2001 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
WHEN I HAD MY RIGHT INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS REPLACED I LEFT THE SHOP AND I HEARD A CLUNCKING WHEN I WOULD MAKE A TURN I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID A SCREW HAD WORKED ITS WAY HALF WAY OUT AND THERE IS NO WAY TO GET IT IN OR OUT BECAUSE IT'S WEDGED UP AGAINST THE RACK AND PINION WITHOUT REPLACING THE RACK.AND WAS TOLD (OFF THE RECORD) WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM STILL DRIVING IT. I ASKED IF IT WAS SAFE AND WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE SCREW BREAKS I WILL FEEL A JERK BUT WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR.SO I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AND LOST MY STEERING ALMOST COMPLETELY .MANAGED TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED HOME. I HAD ANOTHER SHOP REPLACE MY POWER STEERING PUMP AND MY RACK AND PINION.I WAS TOLD THAT THE DECREPIT A HOLE IN THE RACK AND WAS JUST SITTING THERE AND MY RACK AND PINION BRACKET HAD BROKEN AND THE RACK WAS ALSO JUST SITTING THERE.AND I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T KILLED.
WAS TOLD THE SUBFRAME RUSTED OUT AND BROKE OFF FROM RACK AND PIONS. THE WHEEL WONT TRUN AND LOST ALL FUNCTIONS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. MA 10/25/15
VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT. AFTER HAVING IT LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC THE ENTIRE STEERING CRADLE IS RUSTED AND HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT THE POWER STEERING BOX SHIFTS APPROXIMATELY TWO INCHES. CURRENTLY THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE SUB-FRAME IS ALSO RUSTED AND COST FOR REPAIR IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN. AFTER READING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ONLINE AND ON THIS SITE THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE VERY COMMON AND GM SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT TO THE LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
I WAS GOING FROM EB I294 ONTO SB IL394 WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY CHANGED LANES, IT WAS LATE AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE TRAFFIC,SO NO ACCIDENT HAPPENED, I GOT THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THE FRONT END CRADLE THAT THE STEERING RACK MOUNTS TO HAS RUSTED OUT, CAUSING ME TO HAVE VERY BAD STEERING, AND WHEN IT HAPPENED IT BENT THE STEERING RACK AND THE TIE ROD ENDS. THE REPAIR WITH A SALVAGED RACK WAS $1800.00, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CAR BECAUSE IT HAS NO OTHER RUST. I WAS TOLD BY THE REPAIR FACILITY THIS IS VERY COMMON ON CHEVY MALIBUS, FORD VANS, AND SUBURU OUTBACKS.THIS IS TERRIBLE THE MANUFACTURE WOULD SACRIFICE PEOPLES LIVES TO SAVE A FEW DOLLARS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND A HISSING SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE STEERING IMMEDIATELY BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. AFTER DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE REGAINED STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 1/20/2012 *BF UPDATED 01/25/12
STEERING BECAME STIFF TO TURN WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. UPON INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEM, WE DISCOVERED THAT A THIN MOUNTING TAB ON THE FRONT CROSS MEMBER WHERE THE STEERING BOX WAS ATTACHED TO HAD RUSTED AWAY LEAVING THE STEERING BOX HANGING FREE. I HAVE SEEN MANY INTERNET COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET CORVETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V060000 COMPONENT: STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THIS RECALL IN 2008 AND NOW THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE REMEDY FOR A SAFETY ISSUE FAILED CREATING THE SAME SAFETY CONDITION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 27,000. UPDATED 12/22/10. *LJ
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVY MALIBU LS. THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN AFTER BEING PARKED FOR A DAY. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO THE THEFT SYSTEM. THE THEFT LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED HER THAT THE MODEL YEAR WAS RECALLED FOR THE THEFT DEVICE. THE MECHANIC TEMPORARILY FIXED IT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,038 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,028.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH ON MARCH 4, 2007 THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON ITS OWN AND A FRACTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DETACHED. WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THE CONTACT STRUCK A BRICK WALL. THE VEHICLE AND CONTACT WERE UNHARMED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 87,000.*AK
POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. HIGH RESISTANCE TO TURNING LEFT. OFTEN UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL AS MUCH AS INTENDED WITH THE MAXIMUM PINION SHAFT MOVEMENT. WHEN TURNING LEFT POWER STEERING IS NON EXISTING WITH EXTREME POWER TO MANEUVER STEERING TO COMPLETE THE LEFT TURN. THE RIGHT TURNING STEERING IS EXTREMELY LOOSE. THE FAILURE IS DUPLICATIVE OF THE RECALL OF THE 1997 AND 1998 MALIBU. *NM
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A POWER STEERING LEAK ON A 2001 CHEVY MALIBU WHICH IS SIMILAR TO RECALLS MADE ON 1996 AND 1997. *LA *SC *JB
MY 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU STEERING CYLINDER FELL APART WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. MY STEERING WHEEL DID NOT LOCK AND MY KEY WOULD NOT TURN AFTER I PARKED IT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. *AK
WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL VEHICLE MADE A CLANKING NOISE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO CLAIMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 03V527000 AFFECTING CHEVROLET, MALIBUS, 1997-1998 CONCERNING STEERING GEAR BEARINGS. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK IN ADDITION, BEARING IN STEERING SNAPS EVEYRTIME WHEEL IS TURNED. *LA
CONSUMER STATED WHILE TURNING LEFT STEERING WHEEL GOT STIFF. THEN, AFTER THE TURN WAS COMPLETED HE HAD TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK. CONSUMER WILL TAKE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC, BUT SOMEONE TOLD HIM THAT THERE MAY BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON HIS OTHER CHEVROLET VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HARD TO TURN. *JB
THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN, AND IT MADE A NOISE.*JB
ELBOW RIGHT ARM/ELBOW BECAME SORE AFTER DRIVING A CHEVROLET MALIBU FOR A WEEK. THE STEERING IS STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. HAVE A BAD CASE OF ELBOW NOW. INFO SUPLLIED BY MIKE TOMICH 989-665-2311. DT
AT 40MPH AND WITH NO WARNING LOST STEERING CONTROL, RESULTING IN CRASH. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
AFTER COMING OFF FREEWAY STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME LOOSE, CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WANDER ACROSS CENTER LANE. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES TO IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE WAS LEAVING HIGHWAY STEERING WAS LOST. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITH A FINGER COULD TURN STEERING WHEEL, BUT VEHICLE WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE.*AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2001 Chevrolet Malibu has 23 Steering complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.