2006 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The power steering went out on the car as I was driving down the highway going 65 mph
My power steering goes in and out as I'm driving depending on the speed. I have trouble swerving if needed because the power steering is not working correctly all the time.
Steering wheel very stiff after driving 70 miles an hour Sometimes very stiff when vehicle is started.
While driving, the power steering stopped working and I couldn’t turn the wheel. This will be the 2nd time in 7 months that I will have had to replace the electrical power steering
Power steering will suddenly go out while driving, making it harder to maintain control of the vehicle. The car dings three times and then it goes out. The only way to reengage is to turn the car off and back on. At first it was intermittent and has progressively become worse. It seems the same thing that was recalled years ago is happening again with these cars
Sudden loss of power steering while accelerating
Dashboard cluster is not working properly and now I am getting and loud noise when I go to make or a slight turn
While driving on I95 the major highway my cars steering wheel started to shake and I heard like a popping noise then, a bell or chime rang and the information center read POWER STEERING. Suddenly the steering wheel was hard,I was taken by surprise, and almost went into the other lane. Thank God my son was with me he helped me get onto the first exit off the highway while other cars were speeding by. The next day I looked on the internet for any other people who had the same problem and I found out about the recall, called Chevrolet and spoke to the information about the recall and was told that the original owner had the work done and I was not eligible for any kind of help. The car now has 63000 miles on it after me buying it in June of 2020 with around45,000.have a car fax report given at time of sale shows no recall imfo,at all.I am a senior citizen getting not enough money to pay my bills and am on assistance from the government for.. I need help and am starting with you. I would like to know how long the parts were warranted because in 2014 the original owner had35000 miles on the car so that would make the part only lasting less than 30,000 miles,I love this car and it is the first one that I have ever given a name, though it might sound a little weird, oh well to each their own. I looked up the part on a well-known internet site and as electronic power steering assist module runs close to 300.00 and that does not include labor and god knows what else.
ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING IT HOME. *TR
CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IN ANY DIRECTION. ALMOST AS IF ITS LOCKED IN PLACE. AT FIRST IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT, BUT THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I WENT TO LEAVE FOR WORK IT WAS GONE ALL TOGETHER
14V153 RECALL WAS DONE AND PROBLEM CAME BACK WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO PAY FOR INSPECTION / DIAGNOSTIC. COMPUTER SCAN SHOWS SAME FAIL OF SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR
WHEN ACCELERATING AROUND 2500-3500 RPM YOU WILL HEAR A CHIMING SOUND IN THE CAR ALL INFORMATIONAL DASH LIGHTS (BRAKES,CHECK ENGINE, LOW TIRE PRESSURE.) WILL SHOW UP ALONG WITH A POWER STEERING ISSUE IN THE DIC (DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER.) WITH POSSIBLE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AFTERWARDS. THE SAME ISSUE ON PREVIOUS YEAR AND SOME 2006 MODELS HAVE A RECALL REGARDING THIS EXACT ISSUE, BUT NOT ALL 2006 MODELS THUS CAUSING A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN FOR THOSE THAT ARE EFFECTED BY THE POWER STEERING ISSUE, BUT NOT UNDER THE RECALL.
PERIODICALLY POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON WHILE DRIVING AND POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING. THIS WOULD OCCUR ON MEDIUM TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DEALER STATED SL-N-SENSOR NEEDED REPLACED. REPLACEMENT KIT WAS 06552-PC. *TR
TAKATA RECALL/ I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY MALIBU AND IN THE PAST MONTH EVERY TIME I CHANGE THE TURN SIGNALS AND BRAKE LIGHT BULBS THEY ARE ALWAYS BLOWING FOR NO REASON. AND MY CAR IS STARTING TO GET A LOUD SOUND WHEN I DRIVE IT AND STEERING IS GETTING HARD SOMETIME. I'VE LOOKED FOR POWER STEERING TO CHECK FLUID BUT EVERYONE SAYS MINE IS ELECTRIC SO I TOOK IT TO AUTO ZONE AND THEY SAID IT WAS ELECTRIC AND I NEEDED TO FIX THE TORQUE SENSOR ASSEMBLY IN MY STEERING. I PRETTY SURE THERE IS A RECALL ON THAT PART. AND ALSO I THINK THERE A RECALL ON A PART ON MY TRANSMUTATION. I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT ABOUT RECALLS ON MY CAR. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME CAUSE I'VE GOT MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS THAT RIDE IN IT EVERY DAY. PLEASE HELP ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V064000 (STEERING). HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. UPDATED 08/17/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHED AND BELLS WENT OFF, WHILE LOSING POWER STEERING. UPON ACCELERATING. UPDATED 10/25/16.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE ABOUT WHAT PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
I DO NOT RECALL EXACT ACCIDENT DATE AS I RECEIVED NOTHING FROM INSURANCE. CAR WAS PLACED IN PARK AND TURNED OFF. CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AND SITTING FOR 30 MINUTES. CAR CAME OUT OF PARK AND ROLLED INTO ANOTHER PARKED CAR CAUSING DAMAGE TO THAT VEHICLE AND TO MY VEHICLE.I DO NOT THINK IT WENT INTO PARK TO START WITH. MY INSURANCE COVERED REPAIR OF THE OTHER VEHICLE AND I REPAIRED MY OWN VEHICLE. MY INSURANCE TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET CONCERNING ACCIDENT. LATER I NOTICED MY INSURANCE HAD LISTED THIS AS A MOVING VIOLATION AND RAISED MY INSURANCE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY INSURANCE CONCERNING THIS AS THIS WAS NOT A MOVING VIOLATION. I WAS NOT DRIVING NOR WAS I IN THE CAR AND THIS SEEMED TO INVOLVED A RECALL. I WILL REPORT MY INSURANCE TO THE STATE INSURANCE COMMISSION TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER HAS I SHOULD NOT BE PUNISHED FOR THIS PROBLEM. I HAD AN EXCELLENT DRIVING RECORDS FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS. I HAD TAKEN CAR TO DEALER CONCERNING RECALLS BUT WAS TOLD PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. I TOOK CAR ON ONE OCCASION AND PART WAS ORDERED FOR RECALL. I TOOK CAR BACK AND WAS TOLD MY PART GIVEN TO SOME ONE ELSE. I FINALLY RECEIVED FINAL REPAIR ON 04/08/2015. I MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO HAVE CAR LOOKED AT AND PARTS TO BE ORDERED THEN HAD TO TAKE IT BACK FOR REPAIRS. I ALSO HAD LOSE OF STEERING AT TIMES FOR BRIEF PERIODS. I BECAME FEARFUL OF DRIVING THIS CAR AFTER SO MANY PROBLEMS AND WAS NERVOUS AND ANXIOUS WHEN IN THE CAR. TOO MANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE AFTER I HAD IT FOR A LONG TIME. SOME ONE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. WHY SO LONGER TO NOTIFY ME OF SO MANY RECALLS AND WHY SO LONG FOR REPAIRS. IF RECALL IS DONE, PARTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE AT DEALER. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO TAKE IT TO BE LOOKED AT, THEN WAIT FOR A PART, THEN HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK IT. I WILL CONSIDER LEGAL ACTION. *TR
THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK ON I-95, SOUTH, IN MAINE. ONE TIME IN PARTICULAR, NOTED ABOVE, IN WHICH IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING. THE ENTIRE DASH WOULD LIGHT UP AND ALL GAUGES WOULD DROP, THE POWER STEERING WOULD COMPLETELY LOCK, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO SLOWLY MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THERE WERE ALWAYS STEERING, SHIFTING, LOCKING, BRAKING, CONCERNS WITH THIS CAR. WE WERE CONSTANTLY BRINGING IT IN TO BE LOOKED AT FOR TRANSMISSION AND STEERING ISSUES. AFTER MULTIPLE RECALLS, I THOUGHT IT BEST TO STATE THAT THIS CAR IS TRULY UNSAFE. AT THIS POINT WE HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR SO LONG, IT IS MORE OF JUST A REASSURANCE THAT SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY LOOKING INTO THE MANUFACTURING OF THESE VEHICLES. WE CANT SEEM TO GET MUCH LUCK WITH REPAIRS, AND EVEN ISSUES THAT ARE COMPLETELY RELATED TO THESE RECALLS, WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR OUT OF POCKET. WE NO LONGER DRIVE IT ON THE HIGHWAY, IF AVOIDABLE, BUT WE DO STILL HAVE TO USE IT AS A COMMUTING VEHICLE TO WORK ON OTHER ROADS DAILY. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE ENTIRE VEHICLE RECALLED, AS IT IS TRULY CONCERNING THAT THE COMPANY FINDS THESE ISSUES TO BE MINOR REPAIRS. *JS
AROUND MARCH 2013, I FIRST BEGAN TO ENCOUNTER PROBLEMS WITH MY POWER STEERING. IT BEGAN AT A LOW SPEED WITH A CHIME, A MESSAGE DISPLAY SAYING TO CHECK THE POWER STEERING, AND MY WHEEL LOCKING UP (POWER STEERING FAIL). AT THE TIME, I DID NOT THINK MUCH OF IT BECAUSE AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING SEEMED FINE. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THERE WERE MANY TIMES WHEN THE CHIME WOULD SOUND AND THE MESSAGE WOULD FLASH BUT THE POWER STEERING STILL SEEMED TO WORK. I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR OTHER ISSUES AND HAD THIS CHECKED OUT AT THE SAME TIME. THE TROUBLE CODE IN THE SYSTEM WAS C0545 FOR TORQUE SENSOR INPUT FAILURE. MY MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND EVEN CHECKED FOR A RECALL AT THAT TIME. I LEFT WITH MY CAR THAT DAY DUE TO HAVING TO WAIT FOR PARTS. TWO DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING 45MPH, THE POWER STEERING ENTIRELY FAILED. IT FELT AS IF MY WHEEL LOCKED ENTIRELY. LUCKILY THERE WERE NOT MANY CARS ON THE ROAD AND I WAS ABLE TO DIRECT IT INTO A PARKING LOT. MY CAR WAS TAKEN BACK IN IMMEDIATELY AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THIS REPAIR COST AROUND $500. IN JULY 2014, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT GM FINALLY ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. SO, I CALLED GM TO TO SUBMIT MY INFORMATION TO BE REIMBURSED. I WAS TOLD THAT ONLY SOME 2006 MALIBUS WERE BEING RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE AND THAT MY 2006 MALIBU WAS NOT ONE OF THEM...EVEN THOUGH MY 2006 MALIBU HAD THE PROBLEM THEY WERE RECALLING FOR! COME TO FIND OUT, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER 2006 MALIBU OWNERS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, GM HAS DONE A TERRIBLE JOB CORRECTING A SERIOUS MISTAKE. *JS
TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING TO APPROACH A STOP OR WHEN A TURN WAS MADE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO TURN THE KEY TO START THE IGNITION ALONG WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING INTERMITTENTLY. THE ANTI-THEFT SENSOR ILLUMINATED, SERVICE ENGINE SENSOR AND A LOCK SYMBOL ON THE RADIO CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE. THE RADIO WAS NOT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. DYD
AS THE POWER STEERING IS SHOWING SIGNS OF FAILURE AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT YET RECEIVED THE PARTS FOR MY BULLETIN FOR THE ISSUED RECALL, THE MECHANIC HAS NOW TOLD ME THE TORQUE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING ISSUE IS LEADING TO THE FAILURE OF THE AC CONDENSER AS THEY ARE BOTH RUNNING OFF THE LINKED PULLEYS. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED AT BY THE INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE. *TR
HEARS A CLICKING NOISE FROM CAR THEN IT WILL LOOSE STEERING AND SHUT OFF, NO ACCELERATION, STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, NO LIGHTS. ALL TURNS OFF, HAS HAPPEN ABOUT 8 TIMES. NEXT TIME, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE IT JUMPS, ALL SHUTS OFF, IT SOME TIMES TAKE 3 OR 4 TIMES FOR THE CAR TO START BACK UP. CHEVROLET SHOP HAS REPLACED PARTS, STILL CAN NOT FIND OUT WHY IT SHUT OFF. IF THIS HAS HAPPEN TO OTHERS THAT HAS A MALIBU, PLEASE HELP, WITH SUGGESTION ON WHAT THE CHEVY HOUSE CAN DO TO HELP ME OUT. THANKS *TR
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY CAR HAS LOST POWER STEERING NEARLY CAUSING A WRECK. THIS IS A DANGER AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED BUT I WAS TOLD I WOULD BE MAILED NOTICE ON APRIL 28 . I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF MY CHILD AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROADWAYS. MY CAR ALSO RANDOMLY LOSES BATTERY POWER.. I ASSUME THIS IS ELECTRICAL. *TR
CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AN STEERING IS HARD. *TR
I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO SIERRA CHEVROLET IN SOUTHFIELD, MI WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED IN 10/13, SINCE PURCHASING ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN 5 MONTHS FOR LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ALL SYSTEMS ON DASHBOARD DROP TO ZERO (0), GAS, SPEEDOMETER AND RPM'S. I WAS FIRST CHARGED $125 (DEALER CLAIMED THEY WOULD SPLIT COST) WHICH DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM. NOW THEY ARE TRYING TO CHARGE ME $430 TO REPLACE A MODULE WITH NO GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX PROBLEM. I AM BEING REPEATEDLY TOLD MY CAR DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. I HAVE A COPY OF LETTER FROM NHTSA TO GENERAL MOTORS DATED 3/31/14 IDENTIFYING SAFETY RECALL OF POWER STEERING AS WELL GM'S LETTER TO DEALERSHIPS DATED 3/31/14 REFERRED TO AS BULLETIN # 14116 WHICH STATES DEALERS ARE TO REPLACE TORQUE SYSTEM IN MODELS 2004-2006 MALIBU. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2006 Chevrolet Malibu has 47 STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.