2004 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX VIN [XXX]. EVERY TIME I ACCELERATE DURING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS, MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE LOCK STOPS WHEN I LET UP ON THE GAS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND THE WHEEL WOULD BECOME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE STEERING ROD WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALERS POSSESSION WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT SPOKEN WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,730. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 45,365.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAX. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND THEN THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON THREE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AND THE POTENTIAL THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR THE CONTACT FEELS THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

2004 CHEVY MALIBU POWER STEERING RANDOMLY GOES OUT. STARTED AT UNDER 100,000 MILES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT; IT PERFORMED NORMALLY AFTER. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPLACED (REPAIR DETAILS WERE NOT GIVEN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,730.

2004 MALIBU MAXX POWER STEERING CUTS OUT WHILE DRIVING. MUST PUT CAR IN PARK TURN IT OFF AND RESTART. HAPPENS IN THE WINTER. FOUND ON INTERNET THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES LAST WINTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER INTO THE NEXT LANE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND DRIVE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AND THE VEHICLE CAN NOT STEER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE POWER STEERING WOULD SUDDENLY FAIL AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER OR TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH MUCH DIFFICULTY. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FAILURE. AT TIMES, HE WOULD TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT WHICH WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. MOST RECENTLY, THE STEERING WAS UNABLE TO BE RESET BY RESTARTING AND HAD TO BE TOWED. IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY THREE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THE CONTACT PAID FOR REPAIRS AT HIS EXPENSE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,206.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED AND NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT; THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT DROVE HOME. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,264 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 143,266.

POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. GOES OFF AFTER RESTART. POWER STEERING UNIT REPLACED ONCE UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX THAT I BOUGHT IN MAY, 2006. ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I SEARCHED FOR RECALLS AND CALLED A CHEVROLET DEALER. IN MY RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. NOT LONG AFTER THIS, GM RECALLED THE CHEVY COBALT AND SOME PONTIAC MODELS FOR THE SAME THING. EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE READ SAYS THAT YOU CAN STILL STEER AT THE SPEED CONSISTENT WITH BEING ON THE INTERSTATE. MY PROBLEM IS, I LIVE AND WORK IN A SMALL TOWN. IT HAS NOW DONE THIS ON ME SEVERAL TIMES AND AT THE SLOW SPEEDS FOR A SMALL TOWN, I HAVE TROUBLE STEERING. TWO OF THESE TIMES THAT THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION. TRYING TO TAKE OFF AND CROSS THE INTERSECTION WHEN THIS HAPPENS IS VERY DIFFICULT. THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT GM IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *TR

MY STEERING HAD GONE IN MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU 2 MONTHS AGO. THE COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES NOW AND IS STILL NOT FIXED. I AM ALSO BEING TOLD THAT THERE ARE NO STEERING COLUMNS LEFT IN MY AREA. MY CAR IS A DANGER TO EVERYONE ON A ROAD INCLUDING MYSELF AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHY CHEVY HASN'T RECALLED THESE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME AT NIGHT AFTER WORK A HOUR AWAY TO BOWIE TX I WORK IN FORT WORTH. GOING ON HWY 287 WHICH IS A BIG HWY FOR TRAVELING RIGS, I WAS GOING 65 MPH AND I CAME TO A TURNING THE HWY AND MY POWER STEERING JUST GOES OUT WITH ANY WARNING. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES TAPPING THE WALL IN THE MEDIAN. LOOKED ON THE INFORMATION BOARD AND IT SAID POWER STEERING. THE NEXT MORNING I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND AROUND 10 TO 15 WEBSITES THAT HAD THIS COMPLAINT WITH THE CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. I CALLED GM CHEVROLET IN NORTH RICHLAND HILLS AND THE ON IN DECATUR AND THEY BOTH TOLD ME THAT THE KNOW THIS IS A BIG DEAL THE KNOW ABOUT IT BUT AT THIS TIME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND LUCKY THIS DAY I TOOK IT INSTEAD FOR HER AND MY 3 YEAR OLD SON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS IT ABNORMALLY PULLED TO THE LEFT ACROSS SEVERAL LANES AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING ON THE SHOULDER AND NECK FROM THE SEAT BELT. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS RULED AS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000. UPDATED 12/09/10 *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED. UPDATED 12/13/10*JB UPDATED 4/29/14*CN UPDATED 05/15/14

2004 MALIBU MAX POWER STEERING FAILS WITH NO WARNING! IT HASN'T HAPPENED JUST ONCE, BUT MANY TIMES IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. TOOK CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY CAN ONLY FIND 1 OF THE COMPONENTS TO DO THE REPAIR. SAID IT COULD TAKE UP TO 3 MONTHS TO GET THE PART. THEN THE REPAIR IS GOING TO COST A TOTAL OF $1200.00. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING. WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO DO A RECALL? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE FIRST? I DON'T WANT TO BE ONE OF THEM. WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I SEE THAT THE NHTSA CLOSED THE INVESTIGATION OF THE MATTER IN 2004. WHAT'S THAT? OPEN IT UP AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWERING STEERING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 139,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

STEERING COLUMN FAILURE, LACK OF CONTROL OVER VEHICLE. *TR

MY DAUGHTERS 2004 STEERING LOCKED UP NEED TO LOOK IN TO THIS AS I LOOKED IT UP ON INTERNET AND THERE ARE 200 + COMPLAINTS JUST FOR THAT REASON. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SIX TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO ILLUMINATE BEFORE THE STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT LOSES POWER STEERING AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY SAY IT HAS A DEFECTIVE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONDITION AS EXISTS IS IDENTIFIED IN A GM SERVICE BULLETIN# 04-02-35-009A. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU . WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH A CHIMING SOUND ALERTED HER THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, BACK ON AND BEGAN TO DRIVE NORMALLY. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REGAINING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY TIME THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 117,000. UPDATED 12/22/10 *BF UPDATED 12/29/10*JB

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILS RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSISTANCE. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 MALIBU MAX. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN FOR THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS. THE RACK AND PINION AND STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED LAST YEAR AFTER THE POWER STEERING KEPT GOING OUT. A YEAR LATER AND THE RACK AND PINION AS BEEN REPLACED AGAIN! THE STEERING COLUMN IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE REPLACED AGAIN AS WELL! THE POWER STEERING GOES KEEPS GOING OUT, BUT IF I TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON IT CORRECTS THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE IT GOES OUT. THE 2005 HAS A RECALL OUT ON IT BUT NOT THE 2004 AND IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM! *TR