn't happen again for 2 weeks. Then the second time happened. It was without warning as well. So, I did the same as before shut it down and restarted it. It worked for a minute. Right when I was getting ready to drive it did it again. So, shut it off then turned it on. It happened about 5 times in one day. So, I took it to a drive train place since I was told that my power steering was in my transmission. They said that it was my power steering and told me how its not like it was before. That my power steering was in my steering column. So, it quit doing it for about a month and then all of a sudden I couldn't even get it reset when I was shutting it off and back on. So, I took it to a place I always go and they looked at it and knew the exact problem. I spent $643.65 getting it fixed. They told me to look online and see if there are other complaints. Here are a few sites http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu/2004/steering/power_steering_going_out_intermittently.shtml , http://carblog.classifieds1000.com/recall_issues/20090114-133923-power_steering_problems_on_chevy_malibu_seeking_recall , http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/malibu/2004/investigations.shtml there are so many complaints about this problem that it needs to be corrected before it takes someones life.
2004 chevy malibu maxx 60000 miles- power steering failure while driving. Dealer had replaced the steering column twice already as well as the steering rack twice. Car is now out of warranty and steering froze up again and almost caused major accident. Dealer says its $700 to repair.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. The contact stated the power steering would intermittently fail when driving at 60 MPH or less. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where he was informed the power steering motor would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 83,000 and the current mileage was 93,000.
2004 chevrolet malibu steering:electric power suddenly lost all electric power steering assistance without warning making the vehicle difficult to steer. There is no allege to this issue it happens without warning. This is unacceptable. Does someone have to die before this is addressed? I am hoping it is not my daughter.
Chevy malibu maxx 04 steering catches in hard left or right turns with shifting and grating sounds. Complain since new with steering shaft replaced (about 40,000) and other work. Numerous complaints about this issue. Car has 90,0000 now and the noise and steering issues have been getting worse. Dealer says about $300 to replace with no guarantee that it will fix the problem. I feel it is a safety issue and am afraid to drive the car.
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