2004 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
NOISE IN THE STEERING. *JB
TL-CALLER IS LEASING A 2004 CHEVROLET MAILBU. CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE 48000. WHILE DRIVING AT 3MH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENTER TRAFFIC,THE CAR DIED WITH NO WARNING. STEERING FROZE. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO DEALER LATER THAT DAY. THE STEERING WAS REPLACED HOWEVER THE ENGINE PROBLEM WAS A MYSTERY TO THEM. WEATHER WAS DRY TEMPERATURE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS BOTH MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC. KTF
2004 MALIBU CLASSIC WITH POWER STEERING PROBLEMS. **CC THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE POWER STEERING WENT COMPLETELY OUT. *JB
CAR WAS MAKING CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL/TIRE AREA WHEN MAKING TURNS. DEALER REPLACED INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. THIS WAS THE THIRD TIME INVOLVING A STEERING ISSUE. REPLACED STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY AND RACK & PINION. *AK
I HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY CAR A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE TIRE AREA WHEN MAKING TURNS. THIS IS THE 4TH TIME I HAVE HAD MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE ON THIS SAME ISSUE.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL FELT LOOSE, AS IF IT COULD KEEP TURNING NONSTOP. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT HAD DIFFICULTY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE MOTOR INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND WAS A VERY COMMON FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 51,400. THE CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONSUMER STATED WANTS TO REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS. UPDATED 06/06/07 *TR
TL * - THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED RECALL LETTER 04050. THE CONTACT HAD A COMPUTER CHIP IN THE POWER STEERING MODULE REPLACED IN JAN 2005 BECAUSE OF THE RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILURE RETURNED THREE MONTHS LATER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER ,AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING ANOTHER COMPUTER CHIP FOR THE POWER STEERING. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CHIP FOR FREE BECAUSE IT HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. THE POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT WORKING. *AK UPDATED 1/31/2007 - *NM
AROUND 40,000 MILES ON ODOMETER, A THUNK COULD BE HEARD WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL LEFT. DEALERSHIP WHERE CAR WAS PURCHASED COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. AT 45,000 MILES ON ODOMETER, TOOK VEHICLE TO 2ND DEALERSHIP WHO KNEW OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN - RACK AND PINION STEERING UNIT WAS FAILING. *JB
POWER STEERING WAS DISPLAYED ON MESSAGE CENTER AND A LIGHT WITH VEHICLE AND WRENCH CAME ON FOR A SHORT PERIOD. DIAGNOSTICS WERE PERFORMED AND FOUND CODE CC0460. THIS WAS TRACED TO A SHORTED STEERING SENSOR. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE SENSOR IS PART OF THE ASSEMBLY. I HAVE READ NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT BEING DISPLAYED ON THE MESSAGE CENTER AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON THE CAR. MY POWER STEERING DID NOT GO OUT ON THE CAR BECAUSE I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS PROBLEM TO OFF SET THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR THE SENSOR, WHICH HAS TO BE REPLACED WITH A WHOLE STEERING COLUMN, FOR A TOTAL OF $850.12 IN PARTS AND LABOR. THANK YOU. *JB
GOT POWER STEERING WARNING. HAD DIAGNOSTIC CHECK WITH NO RESULTS. IGNORED THE WARNING FOR A MONTH. POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE IN A PARKING LOT. SHUT OFF ENGINE, RESTARTED AND HAD POWER STEERING AGAIN. HAPPENED A SECOND TIME THIS TIME WITH MY WIFE DRIVING. SHE MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND SHUT OFF CAR. POWER STEERING WORKED WHEN THE CAR WAS RE-STARTED. *TR
BOUGHT 6 CYLINDER 2004 MALIBU WITH 2000 MILES FROM DEALER. WITHIN TWO MONTHS, STEERING FAILED. STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. SINCE THEN STEERING COLUMN HAS BEEN REPLACED A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES FOR CONTINUED "CLUNKING" NOISE IN FRONT STEERING AREA. LAST TIME CAR WAS STILL IN WARRANTY. CAR NOW HAS 62,000 MILES AND CONTINUES TO CLUNK JUST AS WHEN NEW AND AS EACH COLUMN WAS REPLACED. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING CONTROL NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE.
BOUGHT A MALIBU LT MAXX IN APR 04, ENCOUNTERED STEERING WHEEL PROBLEMS SEVERAL. THE WORST WAS THAT IT LOCKED MY STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HWY 401. I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HWY TO RE-START MY ENGINE TO TRY MY LUCKY TO GET BACK THE STEERING POWER. I HAVE THE PROBLEM TILL NOW AND YET UNSOLVED. NO CHOICE BUT TO GET INTO A NEW CAR NOW, JUST TO ADVISE BEING KILL ON THE ROAD. *JB
THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2005 AS A RESULT OF A RECALL STATING THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CAN FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. UP TO THIS TIME, NO ACTUAL FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006 THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE FAILURE, AN AUDIBLE BEEPING OCCURRED AND A FAILURE MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE CONSOLE. RE-STARTING THE CAR WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT IT RECURS ON A REGULAR BASIS. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT THEIR EXPENSE BECAUSE IT WAS DONE ONCE IN 2005. *NM
MY CAR MAKES A GROANING OR LOW GROWLING SOUND WHEN I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT SEEMS THAT THE HOTTER THE WEATHER IS THE MORE IT GROWLS AND GROANS. *NM
MAKING SLOW LEFT HAND TURN, VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND ON BOARD DISPLAY LISTED ISSUE AS POWER STEERING. SHUT OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTED. POWER STEERING WAS REGAINED. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS NOTIFIED RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE WAS NOT IN EFFECT FOR THE VIN NUMBER LISTED FOR MY VEHICLE, BUT ANY ISSUE THAT WARRANTED A RECALL OF THE MODELS DUE TO THE SAME DEFECT. *JB
THE STEERING SYSTEM HAS FAILED 3 TIMES ON THE VEHICLE. GM MOTORS HAS REPAIRED THE PART TWICE, BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING SYSTEM. RIGHT NOW THE CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE 3RD TIME FOR THE SAME DEFECT. WE ARE NOT SURE IF GM MOTORS IS GOING TO PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF THE WARRANTY BUT THIS IS THE 3RD TIME. IT WAS REPLACED IN 3/04 & 10/04. GM TOLD US THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT ACCORDING TO THEIR RECORDS NOT ENOUGH CARS WERE AFFECTED THEREFORE A RECALL HAD NOT BEEN INITIATED. WHAT DISTURBS ME IS THEY NEW EXACTLY WHICH CARS WHERE AFFECTED BEFORE THEY WERE EVEN SOLD TO CONSUMERS. *NM
STEERING FAILURE, STEERING REPLACED THREE TIMES. STEERING WENT OUT WHEN CAR WAS 11 MONTHS OLD, AGAIN FALL 2005, JAN 2006. TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS HAVE WORKED ON CAR, NOTING THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF STEERING PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EITHER A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE PRESENT IN THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE PULLS TO LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 OCCASIONS AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED HOWEVER THERE IS NO FIX FOR THESE PROBLEMS.
THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN STEERING WHEN TURNING OR ACCELERATION AND OR STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN STANDING STILL. *TS *JB
PURCHASED 2004 CHEVY MALIBU, CERTIFIED USED WITH 27,000 MILES. WHEN TURNING I HEAR CLICKS AND FEEL VIBRATIONS. DEALER SAY'S IT'S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE AND GENERAL MOTORS WILL FIX IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2006. I CONTACTED CHEVROLET AND CAN'T GET AN ANSWER ON THE SAFETY ISSUE OR WHEN THIS PROBLEM WILL BE CORRECTED. I HAVE BEEN READING MANY AUTOMOBILE WEBSITES AND READ 100'S OF MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME NOISE WHEN TURNING AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF STEERING. THE CAR IS TWO YEARS OLD, WHY HASN'T CHEVY FIXED THESE VEHICLES? ARE THEY OR ARE THEY NOT SAFE? WHAT CAN CONSUMERS LIKE MYSELF DO ABOUT THE ISSUE. *NM
I KEPT HEARING A RATTLING IN MY CAR COMING FROM THE FRONT TIRES AREA. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL GM DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS NEEDING A "STEERING GEAR". MY CAR IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD, THOUGH IT HAS RELATIVELY HIGH MILEAGE. AFTER CONSULTING WITH OTHERS MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CARS, I FOUND OUT THAT GM HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH STEERING GEARS IN THE PAST, AND THAT MY CAR IS DEFINITELY TOO "YOUNG" TO HAVE THAT PART NEEDING REPLACEMENT. IT'S A 2004 CHEVY MALIBU WITH 64K+ MILES ON IT.*JB
2004 MALIBU MAXX. HAVE LOST POWER STEERING 3X'S. THIS IS THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED/FIXED, NOT PUTTING IN A NEW PART THAT IS THE SAME AS THE OLD ONE. VERY ANNOYED. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. THE 2004 CHEVROLET WAS THE FIRST YEAR MANUFACTURED WITH A ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN. IN APRIL 2005, THE STEERING COLUMN WAS MAKING A NOISE AND WAS TIGHT RESULTING IN DIFFICULT STEERING FOR SHARP TURNS. TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. IN JULY 2006, THERE WAS A SECOND FAILURE TO THE STEERING COLUMN, IT LOCKED UP.
WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND SOMETIMES WHEN ACCELERATING THERE IS A CLUNK SOUND FROM THE BOTTOM LEFT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. AT FIRST WE COULD HARDLY HEAR IT AND AS THE MONTHS PASSED ON IT GOT WORSE. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER ON MARCH 31, 2004. THEY SAID GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ARE MANUFACTURING PARTS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. THEY GAVE ME A GM DOCUMENT WITH ID#1764730 AND STATING THAT THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE SECOND QUARTER. I THINK I MAY HAVE A LEMON BECAUSE EARLIER THE POWER STEERING STOPPED AND THEY REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING SYSTEM. IT IS NOW FIVE MONTHS SINCE I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AND I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING. THE CAR NOW SOUNDS LIKE THE FRONT END IS GOING TO FALL OFF WHENEVER WE SLOW DOWN AND IT SOUNDS VERY DANGEROUS. THE CAR DOES NOT HAVE MORE THAN 23,000 MILES, WHICH I CONSIDER FAIRLY NEW, AND SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS 500,000 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE AND I ARE BOTH IN OUR 60'S AND BELIEVE ME WE ARE NOT HOT RODDERS. PLEASE HELP US TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *NM
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Quick Summary
The 2004 Chevrolet Malibu has 870 Steering complaints on file. 30 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.