2010 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
Electrical power steering went out on highway. Loss partial control of the wheel!
Was driving. My speed was about 60mph car swerved into left lane slightly when I went to move back into my lane I had no power steering and I think lights on dash stated power steering esc. Pulled over at gas station and read a forum about this. It stated if I turned off car and restarted car i would have power steering again. It did. Next day started car at home and didn't have power steering again. Shut it off restarted car and again steering was back.
Lost power steering and increasing the risk of a crash. There is a recall on several Malibu just not the 2010 LTZ. I am wondering why this vehicle does not a recall when the 2004 to 2006 on the electric power steering has a recall???
While driving and making a left turn the steering wheel suddenly became difficult to steer. Power Steering and Service ESC warnings showed up on dash. Able to pull off the road and turned off engine. When restarted, message cleared and power steering returned. Drove back home and problem occurred several more times. Parked car in driveway. Unable to drive due to this safety issue.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would intermittently fail to operate as needed with the power steering assist fault message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that excessive force was needed to operate the vehicle during the failure. Occasionally, the power steering assist functionality would return upon restart. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled into a parking lot and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted, and the power steering functionality was restored. The vehicle was driven back to the residence and had not been driven since. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E044000 (Steering) as a possible solution however, the vehicle was not included. The failure mileage was 130,000.
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT 40 MPH ALL POWER STEERING WOULD BE LOST, RESULTING IN THE "SERVICE ESC" LIGHT TO COME ON THE DASHBOARD. THE ONLY WAY TO REGAIN POWER STEERING WOULD BE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF COMPLETELY AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON. I RECENTLY HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE STEERING TORQUE SENSOR. THE FIX COST ME $500.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the vehicle loss control while driving at various speeds without warning. After taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing, the contact replaced the struts, the axles, and inner tie rods himself however, the failure persisted. The contact then took the vehicle to a dealer where they linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14E044000 (Steering) however, the Vin was not under recall. The contact paid out of pocket to have the u-joints replaced however, the repair did not fix the failure. The contact returned the vehicle to the dealer where it remained. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 100,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO TURN AND BECAME INOPERABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT'S NEPHEW STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS MORE EVIDENT WHILE STOPPED OR DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE RESIDENCE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speed, the steering wheel felt abnormal including when making small turns. After continuing to drive, a few minutes later the power steering failed and the “power assist esp” warning message illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road, restarted the vehicle however the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the service control for the steering which is a function of the steering control module would needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,439.
UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, A "POWER STEERING" WARNING DISPLAYS ON THE DASH AND THE POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING RESUMED OPERATING PROPERLY. THE NEXT DAY, THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRED UPON STARTING, AND WAS AGAIN REMEDIED BY RESTARTING THE CAR.
THE POWER STEERING ON OUR VEHICLE BEGAN RANDOMLY GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING AND WE WOULD HAVE TO STOP AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF/ON FOR THE POWER STEERING TO RETURN. EVENTUALLY THE POWER STEERING WENT OFF AND WOULDN'T COME BACK ON.
UPON START UP THE ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE WARNING LIGHT COME ON AND UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OR MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE WARNING LIGHT WILL GO OFF BY TURNING THE SWITCH OFF AND RESTART THE CAR. I AM CONCERN THIS WILL EVENTUALLY HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND NOT A DAILY OCCURRENCE.
STARTED VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT COMES ON AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE COMES ACROSS THE MESSAGE CENTER. WHEN THIS OCCURS THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. THIS IS DANGEROUS! THIS VEHICLE IS A 4 CYLINDER AND HAS THE ELECTRONIC STEERING, NOT HYDRAULIC STEERING. VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON DRIVEWAY. SEARCHED SOME FORUMS AND OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE, IT APPEARS THAT A FAULTY SENSOR IN OR NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN IS THE PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE STEERING WHEEL CEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. ON ANOTHER OCCASION WHILE DRIVING AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING CEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY MILEAGE WAS EXCEEDED FOR THE STEERING WARRANTY REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 174,000.
POWER STEERING LIGHTS UP ON DASH AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. HAPPENS MOSTLY WITH COLD WEATHER. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HIGHWAY THE STEERING LOCKS. I HAVE TO STOP AND RESTART CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ALSO. AFTER BEING PARKED. WHEN THE CAR GETS TO A COLD TEMPERATURE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL LOCK UP.
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ABOUT A 2 HOUR TRIP AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND AT FIRST I COULD TURN THE CAR OFF THEN BACK ON AND IT WORKED BUT ONLY A FEW MINUTE AND THE SAME NIGHT IT WENT COMPLETELY OUT AND NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. IT'S VERY HARD TO TURN AND IT SAYS SERVICE ESC, ALSO TRACTION AND DID SAY POWER STEERING, IT ALSO SAYS THAT ESC IS OFF.
AFTER RECALL SERVICE FOR POWER STEERING FAILURE IT'S DOING THE SAME THING. POWER STEERING FAILS WHILE DRIVING . I HAVE TO SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART TO RESET THE ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING CEASED WITH THE SERVICE ESC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING) TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,000.
THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED PREVENTING ME FROM HAVING CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHICH RESULTED INTO ME HITTING THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT ON A CITY STREET AND MY CAR IS TOTALLY DAMAGED
WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN POWER STEERING GAVE OUT AND I COULD HARDLY STEER THE VEHICLE.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, (VEHICLE IN MOTION), I SUDDENLY LOSE POWER STEERING AND THE ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE SAFELY. IN SOME INSTANCES IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN OR WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY AS THE HIGHWAY COMES TO A BEND. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BEGIN TO RATTLE OR SHAKE AND MAKES NOISE.. THIS PROBLEM STARTED APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO BUT HAS BECOME MORE FREQUENT THIS PAST WEEK. AT TIMES IF I PULL OVER AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A SHORT TIME THEN RESTART IT, POWER STEERING IS RESTORED BUT SOMETIMES ONLY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN IT GOES OUT AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE DAY. I HAVE READ THAT VEHICLES, SAME MAKE AND MODEL, HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS 'SAFETY' ISSUE BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTICES REGARDING GETTING THIS ISSUE FIXED.
LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AFFECTING 2004 TO 2010 CHEVY MALIBUS. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS VEHICLE UP TO 2008 MODEL AND YET MY 2010 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THE 2009 AND 2010 MODELS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL
POWER STEERING WILL RANDOMLY GO OUT. I HAVE TO TURN MY VEHICLE OFF AND TURN IT BACK ON AND THEN IT WORKS PERFECTLY NORMAL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS I AM MOVING AND IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING. IT HAS HAPPENED ONCE IN JANUARY AND ONCE IN MARCH NOW. IN JANUARY I TOOK IT TO RUN A DIAGNOSTICS ON IT RIGHT AFTER AND NOTHING CAME UP.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu has 303 Steering complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.