2013 Chevrolet Malibu Steering
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, AND ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT, THE VEHICLE STALLED FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 5 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE RODE OVER A BUMP IN THE ROADWAY AND THE SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.
I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN AND STEERING WENT OUT OF THE CAR AND HAD TO MANUEVER CAR TO KEEP FROM WRECKING VEHICLE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WOULD BE 2200 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. MODULE AND MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK AND THERE WOULD BE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HOLIDAY AUTOMOTIVE SALES LOCATED AT 321 N ROLLING MEADOWS DR, FOND DU LAC, WI 54937, WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WOULD CONTINUE TO OCCUR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING A 50 MPH AND TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT INTO A CURVE, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGES OCCURRED DUE TO THE FAILURE AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT A STEADY 20 MPH TO HEISER CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 2620 W WASHINGTON ST, WEST BEND, WI 53095 WHERE THE VEHICLE REMAINED IN THEIR POSSESSION AND PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE AND FILED A CASE WITH THE MANUFACTURER, THE CONTACT HAD YET TO HEAR BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.
THE KEY GETS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. I HAD TO GET A NEW IGNITION BACK IN NOV 2017. NOW NOV 2019 THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. IM AFRAID THIS MY BE A EVERY TWO YEAR PROBLEM. I'VE FOUND OUT HOW TO GET THE KEY UNSTUCK BUT THAN THREE HOURS HAD PAST WAITING FOR HELP AND MY BATTERY HAD DIE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED WHILE THE FAILURE OCCURRED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE DIAGNOSED UNLESS THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN THEIR PRESENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WANTS TO STICK TO THE LEFT, THEN WILL BREAK FREE. I TOOK IT IN TO GET IT CHECKED OUT THOUGHT IT MIGHT NEED AN ALIGNMENT OR SOMETHING BUT THE SHOP SAID EVERYTHING WAS GOOD, ALIGNMENT AND TIRES WERE FINE, AND THEY HAD NO REASON AS TO WHY IT WOULD BE DOING THAT.
WHEN DRIVING THE POWER STEERING QUITS WORKING AND YOU CAN'T STEER THE CAR. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN, DOES IT WITHOUT WARNING. ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING AND I HAVE FOUND HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE FROM OTHER OWNERS BUT THIS VIN DOESN'T HAVE THE RECALL
"SERVICE POWER STEERING" WAS DISPLAYED ON MY SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY WHEN I STARTED MY CAR UP THIS MORNING; THE TEMPERATURE WAS COLD. THE WARNING WENT AWAY AFTER SITTING INT HE CAR FOR 2-3 MINUTES. MY STEERING IS A BIT SHAKY AT THIS POINT. I AM TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ASAP; I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER (PHIL SMITH CHEVROLET, 1640 NORTH STATE RD 7, LAUDERDALE, FL 33313). THE DEALER RESET THE POWER STEERING MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
DRIVING ONE EVENING ON HIGHWAY. GETTING OFF EXIT RAMP THAT CURVES INTO ANOTHER HIGHWAY. CAR LOOSE POWER STEERING WHILE IN CURVE. SCARED THE LIFE OUT OF ME. CAR LOOSES STEERING AGAIN A MILE DOWN ROAD WHILE IN A TURN GETTING OFF HIGHWAY.
I OWN 2013 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 98K MILES ON THE CAR. MY CAR STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND MY RADIO GOES OFF AND BLACK, EVERYTHING THAT IS CONNECTED TO MY CAR DISCONNECTS, LF I'M ABOUT TO STOP MY CAR LOOSES CONTROL OVER STEERING, THEN POWER COMES BACK AND I GAIN CONTROL. I CALLED GM AND THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND DEALERSHIP SAID THAT MY CAR ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY - EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY GM AND GIVEN SPECIFIC THING AND CODE TO LOOK AT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MY CAR'S PROBLEM IS LOW-VOLTAGE AND TO BUY NEW BATTERY OR REPLACE BATTERIES RELATED PART (NOT SURE). TODAY, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MERGING ON ANOTHER HIGHWAY AND I LOST CONTROL OVER THE STEERING WHILE TRYING TO MERGE (THIS WAS HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS WHO WERE WITH ME ON THE CAR). I CALLED GM AGAIN AND TOLD THEM THAT THEY NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS FAULT. AFTER CAREFUL DRIVE ON LOCAL STREET - THE CAR WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING AND MY AC MEASURE BECOME CELSIUS INSTEAD OF FAHRENHEIT. I HAD TO PUT THE CAR ON PARKING MODE AND USE THE KEYS AGAIN! THIS WAS HORRIBLE ORDEAL AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GM AND CHEVY.
STARTED CAR AND HAD NO POWER STEERING AND A WARNING TO SERVICE. BROUGHT TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD WARMED UP THAT THE ELECTRIC ASSIST MOTOR HAD QUIT AND THERE HAS BEEN ISSUES WITH THIS DURING COLD WEATHER. IT HAD BEEN BELOW ZERO FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT AND LUCKY I HAD NOT BEEN MOVING WHEN IT HAPPENED. NOTHING WAS DONE AT DEALERSHIP AS IT STARTED WORKING AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT IN THERE GARAGE. THIS IS A $2000 REPAIR IF THE ELECTRIC MOTOR GOES OUT AND A SAFETY ISSUE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW IN MINNESOTA AND COLD IS A FACTOR HERE AND THE ELECTRIC STEERING SHOULD NOT BE FAILING AT 48,000 MILES.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT (EVERYTHING BLINKED OFF FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND THEN BACK ON) PULLING THE CAR TO THE LEFT SUDDENLY AND MY CAR WENT INTO THE MEDIAN AND HIT A TREE. WHEN THE POWER CAR CAME BACK ON IT SAID SERVICE POWER STEERING AND THEN SERVICE STABILI TRAC. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE.
WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN THE TURNING SIGNAL BLINKS WITH NO SOUND THEN THE SCREEN GOES BLACK THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. I HAVE SEEN OVER 50 COMPLAINTS ON LINE REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND GM ISSUED A RECALL BUT NOT ON THE 2013. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL RECALL IS LISTED AS 14V-153 ADDITIONAL MODELS/YEARS WERE ADDED UNDER 14772 ... THERE ARE ALSO ADDITIONAL DAY THIS HAPPENED ALSO 4/29 & 05/01/2017
MY 2013 MALIBU KEEPS HAVING POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE POWER STEERING LIGHT FLASHED AND STAYED ON. AT THE SAME TIME IT LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. I SEE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM HAPPENING WITH THE MALIBU 2013 MODELS AND OWNERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS DEFECT TO THE DEALERS. NOT SURE IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THIS; HOWEVER, THE DEFECTS ARE CAUSING PEOPLE DRIVING THE MALIBU TO HAVE ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING LOCKS AS SOON AS THE POWER STEERING LIGHT IS DISPLAYED. THE CAR ALSO SEEMS TO STALL A BIT WHEN THE LIGHT COMES ON. THE WHEELS ARE LOCKED AND I CANNOT TURN THE WHEELS AT ALL UNTIL IT UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE STEERING COLUMN SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE BUT THE ISSUE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.
PWER STEERING STOPPED FOR 3 OR 4 SECONDS ON A CITY STREET AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ON TO A THROUGH STREET, LUCKY NO CARS VERY CLOSE, PULLED INTO A PARK LOT AND HAPPENED AGAIN, LUCKY NO CARS CLOSE BY. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED, BEFORE TO LATE.
MY WIFE WHO WAS 7 MONTHS PREGNANT WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING LOCKED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55MPH.THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT, ALSO LOCKED AT LOW SPEED WHILE TURNING.WHENT TO 2 DIFFERENT CHEVY DEALERS WHO SAID THEY COULDNT FIND A PROBLEM. CONTACTED CHEVY USA WHO ADVISED ME THERE WAS THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM AND ISSUED A GM CASE# 8-1929724465. DEALER GRAND PRIZE CHEVROLET 11701 SW 152 STREET MIAMI FLORIDA IS NOW TRYING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE SOFTWARE REPAIR THAT GM SAID WOULD RESOLVE THIS HAZARDOUS DEFECT IN THEIR VEHICLE. STILL TRYING TO RESOLVE......
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED, WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO TURN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,404.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR NEVER DRIVES STRAIGHT, ALWAYS VEERING SLIGHTLY LEFT OR RIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN YOU TRY TO CORRECT. IT TAKES A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THE WHEEL FINALLY MOVES, IT HAS NO RESISTANCE AND OVER CORRECTS. I DRIVE 70 MILES A DAY ON THE HIGHWAY, AND IT DOES IT EVERY SINGLE DAY CONSISTENTLY AT SPEEDS OVER 45. THE CAR GOES ALL OVER THE ROAD AND IS DANGEROUS. I LOOK LIKE A DRUNK DRIVER AND PEOPLE TRY TO GET AWAY FROM MY CAR WHEN I'M NEXT TO THEM. CONCLUSION: IT'S DANGEROUS; SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED EVENTUALLY; CHEVY IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT; NHTSA IS ALSO AWARE OF THE DANGER, BUT NO RECALL? CHEVROLET AND NHTSA ARE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT DEATH. GET A RECALL ON IT. *TR
2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER STEERING CONCERN. *SMD
2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STEERING SYSTEM ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THREE DIFFERENT DEALERS, THE STEERING MUST FAIL, BEFORE IT CAN BE FIXED. *JB
LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN JOLLY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE AN ISSUE WITH 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU THAT GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOT RECALL (ATTN: BRENDA FRANTZ) *SMD THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM REGARDING POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, IT WAS NOT RECALL, RATHER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS BEING ISSUED ON THE PART, IF IT THE PART SHOULD FAIL WITHIN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. *JB
HARD STEERING AT 55-65 MPH SPEED WHEN GOING AROUND CURVE. *TR
WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE STEERING SEEMS TO LOCK UP AND THEN THE CAR WILL SLIGHTLY DRIFT AND THEN YOU HAVE TO PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO BREAK/ UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. IT MAKES A VERY JERKY MOVEMENT THAT CAN BE UNSAFE. *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2013 Chevrolet Malibu has 60 Steering complaints on file. 3 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.