2004 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The power steering went out while driving. The car was being backed out of the driveway. The car had lights go off when it happened. Once the car was restarted power steering worked again. This problem has only occurred once as far as known. The steering was incredibly hard to move when the issue occurred. It is foreseeable that if issue happens at the wrong time on the freeway it could lead to injury or death of driver, passenger, or others outside the vehicle. If it happens at high speeds during a turn any number of serous damage or injuries could occur. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who said a dealership would have the equipment properly diagnose the problem. If the mechanic did it himself he would have to replace several parts one a time and it might not be fixed. I will have my son take it to a dealership to look at it. Lights went off during the problem, but it is UNKNOWN which ones lit up. The lights went off, but since significant force had to be used to pull the wheel even slightly the exact lights that went off are unknown.

THE SENSOR AND OR POWER STEERING ASSIST IS MALFUNCTIONING AND SENDING WARNING AND SHUTS DOWN THE ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST. MUST TURN VEHICLE OFF AND THEN RESTART SEVERAL TO GET STEERING TO RELEASE. THERE WAS NO NOTICE GIVEN TO [XXX] WHEN THE RECALL(S) WERE ISSUED FOR 2004 CHVY MALIBU. STATIONARY THUS FAR. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

POWER STEERING FAILS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON AND THE STEERING HAS NO ELECTRIC ASSIST. THIS CONTINUES UNTIL THE ACCELERATION IS REDUCED. AFTER REDUCED ACCELERATION THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF THE THE POWER STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY, BUT TYPICALLY ON A FREEWAY ON RAMP WHILE GETTING UP TO SPEED AND TRYING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC.

I TOOK MY 2004 MALIBU MAX CHEVY TO.RAY CHEVROLET IN ANTIOCH ILLINOIS.WE GOT RECALLS ON THE STEERING THEY TOLD US THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART .THEY TOLD US THEY WOULD LET US KNOW WHEN THE PART CAME IN .ITS BEEN A YEAR.ITS REALLY DANGEROUS DRIVING IS WAY.THE STEERING WENT OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES.I NEED HELP.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON TRYING TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, THE KEY HAD TO BE ADJUSTED BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR IT TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V153000 (STEERING) AND 14E044000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT AFTER TEN MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLASHED AND THE STEERING WHEEL RESUMED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14R044000 (STEERING) BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL POWER SYSTEM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT DISCLOSE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED OR NOT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 03/30/15*LJ UPDATED 10/21/2015 *JS

JULY 18 - DRIVING TO WORK, HEARD AND FELT A CLUNK. ON THE RADIO DISPLAY POWER STEERING WAS NOW DISPLAYED AND THE MECHANICS SYMBOL ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. JULY 28- MCCLUSKEY IS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE TROUBLE WITH CAR, THEY DO NOT HAVE PARTS ANYWAY. AUG. 6 - VM CAR IS READY. WHEN WE ARRIVED TOLD US THERE IS A PROBLEM, THEY HAVE USED NON-APPROVED GM PARTS, THEY NEED TO TAKE THOSE PARTS OUT AND PUT IN APPROVED GM PARTS TO BE PAID. REAR QUARTER OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED. AUG.14 - PASSENGER SIDE LOWER FRONT BUMPER IS NOW DAMAGED AUG. 21 - PICKED UP MALIBU FROM THE BODY SHOP, REALIZE SEAT IS BROKEN CALL THE BODY SHOP BACK WITHIN 5 MIN. OF LEAVING THE LOT, I WENT AROUND A CORNER AND I AM THROWN INTO THE DOOR. IN OCT. RECEIVED THE RECALL LETTER AGAIN, DEALERSHIPS NOW HAVE PARTS, TAKE YOUR VEHICLE IN AND HAVE THE REPAIR COMPLETED. IF THIS WAS DONE IN AUGUST WHY DID I JUST RECEIVE A LETTER? NOV. 27, WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING THE CAR THE POWER STEERING WOULD NOT WORK AGAIN, MAKING A TURN AT SLOW SPEED THE CAR WOULD NOT RESPOND AND ACTED AS IF HE HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME, AS IF HE WAS POWER BRAKING, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE, COMPLETELY UNSAFE. DEC. 3 BORCHERDING BUICK CALLS ME AND TELLS ME THE RECALLS ARE NOT THE ISSUE AND CANNOT BE COMPLETED UNTIL THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUE IS FIXED.THE CAR HAD 57635 MILES ON JULY 18TH THE DAY THE CAR WAS TOWED TO MCCLUSKEY CHEVROLET, ON AUGUST 22ND THE MORNING AFTER I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM MCCLUSKEY CHEVROLET THE CAR HAS 58135. THE CAR BECAME UN-DRIVABLE WITH 60890 MILES. I HAVE A RECEIPT THE POWER STEERING WAS REPLACED IN 2005 UNDER A RECALL/WARRANTY AND THEN AGAIN THE POWER STEERING WAS REPAIRED IN 2009 WITH GM PAYING HALF WE PAID HALF DUE TO THE LOW MILES ON THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SENSOR AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SENSOR KEPT RANDOMLY ILLUMINATING AND THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT ALSO EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY REMOVING THE KEY AND GETTING THE KEY TO TURN OVER INTO AN ON POSITION TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AND THE NOISE CONTINUED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND INDICATED THAT THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED FOR MONTHS AND WAS NOT ABLE TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

AFTER PURCHASING MY MALIBU I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE INCIDENTS WHERE I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK MY DOORS ELECTRICALLY FROM INSIDE/OUTSIDE (AFTER A FIGHT WITH THE DEALER THAT ISSUE WAS FIXED AFTER BEING TOLD I NEEDED TO BRING THE CAR BACK AND FORTH FOR 3 WEEKS), SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE MY TURN SIGNAL BULBS ONCE A MONTH, MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL SOCKET LOOKS LIKE IT HAS BEEN BURNT AND IS VERY BLACK IN COLOR, STILL CANT GET GM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THIS ON THESE MALIBU'S EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS ISSUE. NEXT I HAVE HAD MY DIC SYSTEM SHOW ME MESSAGES SAYING LOCKED AND MY RADIO SHUTS OFF ERRATICALLY AND MY IGNITION WILL SHUT OFF. GM DEALER WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY, NEXT I HAVE HAD THE MESSAGE ON MY DIC SHOW NO POWER STEERING AND 3 OUT OF THE 4 TIMES I HAVE LOST STEERING ALL TOGETHER AND LUCKILY WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, HAD TO SHUT CAR OFF AND WAIT FOR SYSTEM TO GIVE ME BACK STEERING CONTROL. THE 4TH TIME I VEERED INTO A GUARD RAIL GOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND CRUNCHED MY FRONT PASSENGER QUARTER PANEL WHEN THE PS ASSIST FAILED AND I HAD NO STEERING. AGAIN, SHUT CAR OFF AND HAD TO WAIT FOR SYSTEM TO RESET AND AGAIN HAD STEERING CONTROL. I AM NOW HAVING ISSUES WHERE MY ENTIRE CONSOLE IN THE VEHICLE IS ALWAYS HOT TO THE TOUCH AND MY IGNITION SWITCH INSIDE THE CAR IS EXTREMELY HOT EVEN RIGHT AFTER THE CAR IS STARTED. GM WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE EITHER WHEN I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. I AM NOW HAVING STEERING ISSUES WHERE MY MALIBU WANTS TO GO LEFT WHEN I AM ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN IT WANTS TO GO WAY LEFT ALL BY ITSELF. I HAVE MULTIPLE RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AND TO NO AVAIL THEY ARE NOT BEING ADDRESSED. I AM WONDERING IF I HAVE TO BE IN A WORSE CRASH AND BE INJURED SEVERELY OR ANOTHER PERSON IN ORDER TO GET ANYONE TO FIX THESE ISSUES OR TAKE THIS CAR BACK. *TR

THROUGH THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD OFF AND ON EPISODES OF THE CAR NOT STARTING EVEN WHEN WE HAD A GOOD BATTERY AND IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE POWER STEERING GIVING OUT. WE FINALLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AFTER BEING ADVISED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY. THE MECHANIC, GM DEALER, ADVISED WE NEED A WHOLE NEW STEERING COLUMN, THIS WAS 6-25-13. IN LESS THEN A YEAR THE CAR CONTINUES TO NOT START AND TODAY THE POWER STEERING AGAIN WENT OUT ON MY 15 YEAR OLD SON AS HE WAS DRIVING HOME. WE HAVE LEFT E-MAILS WITH CHEVROLET WITH NO RETURN. THE LAST AFOREMENTIONED GM DEALER SAID THAT WE WOULD GET A CALL ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE STEERING BUT APPEARS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE IGNITION, DESPITE SEVERAL NEWS ARTICLES SAYING THERE WAS. WE ARE NOW OUT OF A VEHICLE DUE GM NOT RESPONDING. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THEN MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. SO LUCKY I WAS ON A STRAIGHT AWAY. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TURNED IT BACK ON AND WAS BACK TO NORMAL. *TR

POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND RINGING SOUND SOUNDED AND POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN. I MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE CURB AND CALL FOR HELP. AFTER SITTING A WHILE IT BECAME NORMAL, BUT I AM AFRAID THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER ABOUT THIS. SEE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA 04018 AND LOTS OF GM SERVICE BULLETINS. MY DEALER CANNOT HELP BECAUSE THE RECALL WAS FOR 2005 MALIBU MAX ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING AND NOT THE 2004, BUT IT IS THE SAME POWER STEERING UNIT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT MULTIPLE TIMES. I LISTED THE MOST RECENT DATE. NOW THEY SAY IT WILL COST AROUND 1000 TO FIX. IF MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SHOULDN'T THEIR BE A RECALL? IF THE ROADS WERE ICY I COULD'VE CRASHED AND KILLED SOMEONE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR THROUGH AN INTERSECTION APPROACHING THE RAMP ONTO THE INTERSTATE. I LOST STEERING CONTROL FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS, JUST MISSING THE GUARD-RAIL AND HAVING AN ACCIDENT. THE NEXT MORNING, THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2004 MALIBU. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP FOR A LOANER CAR, ONLY TO BE TOLD THE CAR VIN NUMBER IS NOT AN APPROVED MODEL FOR THE RECALL. I NEED TO KNOW WHY IT IS NOT IF IT IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. I HAVE REPORTED TO THIS SITE AT LEAST TWICE ABOUT ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY BATTERY LIGHT WILL FLASH ON AND CHIRP AND MY STEERING WHEEL SORT OF LOCKS UP, THE DISPLAY ON MY RADIO SAYS POWER STEERING AND THE WRENCH LIGHT LIGHTS UP ON THE PANEL. IT IS QUITE SCARY CONSIDERING I HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN IN MY CAR ABOUT 95% OF THE TIME. I HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE TO CRASHING INTO OTHER CARS MORE THAN ONCE. I WOULD LOVE TO GET RID OF THIS CAR BUT AM AFRAID THIS WILL HAPPEN TO THE NEXT PERSON AND IT COULD BE FATAL. *TR

THE ABOVE DATE IS APPROXIMATE BECAUSE I HAVE HAD PROBLEM WITH THIS SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2004. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, GM CORPORATE, AND NHTSA FOR YEARS. I ALWAYS GOT THE SAME RESPONSE, "CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM". GM OWES ME MONEY FOR ALL THE AGGRAVATION AND MONEY FOR PAYING SERVICE DEPT. FOR NOTHING. MY CAR LOST STEERING ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE TRYING TO PASS AN 18 WHEELER, THIS MEANT I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE. BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I'M STILL HERE!! I STILL HAVE MY CAR, BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER! *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE RADIO PANEL STARTED BLINKING WITH POWER STEERING. I THEN LOST MY POWER STEERING AND MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE THIS FAILURE OCCURS WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND SOMETIMES THE POWER STEERING LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE AND IT WILL SHOW IN THE RADIO PANEL. AS A WOMAN, DRIVING WITHOUT POWER STEERING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND THANKFULLY I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND AFTER RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 2004 MALIBU'S HAVE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, AND THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING MOTOR AND THAT IT OVERHEATS, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CAR SEAT BELTS ARE FROZE AND THE HAZARD LIGHT BUTTON FELL INSIDE ITS HOLE AND THE HEADLIGHT COVERS DON'T ALLOW THE LIGHTS TO FULLY ILLUMINATE . THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE IT POSES LIFE THREATENING ISSUES. MY RESEARCH SHOWS A HIGH VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS 2004 MODEL BUT THE 2005'S AND ABOVE WERE RECALLED, I ALSO COLLECTED STATEMENTS FROM FACTORY WORKERS WHO LEFT THEIR PERSONAL INFO ON THE INTERNET AND I FOUND THIS : DURING MY EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT WITH DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE (DELPHI SAGINAW STEERING SYSTEM, 3900 E. HOLLAND AVE., SAGINAW, MICHIGAN 48601), I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONDUCT A SCREW "STRIP-OUT" STUDY ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR/CONTROLLER ASSEMBLY OF THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) SYSTEM OF THE GENERAL MOTOR'S EPSILON PLATFORM (MY 2003.5 - 2006 MALIBU). THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN MAY OF 2004 AT DELPHI'S PLANT 1, ASSEMBLY. THE STUDY INCLUDED TEN PRODUCTION MOTOR AND TEN PRODUCTION CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE ASSEMBLED ON THE PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT AND PROCESS(ES). THE CONTROLLER IS ATTACHED TO MOTOR BY THREE M 5.0X 0.8 SCREWS. THE RESULT OF THAT STUDY CONCLUDED THAT FOUR OF THE TEN MOTOR/CONTROLLER ASSEMBLIES HAD AT LEAST ONE OF THE SCREWS FULLY STRIP

WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 34,000 MILES ON IT IN 3/2006.THERE WAS A CLUNKING IN THE STEERING WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN ON 12/2007 WITH 66,000 MILES. THE CLUNKING WAS STILL THERE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL. SINCE THEN THE STEERING HAS GOTTEN WORSE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO FIND THE PROBLEM BUT SAYS IT CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG. YET SOMETIMES THE STEERING WILL LOCKUP AT LOW SPEED WHEN BACKING UP OR TURNING WHILE STOPPED. IT HAS NOT DONE THIS WHILE DRIVING AT ROAD SPEED (OR I WOULD NOT DRIVE IT). HOWEVER AT ROAD SPEED THE STEERING IS VERY VAGUE. IT REQUIRES AN ALMOST QUARTER TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET THE CAR TO RESPOND TO A STEERING INPUT TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS IS NOT SAFE. THERE IS ALSO WARNING LIGHTS THAT COME ON THE DASH, AND WARNING BELLS THAT SOUND, AND SOMETIMES THEY GO BACK OFF OTHER TIMES CAR NEEDS TO SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED AND IT IS OK THEN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON MOST OF THE TIME, AGAIN DEALERSHIP CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES THE WHOLE DASH CLUSTER GOES OUT, THE CAR STAYS RUNNING AND THEY COME BACK ON AFTER A TIME AND AGAIN IF YOU CUT OFF AND RESTART THE CAR IT IS OK AGAIN FOR A WHILE. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 150,000 ON IT AND I HAVE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CHECKING IT OVER TO SEE IF HE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM. THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIND WHAT IS WRONG TO FIX IT, OR SO THEY SAY. *TR

IN JULY 2011 THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ABOUT A WEEK LATER IT STARTED GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING. HAD THE STEERING COLUMN, AND RACKET AND PINION REPLACED, AND THE THEN THE RADIO STOPPED PLAYING CDS, AND THE SEAT BELT LIGHT CONSTANTLY STAYS ON EVEN IF YOU HAVE THE SEAT BELT ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. UPON RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. ALSO INTERMITTENTLY, THE FOUR POWER WINDOWS AND POWER DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE CONTROL MECHANISM WAS ENGAGED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION THE THE KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH UNTIL AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

PURCHASED VEHICLE FOR DAUGHTER ON 8/17/2011 FROM ASSET RECOVERY DEALERSHIP COLORADO. WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING ON A MAJOR ROAD (APPROX. 40 MPH), A WARNING LIGHT ON DASH WENT ON AND THE POWER STEERING WENT AWAY (ALMOST TO THE POINT OF FEELING LIKE IT WAS TOTALLY LOCKED). SHE WAS IN RH LANE, PUT ON FLASHERS, TURNED OFF CAR AND RESTARTED CAR. WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF AND POWER STEERING WAS BACK. THIS HAPPENED TWO OTHER TIMES WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE. IT HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK THE VEHICLE IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST RELAY TO BE FAULTY AND REPLACED ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AT $580 (THE RELAY CANNOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN). SINCE THEN I HAVE FOUND A NUMBER OF WEBSITES (WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM) WERE 100+ OTHER 2004 MALIBU OWNERS HAVE HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A RECALL ON THE 2004 MALIBU FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM BUT SOME HAVE WRITTEN THERE WAS A RECALL OR BULLETIN FOR 2005+ MALIBU FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY (AND SCARY) ISSUE TO LOOSE YOUR POWER STEERING ASSIST OUT OF NO WHERE AND A VERY COSTLY REPAIR. I ALSO READ IN SOME OF THE POSTED COMPLAINTS THAT THEIR REPAIR DID NOT LAST AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. I PURCHASED THIS CAR FROM A"RECOVERY" TYPE CAR DEALERSHIP. I WOULD LIKE TO GET REIMBURSEMENT FROM GM. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH PEOPLE AT VARIOUS MILEAGE RANGES SOME AS LOW AS 7,000 WHICH WOULD SEEM TO ME TO INDICATE A DEFECT. ALTHOUGH THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM RECURRING. THANK YOU. *TR

IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING TURNS, RIGHT AND LEFT, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WILL DEACTIVATE CAUSING CAR TO JERK, THEN STEERING WILL BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. CAR CAN BE TURNED OFF AND THEN RESTARTED AND THE ISSUE WILL STOP FOR A SHORT TIME. THERE HAS BEEN RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE ON OTHER GM MODELS BUT NOT MY MODEL. THIS ISSUE FIRST OCCURRED WHILE MY 16 YR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERN FOR MY DAUGHTER SAFETY WILL DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR OUT SHORTLY AFTER THIS HAPPEN TO HER AND WITHIN 3 TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED, LIGHT ON DASH LIGHT, DISPLAY SHOWED POWER STEERING AND STEERING REVERTED TO WHAT CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS PREPOWER STEERING X 2. I AM A MUSCULAR 300 POUND MALE AND I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING THE CAR TO TURN SAFELY INTO THE LANE AND LATER OFF THE ROAD. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT WAS NO COVERED BY GM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. PLEASE REOPEN YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

GETTING "POWER STEERING ERROR" INTERMITTENTLY SINCE LAST ONE YEAR. THE ERROR MESSAGE GOES AWAY AT RESTART, BUT COMES BACK AGAIN LATER. THIS IS SERIOUS MATTER AS IT COULD MEAN LOSS OF POWER TO THE STEERING AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. PLEASE INVESTIGATE IT AND HAVE IT RECALLED BEFORE SOME ONE GETS KILLED. *TR

I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE GOES OUT WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. WHEN POWER STEERING GOES OUT, I HAVE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHERE I AM AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO GET POWER STEERING TO COME BACK ON. ALSO THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL LIGHT CONTINUES TO GO OUT. I HAVE REPLACED THE LIGHT SEVERAL TIMES AND IT CONTINUES TO BLOW AFTER A DAY. THE TURN SIGNAL BEING OUT MAKES IT HARD FOR ME TO TURN WHEN AT STOP SIGNS. OTHER DRIVERS DON'T KNOW I AM TURNING AND TRY TO DRIVE WHILE I AM MAKING A TURN. *TR

WIFE STARTED UP HER CAR AFTER WORK ON JUNE 30TH, COME TO FIND OUT, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED AND, GOOD THING, SHE WASN'T DRIVING WHEN IT WENT OUT OR ELSE THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN ACCIDENT. NOW, IT FAILS EVERY ONCE AND AWHILE, STILL STEERABLE, BUT VERY HARD TO STEER. IF YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF, THEN, IT GOES A WAY FOR A WHILE BUT THEN POWER STEERING FAILS AGAIN LATER ON. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND IT DID THE SAME THING WHILE GOING 75MPH. WE'RE TRYING TO RESEARCH ON IF THIS IS A RECALL OR WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE, I'VE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THE CHEVY MALIBU ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILING. *TR