2006 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE IT WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION. THE PROBLEM RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

POWER STEERING OFTEN STOPS WORKING AT LOW SPEED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WOULD INTERMITTENTLY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BUT, NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V153000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,428. UPDATED 10/07/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TRADED IN. UPDATED 3/16/2015 *JS

POWER STEERING WENT OUT,CAME BACK IN ABOUT 15 TO 30 SEC. THEN AGAIN ON AUG.22.WENT TO CHEV GARAGE AND THEY TOLDME THERE IS RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING MOTOR. HAVE NOT RECEIVE IT YET. *TR

WE HAVE THREE RECALLS INVOLVING THE POWER STEERING AND SHIFT CABLE. BOTH APPEAR TO LEAVE THE CAR UNSAFE. WHEN WE BEGAN TO HAVE OUR POWER STEERING LIGHT COME ON AND NOTICED SOME SHAKING OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN STOPPING THE CAR, WE WERE TOLD THE PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. WHAT ARE WE TO DO WITH THIS UNSAFE SITUATION WITH NO PARTS OR REMEDIES AT THIS TIME? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE IN ORDER TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE COIL. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE POWER STEERING MODULE, EYE SHAFT, AND THE RACK PINION BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

AUTO HAS ELECTRIC STEERING. AT TIMES THE STEERING ACTS ERRATIC AND BECOMES DIFFICULT TO STEER. AFRAID IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION THAT THE STEERING MAY NOT REACT IN TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND FORCED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO AVOID A CRASH. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION ONCE IT WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

ACCELERATING AFTER ENTRY TO FREEWAY, I LOST THE STEERING FOR APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AND THEN IT KICKED BACK IN. HAPPENED AGAIN ON 8/15/2014 WITH MY HUSBAND DRIVING. IT WAS THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES; ACCELERATING ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE FREEWAY. HE QUICKLY JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH A FEW TIMES AND THINKS THAT'S WHAT CAUSED IT TO COME BACK. MILEAGE AT THIS TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 26,928. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT WITHOUT CONTROL AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND A WARNING SOUNDED AND POWER STEERING DISPLAYED ON STEREO INDICATOR THAT IT HAD STOPPED WORKING. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN RESTATED AND THE POWER STEERING STARTED WORKING AGAIN. A COUPLE MORE MILES DOWN THE ROAD IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I REPEATED WHAT I HAD PREVIOUSLY DONE AND WAS ABLE TO FINALLY MAKE IT HOME. IT HAS DONE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN. THIS COULD DEFINITELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. HOPE TO GET IT FIXED SOON. NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY GM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE POWER STEERING OPERATED NORMALLY ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ UPDATED 12/15/2014 *JS

PER NHTSA BULLETIN 10020816 AND GM BULLETIN 060232007 COVERING STEERING INPUT SHAFT #22687711. THIS SHAFT BEGINS TO MAKE A CLUNKING SOUND BETWEEN 0 AND 16 MPH WHEN TURNING. IN ORDER TO STOP THE NOISE, I BELIEVE CAUSED BY THE WORN U-JOINTS AT BOTH ENDS OF THE SHAFT,THIS PART MUST BE REPLACED EVERY TWO YEARS. YOU DO NOT HEAR ANY CLUNKING ABOVE 16/17 MPH. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE PART CAN NOT COME APART, AND I CAN REPLACE THE PART EVERY TWO YEARS OR LIVE WITH THE NOISE. REALLY. DOES ANYONE REMEMBER REAR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN WHEN THE U-JOINTS ON THE DRIVE SHAFT BEGAN CLUNKING WHEN YOU PUT THE VEHICLE IN GEAR. YOU REPLACED THEM OR YOU COULD BE WALKING. THIS IS A STEERING SHAFT. WHEN WILL THE U-JOINT(S) FAIL? WHEN I AM TURNING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE, OR PERHAPS AT HIGHWAY SPEED AVOIDING AN ANIMAL. WHAT IS AMAZING IS THAT GM KNEW ABOUT THIS DEFECTED DESIGN/PART AND YET KEPT USING IT INTO 2008. THE BULLETINS COVER MALIBU CARS FROM 2004 TO 2008, PONTIAC G6'S 2005 TO 2007, AND SATURN AURA'S 2007 TO 2008. I FEEL GM SHOULD BE GIVEN TWO CHOICES, FIX THIS PART WHEN IT STARTS CLUNKING FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE, OR BUY THEM BACK. *JS

THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THIS IS A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. I RECEIVED THREE RECALL NOTICES, NOS. 14152, 13036 AND14116 FROM THE CHEVROLET CO. ALL THREE DESCRIBE VERY DANGEROUS CONDITIONS THAT MAY OCCUR WHILE DRIVING MY CAR. THEY ARE NOTIFYING ME THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE PARTS TO REPAIR MY CAR BUT WILL NOTIFY ME WHEN THEY ARE SENT TO MY DEALER. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON A LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY I MAY EXPERIENCE A TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FRACTURE, A POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE OR AN INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE BODY CONTROL MODULE CONNECTION SYSTEM. DOES THIS MEAN I SHOULD NOT DRIVE MY CAR UNTIL THE COMPANY CAN MAKE THE REPAIRS? ALL SOUND LIKE SERIOUS FAILURES. ARE YOU AWARE THE CHEVROLET COMPANY IS SENDING THESE OUT TO COVER THEMSELVES IF A FAILURE OCCURS? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) UPDATED 7/22/2015*JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE POWER STEERING SENSOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM AND THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,688.

AROUND 60000 MILES YOU COULD HEAR AND FEEL A CLUNKING OR POPPING COMING FROM INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAPPENED ESPECIALLY WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL OR GOING OVER BUMPS. AT APPROXIMATELY 65500 MILES WHILE MY WIFE WAS TRAVELING AT 20 MPH MAKING A TURN THE POWER STEERING INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING LOCKED UP. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN THE POWER STEERING WOULD RESET BUT WOULD STILL RANDOMLY LOCK UP. I CALLED CHEVROLET AND EXPLAINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND HOW THIS WAS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS MY WIFE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CHEVROLET INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS FAILURE. THEY ALSO STATED THEY WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE $1081.31 DOLLAR REPAIR BILL FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN MODULE. AS OF MAR 31, 2014 CHEVROLET HAS POSTED A RECALL FOR THE SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING IN THE 2006 MALIBU MAXX. AFTER CALLING CHEVROLET TO INFORM THEM I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS NEW PART TO FIX THE ISSUE THEY INFORMED ME MY 2006 MALIBU MAXX WAS NOT WITHIN THE VIN NUMBERS AFFECTED. THIS IS TERRIBLE IF CHEVROLET KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXISTS BUT IS WAITING FOR MORE COMPLAINTS OR DEATHS I GUESS. NOW I'M JUST WAITING AND HOPING MY PREGNANT WIFE IS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT FROM SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. *JS

WHEN DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS (25-30 MPH) MY CHEVY MALIBU WOULD CHIME AT ME AND LOSE POWER STEERING, SOMETIMES CAUSING MY CAR TO GO INTO OTHER LANES AND/OR ALMOST HITTING SIDEWALKS AND CURBS. I REPLACED THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR IN 2013, BUT MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN PART OF THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH THE SAME ISSUES THAT ARE LISTED UNDER THE RECALL IS WHAT HAPPENED WITH MY CAR. I HAD THE MOTOR REPLACED AT A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, SO THERE IS A RECORD OF THE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY MANEUVERING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT HEARD A CHIME SOUNDING THROUGHOUT THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER RECALIBRATED THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

I UNDERSTAND THAT MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE RECENT RECALL; HOWEVER, MY CAR PRESENTS THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS THOSE CARS INVOLVED WITH THE RECALL. DUE TO THIS, MY CAR REMAINS PARKED IN MY GARAGE FOR OVER ONE YEAR. I DRIVE IT, ON AVERAGE, ONCE PER MONTH, IF THAT; BECAUSE I FEAR THAT I MAY BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND/OR OBTAIN A SERIOUS, LIFE THREATENING INJURY. FOR THE PAST NEARLY TWO YEARS, MY CAR RANDOMLY SHUTS DOWN. I LOSE COMPLETE POWER OVER MY STEERING. THE STEERING LOCKS UP, AND MY WARNING CHIME SOUNDS. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN: RADIO, GAUGES, ETC. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON THE FREEWAY, AT HIGH SPEEDS, MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE ENDED UP ON STREET CURBS AND HIGHWAY MEDIANS. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALERSHIP I TOOK IT TO BE FIXED (LAFONTAINE BUICK GMC IN ANN ARBOR, MI) STATES THAT THE ISSUE IS DUE TO THE STEERING MOTOR, WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE CURRENT RECALL. TO FIX THIS, IT WOULD COST NEARLY $800. I HAVE CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO ASSIST IN THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A CHIME SOUNDED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND RESUMED TO NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,100. UPDATED 9/3/14*CN

ACTION: LETTER FROM SENATOR RICHARD SHELBY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS RE: STEERING RECALL NOTICE ON THE 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX ( SEND RESPOND TO TUSCALOOSA OFFICE). *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. REF# 14V153000.