2006 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION COIL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. ..UPDATED 04-23-14 *BF UPDATED 05/28/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE OWNER IS IN POSSESSION OF THE FAILED PARTS. UPDATED 06/2014 *JS

SOMETIMES WHEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE GEARS ON THE DASHBOARD ALL MAKE A CLICKING SOUND AND GO DOWN TO ZERO AND THEN BACK UP. THIS IS ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DINGS AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE POWER STEERING RETURNS AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HOWEVER THE CAR IS HARD TO CONTROL WHEN THE POWER STEERING DISENGAGES. THIS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO SWERVE AND BE DIFFICULT TO STEER. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEMS AND I AM UNABLE TO TAKE THE HIGHWAY. IF THE POWER STEERING WERE TO DISENGAGE WHILE DRIVING, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD OCCUR SINCE IT'S DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING. ON THE HIGHWAY, WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT IS MUCH HIGHER THAN CITY STREETS, THERE MAY BE A GREATER RISK FOR THE INCIDENT TO OCCUR. GM HAS NOT YET RECALLED THIS VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH IT IS KNOWN THIS MODEL HAS THE ION POWER STEERING WHICH GM RECALLED IN THEIR COLBALT AND SATURN MODELS. *TR

AS I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT A MESSAGE CAME ACROSS MY RADIO/TEMP SCREEN AND SAID POWER STEERING. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I DROVE IT A FEW BLOCKS TO MAKE IT HOME WITH ABSOLUTELY NO POWER STEERING. IT WAS TOUGH, BUT I MADE IT HOME. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET CONCERNING MY POWER STEERING. I SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID ONCE THEY STARTED THEIR CARS AGAIN THE POWER STEERING WORKED, BUT ALSO WENT OUT AGAIN INTERMITTENTLY. SO I WENT OUTSIDE AND STARTED MY CAR AND SURE ENOUGH MY POWER STEERING IS WORKING....FOR NOW. I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT AGAIN FEARING IT WILL GO OUT AND I WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTROL IT AND CAUSE A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT. GM NEEDS TO RECALL THESE CARS BECAUSE THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM! *TR

MY VEHICLE LOST ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING (EPS) ASSISTANCE WHEN BEING OPERATED IN AN UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE GAVE AN AUDIBLE ALERT AND WARNING LIGHTS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. BECAUSE THE PARKING GARAGE CONTAINED TIGHT CORNERS AND REQUIRED SLOW SPEED OPERATION, I COULD NOT SAFELY OPERATE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE PARKING GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY, THE EPS WORKED WITHOUT A PROBLEM. THIS UNPREDICTABLE AND INTERMITTENT POWER STEERING FAILURE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN 2006 MALIBU MAXX VEHICLES. IN FACT, CHEVROLET HAS EXTENDED WARRANTIES AND CONDUCTED SPECIAL CUSTOMER SERVICE CAMPAIGNS TO SELECT 2006 MALIBU MAXX OWNERS TO REMEDY THE DEFECTIVE EPS. EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR AS OTHER VEHICLES DETERMINED TO BE DEFECTIVE, MY VEHICLE'S VIN FALLS OUTSIDE OF THE RANGE IDENTIFIED BY CHEVROLET. THE VIN RANGE IDENTIFIED BY CHEVROLET IS INSUFFICIENT. OWNERS LIKE MYSELF WHO OPERATE VEHICLES OUTSIDE OF THE VIN RANGE ARE NOT BEING ALERTED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DEFECTIVE STEERING COMPONENTS. THE EPS COMPONENTS ARE KNOWN TO BE DEFECTIVE IN 2006 MALIBU MAXX VEHICLES AND SHOULD TO BE RECALLED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH 60 MPH. I SUDDENLY RECOGNIZED THAT IT WAS VERY HARD TO STEER. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO PULL IT OVER . AS I KNEW THIS ISSUE WITH 2006 MALIBU CARS (READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT ON THE INTERNET BEFORE), I DID NOT PANIC, AND ACHIEVED IT TO PULL OVER WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT. (BY THE WAY, I AM A MALE DRIVER AND I DO NOT THINK ANY FEMALE DRIVER WITHOUT ANY KNOWLEDGE OF SUCH PROBLEM IN ADVANCE COULD PULL THE CAR OVER) I HAVE SEEN THE "POWER STEERING" FLASH ON THE SCREEN DURING THE INCIDENT. AFTER TURNING OFF AND ON THE IGNITION, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WILL REPEAT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE. I SEARCHED FOR ANY RECALLS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING, AND FOUND THAT 2005/2006/2008 MALIBU CARS WERE RECALLED ON OCTOBER 2012 IN CANADA. (PLEASE SEE THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION HTTP://WWWAPPS.TC.GC.CA/SAF-SEC-SUR/7/VRDB-BDRV/SEARCH/RECALLDETAIL.ASPX?LANG=ENG&RN=2012331 ) HOWEVER, THERE IS NO SUCH ACTION IN THE USA. IT IS A VERY CRUCIAL SAFETY PROBLEM AND THESE CARS ARE TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY IN THE USA AS WELL. GM SHOULD DEFINITELY TAKE AN ACTION BEFORE ANY DEADLY ACCIDENT HAPPENS. *TR

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ATTEMPTING TO SWITCH LANES TO THE LEFT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND PULLED TO THE LEFT TOWARDS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS AND PULL OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. MY INFO CENTER INDICATED A "POWER STEERING" ERROR AND CHIMED 3 TIMES. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON THE PROBLEM REMEDIED ITSELF. SINCE THEN THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT DIAGNOSE THE ERROR WITHOUT REPRODUCING IT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AROUND 60 MILE PER HOUR THE POWERSTEERING WARNING CAME ONTO THE RADIO DISPLAY. SHORTLY AFTER THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD ONCE I DONT THAT THE CAR CUT OFF. I WAS TOWED TO HAVE THE CAR LOOKED AT, ONCE THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT I HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR FROM THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS SERVICED, WHILE DRIVING IT HOME THE CAR LOCKED UP AGAIN AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN TO THE PLACE. ONCE AT THE PLACE THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AND THE CAR RAN FINE FOR TWO DAYS. WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ONCE PULLED IN PARKING SPACE THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT IN FEAR THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE IS VERY HARD TO STEER GOT THE VEHICLE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER HAVING TO MUSCLE THE WHEEL THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER.WAS TOLD IT WAS A ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR THAT HAD WENT OUT CAUSING THE PROBLEM AND AFTER QUESTIONING ABOUT A RECALL WAS TOLD THEY WERE RECALLED IN CANADA BUT NOT THE US THIS IS A VERY CONCERNING MATTER THAT GM NEEDS TO CORRECT. *TR

2006 MALIBU LT POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILS THEN RESUMES INTERMITTENTLY. MECHANIC'S DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH VEHICLE COMPUTER DURING FAILURE, RESUMES COMMUNICATION WHEN ASSIST RESUMES. CANNOT DETECT FAULTY SWITCHES, WIRING, FUSES. NO RECALL NOTICES OR SERVICE BULLETINS. *TR

RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS OR ACCELERATING THE BATTERY LIGHT WILL FLICKER ON AND OFF ON THE DASHBOARD. THIS TIME WHILE ACCELERATING ON A ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE HIGHWAY THE BATTERY LIGHT ALONG WITH ALL THE IDIOT LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHED AND I TEMPORARILY LOST POWER STEERING. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO MINUTES. NORMALLY WHENEVER THE BATTERY LIGHTS OR OTHER IDIOT LIGHTS FLICKER A CHIME IS HEARD. THIS IS KIND OF SCARY SINCE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND TENDS TO HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE. HAD BEGAN TO DRIVE OUT OF A PARKING LOT WHEN POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. CAR HAS ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING. I TRIED TO STEP ON BRAKE, SHIFT GEAR INTO PARK THEN BACK IN DRIVE BUT STILL COULD NOT GET STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT AND WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF HAD HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY WITH MY KIDS. I HAVE FOUND A MULTIPLE SITES WITH THE SAME SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE 2006 CHEVY MALIBU FROM PEOPLE WHO HAD THIS HAPPENED TO THEM. THEY HAVE EVEN HAD MECHANICS TRY TO TROUBLESHOOT AND CHARGE THEM HORRENDOUS AMOUNTS FOR REPAIRS BUT CONTINUED HAVING ISSUES AFTER EITHER THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS REPLACED, COILS AND HARNESS WERE REPLACED, OR OTHER PARTS THAT MECHANICS TRIED TROUBLESHOOTING. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE IT DOES TAKE SOMEONE'S LIFE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE POWER STEERING LOCKED WHICH CAUSED HIM TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES AND DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE HE REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE SPARK PLUG WIRES. HE ALSO TESTED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE NO ELECTRICAL FAILURES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 114,000. UPDATED 08/13/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN ACCELERATING UP A GRADE/HILL. ALSO WHEN THE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THERE WAS A CHIME SOUND AS IF THE DOOR WAS BEING OPENED. THERE WAS A SUDDEN AND INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING HAS OCCURRED WHILE ACCELERATING UP A SLIGHT GRADE, ACCELERATING FROM A STOP LIGHT OR ACCELERATING WHILE MERGING UP A SLIGHT GRADE. UPDATED 08/23/10*JB

I WAS STAYING AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE IN SAN ANTONIO BECAUSE I HAD A COURT SETTING THERE. THE MORNING OF THE INCIDENT, I TURNED ON MY VEHICLE AND WAS HEADED TO THE COURTHOUSE. I WAS ABOUT TWO BLOCKS FROM MY FRIEND'S HOME WHEN I HEARD A DING AND A POWER STEERING MESSAGE POPPED UP ON THE RADIO. MY POWER STEERING IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT, AND I PULLED MYSELF INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED A FRIEND FOR A RIDE AND WAS ABOUT TO CALL AAA WHEN I REALIZED I WAS IN THE WAY OF A SCHOOL BUS PICKING UP COLLEGE STUDENTS FROM THE COMPLEX. I TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON TO INCH UP A BIT, BUT I NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING AGAIN. I RETURNED TO MY FRIEND'S HOME, GOT A RIDE TO THE COURTHOUSE, AND RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE. I FOUND SEVERAL OTHER REPORTS OF THIS KIND OF THING HAPPENING AND THAT IT WAS MOST LIKELY A COMPUTER GLITCH THAT COULD AND WOULD OCCUR AGAIN UNEXPECTEDLY. I TOOK MY CHANCES DRIVING BACK HOME TO AUSTIN THAT SAME DAY AND DID NOT TOUCH MY VEHICLE OVER THE WEEKEND. NOW THAT IT IS MONDAY, I WILL BE CALLING GM CUSTOMER SUPPORT. *TR

POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON CAR PULLING OUT OF A MALL PARKING LOT ONTO HIGHWAY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING/TURNING ON TO HIGHWAY. DROVE CAR HOME AND PARKED. RESTARTED NEXT MORNING AND WORKED FINE. *TR

I BOUGHT MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE FIRST WEEK I LOST MY POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED POWER STEERING. THE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR TO THEIR SHOP AND SENT IT BACK SAYING IT WAS FIXED. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE NEXT 20,000 MILES. THE LAST WEEK BEFORE I HAD IT REPAIRED THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD NOT STEER AT ALL AND I LOST MY BRAKES UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE TORQUE SENSOR FAILED COMPLETELY AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS TOLD THEN BY THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND ALSO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SEVERAL CHEVROLETS ON THEIR LOT HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COST ME $700.00 AND ALSO I HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSING STEERING AND BRAKE FUNCTION AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND APPARENTLY WELL KNOWN. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT I WOULD HAVE HELD GM RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT GM USED SAAB PARTS FOR A FEW YEARS UNTIL THE PROBLEM BECAME APPARENT. THE CHEVY MALIBU MAXX 2004 AND 2005 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 5 MILES FROM MY HOME AND THE STEERING WENT OUT ON MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU, AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN. I HAD MY GRANDCHILD WITH ME I COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR 1 0 MIN. AND STARTED IT BACK UP. THE STEERING LIGHT WENT OFF BUT THE CAR DID THE SAME THING TWICE BEFORE GETTING HOME UNHURT. I NEED MY CAR FIXED . I CANNOT AFFORD IT. *TR

INCIDENT: FAILURE OF POWER STEERING ON 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU 1) A WEEK LEADING UP THE EVENT, I RETURNED FROM VACATION TO FIND "CHECK POWER STEERING" LIT UP ON MY MESSAGE CENTER, HOWEVER, POWER STEERING WAS STILL AVAILABLE. THIS OCCURRED ON A PARTICULARLY COLD MORNING, AFTER A COLD FEW WEEKS. THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP TOLD ME NOTHING WAS WRONG (BY PHONE). I CONTINUED DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT RECURRENCE OF THE WARNING MESSAGE. 2) ON ANOTHER PARTICULARLY COLD MORNING, I DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL GAS STATION, FILLED UP, AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY TWO CAR LENGTHS WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE, AND THE "CHECK POWER STEERING" MESSAGE DISPLAYED. I APPLIED THE BREAKS, STOPPING THE VEHICLE. 3) I HAD READ ABOUT THE FAILURE ONLINE, AND THE FIX SEEMED TO BE A RESTART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE POWER STEERING WAS RESTORED, AND I HAVE DRIVEN IT SINCE WITHOUT INCIDENT. *TR

POWER STEERING GOES OUT WHEN I ACCELERATE AND THE READING ON MY RADIO SAYS POWER STEERING AND THE ALARM IS ACTIVATED AS WELL TO LET ME KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM. WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF OF THE GAS, I GET MY POWER STEERING BACK. THIS HAPPENS REGULARLY. *TR

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING - HAPPENS AT RANDOM - AT ALL DIFFERENT TIMES. DEALER ACTED LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL AND OF COURSE THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR IT WHEN I HAVE NOW FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. IT IS DANGEROUS, AND IT COULD CAUSE FATALITY. SOME KIND OF NEW STEERING SYSTEM - GM BETTER IDEA - PROBABLY BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER!!! *TR

THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST PERIODICALLY FAILS. IT FAILS WHEN YOU CRANK YOUR CAR AND WILL NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY UNTIL YOU SHUT THE CAR DOWN AND RESTART. *TR

2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU POWER STEERING ILLUMINATES ON DASH(RADIO) , 2005 MODELS WERE A RECALL AND IT KEEPS COMING ON AND SOMETIMES LOSE OF STEERING WHEN STARTED. IT HAS 43,000 MILES AND NOT ON WARRANTY BECAUSE STEERING COLUMN IS NOT COVERED , ITS A PROBLEM NATIONWIDE AS I RESEARCHED. I COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AROUND TURNS IF LOSS OF POWER. I BOUGHT IT USED BUT WAS FINE UNTIL 2 MONTHS AFTER. *TR

WHILE PASSING ANOTHER CAR, ACCELERATING AROUND A CURVE, OR TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SHUTS DOWN LEAVING YOU FIGHTING A STEERING WHEEL THAT ALMOST FEELS LOCKED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN OUT ON THE COIL PACK . THAT IT IS SPIKING A VOLTAGE ABOVE 16 VOLTS AND AS A SAFETY FEATURE IT SHUTS DOWN THE ELECTRONIC STEERING TO PROTECT IT. IT MIGHT PROTECT THE STEERING FROM THE ELECTRIC SURGE, BUT IT HAS ALMOST CAUSED A WRECK ON A COUPLE OF OCCASIONS. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO FIGHT THE DEAD STEERING WHEEL WHERE IF I WAS A SMALLER MALE/ FEMALE THERE WOULD BE A CHANCE THAT I COULDN'T. *TR