2005 Chevrolet Malibu: jerking or lurching

Filed Aug 4, 2025 · Electrical, Steering · KS

The EPS began sporadically and severely jerking the steering very powerfully while driving and stationary and draining the battery at an accelerated rate necessitating multiple replacements of and charging 2 batteries to get to and from my job and anywhere else making everyday life very difficult beginning in early 2024. A couple months before this issue became a daily and constant occurrence in in February 2024 between the 6th and 13th I had a stabilizer link and control arm on the right side replaced and an alignment done at Firestone, on the document for the alignment it states no manufacturers recommended services necessary on suspension. The mechanic who replaced the parts told me that the EPS issue is a likely cause for the steering system damage as a vehicle is not meant to remain stationary while the wheels are forcibly turned as is the case when the EPS takes over and jerks the wheel often to the extremes of its function. I have video of this on multiple occasions and it can be inspected still occuring. I took it to Hendrick Chevrolet Shawnee Mission in April 2024 and explained the services done recently and the mechanics opinion on the EPS. They held my vehicle for 3 days not saying it would take so long, during which I had to use a truck I had just bought and was not ready to be driven to get to work, it's transmission blew and has sat since. They called me to come pick it up and only once there told me they had refused to replace the recalled EPS unit "due to loose steering" as quoted from the document Given to me. I asked them to reconsider since this was the only vehicle I had running and charging batteries and being nearly forced off of the road or into other cars daily was very concerning, they simply told me to take it to another dealership for "a second opinion" I stated I didn't have time for another dealer to hold my car for days because my truck had just gone OOC, they held their position and I drove it until forced to buy a new car in 03/2025

Filed Apr 2, 2021 · Steering · 153,740 miles · OR

Electrical power steering intermittently stops working while driving. The duration of the failure might be short period or extended period. When it occurs and in a turn, the steering wheel jerks from your hand and is difficult to complete the turn. The frequency of occurrence has increased as we no longer drive the car. Recall repair was performed less than 10k miles ago and gm is not warranting their safety recall work. Recall was done in 2014 w/ 147k miles and now have 154k miles.

Filed Sep 23, 2020 · Steering · 147,000 miles · WA

Loss of power steering while turning and steering wheel jerked hard as if to straighten itself. This occurred during driving. We took the vehicle to dealer and was told the gm service bulletin 14116 only covers steering position sensors, but not motors. But on other comparable models, it's the motor, not sensors. Now these are of the same system and components. Why?!

Filed Sep 8, 2020 · Steering · 165,000 miles · SC

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that she attempted to make a left turn however, the steering wheel jerked in the opposite direction. The contact stopped the vehicle to straighten the steering wheel. The contact was unable to complete the left turn and continued driving straight ahead. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 165,000.

Filed Nov 5, 2019 · Steering · 200,000 miles · MN

I was driving through my school campus parking lot. Nothing new. I made a sharp turn onto a different aisle. Mid turn, my steering wheel jerked out of my hands in the opposite direction. I slammed on my break to avoid crashing. After that, I had no power steering and the wheel continued to jerk. Luckily I wasn't far from my parking spot. The next day (today), I went to check it out. But after starting the car, all seemed fine. I drove it around the campus a bit without any noticeable issues. So then I decided to run some errands. Less than two miles away the lights on my dash started to go crazy. All the lights were taking turns flashing and beeping (check engine light, battery light, brake light, etc). Then the steering went out again while I was on the main road. I was able to manhandle the wheel enough to get it into a grocery store parking lot. I was able to get it back home, but I'm scared to drive anywhere. I found some people with the same exact issue. And all of them said it was resolved after filing at the federal safety agency.

Filed Nov 7, 2018 · Driver assistance, Seat belts · 180,000 miles · CA

I was on my way to work driving on the 405 freeway in california going around a ramp in my steering wheel locked up on me I hit the brake it released the next morning on my way back home from work I was on my way on the freeway so I accelerate on the gas and my steering wheel locked up as soon as I took my foot off the ignition gas it released. And just recently about 3 days ago today is november 7th so november 2nd on my way home from work all of this happened on my way to work in from work but on my way from work I went down to start my car and steering wheel starts shaking real bad start jerking real bad and from there other things to start happening to the car steering wheel starts shaking real bad as I put on my seatbelt the seatbelt sign will not go off and we'll make a beeping sound every few minutes also the total contraction sign also cut on and then for some reason I had a half tank of gas in my tank but the fuel light will come cut on and on the dash will save fuel low when I had just filled the tank up

Filed Apr 7, 2018 · Steering · 122,616 miles · MI

Backing up in parking lot, turning, car had hard time turning, turned other way and it felt like it jerked, ( skipped a few teeth) now steering out of alignment and won't steer very good. Had to have it towed to sons house.

Filed Feb 15, 2018 · Steering · 165,000 miles · WI

Power assist steering goes out intermittently jerks steering wheel stationary jerking power assist goes out when moving

Filed Feb 2, 2018 · Steering · 214,967 miles · WV

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. While driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel jerked and became loose. The power steering warning indicator illuminated after the failure occurred. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact referenced the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v153000 (steering) as a possible solution. The failure mileage was 214,967.

Filed Mar 27, 2017 · Steering · 97,000 miles · MI

My 2005 malibu is experiencing intermittent failure of the power steering assist, and a related "jerking" in the steering wheel which stops when the power steering goes out. Sometimes the power steering is out when the car is started, but other times it has happened while driving. If this were to happen during a turn or on a curve, it could possibly cause an accident. I didn't own the car at the time, but it was serviced under the march 2014 recall for this exact problem in november 2017. Because of this, and because the warranty period is over, gm is unwilling to give further assistance for this dangerous fault.

Filed Nov 6, 2014 · Steering, Transmission · 32,600 miles · DC

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired according to the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control), but the failure was not corrected. The vehicle experienced several failures after the repair. The steering wheel locked, the windows did not open or close, and the vehicle jerked while driving and when changing gears into drive or reverse. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 32,600.

Filed Sep 12, 2014 · Brakes, Engine · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu. The contact received a recall notification for the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). While the vehicle was at a complete stop, it jerked violently. The contact had to exert force on the brake pedal to keep the vehicle at a stop. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.