2013 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

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

AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS THE STEERING WILL HAVE SOME FORM OF A DEAD SPOT IN IT. THIS STARTED AROUND 13000 AND I NOW HAVE OVER 20000 MILES ON IT.YOU WILL ATTEMPT TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT AND HAVE TO CORRECTED THE STEERING WITH ALOT MORE FORCE THAN NORMAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL AS IN CITY TRAFFIC. ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS SO FAR IN CITY TRAFFIC, I HAVE ALMOST CAUSED WRECKS FROM THE CORRECTION. MY WIFE AND I BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE DEAD SPOTS EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE DRIVE THE CAR. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE. BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE STEERING ANGLE AND POSITION SENSOR CALIBRATION. AND NO CHANGE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND IS FAR MORE RESPONSIVE TO DRIVER INPUT. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT CHEVY HAS A BIG ISSUE WITH THIS YET WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. ON THE CHEVY FORUM WE HAVE A THREAD THAT IS OVER 10 PAGES LONG AND GROWING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.CHEVYMALIBUFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=26489. *TR

PURCHASED 2013 CHEVY MALIBU ECO IN AUGUST 2013, AND RECENTLY STARTED NOTICING THAT STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY STIFF AND FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS WHEN DRIVING OVER 60 MPH AND IN A 12 O'CLOCK STEERING POSITION. I HAVE TO JERK IT WHEN MAKING SLIGHT TURNS OR CHANGING LANES, AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK IT TO FREEWAY CHEVROLET IN CHANDLER, AZ. THE CAR WAS LEFT THERE FOR FOUR DAYS, AND DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES. I WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING POWER IS ELECTRICAL AND THEIR COMPUTER READS THAT THERE ARE NO ISSUES WITH IT. WELL, I AM STILL ENCOUNTERING SAME ISSUE AND FEAR I MAY HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT. NOW THAT I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE, THERE MAY BE A LAWSUIT COMING AGAINST CHEVY. *TR

I RECENTLY JUST BOUGHT A 2013 CHEVY MALIBU AND I WAS EXCITED, NOW I AM JUST HAVING REGRETS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP AT OR AROUND 45 MPH AND OVER. MY CAR STARTS TO DRIFT TOWARDS THE YELLOW OR WHITE LINE, AND I WILL TRY TO MAKE THE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS (JUST LIKE I WOULD IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE) AND I FIND MYSELF TUGGING PRETTY FORCEFULLY TO BREAK IT FREE, WHICH THEN RESULTS IN MY CAR JERKING OVER QUICKLY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND THEN I HAVE TO TRY TO CORRECT MY DIRECTION AGAIN. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHILE I'M ON THE HIGHWAY GOING AROUND A CORNER AT 55 MPH. I CAN'T TAKE IT ON THE FREEWAYS EITHER KNOWING THAT I CAN BARELY HANDLE MY CAR AT 55 MPH, LET ALONE HOW I WOULD MANAGE AT 65-70 MPH WITH A LOT MORE TRAFFIC AND BARRIERS WITHOUT POSSIBLY HITTING SOMETHING. I EVEN HAD PASSENGERS MAKE COMMENTS ABOUT MY DRIVING, SAYING THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE A PING PONG BALL AND THAT I NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DRIVE. I ASSURE YOU I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR A LONG TIME AND HAVE DROVE MANY OTHER VEHICLES, INCLUDING MY MOTHER'S CHEVY AVALANCHE, AND I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I CAN'T ENJOY DRIVING THE ONLY NEWEST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER HAD AND I CERTAINLY CAN'T HAVE ANYONE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME ANYMORE, ESPECIALLY MY 1 YEAR OLD NIECE, BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE AND NOW I'M TAKING IT TO MY DEALER LATER THIS WEEK. WHILE ON THE PHONE WITH MY DEALER, THEY WERE TRYING TO SAY THAT THERE PROBABLY ISN'T A PROBLEM BECAUSE I NEVER OWNED A CHEVY PREVIOUSLY AND THAT I WAS JUST NOT USE TO THE WAY THE NEWER VEHICLES HANDLE. I EVEN MENTIONED THAT MY BROTHER HAS A 2013 CHEVY MALIBU AND IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS SO IT'S NOT JUST A RANDOM OCCURRENCE. I AM NOT A VEHICLE EXPERT, BUT I KNOW THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND NOW I DREAD DRIVING MY VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND/OR INJURING OTHERS. GENERAL MOTORS DEFINITELY NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE SERIOUS INJURIES OR FATALITIES OCCUR. *TR

WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE ONE HAS TO CORRECT TO KEEP ON GOING STRAIGHT AND IN DOING SO THERE IS A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE STEERING, ALMOST AS THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T WANT TO TURN BUT WITH A LITTLE MOTE EFFORT IT GETS OVER THE BUMP. *TR

ERRATIC STEERING WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN IN THE LEFT LANE THE CAR WILL ALWAYS DRIFT TOWARDS THE DITCH AFTER A FEW FEET. WHEN IN THE RIGHT LANE THE CAR WILL ALWAYS DRIFT INTO THE LEFT LANE WITHIN A FEW FEET. ALSO HAVE ISSUE WITH A 'LOCK' IN THE STEERING WHEEL, WHEN DRIVING FOR A COUPLE OF MILES, WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, HAVE TO GIVE STEERING WHEEL EXTRA PUSH TO MAKE IT MOVE, IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED IN PLACE. EXTRA PUSH IS GIVEN THEN I OVER STEER INTO ANOTHER LANE AND NEED TO CORRECT INTO MY LANE. LOOKS LIKE I AM SWERVING WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ON ANOTHER OCASSION, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE OUT PARK AND THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR ON NUMEROUS OCASSIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCASSIONS FOR THE FAILURE WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,692 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 11,246. DR..UPDATED 08/11/14 *BF UPDATED 08/19/2014 *JS

THE CAR APPEARS TO HAVE NO CENTER. SOMETIMES IT PULLS LEFT AND SOMETIMES IT PULLS RIGHT. WHEN I GO TO CORRECT THE ISSUE THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY, THEN IT OVER CORRECTS. THE CAR NEVER RIDES IN THE CENTER ANYMORE. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS GOING TO REPORT ME FOR DRUNK DRIVING OR THAT I AM GOING TO GET PULLED OVER FOR IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR IT AND THEY "CANNOT DUPLICATE" AND TELL ME THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR THE CAR TO DRIVE THAT WAY BECAUSE ITS ALL ELECTRIC NOW. THE CAR DID NOT DRIVE LIKE THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. IF IT DID, I WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED IT. *TR

ON THE FIRST INCIDENT I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. IT HAD BEEN RAINING EARLIER SO I WAS GOING SLOWER THAN USUAL. WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WOULD VEER TO L OR R AND ACT AS IF IT WERE STIFFENING. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG THAT IT WAS PROBABLY "JUST THE RAIN". THE FOLLOWING WEEK IT DID THE SAME THING, NO RAIN! THIS HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AND I HAVE TAKEN IN FOR A REPEAT TRIP TO BE TOLD THE SAME THING, TIRES ARE FINE, ETC.......YET WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY/INTERSTATE THE STEERING TENDS TO LOCK/STICK AND REQUIRE FORCE WHICH IS DANGEROUS! *TR

WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING ABRUPTLY CEASED WORKING AND A SERVICE WARNING CAME ON. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR PROBLEM. AFTER PULLING OVER, STOPPING THE AUTO AND A WAIT OF 90 MINUTES, THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THE DEALER "REPROGRAMMED AND INITIALIZED POWER STEERING MODULE, CLEARED CODE AND CONFIRMED REPAIRS". *TR

DRIVING ALONE IN THE CAR ON A SMOOTH DRY ROAD WITH HILLS AT 40 - 55MPH THE STEERING WOULD PULL THE CAR OFF THE CENTERLINE AND THEN STICK UNTIL I PULLED IT BACK TO CENTER. NOT A LOT OF FORCE REQUIRED TO BRING BACK ON CENTER BUT IT CONTINUED TO DO IT NUMEROUS TIMES. IT APPEARED THE WANDER WAS NOT DUE TO ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS BUT SOMETHING GOING ON WITH THE STEERING ASSEMBLY. THE STICKING CONDITION IS OF MAJOR CONCERN AS LOSS OF CONTROL WAS A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE IT WAS HAPPENING AT A HIGHER SPEEDS ON A HILLY TWO LANE ROAD. IT FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS ALLOWING THE ASSIST TO LIGHTEN UP THEN SOMETHING JAMS UNTIL A SLIGHT CORRECTION UNLOCKS IT.THERE IS VERY LITTLE NORMAL ROAD FEEL THROUGH THE STEERING WHEN THIS OCCURS. I HAVE DRIVEN THIS ROUTE A NUMBER OF TIMES BEFORE WITHOUT INCIDENT AND AROUND TOWN AT LOW SPEEDS IT IS FINE.I SHOULD MENTION THIS MODEL IS THE LTZ WITH WIDE TIRES (19 INCH GOODYEAR EAGLE RSA: HORRIBLE TRACTION IN SNOW BUT VERY GOOD ON DRY ROAD SURFACE) THAT ARE INFLATED TO THE PROPER 35PSI ALL AROUND PER THE OPERATORS INSTRUCTIONS. I SHOULD ALSO MENTION THAT MY PREVIOUS CAR WAS A 2005 MALIBU WITH ELECTRIC STEERING SO I AM QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE ASSIST AND THAT ONE NEVER BEHAVED LIKE THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEALER CAN DO FOR ME BECAUSE IT HAS ONLY DONE THIS ONCE SO FAR AND APPEARS NORMAL ONCE AGAIN. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THIS CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS AT THIS POINT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. ..UPDATED 03/18/14 *BF THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. UPDATED 03/21/14

STEERING BECAME STIFF WITH SLIPPAGE WHEN BEARING LEFT OR RIGHT. TOOK IT TO DEALER IN SAVANNAH WHERE PURCHASED. WAS TOLD THIS WAS AN ISSUE FOR QUITE A FEW PEOPLE. POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED. ALSO HAD AN ISSUE WITH HEATER VENTS BLOWING HOT AIR EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF. HAPPENED ON START UP SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER SAID COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. HAD A FLAT AND SIDE OF TIRE HAD A HOLE. THE KIT IN THE TRUNK (INSTEAD OF AN ACTUAL TIRE) WAS NO HELP AT ALL. HAD TO CALL AAA FOR A TOW. HAD TO BUY AN AFTER MARKET RIM AND TIRE SO I WOULD HAVE A SPARE. THE DEALERS SELL THEM AT AROUND $500.00. I AM SO DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR.....CHEVY HAS LOST A LOYAL CUSTOMER DUE TO THEIR GREED AND THE DEALER IN SAVANNAH WILL NEVER GET ANY BUSINESS FROM US FOR SELLING US A CAR THAT THEY KNEW HAD ISSUES. *TR

THE STEERING CONTINUALLY LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. IT TAKES A SHARP PULL TO GET IT UNLOCKED. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN I GO OVER 40MPH. *TR

STEERING WAS GREAT UP TO ABOUT 7000 MILES, THEN GRADUALLY SEEM TO LOSE ITS CENTERING CAPABILITY. STEADY DRIVING, ESPECIALLY HIGHWAY CRUISING, BEGAN TO REQUIRE CONSTANT CORRECTIONS AND EACH CORRECTION BECAME AN OVERCORRECTION BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMED TO BE STUCK IN POSITION. THE JERK FROM BEING STUCK CAUSES ANOTHER OVERCORRECTION THE OTHER DIRECTION. DRIVING THE CAR HAS BECOME VERY ANNOYING, AND I SUSPECT WILL EVEN BECOME A HAZARD VERY SHORTLY. I NOW HAVE 12K MILES. MY SECOND VISIT TO THE DEALER (ABOUT 10K MILES) RESULTED IN NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. WILL TRY AGAIN NEXT WEEK. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON LONG STRAIGHT STRETCHES OF SMOOTH ROAD (I.E. INTERSTATE) THE STEERING SYSTEM APPEARS TO TAKE A "SET" WHEN MAKING SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS. THIS MANIFESTS AS A SLIGHT BUMP OR RESISTANCE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND NEVER APPEARS DURING PERIODS OF MUCH STEERING ACTIVITY (I.E. LOTS OF TURNS, TOWN DRIVING, ETC.) IN MY CASE IT USUALLY APPEARS ON LONG TRIPS, AND AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH, ON ROADS WHERE VERY LITTLE STEERING INPUT IS NEEDED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBUS AS ATTESTED TO BY THE CHEVROLET OWNERS FORUM. EXTREMELY HARD FOR DEALERS SERVICE TO DUPLICATE DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO LOCK AND NEEDS A HARD PULL TO TURN WHEEL, I HAVE NOTICED THIS ISSUE ON OTHER TRIPS. I CAME HOME CHECKED ON LINE TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM IS SOMETHING OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCE AND I SEE IT IS. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR SAFETY REASONS! *TR

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE IS A STIFF OR STICKY SPOT IN THE STEERING. STEERING MUST BE PULLED HARDER THAN WHAT WOULD BE NORMAL TO RIGHT OR LEFT GIVING A CLICKY OR BUMPY FEELING IN THE STEERING. PROBLEM IS CONTINUOUS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

DEAD SPOT AT DEAD CENTER. TAKES EXTRA FORCE TO MAKE VERY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO PUSH THROUGH THE FORCE - MAKING A MUCH LARGER OUTPUT THAN NORMAL INPUT. FEELS DANGEROUS. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING PRIMARILY AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, I NOTICE THE STEERING LIGHTLY "STICKING" OR "LOCKING" CAUSING THE CAR TO VEER OFF CENTER, MAINLY TO THE LEFT BUT OCCASIONALLY TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I MAKE THE CORRECTION I CAN FEEL A "CATCH" AND THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CORRECTION. AT TIMES THE PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND AT OTHER TIMES INFREQUENTLY. *TR

WHEN DRIVING THE MALIBU AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING STICKS, ALMOST LIKE A DEAD SPOT AT THE CENTER POSITION. MINOR CORRECTIVE INPUTS ARE DIFFICULT, TAKE MORE FORCE THAN NEEDED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING STRETCHES OF STRAIGHT ROAD, THE STEERING SEEMS TO ALMOST LOCK INTO POSITION. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A VERY SLIGHT CORRECTION, THERE IS RESISTANCE THAT MUST BE OVERCOME, IN MY CASE, ONLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. *TR

WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT (MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) THE STEERING FEELS STIFF ON CENTER. MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS ARE BECOMING DIFFICULT DUE TO THE RESISTANCE FELT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, PARTICULARLY AFTER MORE THAN 30 MINUTES OF CONTINUOUS TRAVEL, MY 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU'S STEERING BECOMES EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE CAR WILL "WANDER" LEFT OR RIGHT EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL IS HELD STRAIGHT. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE "WANDER," THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT REACT. AFTER APPLYING CONTINUOUS PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEEL FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS, IT THEN "GIVES" TOO MUCH IN THE CORRECTIVE DIRECTION. IT IS AS IF THE STEERING RESPONSE IS DEAD AND THEN OVER-CORRECTION OCCURS. IF THE WANDER OCCURS TO THE LEFT FIRST, OVER-CORRECTION WILL OCCUR, AND THEN THE CAR WILL WANDER TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN OVER-CORRECTION WILL OCCUR AGAIN, ETC. AS A DRIVER, IT FEELS AS IF TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE AND A ZIG-ZAG PATTERN IS THE NEW STRAIGHT. THIS OVER-CORRECTION OF THE DEAD STEERING WHEEL VARIES IN LEVEL OF INTENSITY. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE INITIAL FAILURE THAT HAVE RESULTED IN NEAR ACCIDENTS. MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE (THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR 30 CONTINUOUS MINUTES AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS OF 70 MPH). THE DEALER ROTATED MY TIRES AND CHECKED ALIGNMENT WITH NO ISSUES IDENTIFIED OR CAUSES FOR CONCERN NOTED. THE DATE OF THIS SERVICE WAS 12-31-2013. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO GETTING WORSE AS THE MILEAGE ACCUMULATES ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE COULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. *TR

STEERING HAS A DEAD SPOT AT NEUTRAL AS THOUGH THE STEERING LOCKS UP AND A FORCE MUST BE APPLIED TO BREAK IT LOOSE. DISCREPANCY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE. DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG. SUSPECT A PROBLEM IN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING. *TR