I was driving at a busy time of the day and my steering wheel became almost impossible to turn, and it felt as though my whole car turned off but I gave it gas and went to nearest place I could pull over and noticed my radio was showing that steering fluid or something like that was on the digital part of my radio, so I googled what could the problem be and it said the steering is being recalled or something like that for steering problems, I am driving the car as little as possible because that was very scary especially driving through main street in my town, thank god i was only going 25 miles an hour or this could have really caused major problems. Please let me know what to do next [XXX] [XXX] thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems
812 complaints (73% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 85,000. 23 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 812
- of this car's complaints
- 73%
- typical mileage
- 85,000
- crashes
- 23
- recalls
- 2
Which part fails
- Electric power assist system11
- Column7
- Rack and pinion: rack2
- Rack and pinion2
- Rack and pinion: pinion shaft1
- Linkages: tie rod assembly1
- Hydraulic power assist: pump1
- Hydraulic power assist system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Chevrolet Malibu steering problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Power steering loss 239Steering lock-up 118Steering noise 34Pulling 18
Related recalls
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
- Risk
- If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1‑800‑762‑2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V‑153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.
Recall number 15V064000 · Recall details
Steering: electric power assist system
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
- Risk
- If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, Saturn at 1‑800‑553‑6000, and Pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
Recall number 14V153000 · Recall details
What 2006 Chevrolet Malibu owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
When i drive the car power steering goes out totally and bings when it goes out.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while pulling out of a parking space, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, causing the steering wheel to become difficult to turn. The power steering warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was pushed back into the parking space. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The contact stated that the steering gear was previously replaced due to a similar failure. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not associated with the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.
The power steering went out on the car as I was driving down the highway going 65 mph
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. There were three audible dings with the message "Power Steering" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact reset the steering wheel and the battery, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with STRG shaft torque failure. The contact was informed that the STRG shaft torque needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The contact was made aware of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the recall repair was performed in 2015. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
My power steering goes in and out as I'm driving depending on the speed. I have trouble swerving if needed because the power steering is not working correctly all the time.
Power steering warning light appeared then steering wheel tightened while slowing down to make a turn into my apartment. This occured two times in 3 weeks.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, an alarm sounded, and the message "Power Steering Failure" was displayed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road to restart the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Another local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering); however, the contact stated that the vehicle was never repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
I purchased this car about a month ago in April of 2025 as of today June 2025 I have lose my power steering it’s so hard to turn and I’ve called the dealership and they told me the car has already been fixed for the recall and it was odviously not because the problem is still present!
Questions about the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering
Does the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu have steering problems?
Owners have filed 812 complaints about the steering of the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu, 73% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 85,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering?
Yes, 2 recalls: 15V064000, 14V153000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Chevrolet Malibu have bad steering?
The Chevrolet Malibu model years with the most steering complaints are 2006 (812 complaints), 2004 (799 complaints) and 2009 (769 complaints).
Other 2006 Chevrolet Malibu problems
Electrical 142Fuel system 96Brakes 71Lights 63Engine 58Transmission 43Acceleration 35Airbags 34Driver assistance 31Suspension 15Seats 8Wheels 7Body 6Seat belts 5Tires 5Visibility 4Locks 3
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