The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving on several occasions, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated; however, the power steering failure message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who provided the contact with a Technical Service Bulletin regarding the repair for the power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced TSB: 14116 as a possible solution; however, the repair was not covered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 235,000.
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx loss of power problems
76 of the 1,074 owner complaints about the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx describe sudden loss of power, most of them for the 2004 model year.
- owner complaints
- 76
- worst model year
- 2004
- typical repair cost reported
- $800
- typical mileage
- 95,000
Is there a fix? No recall or service bulletin covers this area of the car yet.
By model year
Often reported together
Power steering loss 62Steering noise 4Harsh shifting 3Pulling 1Engine failure 1Check engine light 1
What owners say
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14E044000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with power steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 206,203.
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road and stop the vehicle. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was not diagnosed due to the mechanics being unable to replicate the failure. The contact became aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that her husband manually steered the vehicle and veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that her husband turned off and restarted the vehicle and the power steering functionality returned. The contact's husband continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the power steering control module, steering control module, and torque sensors needed to be replaced. The dealer also advised the contact that she would be responsible for the cost of the repair as an unknown recall had expired in 2014. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking space, the vehicle inadvertently lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light illuminated. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the steering wheel remained difficult to steer. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence with manual steering. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 140,000. Consumer stated "Failed component/part Information", it is incorrect to identify the failure in the hydraulic power assist/power steering fluid. The power steering on my car is electrical assist.
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 chevrolet malibu maxx. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the steering lost power. In an attempt to make a left turn, another vehicle crashed into the front driver's side of the contact's vehicle. The front driver's air bag exploded and struck the driver in the face. The driver sustained injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a tow yard. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
Lost power steering on acceleration onto highway several times over the last 2 weeks. Could not steer untill it reset at speeds of 50+ MPH
Power steering loss: when starting the car and attempting to drive, the power steering light intermittently displays on the dashboard and power steering is no longer active. If the driver stops the vehicle and turns the engine off, the power steering may be reactivated by restarting. This vehicle had a recall issue serviced at a gm dealer for a torque sensor on 10/8/2014. 3-1/2 years / 30,000 miles later, the vehicle was just diagnosed with the same issue (torque sensor) at around $800. The dealer and gm is refusing to provide any financial assistance with this current repair. It is very frustrating that a safety issue such as this, which appears to be a common issue for this model year, is not backed by the manufacturer. The loss of power steering, requiring extensive effort to turn, can potentially cause personal injury or death to this vehicle's occupants as well as others. If a repair for a safety recall only lasts 30,000 miles before resurfacing, I would call this a temporary band-aid, not a "repair".
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx loss of power
Which Chevrolet Malibu Maxx years have sudden loss of power problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2004 (35 complaints), 2006 (27 complaints) and 2005 (14 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix sudden loss of power on the Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $800 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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