1997 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN CRASH OCCURRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. *AK WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HAD BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN ONE WAY WHILE REMAINING EASY TO STEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE RACK WAS REPLACED. *SCC *JB

STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING. STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE FULLY ROTATED TWICE BEFORE THE VEHICLE GOES INTO THAT DIRECTION. *AK

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT 25 MPH THE VEHICLES STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED UP. *PH *JG *NLM

WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN THE VEHICLE FAIL TO TURN. WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE KEPT STRAIT HE WAS ABLE TO THE VEHICLE BY HIS BRAKES TS

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, AND THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS MAKING A FUNNY NOISE, HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. THIS WAS A RESULT OF A LEAK IN POWER STEERING FUEL HOSE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THERE IS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL, AND THERE A LOT OF PLAY IN WHEEL. CONSUMER FEELS MAY LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

AT 65 MPH IDLER PULLY FAILED LOST BELT THAT DRIVES WATER PUMP ,GEN ,P/S. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE STEERING BOLT ARE LOSE AND IT IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO JUMP AROUND CAUSING IT TO BE HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

I AM STATIONED OVERSEAS IN THE MILITARY. WHILE DRIVING ON BASE, THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED VIOLENTLY OUT OF MY HANDS AND I STARTED INTO THE DITCH, LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO STOP BEFORE HITTING A POLE. I WAS ABLE TO BACK UP AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED. UPON EXAMINATION BY THE GARAGE ON BASE, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE STEERING GEAR AND PINION HAD FAILED AND THAT IT NEVER SHOULD HAVE OCCURRED. I HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WITH GENERAL MOTORS FOR OVER 2 MONTHS NOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT 2 SEPERATE MECHANICS HAVE TOLD THEM, THAT THE STEERING GEAR IS BAD AND THAT THE FAILURE SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURED. THEY BOTH SAID THAT HAD THE FAILURE OCCURED WHILE TRAVELING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED, THE CRASH WOULD HAVE BEEN FATAL AT THE EXPENSE OF ME AND MY WIFE AND 2 CHILDREN. GM OVERSEAS KEEPS TRYING TO SAY THAT THE MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH AND THAT IT IS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I GUESS TO THEM IT IS NORMAL TO CRASH YOUR CAR. THEIR TECHNICAL DEPT ALSO SAYS THAT I SHOULD HAVE NOTICED A GRADUAL LOOSEING OF THE STEERING. I DID NOT, IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY AND AS THE MECHANICS TOLD GM, THIS IS NO FAULT OF THE CUSTOMER! I CANNOT GET GM TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS PROBLEM, WHICH I GUESS IS WHY IT IS STILL SITTING AT THE GM DEALERSHIP(SCHWARZKOPF) IN AMBERG GERMANY. IT HAS BEEN SITTING THERE FOR OVER A MONTH AND BEFORE THAT A MONTH AT THE GARAGE ON BASE, 2 MONTHS WITHOUT MY CAR. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL DO ANY GOOD TO WRITE THIS, BUT I GUESS THAT WHAT IT WILL TAKE IS FOR SOMEONE TO CRASH THEIR CAR BEFORE CHEVROLET ACKNOWLEDGES A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING GEAR. THIS CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW, SO MAINTENANCE IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE. I HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER. I HAVE PROVIDED AN ADDRESS AND PHONE # IN THE U.S. FROM MY IN-LAWS, AND HERE IS MY ADDRESS AND PHONE # OVERSEAS: CMR 414 BOX 1228, APO AE 09173. PH #011-49-9493-902717. THANK YOU FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE REGARDING THIS MATTER.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE GOES OVER BUMPS OR WHEN MAKNG A TURN STEERING WHEEL BECOMES LOOSE, CAUSING ENTIRE VEHICLE TO SHAKE. CONSUMER HAS BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2,000 MILES. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REMEDY PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

POWER STEERING FAILED AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT.MY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE POWER STEERING LINE HAD A HOLE IN IT.THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE EXHAUST PIPE WHICH BURNED THROUGH THE INSULATION AND THE LINE.THE LOSS OF POWER STEERIG CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE BECAUSE THE FLUID WAS LEEKING ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE.I FEEL THIS IS DEFINATELY A SAFETY PROBLEM WHICH SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO RIGHT AWAY. MY CAR WILL BE TOWED TO THE DEALER ON MONDAY MORNING 11JUNE 2001.

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE RIGHT SIDE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD BROKE, CAUSING WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING RACK BOOTS WERE TORN AND REPLACED, CONSUMER STATES THE METAL IS DEFECTIVE. *SLC

THE RETURN LINE FOR THE POWER STEERING IS LOCATED RIGHT UNDER THE EXHAUST AND RESTS UPON IT. IT GOT HOT AND SUBSEQUENTLY MELTED A HOLE IN THE PRESSURIZED LINES CAUSING ALL THE FLUID TO LEAK OUT AND NOT HOLD ANY MORE FLUID.*AK

BROKEN, RIGHT FRONT TIE ROD, CAR IS IN SHOP, UNABLE AT THIS TIME TO VERIFY MILAGE AND CAR ID. NOS.

RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY FAILED. NLM

STEERING WHEEL COLUMN PUMP BROKE. COULDN'T STEER VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

CONSUMER HAS REPLACED STEERING FLUID MORE THAN OFTEN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

STEERING BECAME NOISY WHEN MAKING A TURN AND DIFFICULT/HARD TO MANAGE. WITH LESS THAN 11000 MILES RACK AND PINION STEERING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CAR SHAKES AT 60MPH LEAK ON DRIV. SIDE WIND. STEERING COLUMN NOISES

STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LOCK AT TIMES IN PARK NOT ALLOWING THE KEY TO TURN IN THE INGITION. DEALER CANNOT RECREATE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO FIX. OCCURRED ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO AND HAS HAPPEN APPRX 8 TIMES SINCE. *AK

RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR FAILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING. NLM

STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHILE COMPLETING LEFT TURN. *AK

WHILE TURNING LEFT VEHICLE STEERING LOCKED UP CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO STOP VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK