Clunk, knock and rattling sound from intermediate shaft and steering rack and pinion. The clunking and knocking sound happens at slow speeds (parking lots, driveway and city driving) and at 70-75 m.p.h. (highway speeds) it starts to rattle in the steering rack then makes the entire car start to vibrate.
2008 Chevrolet Malibu: harsh or hard shifting
10 of the 989 complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu describe harsh or hard shifting.
- owner complaints
- 10
- of this car's complaints
- 1%
- typical mileage
- 46,000
- recalls
- 2
Is there a fix? There are 2 recalls and 75 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Harsh or hard shifting by model year
What owners say
Steering rack has been replaced 3 times (2011, 2012, 2016) in 32,000 mi. Noise & clunk when turning while driving on city streets. Roughly 8,000 per failure. Dealer replaced before total failure and/or accident. Worried about future failures in short times which could result in an accident.
The front end makes clunking noises while turning. Dealership "fixed" it. Started doing the same thing a few weeks later. The steering wheel also shakes while driving. At times making it difficult to control. Very unsafe!!
Clunking noise when accelerating or decelerating; also when turning. Steering column wiggles at the wheel and shakes when moving towards higher speeds. Car pulls to the right when driving.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. While driving approximately 5 MPH and making a left turn, the contact noticed a clunking noise and a jerking motion in the steering wheel. While parked, the steering wheel would move independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing three times. The technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000. Updated 11/01/12*lj the consumer stated the vehicle would pull to the side. Updated 11/01/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle started to jerk violently and making a clunking sound. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure and current mileage was 46,000.
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.
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.
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.
There was a clunking noise in the steering mechanism, especially at low speed. The dealer stated that it was the intermediate steering shaft. It was replaced at a cost of $371.
Service bulletins that may apply
- This service bulletin provides information on some vehicles that may rock or move slightly forward or...
- GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities
- This bulletin provides information on the harmful effects of water or ethylene glycol in transmission fluid.
- This Warranty Admin service bulletin provides guidelines for Dealers Not Required and for Dealers Required...
- The service bulletin advises the tech of a normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle...
- Power train
- This bulletin provides information on Policies Applicable to All U.S. Dealers for Engine and Transmission...
- This service bulletin provides information on OEM and Remanufactured Engine and Automatic...
Related recalls
Power train: automatic transmission
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 29, 2014, that they are recalling 56,214 model year 2007 and 2008 Saturn Aura vehicles. On May 22, 2014, GM increased the recall to include an additional 1,074,899 model year 2004-2008 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured from May 16, 2003, through October 5, 2007, model year 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured from June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, and model year 2005-2008 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured from May 26, 2004, through September 28, 2007, and equipped with 4-speed transmissions. The total number vehicles being recalled is now 1,131,113.
- Risk
- If the transmission shift cable fractures while the vehicle is being driven, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, despite selecting the PARK position, the transmission may not be in PARK. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and GM dealers will replace the shift cable assembly and mounting bracket, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑553‑6000. GM's number for this recall is 14152.
Recall number 14V224000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)
- What is wrong
- General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Saturn Aura and model year 2008-2010 Chevrolet Malibu and Pontiac G6 vehicles, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission. On these vehicles, the tabs on the transmission shift cable end may fracture and separate.
- Risk
- If the tabs were to fracture and separate, the shift lever and the actual position of the transmission gear may not match. The driver would be able to move the shifter to 'PARK' and remove the ignition key, but the transmission gear may not be in 'PARK.' The vehicle may not be able to be restarted and the vehicle could roll away after the driver has exited the vehicle, resulting in a possible crash without prior warning.
- Remedy
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will install a retainer over the cable end or replace the shift cable as necessary. This service will be performed free of charge. Notification to owners began on on November 9, 2012. Owners were instructed to not bring their vehicles for repair until January 2013. Owners may contact General Motors at 1‑800‑521‑7300.
Recall number 12V460000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu harsh shifting
Is harsh or hard shifting a common problem on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
10 of 989 owner complaints about the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu (1%) mention harsh or hard shifting. The model year with the most reports is 2005.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu?
There are 2 recalls and 75 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
Power steering loss 100Door locks 92Check engine light 57Jerking 56Headlights 49Steering lock-up 43Loss of power 41Airbag light 31Stalling 26Engine failure 23Won't start 23Adaptive cruise 22Fuel leak 19Steering noise 18Fuel pump 15Pulling 15Fuel smell 14Key fob 13Won't shift 13ABS 11No deployment 10Grinding brakes 9Knocking 9Fuel gauge 8Ball joint 7Fire or smoke 6Hesitation 6Warning lights 6Transmission failure 5
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