2010 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
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
TWO DAYS AGO, I NOTICED THAT MY STEERING WHEEL WOULD SHAKE WHEN I WOULD STOP AT A LIGHT OR SOMETHING BUT I COULD STILL DRIVE. THAT SAME NIGHT, I TURNED ON MY CAR TO LEAVE A PARKING LOT WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I NOTICED THAT IT SAID MY ESC SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE CHECKED. I TURNED MY CAR ON AND OFF 5 TIMES TO SEE IF IT WOULD MOVE AND IT DID NOT. ON THE 6TH TRY, THE WHEEL MOVED AND I TOOK THE CHANCE TO DRIVE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER 2 DAYS OF WORKING ON MY CAR, THEY DETERMINED THAT SENSOR WENT BAD. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE, I SEE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT IS VERY DANGEROUS. I COMMUTE 2 HOURS ROUND TRIP EACH DAY ON THE INTERSTATE AND I AM SO THANKFUL THAT THIS HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WITH THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, SHE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE GEAR AFTER 2 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE CONTROL MODULE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
WE HAVE REPLACED THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING (EPS) TORQUE SENSOR TWICE, WITH DIFFERING BRANDS (AC DELCO, AND CAN'T REMEMBER THE OTHER). SINCE IT'S AN ISSUE WITH THE EPS, THE TRACTION CONTROL IS OUT/DISABLED AS WELL. THE CAR FEELS LIKE IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE, CONSIDERING IT'S A FULL SIZE SEDAN AND THE OPERATOR IS 115LBS WITH HER CHILDREN IN THE CAR. IT'S EXCEPTIONALLY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT SLOWER SPEEDS, AND ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE PARKED. THE DEALERSHIP SHE BOUGHT IT FROM, NOR THE LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP WILL TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY, AND SHE CAN'T AFFORD TO SINK EVEN MORE MONEY INTO THE CAR. THIS IS RATHER OUTRAGEOUS CONSIDERING THE CAR IS NORMALLY MAINTAINED AND THE DEALERSHIP SHE BOUGHT IT FROM WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AS SHE HAD BROUGHT IT TO THEIR SERVICE CENTER (DUE TO PURCHASED WARRANTY AT THE TIME) WHERE WHATEVER-THEY-DID RESET THE LIGHT, BUT THE ISSUE RECURRED LATER ON. DATE GIVEN IS APPROXIMATELY THE MONTH ISSUES BEGAN TO GET SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE. THE ISSUE STARTED QUITE SOME TIME AGO. THIS HAS NOT RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT STRICTLY DUE TO THE OPERATORS OVER-ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. MILEAGE I REPORT IS APPROXIMATE, BUT CERTAINLY WAS LOWER THAN THE NUMBER GIVEN WHEN IT BEGAN. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, IN A CURVE, THE POWER STEERING QUIT WORKING, THE WHEELS TURNED STRAIGHT AND I HAD TO SLAM ON MY BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING THE BARRIER WALL. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT, THE POWER STEERING BEGAN WORKING AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING NOW QUITS WORKING AFTER A MILE OF DRIVING, ONLY TO START WORKING AGAIN AFTER A RESTART OF THE ENGINE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR AROUND 20,000 MILES.
WHEN I STARTED THE CAR THE STEERING WHEEL TWITCHES ON ITS OWN AND WHEN I'M DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL GETS STIFF AND IT SAYS SERIVCE ESC/POWERSTEERING.
ON THE DASH POWER STEERING WARNING COMES ON ALONG WITH SERVICE ESC THEN ESC IS OFF. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING WHILE DRIVING. THE POWER STEERING WILL CUT OFF.. ALSO OF I'M IDLE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START JERKING BY ITS SELF
MY STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING ALMOST CAUSED A ACCIDENT ON A HIGHAY
I STARTED MY CAR, MY TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON, AND MY SERVICE POWER STEERING LIKE CAME ON AS WELL AND I COULDN'T MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND BACK AND AND IT DIDN'T HAVE AGAIN. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE.
STEERING GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING, NOTICED A SLIGHT TWITCH IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN I STARTED IT UP TO LEAVE FOR WORK . IT WAS DOING THIS TWITCH WHILE IN PARK .. ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK IT GOES OUT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY
WHENEVER THE CAR STARTS, THE SERVICE ESC LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON. STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN AND WON'T TURN UNLESS THE CAR IS IN MOTION THUS CAUSING ME TO WRESTLE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. EVERY MECHANIC I'VE SEEN TOLD ME TO TRADE IT IN BECAUSE THE REPAIRS ARE QUITE EXPENSIVE. THEY MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN. THEY ALSO COULDN'T SERVICE THE POWER STEERING BECAUSE IT'S STRICTLY ELECTRONIC. THIS IS NOT SAFE FOR ME OR MY FAMILY BECAUSE WHO KNOWS WHEN IT WILL LOCK UP FOR GOOD WHILE I'M DRIVING. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THE PAST MONTH. PLEASE HELP ME
VEHICLE WAS WORKING GREAT AS HAS ALWAYS, UNTIL OUT OF NOWHERE , IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I LOST ALL MOVEMENT IN MY STEERING WHEEL. IT BECAME MORE THAN IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN AND I HAD TO STOP EVERY 10 SECONDS AND TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON TO TRY AND GET IT HOME. I KNOW THAT MORE THAN A FAIR SHARE OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM. SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING. I KNOW THAT THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL, BUT ITS NOT SHOWING MY VEHICLE HAS ANY CURRENT RECALLS, THOUGH THERE WAS ONE FOR THE POWER ASSISTED MOTOR THAT IS STILL OPEN FROM WHAT I CAN SEE. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN CAER OF MY VEHICLE AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN, AM I CORRECT WITH TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP STILL TO GET IT REPLACED FROM THE RECALL?
UPON DRIVING THE CAR THE ESC LIGHT AND POWER STEERING LIGHT WILL COME ON AND CARE WILL HAVE NO POWER STEERING.STEERING WHEEL ALSO MOVES ON IT'S ON AND MAKES SOUNDS INSIDE THE COLUMN. VERY DANGEROUS FOR MY WIFE TO HAVE TO DRIVE AND DROP OFF THE KIDS AT SCHOOL.NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS OUT OF THE CAR SINCE WE PURCHASED IT 3 YEARS AGO.
WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET APPROACHING AN S BEND GOING DOWN HILL WITH A STEEP EMBANKMENT WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. POWER STEERING ESC LIGHTS WENT ACTIVATED. I ALMOST WENT OVER THE EMBANKMENT BEFORE BEING ABLE TO FORCEFULLY TURN THE WHEEL AND CONTINUED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL AND OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS CLOSE TO HOME SO I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK DRIVER. WHEN HE ARRIVED THE POWER STEERING WAS FINE NO POWER STEERING MESSAGES. HE WAS AWARE OF PREVIOUS RECALLS BUT THIS VEHICLE HAS NO ACTIVE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE EXACT PROBLEM COVERED BY SAME YEAR MAKE AND MODEL.
ACCELERATING FROM A STOP SIGN TO TURN LEFT OUT OF PARKING LOT ONTO SHORT STREET WHEN POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING, TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASH AND SERVICE ESC CAME ON SCREEN AS WELL.
THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TWITCH THEN IT BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN WHILE IN MOTION. THE POWER STEERING AND ESC OFF LIGHTS CAME ON
WE PURCHASED THIS MALIBU LT 2010 IN SEPTEMBER 2018, IT HAD UNDER 100,000 MILES ON IT. A FEW DAYS AGO I WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY & THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT & THE ESC & POWERSTEERING WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. I SHUT THE CAR OFF & TURNED IT BACK ON IT WAS WORKING FINE UNTIL 3 DAYS LATER. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY & IT DID IT AGAIN POWERSTEERING WENT OUT & THE ESC & POWERSTEERING WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON & ITS BEEN DOING IT EVER SINCE. IT HAD DONE IT IN MID TURNS, DRIVIBG STRAIGHT, ANY TIME IT FEELS LIKE IT.I CAN FEEL IN THE STEERING WHEN ITS ABOUT TO DO IT. I FEEL LIKE A PULL A CATCH I WOULD SAY. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION ESPECIALLY EHEN YOU HAVE TEENAGE DRIVERS IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD. I'VE FOUBD MULTIPLE ONLINE REPORTS ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM OVET THE PAST FEE DAYS AS I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING.
POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT IN THE CAR, GETTING ESC REPAIR LIGHT AND POWER STEERING LIGHTS ON THE CONSOLE. EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS. OCCURED WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY.
WHILE DRIVING THE ESC, TRACTION AND POWER STEERING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. FOR A SHORT TIME I COULD STOP, TURN THE CAR OFF AND IT WOULD WORK AGAIN . NOW THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND OF COURSE ALL THE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON. THIS YEAR MODEL WAS LISTED AS ONE OF THE RECALLS FOR THE POWER STEERING BUT NOT MY VIN NUMBER. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR IN THE SHOP FOR A RECALL ON THE LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT WAS FAULTY WHICH IN THE RECALL IT DID SAY THAT IT COULD CAUSE THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT AS WELL AS THE ESC AND TRACTION. THE CHEV DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT CORRECT. THE ESTIMATE I WAS GIVEN WAS ABOUT $1500.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING 50MPH ON A STATE HIGHWAY, POWER STEERING FAILED. SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING ALERTS DISPLAYED 2/19/19. DEALER IDENTIFIED STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR AND STEERING WHEEL POSITION SENSOR OUT OF CALIBRATION. TECHNICIAN RE-CALIBRATED SENSORS. APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE 2/20/19 THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF SERIOUS BODILY HARM.
I HAVE SERVICE ESC LIGHT (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) AND POWER STEERING LIGHTS THAT JUST RECENTLY CAME ON IN MY 2010 CHEVY MALIBU. I HAVE CALLED GM AND THEY REFUSE TO FIX THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT SUPPOSEDLY ISN'T UNDER MY VIN NUMBER [XXX], EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AS LISTED IN THE RECALLS. I HAVE VISITED NUMEROUS SITES FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE 2010 MALIBU'S AND HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEM REFUSING TO FIX THE ISSUE BECAUSE IT AGAIN SUPPOSEDLY WASN'T LISTED UNDER THEIR VIN. I WILL BE GETTING A LAWYER AND IF MY CAR CAUSES ME TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT I HAVE GIVEN ALL INFORMATION TO GO FORWARD WITH A LAWSUIT. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AND I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER CAR FROM GM!!!!!!!! NOW I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WILL COST ME!!!! I DON'T KNOW WHY I AM EVEN BOTHERING TO WRITE THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE NOTHING WILL BE DONE!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN DECEMBER 2018, IT HAD 123,500 MILES ON IT. THIS MORNING AS MY SON WAS PROCEEDING THROUGH A LEFT TURN THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, THE STEERING SUDDENLY LOCKED UP, WARNING LIGHT "SERVICE ECS" CAME ON, AND HE HAD NO POWER STEERING! WE TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE, AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING AGAIN, SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT TO A SAFE SPOT TO PARK. THIS WAS A HORRIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE ONLINE REPORTS ABOUT TODAY IN MY SEARCH FOR SOME ANSWERS.
I LEFT MY DRIVEWAY EARLY IN THE MORNING. AFTER GOING DOWN MY RESIDENTIAL STREET, I WENT TO TURN MY CAR TO THE LEFT AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. ON MY DASH THE MEASSAGE "ESC SERVICE POWER STEERING APPEARED". AFTER TURNING MY CAR OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS, I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AND THE POWER STEERING WAS BACK TO NORMAL, AND THE MESSAGE WAS GONE FROM MY DASH. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE CHEVROLET MALIBU FOR THIS PROBLEM, HOWEVER MY CAR'S VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN IT EVEN THOUGH IT IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH POWER STEERING.
WHILE DRIVING ON BUSY HIGHWAY THE POWER STEERING LIGHT AND ESC LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE WAS LOSS OF POWER STEERING. IT BECAME VERY HARD FOR MY DAUGHTER TO TURN THE WHEEL. AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING OFF ENGINE, SHE RESTARTED AND GOT THE POWER STEERING BACK BUT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND MOVED ON IT'S OWN. LATER THAT WEEK THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND IT HAS NOT COME BACK. I'M THANKFUL SHE WASN'T HURT AND THE NUMBERS OF THE EXACT SAME COMPLAINT ON THIS CAR IS GETTING RIDICULOUS. THE MANUFACTURERS NEED TO STEP UP AND DO THE RIGHT THING.
MALIBU SUDDENLY FLASHED SERVICE ESC/ ESC OFF/ POWER STEERING. ALL STEERING CONTROLS OF THE VEHICLE WERE LOST. CAR MUST BE STEERED MANUALLY. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF, ALL LIGHTS AND MESSAGES DISAPPEAR AND POWER STEERING WORKS FOR APPROXIMATELY 2-3 MILES BEFORE SAME MESSAGES APPEAR AND POWER STEERING IS LOST AGAIN. I CONTACTED LOCAL CHEVROLET SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THEY LOOKED UP ALL RECALLS ON MY CAR AND STATED THERE WERE TWO RECALLS, NEITHER OF WHICH WERE RELATED TO MY ISSUE. THEY WERE UNCERTAIN OF REASONING FOR LOSS OF POWER STEERING BUT HAVE HAD SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT YEAR OF MALIBU.
THERE ARE ALERTS ABOUT THE POWER STEERING AND THE SERVICE ESC ON THE DASH WHEN I TURN ON THE CAR. SOMETIMES WHEN I START THE CAR THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND JERKS, WITHOUT MY CONTROL. THIS AFFECTS MY DRIVING ABILITIES AND IS A CLEAR DANGER. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES THE MOST WHEN I AM STOPPED, BUT IT SHAKES THE ENTIRE TIME I AM DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER TIMES I START THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING ALERTS COME ON AND THERE IS NO POWER STEERING AND I HAVE TO STEER MANUALLY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED SLOWLY; ORIGINALLY THE WHEEL SHOOK BUT NOT AS VIOLENTLY AS IT DOES NOW. OVER THE PAST COUPLE WEEKS IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE, AND RECENTLY THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT WHEN I'VE STARTED. BEFORE I COULD JUST RESTART MY CAR AND THE POWER STEERING WOULD WORK, BUT NOW THE MORE I RESTART THE CAR THE LESS LIKELY THE STEERING WILL WORK PROPERLY. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IN JANUARY BUT INTENSIFIED IN MARCH.
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Quick Summary
The 2010 Chevrolet Malibu has 42 STEERING,ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.