Check a VIN

2008 Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints

Page 15 of 16: complaints 401 to 430 of 460, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2008 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed Aug 23, 2010 · Steering · 67,000 miles · CA

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that when driving 65 MPH the steering wheel locked abnormally. The failure would occur intermittently and also when accelerating from a complete stop or attempting a left turn. The dealer performed a diagnostic test but was unable to locate or duplicate the failure. The manufacturer advised taking the vehicle back to the dealer for them to run a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 67,000.

Filed Aug 23, 2010 · Steering · 64,000 miles · IN

Steering wheel is having an issue where it will jerk to the left and right by itself and then pulsate while sitting still. I have been driving on the highway when the steering wheel jerks left and then right. When wheel jerks, it is extremely hard to hold it in the correct lane.

Filed Aug 20, 2010 · Steering · 38,400 miles · CT

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact was driving 65 MPH when the power steering failed without warning, causing limited steering capability. The vehicle was neither diagnosed nor repaired for the failure. The failure mileage was 38,400.

Filed Aug 13, 2010 · Steering · 15,000 miles · KY

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact noticed that every time he drove the vehicle, he experienced a loss of power steering. Before the failure, he noticed that the power steering warning light was illuminated. He had to pull over, turn the vehicle off and restart it in order to reset the power steering and it would function properly for a period of time. The contact called the dealer who advised him that he would be responsible for all of the repair costs. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired when the complaint was filed. The current mileage was approximately 49,000. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000. Updated 11/11/10 *bf updated 11/18/10

Filed Jul 29, 2010 · Steering · 23,450 miles · TX

I have a 2008 chevy malibu with a power steering problem. I went on vacation so the car was not driven for a couple of weeks. I washed the car and then started to have problems with the steering wheel shaking and felt like the power steering would work off and on. It continues to be a problem off and on. Sometimes the problem is there and sometimes its not.

Filed Jul 8, 2010 · Steering · 4,700 miles · NC

2008 chevy malibu with 4700 miles, began having problems with the steering. When driving vehicle would be hard to handle as if someone had taken possession of the steering wheel. Then when in idle the steering wheel would vibrate back and forth. Took in to dealership and they stated the electronic power steering module had to be replaced. First trip to the dealership they could not locate the problem. Researched online and ask if they were aware of any issues with this model answer was no. Not until I told them to google the problems that were being reported did I feel we received a response.

Filed Jul 6, 2010 · Steering · 55,500 miles · IL

2008 chevy malibu 4 cyl motor. 56,000 miles, steering wheel shakes at high and low rate of speed while driving. Steering wheel shakes while car is idle with no one in auto. Steering assist gives out and then engages while car is in motion causing car to jerk from side to side causing loss of control of auto.

Filed Jul 3, 2010 · Steering · 50,300 miles · VA

I own 2008 chevrolet malibu with a little over 50k miles on the odometer. Recently while I was driving the vehicle on the highway I noticed that the steering wheel started to jerk left and right pulling the vehicle in both directions. I drove to the dealer to have them look at it. As I was waiting at a stop light I then noticed the steering wheel make slight turns to the left and right by itself. I arrived at the dealership and explained what happened at which point they took the vehicle for a test drive but could not duplicate the problem. While talking to the mechanic and explaining he said it sounds like the vehicle was trying to center itself to zero calibration and suggested that I get it calibrated which I did. I then drove home and noticed that it was doing the same thing again. Returned to the dealer and they then stated that I need to have the column control module replaced at the price of $700. This is a serious problem that needs to be looked in to before something really tragic occurs. The frequency the steering wheel jerk while driving was very concerning to the point that I thought I might be involved in a crash. Thank god that did not happen.

Filed Jun 28, 2010 · Steering · 50,000 miles · OH

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. While driving at the speeds of 25 MPH, the power steering was very hard to control when making a turn. Other times whenever the vehicle is being parked it will shake and jerk. The dealer was contacted and they stated that he will need a new electronic motor and a control module for the power steering. There have been no diagnosis and no repairs. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 51,800.

Filed Jun 21, 2010 · Steering · 75,200 miles · IL

One week ago I noticed my steering wheel would shake back and forth when idling. I thought the fluid may be low and looked to fill it only to find out the car has electric steering. I drove it to work without issue but now the shaking has begun to appear when driving at all speeds. It is an uncanny shimmy that can be controlled but requires constant attention and a firm grip. It happens frequently enough(every 10 min or so) that it has become worrisome. A call to the dealer evoked the response of , "yes, that happens sometimes with this model and it can be fixed in a day or two and cost is around $1000". My car has 75,000 miles on it and is not under warranty. This is not the type of issue that should be a consumer problem.

Filed Jun 21, 2010 · Steering · 51,000 miles · VT

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated when driving a various speeds and attempting a turn, the vehicle would make an unusual clunk noise. The dealer advised the steering shaft would need to be replaced to correct the failure. The manufacturer stated the vehicle was outside of warranty and would not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were 51,000.

Filed Jun 20, 2010 · Steering · 41,000 miles · IA

2008 malibu with 41k miles has steering issue with steering wheel shaking left to right at hwy speeds. Have to fight to keep car straight in own lane. No noticeable incident leading up to issue, just felt like there was no steering assist. Happens on a daily basis. Nothing done as of yet, but will be calling dealer tomorrow. After searching the internet, this seems to be an issue with the electronic steering assist. Remedy appears to be to replace the steering column module. At a cost of $800+, this is no cheap replacement.

Filed Jun 18, 2010 · Steering · MO

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated while driving at any speed, the steering wheel would involuntarily jerk to the left and right. The failure persisted intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were in the process of diagnosing the failure. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 59,600.

Filed Jun 17, 2010 · Steering · 39,000 miles · FL

Difficult to turn at low speeds, steering wheel shaking and shimmies left, clunking or rubbing noise. Had steering column lubed, new rack and pinion installed and still doing it.

Filed Jun 10, 2010 · Steering · 36,000 miles · PA

I have had my 2008 chevy malibu in the garage now 3 times for the same recurring problem. My steering wheel shimmies and then locks up and it's very hard to steer. If I weren't as strong in my hands and arms, I would be dead! It comes and goes but it is a persistent problem that they cannot or will not fix. I was told that they cannot fix something that they didn't diagnose as "broke" and was told it would be too expensive to just start replacing parts randomly that might be the problem. I am very scared to drive my car but have to make a living and am a single mom. I feel this is putting me and my sons life in danger!!!!!!!! There needs to be a recall on this problem in the steering!

Filed Jun 1, 2010 · Steering · PA

I have a 2008 chevy malibu lt. In march of this year the steering wheel started to jerk left and right while driving. It would also jerk while being stopped and while in park.there is also a popping sound or a clunking sound like a bad universal while turning and/or backing up. I noticed this about january of '09. The dealer replaced the brakes and rotors on the front,but the problem did not go away. On 5/12/10 the dealership replaced the left front strut and mount and the intermediate steering shaft. This did not correct the problem. The jerking in the steering wheel comes and goes,it will run fine for a while they itwill start up for a while. There is no warning when this will happen. On 5/30/10 and 5/31/10 the power steering light came on in the information center. I called gm to see if there was a recall on this and there is not. I told them that this is a safety concern and should be looked at. They said that they were looking into it. I went to the consumer affairs web ste and seen that this has been a problem since the '05 malibus (ps control module).there were at least 7 complaints for the '08's on this site that I noticed. About a year ago there was a problem with the door locks not working properly,they would not unlock when the car was put into park nor would the remote work on them. When the left rear door outside handle was used to open the door the door would lock. The dealership could not duplicate the problem. This concerns me because the power steering is electric in this car.

Filed May 29, 2010 · Steering · 43,000 miles · NY

I am at about 45k miles on my 2008 chevrolet malibu. My console warning of "power steering" came on and with it my steering wheel shakes when I start the car. I don't drive or put it in gear it just shakes! After being told I do not have power steering fluid a gm service dealership told me it sounds like my "electronic motor for power steering" sounds like it needs to be replaced. The cobalt was just recalled for such a problem. I called gm to see if there was a recall for the malibu and was told .....at my expense, I need to have the problem diagnosed, then call them back with the ref# they gave me, and then they will put it in their records!!!! Calling and requesting that a recall be put in place was basically ignored. I have explained that if they were to investigate just the blogs about the malibu they would see thousands of people are having this problem, but are told to fix it themselves. This is really dangerous on so many levels. I have not had an accident, because I am scared to drive most of the time,but I am recording every one of my complaints, because god forbid I get hurt, or worse yet, one of my children, then my lawyer is ready to rip gm apart! I lost my job about a year ago, and for a company who just got bailed out with my tax money, they should think twice before smacking their customers with such arrogance and stupidity.

Filed May 27, 2010 · Steering, Suspension · KY

Tl-the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact was driving approximately 55 MPH the steering wheel exhibited a jerking motion. The vehicle began to pull to the right direction. The vehicle was driven to the side of the road. The engine was turned off and restarted. The vehicle resumed to normal. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the electrical power steering and front wheel bearings were replaced. The identical failures occurred five months after the prior service repair was performed. The vehicle had not been repaired art the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was unknown. Updated 07/14/2010.

Filed May 25, 2010 · Steering · 47,000 miles · FL

Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) steering keeps messing up. When I am driving at low or higher speeds (35-60) the steering wheel shakes from let to right. It does this at least once a day. No light on dash showing there is a problem. I have 47,000 miles on my car. I am afraid I will be in the middle of a turn and my steering will go out. I am really scared for my children's safety. This is our family and my work car. Please look into I have done some research and show over 100 complaints on the steering also the 2006 gm cobalt has same steering and the same problems. Please please help for my and my children's safety. [xxx]

Filed May 19, 2010 · Steering · 50,000 miles · GA

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving at any speed, the steering wheel locked up and began to shake and shimmy. The contact notified the dealer and was told that any repairs would be at his expense. Current and failure mileages were approximately 50,000.

Filed May 6, 2010 · Steering · 25,000 miles · AR

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated while traveling at approximate speeds of 35 MPH, the steering wheel exhibited continuous movement without warrant. The contact had to forcibly hold the steering wheel to keep the vehicle from veering off the road. She was able to drive the vehicle to her residence without incident. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where she was advised not to drive the vehicle until repaired. The failure was contributed to a defective steering column. The vehicle was left at the dealer where the contact was awaiting repairs. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileages were approximately 25,000.

Filed May 1, 2010 · Steering · 70,000 miles · TX

2008 malibu the power steering goes out with out warning sometimes on the highway it is very scary this is a big concern to me because this is my wife and kids only transportation.

Filed May 1, 2010 · Steering · 50,400 miles · WI

My 2008 chevrolet malibu lt will shake violently from side to side and becomes virtually uncontrollable. The first time it happened was in april 2009 with about 2 k miles. I took it to the dealer, they scanned it but no codes were present. The mechanic found a service bulletin where a brake pad problem was referred to regarding this shaking problem, so he replaced the front pads and resurfaced the rotors. The problem recurred in feb. 2010 with approx. 40 k miles. I again took it in but they said there was nothing wrong. Yesterday 4-10-10 on my way to work it happened again at approx. 70 MPH, I thought I was going to crash ! What am I to do ?

Filed Apr 29, 2010 · Steering · 43,500 miles · OK

Steering problem with 2008 chevy malibu. While driving the steering wheel will go back and forth and hard to control steering. Also, sometimes when engine is on and car not moving the wheel will shake and go back and forth on both sides. Have had the car to a chevy dealer and they say there is nothing wrong with the car and everything is solid. Also had a wheel and tire check it out and they said the same thing but they say it may be in the rack and pinion system. It is very scary when you have trouble controlling the vehicle.

Filed Apr 21, 2010 · Locks, Steering · 40,000 miles · AR

Tl*the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the steering wheel pulled to the left and then to the right. The contact had to slow down and grip the wheel tight in order to gain control of the vehicle. The failure occurred intermittently but had become progressively worse over time. She also noticed that the door locks had malfunctioned. The wheel bearing was replaced but the doors locks were not repaired when the complaint was filed. The vehicle had not been inspected for the steering failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The current mileage was approximately 72,000.

Filed Apr 7, 2010 · Steering · 37,600 miles · FL

Just go over my 36,000 mile warranty, and the power steering problem indicator came up on my dash. The steering wheel starts moving frantically on it's own, whenever it wants to, even if you are driving the car. This could be a big hazard. I call the dealer, and of course it's not included in the power train warranty, even though the power steering is electric in my 2008 4 cylinder malibu. The dealer also stated no recalls on my malibu, but this should definitely be a recall, since I see chevy cobalt is being recalled for the same thing. Please help. I have to take the car in for service, the dealer states it is the power steering electric box or in the power steering column.

Filed Apr 3, 2010 · Steering · 52,000 miles · CA

Steering wheel locking up while driving at 50 - 55 MPH. Trouble light on dashboard indicating steering problem. Lock-up same as when car is stopped and transmission lever placed into park position.

Filed Apr 2, 2010 · Steering · 32,165 miles · MD

Problem with my 2008 chevrolet malibu power steering. Was driving and suddenly the steering had a mind of its own, pulling slightly to the right and then left. Became somewhat lethargic in responsiveness.

Filed Apr 1, 2010 · Steering · 25,334 miles · MI

The steering will suddenly vibrate and cause me to lose control of the car and as a result I have almost gotten into a few accidents.. It happens without warning. The manfacture has a bulletin about this problem but refused to fix it. I then went to a local mechanic who was able to download the correct information into the power steering module. I believe this should be a recall and force the manfacture to correct all effective cars and not get away with refusing to fix it and thus make it look like there is no problem

Filed Mar 15, 2010 · Brakes, Steering · 27,423 miles · CA

2008 chevrolet malibu steering free wheels at times jerks side to side at times at any speed. Brakes fade at times rumble .this week I contacted general motors waiting to hear what I should do. Did search on internet and I seen hundreds of people that have same problem .and they say dealer cannot repair .has anyone investigated malibu steering problems it scares me when it stops working .all at once the steering jerks side to side .hard to turn at low speed .car has 27000 miles and has had intermittent problems with steering and brakes since I bought it afraid to take it to dealer they say nothing is wrong with it but I say there wrong .

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history