While driving my 1998 chevrolet malibu at slow speed (luckily), the steering make a crunching noise and completely failed. This cause the complete loss of control of the vehicle. The steering wheel would simply spin, with no effect on the actual steering gearbox. There was no longer any mechanical connection between the steering column and the rack and pinion gear. The vehicle was towed to my mother's home about a mile away and there was an initial inspection by my stepfather (a 25 year veteran of the automobile business). He stated that he had never seen a failure like this and suggested that a contact chevrolet to see if there were any recalls on this, which I did. He also checked and there was one in the steering column bearing and it was completed in 2004 on this vehicle. I contacted gm by e-mail and they called and told me that they were not going to participate in any repairs. I subsequently had the vehicle towed to a local garage and they did a preliminary diagnosis and advised me of the nature of the failure (along with a $900 estimate to repair it). They also stated that they had never seen a failure like this. The main concern was that we were extremely lucky that this happened in a parking lot and not on the highway, as the resultant loss of control would likely have cost us our lives.
1998 Chevrolet Malibu: clunking or noise when steering
5 of the 975 complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu describe clunking or noise when steering.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- recalls
- 1
Clunking or noise when steering by model year
What owners say
While attempting a left turn the wheel became difficult to turn as if the power steering had gone out. Clunking noise was heard and wheel suddenly surged to the right. Wheel has become increasingly difficult to turn left accompanied by strain on the power steering. Problem has not been fixed.
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds and turning there is a noise coming from the steering. The noise is more noticeable while driving at lower speeds. The dealership determined the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. There have been no repairs made. There is a the federal safety agency recall, # 03v527000, regarding the rack and pinion. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the VIN. Updated 4/6/2006 - repairs have been made.
When driving 10 MPH consumer turned the steering wheel towards the left and steering wheel made a grinding noise. Also, brakes were difficult to depress. Consumer was able to control the vehicle, and towed it to dealership for inspection.
When the gas tank was full the gas gauge read empty and when the gas tank was empty the gas gauge read full. *ak the steering wheel made noises, the A/C light did not stay on and the A/C blew hot air when the button was not activated, the key would come out of the ignition and would not stay in and the vehicle would still drive without the key in the ignition. The brakes would have to be replaced at least twice a year, the antenna did not pick up an adequate number of stations, (case efficiency decreased from 350 to 250 to refill the can), when two batteries were replaced, the gas gauge did not work, and condensation would set in the rear lights and burned them out. *sc
Service bulletins that may apply
Related recalls
Steering: rack and pinion
- What is wrong
- Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
- Risk
- If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080; chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537; or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668.
Recall number 03V527000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu steering noise
Is clunking or noise when steering a common problem on the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu?
5 of 975 owner complaints about the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu (1%) mention clunking or noise when steering. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu?
There is 1 recall and 3 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
Premature wear 53ABS 50Wipers 40Grinding brakes 35Coil spring 28Stalling 28Headlights 26Overheating 24Brake failure 23Ball joint 21Won't start 18Tire blowout 14Power steering loss 13Fuel pump 12Check engine light 11Adaptive cruise 10No deployment 10Engine failure 10Seat belt 10Shudder 9Loss of power 8Knocking 7Harsh shifting 7Jerking 7Pulling 7Fire or smoke 6Airbag light 5Slipping 5Water leak 5
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