2004 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

MILEAGE 31,610 REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR ASS'Y., MILEAGE 37,018 INSTALLED NEW STEERING COLUMN, MILEAGE 39,565 REPLACED NEW GEAR, MILEAGE 40,167 REPLACE RR STR INTERMEDIATE SHAFT LOWR UJOINT AND NOW AT 86,333 03APR09 NEED TO REPLACE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. WHEN WILL THIS STOP? A CUSTOMER AT THE DEALER SHIP WAS TOLD BY A SALESMAN THAT THERE HAS BEEN TROUBLE WITH THESE STEERING UNITS SINCE 2004 AND NOW GM DEV. A NEW ELECTRIC STEERING SYSTEM. NOW WHAT ABOUT ALL THESE OLDER CARS LIKE MIND? WHY SHOULD THE CONSUMER KEEP PAYING FOR THIS MESS UP. *TR THANK YOU TOM STANICH

CAR HAS MAJOR STEERING PROBLEMS SINCE 2 MONTHS AFTER BOT THE CAR AND HAS GOT WORSE AFRAID TO DRIVE FEAR FOR LIFE GOT LAWYER NO ONE IS DOING ANY THING. *TR

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING 2004 CHEVY MALIBU. NO ACCIDENT RESULTED AS GOING DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD. HEARD A NOISE WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE FOR THE PAST WEEK AND NOW NO POWER STEERING THOUGHT IT HAD TO BE A BAD BALL JOINT BUT AFTER RESEARCH IT TURNS OUT TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND STARTED AGAIN AND THE POWER STEERING WAS NORMAL. WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. VERY DANGEROUS IF I WASN'T GOING DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD AS I MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO TURN. *TR

TURNING LEFT AT A MAJOR INTERSECTION THE POWER STEERING WENT DEAD. THE ORANGE SERVICE INDICATOR CAME ON, AND POWER STEERING CAME ON THE CENTER DISPLAY. I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE INTO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT. THE SERVICE DEPT SAID THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT I NEEDED TO HAVE THAT DONE AT A DEALER. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO THEN FOUND THE CAR TO BE OPERATIONAL. THERE WERE ERROR CODES IN THE SYSTEM BUT THEY ARE SO FAR UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL TRY AGAIN TOMORROW BUT IF THEY CAN'T RECREATE IT I AM SUPPOSED TO COME PICK UP THE CAR AND DRIVE IT AS NORMAL. THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AS HAD IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BAD ACCIDENT HAD I NOT BEEN GOING VERY SLOWLY AT THE TIME. *TR

THE POWER STEERING ON MY 2004 MALIBU LS FAILED WHILE MAKING A TURN. I NEARLY HAD AN ACCIDENT. MY LOCAL GARAGE DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A MODULE IN THE STEERINGCOLUMN AND SAID IT'S A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR A RECALL OR MANUFACTURES SERVICE BULLETIN. *TR

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING GOES OF SUDDENLY W/O ADVANCE NOTICE OF ANY KIND. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO EXERT FORCE IN ORDER TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

I PURCHASED A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU IN JUNE 2009. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR THE POWER STEERING LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I HAVE LOST ALL POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE TWICE. I TOOK THE CAR THE DEALERSHIPS SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE POWER STEERING. DRIVING TODAY I LOST ALL POWER STEERING AGAIN. I STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF AND IT RESETS ITSELF USUALLY, BUT TODAY IT KEPT GOING OUT. I SPOKE TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SERIOUSLY. I AM LOCKED INTO MY LOAN FOR 3 YEARS ON THIS CAR. *TR

ON MARCH 9TH, 2009 MY HUSBAND WAS PULLING OUT OF OUR DRIVEWAY IN OUR 2004 CHEVY MALIBU WHEN HE TURNED THE WHEEL THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE STEERING WHEEL COULD BE MOVED LIKE A SECOND HAND ON A CLOCK. THANK GOODNESS HE WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY GOING 65 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND AS WELL AS ANYBODY WITHIN HIS PATH. I HAVE DONE MY RESEARCH ON THIS AND I KNOW THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE HOWEVER IT IS NOT ON THE RECALL. 3 DIFFERENT MECHANICS ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN $1,200.00-$1,800.00. MEANWHILE OUR CAR SETS IN THE DRIVE WAY INDEFINITE, YET WE ARE STILL MAKING PAYMENTS AND CARRYING INSURANCE FOR A USELESS VEHICLE THAT DO TO MANUFACTURER DEFAULT IS UNDRIVABLE. THERE ARE A TON OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE LISTED COMPLAINTS ON THE SAME OR SIMILAR SITUATION AS MINE DATING BACK AS FAR 2004 AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO HELP US WITH THE COST OF REPAIR. WE HAVE FAMILIES AND WANT TO FEEL SAVE IN OUR VEHICLES! I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND REPAIRED. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!! DO SOMETHING..... *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 MALIBU MAXX TO WORK YESTERDAY AND MY STEERING LOCKED UP ON ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN A BUSY ROAD DURING RUSH HOUR. THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO LEFT BEFORE LOCKING UP. I HOPE SOMEONE WILL FORCE GM TO RECALL THIS AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. THERE MAY HAVE NOT YET BEEN A DEATH, BUT THERE WILL BE IN TIME. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE REPORTED BEFORE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY. MY DEALER HAD TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AND POWER STEERING MOTOR. MY CAR ONLY HAS 55K MILES ON. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE! DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE "POWER STEERING" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A CONSEQUENCE THE RISK FOR VEHICLE CRASH WAS INCREASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND A MECHANIC CONCLUDED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AS OF CURRENT DATE THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 92,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I OWN A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU AND THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING QUIT. THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON AND THE DISPLAY SAID POWER STEERING. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS RIGHT AFTER I HAD PICKED MY SON UP FROM DAY CARE. I WAS ON MY HOME AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I COULD BARELY STEER THE CAR. I HAD TO PULL HARD ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET THE CAR TO STEER. IT STARTED WORKING AGAIN ON MY WAY TO WORK, BUT NOW IT OVER STEERS TO THE RIGHT. IF THE POWER STEERING HAD COME BACK ON WHILE I WAS PULLING ON THE STEERING WHEEL I WOULD HAVE WENT INTO THE OTHER LANE AND CAUSED AND ACCIDENT (WITH MY SON IN THE CAR). I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY SAID THE STEERING COLUMN WAS ALREADY REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. THE DEALER SAID THEY COULD REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT MY EXPENSE. IF THE STEERING COLUMN WAS ALREADY REPLACED, THEN WHY IS THE SAME PROBLEM STILL HAPPENING. I WILL NOT PAY TO HAVE A NEW ONE PUT IN WHEN IT ONLY TEMPORARILY FIXES THE PROBLEM. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ISSUE. SOME HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I WILL NOT DRIVE THE CAR WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT GM DOES NOT ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR GM TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM A "DEATH". *TR

MY CAR WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A NEW MOTOR PUT IN MY STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I HAVE SPOKEN TO CHEVY ABOUT IT. THEY DO NOT CARE BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THEIR "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN" TO REPLACE THIS PART FOR FREE EXPIRED AT THE END OF JANUARY 2005. MY POWER STEERING LIGHT COMES ON ALMOST EVERY TIME I START THE CAR AND I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT. LUCKILY MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING WHEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING I MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE THE TURN AND I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN INTO AN ACCIDENT. MAYBE THAT WOULD GET CHEVY'S ATTENTION! UNDER THE REPORT FOR ODI'S INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER THEY SAID THAT THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO STEER THIS "RELATIVELY SMALL" AND LIGHT CAR WAS NOT IMPACTED GREATLY. THAT'S COMPLETELY UNTRUE. I'M AN AVERAGE-SIZED FEMALE WHO HAS A 16-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER. EVERY TIME MY DAUGHTER GETS INTO MY CAR, THIS BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE, DESPITE WHAT EVERYONE ELSE HAS DECIDED THUS FAR. I'M TAKING THIS PROBLEM TO MY LOCAL NEWS CHANNEL. HOW CAN GM WONDER WHY THEY'RE IN BANKRUPTCY WHEN THEY DON'T BACK THEIR FAULTY PRODUCT?? *TR

STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY REPLACED 12/21/06. *TR

STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT REPLACED 06/29/07. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE MORNING, THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR INTO REVERSE. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT SUDDENLY BECAME LOCKED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, THE POWER STEERING AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND AN INVESTIGATION FOR THE SAME ISSUE (NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA04018 (STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM)). SHE HAS NOT YET TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT BELIEVES THAT THIS INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE ISSUED A RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 30,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED ON THE VEHICLE. SHE WAS ABLE TO SAFELY RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND AFTER 5 MINUTES THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.

DRIVING IN RUSH HOUR AT 75MPH, ALARM CHIME CAME ON, DISPLAY SAYS POWER STEERING, AND ORANGE LIGHT WITH A WRENCH. I LOST POWER STEERING, AND COULDN'T CONTROL MY VEHICLE WHATSOEVER. I RAN INTO A DITCH, CRASHED, AND SMASHED THE FRONT END IN. AFTER DOING RESEARCH, THIS ISSUE IS COMMON WITH MANY USERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE, BUT CHEVY NEVER RELEASED A RECALL. THEY REFUSED ANY DAMAGE COSTS CITING MY HIGH MILEAGE AS AN EXCUSE TO NOT PAY FOR IT. *TR

I LOSE POWER IN MY STEERING ON MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU LS. *TR

LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. THE POWER STEERING ASSIST GOES AWAY AND "POWER STEERING" IS DISPLAYED ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. *TR

WE OWN AN 04 MALIBU MAXX, AT 50000 MILES APP THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IT STOPPED WORKING ON THE HIGHWAY .IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND RE START POWER STEERING RETURNS. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MORE THAN PEOPLE ACCORDING TO INTERNET CAR FORUMS, SO WHY NO RECALL? *TR

ELECTRIC STEERING WILL LOOSE POWER. THE STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALS REPLACED IT FREE OF CHARGE. SECOND TIME THE DEALER PAID FOR THE PARTS BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR THE LABOR $ 225.00. *TR

ON MY 2004 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX, THE POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY AS I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY. LAST MONTH, THE STEERING WAS "STIFF" TURNING TO THE RIGHT. MY DEALER LUBRICATED SOMETHING AND THE PROBLEM SEEMED TO BE RESOLVED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT THE PARTS WERE LUBRICATED, HOWEVER THE COMPLETE FAILURE CAME YESTERDAY. IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND COULD NOT STEER THE CAR SINCE THE POWER STEERING SHUT OFF. I DID CONTACT MY DEALER WHO INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU (RECALL #7126) FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, BUT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS LISTED. ACCORDING TO MY DEALER, THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WAS ALSO THE PART REPLACED IN THE RECALL OF THE 2004 CHEVY MALIBU. MY VEHICLE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE ADDED TO THE LIST OF RECALLED VEHICLES SINCE THE POWER STEERING FAILURE IS AN OBVIOUS DESIGN OR PART FLAW THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED IN SIMILAR MODELS OF THE SAME PRODUCTION YEAR. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONS, THE WHEEL DOES NOT TURN. THE MESSAGE CENTER READS POWER STEERING, THIS HAS HAPPENED ONCE A WEEK FOR THE PAST 4 WEEKS. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 40K MILES. I GOOGLED THIS ISSUE AND SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND SEE THAT GM HAS NOT ISSUED A FIX. WE ALREADY DID THE RECALL BACK IN 2005 ON THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND MAKING A TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER WARRANTY, THE PS GEAR, AND THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT; HOWEVER, THE CLUNKING NOISE STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,523 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,557. UPDATED 2/23/09 *CN UPDATED 02/27/09. *JB