2004 Chevrolet Malibu Steering

VEHICLE PURCHASED IN DECEMBER, 2003. AT APPROXIMATELY 14000 MILES, NOVEMBER 2004, WHILE DRIVING, POWER STEERING FAILED. TURNED IGNITION OFF AND RESTARTED CAR; POWER STEERING WORKED BRIEFLY, THEN FAILED AGAIN. TURNED IGNITION OFF AND BACK ON; ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE HOME. MADE SERVICE APPOINTMENT, BUT HAVE NOT YET HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. EA04018_CAT

2004 CHEVY MAXX POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER STEERING. WAS DOING APPROX. 35 MPH ON A CORNER AT THE TIME. PULLED OFF ROAD TURN OFF THE IGNITION. TURNED IGNITION BACK ON AND STEERING CAME BACK. EA04018_CAT

VEHICLE 3 TIMES WOULD NOT START. TOOK INTO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. ON 9/5/04 WAS DRIVING AND THE CAR MADE A DING DING AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. STOPPED AND TURN CAR OFF AND BACK ON AND WAS OKAY. TWO DAYS LATER WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND AGAIN THE DING DING AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER CALLED AND SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACED STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD CALL WHEN COMPLETE. DEALER CALLED AND SAID STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED BUT NEW STEERING COLUMN DURING SAME THING. CURRENTLY I HAVE A RENTAL FROM DEALER SHIP.*AK EA04018_CAT

WE RECENTLY THROUGH MY EMPLOYER OBTAINED A NEW FLEET OF 2004 CHEVY MALIBUS LS. IT HAS BEEN NOTICED ON SEVERAL OF THE CARS THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WILL START TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY TO EITHER DIRECTION WHEN IDLE OR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. THIS WEEK THE POWER STEERING COMPLETELY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHILE IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING LANES. VEHICLE WAS AT ABOUT 75 MPH WHEN AN AUDIBLE ALARM CAME ON, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXREMELY HARD TO MANUVER, AND A "POWER STEERING" PROMPT CAME ON THE INFORMATION CENTER. GETTING OFF THE HWY AND INTO A GAS STATION TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS W/O POWER STEERING WAS QUITE DIFFICULT. IT EVENTUALLY CAME ON AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTING ONLY TO FAIL AGAIN A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD. ALTHOUGH THIS HAPPENED TO ME THIS WEEK, THE SAME PROBELM HAS HAPPENED TO 2 OTHER MALIBUS IN OUR FLEET. PE04031_CAT

MY 2004 CHEVY MAILBUX MAXX LOST ITS ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN OUT OF A SAM'S PARKING LOT. THE 'POWER STEERING' MESSAGE WAS ILLUMINATED ON DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER (DIC) AND AN ORANGE VEHICLE SERVICE LIGHT APPEARED ON INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR THE VEHICLE SERVICE LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED AND THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSSIT WORKED CORRECTLY FOR A WHILE. THEN SUDDENLY, WHILE IN REVESE OUT OF MY HOME DRIVEWAY, I LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST, THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED IN THE DIC AND THE VEHICLE SERVICE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER BUFF WHELAN CHEV AND HAVE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULED FOR 3/15/04 AT 8AM. I AM GLAD THAT THIS STEERING ASSIST FAILURE DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY GETTING OFF ON AN EXIT RAMP.*AK PE04031_CAT

POWER STEERING FAILED AT 2300 MILES AND 5000 MILES. WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED, IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK DRIVER WAS HEADING HOME FROM WORK AND HAD DRIVEN ABOUT 15 MIN. HEARD MESSAGE BOARD SOUND; SAW 'POWER STEERING' ON DISPLAY; SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. A FEW SECONDS LATER, SHE HAD NO POWER STEERING, BUT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE CAR TO SIDE OF ROAD. TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED CAR A LITTLE LATER. POWER STEERING WAS WORKING SO SHE DROVE 12-15 MINUTES FURTHER WHEN SHE LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN (HEARD SOUND, SAW MESSAGE, AND SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT). PULLED CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD, RESTARTED A LITTLE LATER AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE CAR TO DLR. LEFT CAR AT DEALER, WHO SAID THEY WOULD NEED 2-3 WEEKS TO GET PART, BUT ENDED UP CALLING BACK 5-6 DAYS LATER AND TOLD HER TO PICK IT UP. CAR FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. SAME SITUATION AND WARNINGS HAPPENED AGAIN ON MARCH 4, 2004. BROUGHT BACK TO DLR,WHO SAID THEY HAD TO RESET A SENSOR. CAT PE04031_CAT

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE IN REVERSE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. ALSO,STEERING WHEEL SHOOK AND VIBRATED, EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. *AK EA04018_CAT

STEERING PROBLEM. STEERING IN THE MORNING WAS ERRATIC SEEMED TO HUNT. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A SENSOR PROBLEM, DEALER HAD TO ORDER PART, CAR STILL DRIVABLE. NEXT MORNING THE STEERING WAS THE SAME, AFTER WORK I CAME OUT STARTED THE CAR, STEERING WAS STILL SHAKY, AFTER PULLING OUT ONTO THE ROAD I LOST ALL POWER STEERING, SERVICE ALARM LIGHT CAME ON AND POWER STEERING FAILURE NOTIFICATION ON CONSOLE. I TOOK CAR DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER, RECEIVED LOANER WHILE THEY REPAIR CAR. WAS TOLD ALL PARTS MUST BE RETURNED TO DETERMINE FAILURE MODE. EA04018_CAT

ON 4 OCCASIONS DURING THE PAST WEEK THE POWER STEERING FEATURE FAILED WHILE CAR WAS IN OPERATION. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED COLLISIONS. EA04018_CAT

OUR 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU LT (V6, LOADED WITH ALL OPTIONS EXCEPT FOR ONSTAR) HAS BETWEEN 5500 AND 6000 MILES ON IT NOW. RECENTLY, MY WIFE REPORTED AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL BRATING "NERVOUSLY" WHILE IDLING IN LINE TO DROP MY DAUGHTER OFF TO SCHOOL. THIS VIBRATION / MOVEMENT DID NOT ACTUALLY MOVE THE WHEELS, AND SHE RETURNED HOME SAFELY.THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT ONE MORNING AS SHE PREPARED TO LEAVE, SHE NOTICED THE VIBRATION PROBLEM AGAIN, AND WISHING TO SHOW IT TO ME, CALLED ME TO THE GARAGE. I WITNESSED THE PALSY-LIKE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND AGAIN NOTED THAT THE TIRES DIDN'T MOVE WITH THE WHEEL. AFTER THIS OCCURRED, I RETURNED TO THE HOUSE (MAKING A NOTE TO MYSELF FOR OUR NEXT VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT). LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES LATER, I HEARD A KNOCK AT THE DOOR, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE MY 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER (WHO HAD GONE WITH MY WIFE). SHE TOLD ME THAT THE STEERING HAD "BROKEN" AND THAT MY WIFE WAS TRYING TO MANEUVER THE CAR BACK TO THE HOUSE. I WENT OUT TO THE END OF THE DRIVE, TO FIND MY WIFE ATTEMPTING TO FIGHT TO GET THE CAR BACK ONTO OUR STREET. I STOPPED HER, TOOK OVER THE CAR, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. THIS RESTORED THE POWER STEERING, AT WHICH POINT I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE, AND THE WIFE TOOK OUR OTHER VEHICLE. I HAD ALREADY READ OF THIS ISSUE ON SEVERAL BULLETIN BOARDS AROUND THE WEB, AND MY CAR IS A RELATIVELY EARLY 2004 BUILD MALIBU. HOWEVER, THERE HAS AS YET BEEN NO OFFICIAL RECALL FROM CHEVROLET, AND AS I SEE THAT THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA INTO THIS ISSUE, I FELT I SHOULD REPORT YET ANOTHER INSTANCE OF THE SAME PROBLEM AS WAS EXPERIENCED BY THE OTHER 8 DRIVERS MENTIONED BY THE INVESTIGATION. I CONSIDER THE TWITCHING STEERING WHEEL TO BE A SINGLE FAILURE, AND COMBINED WITH THE ACTUAL LOSS OF POWER ASSIST ONCE SO FAR, HAVE INDICATED 2 FAILURES. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY SCHEDULED TO BE LOOKED AT BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP LATER TODAY.*AK EA04018_CAT

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 5 MINUTES ON BACK ROADS AT 35-40 MPH THERE WAS VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL. IT WOULD JERK BACK AND FORTH ABOUT 1/2" EACH WAY. TRIED TO TURN RIGHT, BUT STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY TURN TO BETWEEN 2 AND 3 O'CLOCK. HOWEVER, IT TOOK ALL CONSUMER'S EFFORT TO EVEN TURN THAT MUCH. SAW WRENCH LIGHT UP, HEARD DING, AND SAW POWER STEERING ON RADIO. WAS ABLE TO GET VEHICLE INTO GAS STATION PARKING LOT, ABOUT 3 MINUTES AFTER SHE FELT JERKING. RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND STEERING WAS FINE. IT HAPPENED ABOUT 3 WEEKS LATER AGAIN, THE THIRD TIME IN ABOUT 2 WEEKS WHILE CONSUMER WAS IN DRIVEWAY. DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK EA04018_CAT

POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. OCCURRED APPROX. 10 TIMES SINCE PURCHASE 6 MONTHS AGO. POWER STEERING USUALLY RESUMES AFTER VEHICLE TURNED OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. NO DAMAGE/INJURIES. LEFT VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP MAY 26, 2004. AFTER TWO DAYS, SERVICE DEPT. CLAIMED THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE, THEREFORE THEY COULD NOT RESOLVE. TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHEN IT HAPPENS MORE FREQUENTLY. AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, POWER STEERING FAILED APPROX 5 TIMES BETWEEN 5/26 & 6/3. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALERSHIP 6/7, WHERE IT REMAINS. SERVICE DEPT. NOW SAYS IT'S A "KNOWN ISSUE" AND PLACED AN ORDER FOR A NEW STEERING COLUMN. PE04031_CAT. *AK

POWER STEERING. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS UP TO 45 DEGREES, SIDE TO SIDE, IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. NO LOSS OF CONTROL . NO STEERING HAS BEEN LOST AS OF YET. APPOINTMENT SET WITH VALLEY CHEVERLOT, CARSON CITY, NV ON AUGUST 31, 2004.*AK EA04018_CAT

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND THE CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK EA04018_CAT (DUPLICATES VOQ 10089025- SAME VIN/DRIVER)

WHILE DRIVING SERVICE MESSAGE INDICATED TO CONSUMER THAT POWER STEERING COLUMN FAILED. AS RESULT, CONSUMER HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP RESET THE COMPUTER THREE TIMES, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK EA04018_CAT

ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING FAILED AND STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS A FIVE SECOND WARNING THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. *AK *NM EA04018_CAT

1) FIRST FAILURE AT 4589 MILES. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON WINDING TWO LANE ROAD AT NIGHT. WARNING CHIME SOUNDED, "WRENCH" AND "POWER STEERING FAILURE" APPEARED. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE PS COMPLETELY FAILED MAKING VEHICLE VERY HARD TO DRIVE. DEALER CONTACTED FACTORY REP THEN ORDERED AND INSTALLED NEW COLUMN. 2) SECOND FAILURE AT 9870 MILES. TURNING AS I BACKED OUT OF DRIVEWAY, PS FAILED. STOPPED AND TURNED ENGINE OFF. CALLED DEALER. STARTED CAR AND IT WAS FINE. DEALER REPLACED COLUMN AGAIN. 3) THIRD FAILURE AT 10167 MILES. WHILE DRIVING UP A STEEP, WINDING TWO LANE MOUNTAIN ROAD NEAR HERE WITH HEAVY SATURDAY AFTERNOON TRAFFIC, PS BECAME STIFF AND THEN THERE WAS SOME INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENT BACK AND FORTH. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER WARNINGS SOUNDED, I WAS TOO BUSY TRYING TO AVOID TRAFFIC WHILE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO GET IT OFF THE ROAD. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOWED TO SHOP SOME 20 MILES AWAY. SUBSEQUENT CHECKS AND EXTENSIVE TEST DRIVING FOUND NO STORED CODES AND NO MALFUNCTIONS. DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT HELP ME ANY FURTHER AND SUGGESTED I CALL GM CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, WHICH I DID AND THE FORMAL COMPLAINT PROCESS IS IN PROGRESS. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ALSO NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WAS VERY STIFF WHILE LOADING THE CAR. SINCE MY WIFE AND I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE,SHE DOES NOT DRIVE IT AND I DRIVE IT CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY ONLY AS NECESSARY.*AK EA04018_CAT

ON DEC. 3, 2004 I WAS TURNING INTO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL COMPLETELY LOCKED UP THE SERVICE SOON LIGHT WAS ON AND MY CAR WAS DINGING. I HAD TO BRAKE QUICKLY OR I WOULDNT HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE CORNER OF A CHURCH. I QUICKLY RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, WHICH RESTARTED THE POWER STEERING, BUT THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS. I CALLED CHEVY AND THEY TOWED MY CAR AND I RECEIVED A LONER VEHICLE. THEY HAD THE REPAIR DONE FAIRLY QUICK AND SAID THEY HAD TO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. I LOOKED ON THIS SIGHT AND NOTICED MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I AM JUST CONCERNED ON WHY THERE HASNT BEEN A RECALL?? I KNOW THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND SOMETHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH SHOULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN RECALLED AFTER THIS MANY OCCURRENCES. *JB EA04018_CAT

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING LOCKED UP. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC COLUMN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. EA04018_CAT *JB THE STEERING TIGHTENED AND GRADUALLY BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER AT THAT TIME. THE WARNING PANEL SHOWED STEERING LOCKED. FAILURE CORRECTED. *TC

(1) WAS DRIVING WHEN SUDDENLY POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING. (2) POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. (3) CALLING SEALERSHIP TOMORROW, INSURANCE AGENT SAID TO REPORT TO YOU IMMEDIATELY AS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS STARTING TO OCCUR IN MALIBUS. *JB EA04018_CAT

THE POWER STEERING FAILED ON MY 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU ON 3 OCCASIONS DURING THE WEEKEND OF OCT. 2 2004. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE AND I HEARD A CHIME. I LOOKED AT THE DIC AND SAW "POWER STEERING". THERE WAS ALSO A SERVICE LIGHT ON THE IP. THERE WAS NO POWER ASSIST AT ALL, AND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED. IT SEEMED OK. IT THEN FAILED TWO MORE TIMES WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS, BUT THIS TIME I WAS IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ASAP. I SAW MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ABOUT THE VERY SAME ISSUE, SO I THOUGHT I WOULD LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MINE. *NM EA04018_CAT

AT APPROXIMATELY 10,000 MILES, MY 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU DEVELOPED A STEERING PROBLEM. UPON STARTING THE CAR, THE STEERING WHEEL VISIBLY SHOOK AND PULLED WHEN I TRIED TO TURN RIGHT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAD TO ORDER A REPLACEMENT PART. WHEN THE PART CAME IN A WEEK AND A HALF LATER, THEY REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN. EA04018_CAT. *AK

WITHIN 6 WEEKS OF PURCHASING THIS 2004 MALIBU AND WITH LESS THAN 2000 MILES ON IT, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. WHILE DRIVING HOME, A WARNING INDICATOR APPEARED ON THE DASH ALONG WITH THE WORDS "POWER STEERING". I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME, BUT THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO POWER ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE DEALER REPAIR SHOP FROM DECEMBER 31 UNTIL JANUARY 8. I HAD TO MAKE FOLLLOW UP CALLS TO THE DEALER WHO REPEATEDLY TOLD ME THE PART WAS ON BACK ORDER. I WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ADVISED THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED AND THE DEALER MADE ALL REPAIRS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT BULLETIN. THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN ON TUESDAY, APRIL 6. (AT 4098 MILES) ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHILE DRIVING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY, THE WARNING LIGHT WENT OFF, THE STEERING COLUMN TIGHTENED UP AND THE "POWER STEERING" MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE DIC. CAR HAS BEEN RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. I HAVE ALERTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SALES PERSON OF THE SITUATION AND MY INTENT TO PURSUE MY FULL RIGHTS UNDER THE STATE LEMON LAW. ALSO HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH KEY BECOMING STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND NOT RELEASING RIGHT AWAY. THAT PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE ADDRESSED/FIXED. *AK PE04031_CAT

DRIVING 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AT RUSH HOUR, POWER STEERING GAVE OUT COMPLETELY, "POWER STEERING" DISPLAYED ON THE COMPUTER CONSOLE, ORANGE LIGHT IN DASH (CAR W/WRENCH). COULD NOT STEER AT ALL, LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT INTO THE GRASS. CALLED AAA FOR TOW TO DEALER. WHEN CAR WAS TURNED BACK ON, POWER STEERING WAS BACK ON, EVERYTHING SEEMED OKAY. TOWED TO DEALER ANYWAY. THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSITC AND CALLED GM WITH THE CODE. GM TOLD THEM TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THEY HAD MY CAR FOR OVER A WEEK AND THEN TRIED TO ASSURE ME IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM SCARED FOR MY LIFE, IT WAS LUCK THAT I WAS NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENED, BECAUSE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WAY TO STEER THE VEHICLE. PE04031_CAT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING LIGHT FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE STEERING COLUMN WAS HARD TO STEER. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. THE STEERING LIGHT DID NOT APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSUMER CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR TESTING. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK PE04031_CAT GM RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONSUMER REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. *SC *JB