While driving vehicle I notice a fair amount of play in the steering system. When I was at a stop light I observed the steering wheel would shimmy or move right to left on its own. I am not a mechanic but I knew from years of driving that steering was an issue. We took the car in for service and was informed that they would reprogram the steering system and if it recurred they would have to replace the steering motor. This didn't repair the problem and it proceeded to get worst. I contacted gm customer service and received little to no assistance. They did inform me of a bulletin that had been issued and contacted the dealership. This I assumed would resolve the issue, but it didn't. The dealership claimed that gm would only authorize the replacement of the steering column, which was done or so I was told. This didn't resolve the problem as not only do have the shimmy, while driving the power steering stops working and the car becomes difficult to steer. When this occurs warning chimes sound and power steering appears in information area. This is a very serious issue that the manufacture needs to address before something serious happens.
2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints
Page 16 of 28: complaints 431 to 460 of 812, newest first, as owners wrote them.
As I was driving I have had the problem multi times over last couple years as u are driving out of know where the power staring comes across the radio and dings then the power steering is gone I have to put in neutral and then turn on and off the car to reset. It I have kids and it very dangerous to be driving this way why is it that ny car is not in the recall I am not happy about this and want it fixed know.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 MPH, the air bag warning indicator illuminated. The failure was recurring for one month. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 115,690. ..updated 04-23-14 *bf the consumer stated the dealer refused to perform a diagnostic test on the air bag because the warning light was not illuminated. Updated 04/24/2014
Steering pops and snaps. Sometimes feels like it has a "catch" in it or about to lock up. I know you have had many complaints about 06 malibus. Are you going to wait until it's a fiasco and more people die like the current cobalt and hhr mess? This malibu problem should have been recalled years ago. I have talked, networked with many other malibu owners. You need to stop coddling and snuggling with gm and get these malibus recalled for steering safety issues. They are unsafe! I can see a class action lawsuit also naming you as complicite. Do your job and quit sucking gm.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while starting the ignition, the steering wheel seized with the illumination of the power steering warning indicator. The engine was turned off. After restarting, the vehicle resumed normally. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 170,166.
When vehicle was started power steering appeared across the radio and also loss of power steering was a result. Since then while driving the power steering will come across the radio and also a loss of power steering occurs while driving.
I have an 06 malibu that lost power steering for no reason I was able to drive home steering was extremely hard I have been reading the website about recalls and was wondering if my vehicle was under this recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering became inoperable. The failure recurred intermittently over several years. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the mechanic diagnosed that the steering column would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 10,768.
At a slight bend in the road the power steering fails. Warning sound chimes. Steering becomes unassisted without power. Informational panel indicates power steering failure.
Power steering stopped working and a warning sounded and power steering displayed on stereo indicator that it had stopped working. I pulled off the highway and turned the vehicle off and then restated and the power steering started working again. A couple more miles down the road it happened again and I repeated what I had previously done and was able to finally make it home. It has done this numerous times since then. This could definitely cause an accident. Hope to get it fixed soon. Needs to be recalled by gm.
Driving 35 MPH and accelerating the steering gave out and locked up. The car jerked hard to the median towards oncoming traffic and was not recoverable. Took my foot off pedal which allowed car to stop almost perpendicular to the road. Turned car off and restarted which allowed control to move car off to the side of road. Dealer says common problem with electrical power steering assist with numerous recalls just not the 2006 malibu. Looking at expensive repair and lucky no one was hurt.
I was working on my mother-in-laws malibu out in the front yard and crank it after looking into some other issues this car has, and the steering wheel turns itself all the way to the left on it's own.I then try to turn it back and notice there is no power assist. I ask her about it and she said it has done that a few times recently, where she is driving down the road and all of a sudden, as explained by others, a lot of dinging and there is no power steering. Thank god this hasn't happened while she was in a turn or anything like that yet, however if it does, she is 66 years old with neck injuries and back problems, and if I had to guess will not be able to overpower the steering without the power assist operating properly. In looking over this website, I notice others have paid upwards of $700 to have this issue fixed at no fault of their own. How many others does it take to notice that trans-canada had a recall on this a few years back and the us has never had an official safety recall.
2006 chevy malibu maxx. 3.5 engine. When exiting a ramp to enter the expressway the steering on our 2006 chevy malibu locked up pulling the car across two lanes of traffic on the expressway before I could get the vehicle under control . Then I pulled to the shoulder of the road. I was thinking low tire or broken drive belt on the power steering as the power steering light was on. After stopping and raising the hood I saw the belt was ok and the tire also was ok. Next I started to check the power steering fluid to learn there was no power steering dip stick. I stood there looking stupid thinking maybe this car did not have power steering. Well this was a very cold day I got back in the car and started the engine with no power steering light. I turned the steering will and everything was ok so I drove slowly to the next exit. After 500 miles this has not happen again.
The power steering failed while I was driving, and I almost hit a car at intersection while attempting to turn to the right when the steering wheel locked up. There are numerous complaints online about this same issue and there was special coverage adjustment #10183 (july 20, 2110) power steering assist, but my VIN # was not included in this coverage, even though the problem described in the coverage is the same. A diagnostic scan at dealership verified code co545- power steering module. The part that had to be replaced on my car was part # 25933396- steering column, as listed in the special coverage. I have been in email/phone contact with gm since the incident. As of a phone call today, they refuse to cover the cost of faulty steering column or the labor to have it replaced. The total bill was $645.
While I was driving alarms started dinging, and power steering showed up on radio. I lost power steering and wheel started shaking violently. I could barely turn wheel to avoid accident. This is very dangerous and needs to be fixed.
When the car is started the steering wheel pulls to the left by itself. On occasion there is a loss of power steering and the light comes on and now it is constantly pulling left. If I were to let go of the wheel now,it would turn left and it feels like I have minimal power assist when I turn right. In a nutshell it now feels like it has half its power steering working only when turning left. There also is a clunking noise under the car when I turn the wheel hard .this thumping has been happening since I bought the car . It feels like something under the car is bumping the steering linkage when fully turned.
We were never notified about a recall that occurred with the entire steering systems for malibu's. The manufactures extended the recall up to 150,000 miles. On friday november 23, 2013, we were backing out of our parking spot when our power steering went out on us. We had none. Then we turned the car off and back on, suddenly it was there again. Here lies the problem; we took it to the local dealership and "they" informed us that there was a recall in the u.s. However, we were not notified and since our malibu was out of the 150,000 miles; they said the recall would not cover it. How can owners of cars/trucks get their safety items fixed, when they have never received the recall notice?! This is a safety issue, not a physical appearance issue. If I am driving along a corner and my power steering locks up, or suddenly stops and I kill or maim another individual who is responsible? Gm? As I read the other "complaints" on this site; this is not about car owners trying to receive brand new cars.we all just want our cars to be fixed by the recall regardless of the mileage and to be safe! Perhaps, we all should get together and sue everyone who is involved with not getting the information out to the public and gm. Just a thought. I do not know about the other owners, but I cannot restart my car in the middle of a corner or going down the interstate at 55/65 miles per hour.
As I was pulling out of a parking lot a message came across my radio/temp screen and said power steering. All of a sudden my power steering went out. I drove it a few blocks to make it home with absolutely no power steering. It was tough, but I made it home. I turned the car off and did a little research on the internet concerning my power steering. I seen a lot of people said once they started their cars again the power steering worked, but also went out again intermittently. So I went outside and started my car and sure enough my power steering is working....for now. I am scared to drive it again fearing it will go out and I won't be able to control it and cause a horrible accident. Gm needs to recall these cars because this is a huge safety problem!
When starting the car in the garage, there were 4 chimes, and a message on the dic 'power steering.' the electric power steering had failed and was extremely difficult to back the car out of the garage. The car was then shut off and restarted with no recurrence of the problem. It happened again 3 days later, same problem. Then again, 4 days later, same situation. We have notified gm of the situation. To us it is a very dangerous problem. There was a recall in canada with gm cars with this problem and the steering column was replaced. Why doesn't gm recognize that this problem exists in the USA? As I stated, it does not occur all the time. We were told to take the car to our chevrolet dealer but unless the problem occurs at the dealer, there is no way that they can detect the problem. The computer only stores 'error codes' for a short period of time. We are fearful of driving this car.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the power steering failed to operate normally as the power steering warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician stated that the steering control module would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 40,000. The current mileage was 78,859.
My car had a dinging and then across the radio it said power steering and the car was very hard to steer, I lost power steering. I am an older lady and slowed down and pulled to the shoulder and I could not even turn the wheel. I called my son to come help me. He got in and started the car and the radio didn't say power steering any more. He pulled out and I followed him. We got to our street and he started to turn right into our drive way and he all of a sudden threw up his arms. He got out of the car and came and told me that the car stalled and the bell dinged and power steering came on the radio. We took the car to the dealership on 8/12/13. They diagnosed the car and said the power steering assist motor was shorting out and it would cost me 699.03 to fix. I had no money to get it fixed and the dealer said they re set the computer and said I should have it fixed as soon as possible because it was a safety issue. My son took the car home and it happened twice on the way home. On 9/25/13 we had our local dealer replace the motor. They told me the code the computer read said it was either the assist motor or the steering column. They said the motor was the most likely cause and replaced it. The total was 643.78 and the initial inspection was 99.53. On 10/18/13 I had the same thing happen as I was driving into the local market parking lot, ding,ding, ding and I lost power steering. I almost hit a parked car in the lot and couldn't steer it. I took it back and they said it is the intermediate shaft or the steering column and had nothing to do with the original problem and charged me another 90.00 to look at it. I cannot afford 1200.00 to fix the column. My son searched the internet for 2006 malibu steering problems and found transport canada recalled 67,414 2005, 2006 and 2008 malibu's, pontiac and saturns. Why has the us not offered a recall. I am afraid to drive it now.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the power steering assist failed as the warning indicator illuminated and the warning alarm sounded. The vehicle was turned off and upon restarting, the vehicle resumed normally. The failure was recurring. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the torque control and steering column assembly would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 41,000.
The first notice of my eps problem began when I attempted to have my front end aligned. The loss of control to the steering began around july of 2013. It has occurred more frequently since then. It's happen to my wife on the streets and to me also. I did some basic research due to the potential costs from the dealership. This included the inspection & replacement of the eps fuse, examining the ignition coil and checking the alternator. It still recurs. Has there been a factory recall for this vehicle's steering problems?
I have a problem with my car overheating. This car overheated and antifreeze came pouring out of the overfill hose. I had a mechanic check it and fix it, next day same thing. The car anti-theft light come on, the steering wheel sometimes freeze up. This car sometimes turns on and off by itself, yes the key need not be inside. The brakes are horrible and I spent funds to change it. Help!!! This car seems to be a recall big time.
I was turning off of a bridge and the steering locked up. I almost hit a house. I took it to the dealer, I bought it from them new, not used. They kept it for 2 weeks and they said they couldn't replicate the problem. It has been locking up off and on ever since. Now I have no power steering. They told me every time I brought it in to the dealer, that they couldn't find a problem. Now it is out of warranty and they say they can fix it. I have to buy a new steering column and pay them to install it. It is my understanding that this is a major problem with this vehicle. Will it take people getting killed for something to be done about this dangerous situation?
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the steering column, steering box, and several other unknown components needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 51,000.
I have had issues since the day after I got it. I have had this vehicle for less then a month and within 24 hours of having it the issues started. The fuel gauge drops to empty, when I fill the tank. The starter will crank but the car will not always start, sometimes the start is a long crank & sometimes it will not start at all, now today the check engine light is on. The steering wheel makes a popping noise.
The steering wheel locks up and doesn't unlock until I let off the gas pedal. It happens all the time when I try and pass other cars it will lock up. I did some research and found out its the power assist unit getting too hot and shuts off so it does not fry the motor of the unit. I feel that this should be a recall as it will lead to an accident.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while traveling various speeds, the vehicle erroneously veered to the left. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that the steering wheel failed while driving 20 MPH. The steering wheel became hard to turn as the power steering light illuminated. The contact turned the engine off for a moment and the steering wheel briefly returned to normal function before the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to the mechanic and a diagnostic was performed, which located the failure at the power steering motor. The manufacturer denied assistance with the repair, because the vehicle had exceeded the power steering motor replacement mileage. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 156,000. Updated 10/24/13*cn updated 02/18/15*lj updated 10/2/2015
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