2004 Chevrolet Malibu: harsh or hard shifting

Filed Sep 20, 2020 · Steering · 170,000 miles · CO

It feels as though the steering is loosening. Alignment is off as well. Both issues began about the same time. A dull clunking sound can be heard when turning right. This car appears to have already had the steering replaced from the 2014 recall but I believe the replacement parts are also defunct and should and will be recalled again. It is not seemingly dependent on set RPM or MPH to make the noise or feel loose in my hands. It is intermittent and unpredictable. Cruise control still working, eps light not lit. Struts are going so may be the issue. Just in case it is the power steering having not properly been repaired after the recall, or repaired with shoddy parts, I thought it best to report the issue. Lives were lost to the ignition switch failures from chevy, luckily I pulled into a shop immediately after my car shut off the first time and got it repaired. Months later people were dying. Friends of mine. Not me. I trusted my gut. I knew that was dangerous and I have the same inclination now with this issue.

Filed Apr 17, 2019 · Brakes, Driver assistance · VA

Clunking sound that you can feel in the foot pedal and when you rock steering wheel back in forth and clunking noise coming from front endin steering wheel and unable to control vehicle felling over loosing control of car

Filed Dec 18, 2017 · Steering · 200,000 miles · MI

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 15 MPH, the steering wheel became loose and made a clunking and rattling noise. While driving over a bump and making turns, the steering wheel rattled and felt very loose. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the rack and pinion and intermediate shaft failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a gm dealer. No further assistance was offered. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

Filed Aug 5, 2016 · Steering · 38,000 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 10 MPH and turning, the vehicle made clunking noises. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and the steering shaft was lubricated. The failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the intermediate steering shaft needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

Filed Jul 8, 2016 · Steering · 98,000 miles · IL

Complete steering failure. Steering has made "clunking" sounds for years (since about 1 year after new), and has been "repaired" several times previously, only once under warranty. Action: suddenly, while driving, the steering wheel began "ratcheting" when making a turn, and the wheels would not respond to the direction of the steering wheel. Did not cause accident, but badly frightened the driver. Repair required replacement of the rack & pinion assembly plus the steering shaft (rusty) for a total cost of $1,300 (including $100 "fee" imposed by gm to be able to keep the failed parts). The failed parts are available for examination by the federal safety agency if needed.

Filed May 12, 2015 · Steering · 170,000 miles · MI

Driving grand children home from school, turned in driveway and car made loud chatter and clunk sound like something was coming apart or falling out. When the noise happened steering wheel kept spinning freely! Received a letter saying this exact thing may happen would be fixed free of charge under 150,000 miles. Car is at 170,000 they will not repair saying extended warranty issue and not recall. Mind boggling how they can be allowed to issue recall for steering motor that may cause vechile to steer harder a safety issue and when your in the process of turning and steering wheel spins freely isn't a safety issue but extended warranty issue. Had we been turning as we were a short time before that at a busy intersection we could have been injured or killed!! This seems completely idiotic how hard steering that could happen such as like when a car didn't have power steering was declared safety issue but extended warranty issue when you lose the ability to steer and steering wheel just spins. How many injuries or deaths have to occur before they are made to fix this issue. They want $900 for part alone. How could they possibly put a mile limit of 150,000 on something that can cause crash causing injury or death!!! This dangerous condition needs to be made public and corrected. Because manufacturer neglected to put an umbrella seal a very cheap part peoples lives are at risk and it is a costly repair due to neglect on manufacturers part!!

Filed Nov 8, 2014 · Steering · 3,000 miles · IL

The vehicle has a loud clunking sound, when ever turning the steering wheel either to the right or left. The sound comes from below in the engine compartment and is heard constantly inside the vehicle. I find it hard to believe that the intermediate steering shaft in this vehicle is not on the recall list with the other 3 notices to this vehicle?

Filed Jul 10, 2013 · Electrical, Steering · 65,000 miles · VA

We bought the car used with 34,000 miles on it in 3/2006.there was a clunking in the steering when the steering wheel was turned. The dealership replaced the steering column on 12/2007 with 66,000 miles. The clunking was still there and we were told that this is normal. Since then the steering has gotten worse. The dealership has tried to find the problem but says it can find nothing wrong. Yet sometimes the steering will lockup at low speed when backing up or turning while stopped. It has not done this while driving at road speed (or I would not drive it). However at road speed the steering is very vague. It requires an almost quarter turn of the steering wheel to get the car to respond to a steering input to turn left or right. This is not safe. There is also warning lights that come on the dash, and warning bells that sound, and sometimes they go back off other times car needs to shut off and restarted and it is ok then. Check engine light stays on most of the time, again dealership can not find the problem. Sometimes the whole dash cluster goes out, the car stays running and they come back on after a time and again if you cut off and restart the car it is ok again for a while. The car currently has 150,000 on it and I have an independent mechanic checking it over to see if he can find the problem. The chevrolet dealership can't find what is wrong to fix it, or so they say.

Filed Oct 17, 2011 · Steering · 44,000 miles · MI

Clunking in front end. Taken to dealer and rack and pinion replaced under warranty. Two years later, clunking is back. Taken to dealer and steering shaft replaced at my expense. One year ago, the clunking is back and I didn't take it in. Now the power steering is going out completely when I am driving. I have to pull over and shut the car off and restart and that takes care of problem. This is dangerous and gm needs to fix it.

Filed Jun 28, 2011 · Steering · 2,000 miles · TX

A clunking noise was discovered during driving my new car. Send it back to the dealership and it was greased and it stopped for awhile. I have had 4 different chevy dealerships in central texas look at it since it was a new car. It still has that noise and 190,000 miles on it. If when and how can it be fixed?

Filed Apr 25, 2011 · Acceleration, Brakes · 100,000 miles · IN

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the steering column would become loose while driving at any speed and the wheel would sporadically shake when driving over 50 MPH. In addition the power steering warning light was illuminated when the failure would occur. The contact stated the failure was the second occurrence and the steering column was replaced in 2007. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired for the recent failure. The failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 115,000. The consumer stated the vehicle made a clunking, knocking and rattling sound when driven at a low grade speed and when the steering wheel was turned. The vehicle also shook violently. The driver seat didn't to stay on track and was difficult to adjust forward and backward. The horn and cruise control were inoperative. The brake and accelerator pedals no longer adjusted. The safety locks did not latch at times when the button was pushed and the gas cap continued to open after it was locked causing the engine light to illuminate. Updated 02/01/12

Filed Feb 21, 2011 · Steering · 50,000 miles · MI

The power steering intermittently goes out and when turning there are loud clunking sounds. This has happened numerous times and has almost caused multiple accidents. Currently we do not drive the car often because of the safety concerns.