2011 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
MY ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING WILL STOP WORKING AND THE CHECK POWER STEERING LIGHT WILL COME ON. IF I SHUT OFF THE CAR, IT WILL START WORKING, BUT SHAKES WHEN AT A STOP. YOU CAN ALSO FEEL IT SHAKING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES AND IN NUMEROUS SITUATIONS. PLEASE ADD THIS TO 14V153000
STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN STOPPED AT IDLE AND SHAKES SLIGHTLY WHEN DRIVING, AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE POWER STEERING SOME TIMES DOES NOT WORK AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE APPEARS. I CAN TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT AND EVERYTHING WORKS BUT WHEEL STILL SHAKES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT'S STEPDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 15-20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS CHEVROLET CADILLAC OF JOPLIN (4630 E 32ND ST, JOPLIN, MO 64804, (417) 626-6620) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
STARTED THE CAR TO GO TO WORK . ON THE SCREEN CAME UP POWER STEERING ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS ALSO ON AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE CABLE AND BATTERY. WAS GOING TO GO TO THE STORE TODAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED NO POWER STEERING. NOT REALLY DRIVING THE CAR THIS WEEKEND. IT'S DANGEROUS IF IT WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS FILED A COMPLAINT IF I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A LITTLE BIT AND RESTART I HAVE POWER STEERING AGAIN
POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND SHOOK THE STEERING WHEEL TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.
ON 8/20/2017 AT AROUND 9:30PM I WAS DRIVING ON A DARK BACK-ROAD IN LEMONT, ILL. (BLUFF RD. TO BE EXACT) I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20MILES AN HOUR & NEEDED TO MAKE A SHARP TURN. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRACTION LIGHT WENT ON & MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING ME TO HAVE NO CONTROL OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PUMPED MY BRAKES SO NOT TO GO OFF THE ROAD. AFTER LOSING CONTROL I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO STEER MY WAY HOME BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DARK BACK ROAD. VERY SCARY!! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT AND HOW TO GET MY CAR FIXED. AUTO MECHANICS ARE ON STRIKE HERE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,260.
RIGTH TURN POWER STEERING STOP WORKING OLMOST HAVE A ACCIDENT WITH THE CAR COMING POWER STEERING ESC ON
THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURS WHEN DRIVING. *TR
STEERING WHEEL "SHAKES" AS OF 12/2016 VEHICLE HAS APPROX 92,000 MILES PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN NOV 2010 FOUR NEW TIRES JUNE 2015 FULL ALIGNMENT AUGUST 2016. BRAND NEW BRAKE PADS AND BRAND NEW ROTORS, ALL 4 WHEELS, NOVEMBER 2016. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT (AND CONDITION): STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN RATTLING NOTICEABLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (40 MPH TO 75 MPH) AND WHILE TRACKING A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE VEHICLE HIT THE 40,000 MILE MARK. CAN FEEL SLIGHT MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL COINCIDENT WITH THIS RATTLING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DOES NOT APPEAR TO AFFECT ABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO TRACK A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE MOVING. THE RATTLE ALSO OCCURS AT LOWER SPEEDS LESS THAN 40 MPH, BUT IT HARDER TO DISCERN SINCE THE CITY STREET ROAD CONDITIONS IN SE WISCONSIN ARE TERRIBLE. STARTING ABOUT DECEMBER 2016, I HAVE NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING, THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, AND THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE (NOT SURE IF THIS OCCURS WHEN IT IS IN PARK). THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE DOING SOME KIND OF "HUNTING" AS THE RATTLING IS RANDOM. APPEARS TO BE INDEPENDENT OF TEMPERATURE AS THIS OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS -10 DEG F AND AS WELL AT ABOUT 50 DEG F. POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS ARE NORMAL. I CAN NOT DISCERN WHETHER THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNING WHILE IN MOTION, OR WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE CAR IS STATIONARY. END. *TR
ON 12/19/2016 AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY ONTO A SURFACE STREET MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE DASH BOARD DISPLAYED A "POWER STEERING " MESSAGE. BEING UNABLE TO STEER MY CAR WENT FORWARD AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR ON MY RIGHT WHO WAS ALSO TURNING LEFT. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BREAK TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR AND THE CARS BEHIND ALSO HAD TO SLAM THEIR BREAKS. LUCKILY NO ONE HIT EACH OTHER. RIGHT AFTER THAT DASHBOARD MESSAGE DISAPPEARED AND MY CAR WAS ABLE TO TURN AGAIN WITH NO PROBLEM. THE NIGHT OF 12/20/2016 THE SAME HAPPENED BUT AS I WAS EXPECTING A PARKING LOT. A WEEK BEFORE THE FIRST INCIDENT I STARTED TO NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD POP LIKE IT WAS SHUTTING DOWN AT A STOP OR RED LIGHT. I READ THAT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO GM AND NHTSA AND THAT OWNERS IN OTHER STATES HAVE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES FOR THAT PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED SUCH NOTICE AND IT'S NOT LISTED AS A RECALL ON THE NHTSA OR GM WEBSITE FOR MY VIN. *TR
AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, I LOST MY ABILITY TO STEER. THE WORDS "POWER STEERING" AND "SERVICE ESC" FLASHED ON MY DASH. I ALMOST HIT THE CAR NEXT TO ME. I MADE IT TO WORK. WHEN I LEFT WORK, THE POWER STEERING WAS WORKING JUST FINE.
EPS ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING HAS FAILED. IT MAKES THE STEERING REVERT TO MANUAL STEERING. DEALERSHIP SAYS THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR IS BAD. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. I CAN RESTART THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE EPS STARTS WORKING, BUT FAILS LATER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ABILITY SEIZED. THE SERVICE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND THE STEERING WHEEL FUNCTIONED OCCASIONALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC MOTOR STEERING RACKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000.
WHILE I WAS DRIVING I LOST THE POWER STEERING ON THE VEHICLE. IT HAPPENED TWICE . THANK GOD THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC OTHER WISE I COULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT.
HIGHWAY DRIVEING SPEEDS OVER 50MPH STEERING IS EXTREAMLY LOOSE ON A TWO LANE ROAD WHEN BIGGER VEHICLES PASS THE AIR PUSHES MY CAR SO BAD I GET TERRIFIED IT WILL MAKE ME HIT A DITCH MY CAR IS LESS THEN A WEEK OLD TO ME. UNDER 70K MILES. EVEN REGULAR DRIVEING ON HIGHWAYS THE STEERING IS VERY LOOSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CHIME AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.
2/28/15 TWITCH IN STEERING AT 55 MPH. (5 TWITCH/8 MI.) HAD BEEN SNOWY WITH SUBZERO TEMPS, AND SUSPECTED ICE IN STEERING LINKAGE. FOLLOWING DAY EXHIBITED SAME TWITCHES, BUT FEWER. BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. MESSAGES ON DRIVER INFORMATION: POWER STEERING FAILURE, ESC REQUIRES SERVICE, AND A YELLOW TRIANGLE WITH WAVY MARKS WAS ILLUMINATED. DROVE 2.25 MI TO RELATIVE'S HOME. TURNED CAR OFF & RESTARTED; POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. NEXT DAY CHECKED FUSE CONNECTIONS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CONSOLE, AND UNDER HOOD NEAR BATTERY. 80A POWER STEERING FUSE WAS LOOSE ON ONE SIDE. NUTS SECURELY TIGHTENED, BUT RIVETS ON FUSE BODY WERE LOOSE; LUG COULD BE MOVED APPROX 1/32". REPLACED FUSE, AND WORKED BETTER. THEN NOTICED THAT TWITCHING HAD RETURNED; WAS PREVALENT WITH VEHICLE STOPPED AND RUNNING. ON WED DROVE VEHICLE TO PICKUP LUNCH,; STEERING WHEEL WAS TWITCHING WITH CAR IN PARK AND ENGINE RUNNING. USED REMOTE START SYSTEM TO LET ENGINE RUN AS IT WAS NEAR 0 F AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN 3 MI. RETURNED TO CAR WITHIN 10 MIN REMOTE START RUN TIME, INSERTED KEY; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK & SAME MESSAGES DISPLAYED. STOPPED & RESTARTED CAR; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. ARRANGED FOR REPAIR, AND DROVE CAR TO SHOP LATER THAT AFTERNOON; POWER STEERING WORKED, BUT LOTS OF TWITCHING. STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR CODE C0545. POWER STEERING FAILED AND FOUGHT ME AS EVIDENCED BY UNEVEN JERKY TURNING FORCE. SYSTEM ALLOWED STEERING WHEEL TO RUN ABOUT 1/8 TURN, AND THEN DAMPENED TURNING. HAVE A SORE RIGHT SHOULDER. FORCE REQUIRED TO STEER WITHOUT POWER STEERING IS INEXCUSABLE. SYSTEM DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN IT FAILS, AND INTERMITTENTLY INTERACTS WHILE DISPLAY INDICATES IT'S OUT OF COMMISSION. SYSTEM IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DUE TO FUNCTION DURING FAILURE. *TR
BEING A SECOND OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED THAT AT TIMES THE POWER STEERING WOULD BECOME INEFFECTIVE AND STEERING WHEEL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO MOVE, ALONG WITH A LOT OF CLUNKING IN THE STEERING COLUMN...ESPECIALLY AT LOWER SPEEDS. AFTER OWNING THIS VEHICLE FOR TWO MONTHS, I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND THE WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HEAVY AS THE POWER ASSIST WAS NOT WORKING AND THE ENTIRE STEERING POPPED AND I HAD NO MORE STEERING CONTROL ( THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FREE WHEELING). LUCKILY, THIS SITUATION DID NOT HAPPEN ON MY COMMUTE TO WORK AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH! AS IT HAPPENS THE FREE WHEELING OF THE STEERING WHEEL HAS DAMAGED THE CLOCK-SPRING INSIDE THE STEERING HUB THAT PROVIDES POWER TO THE AIRBAG AND CRUISE AND RADIO CONTROLS, MOUNTED ON THE STEERING WHEEL.I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OF THIS CAR, BUT AM TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM. MY MECHANIC HAS ESTIMATED A REPAIR BILL CLOSE TO $1000 AND THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM, IN MY OPINION...AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE (NO STEERING CONTROL AT HIGH SPEEDS)!
WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM VACATION, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A VIBRATION AND NOISE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE AREA. THIS WOULD WORSEN AND INCREASE IN INTENSITY AS SPEED INCREASED. ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT APPEAR TO ADVERSELY AFFECT DRIVING, IT WOULD NOT GO AWAY AND NEVER IMPROVED. AFTER TAKING IT TO A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER, THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A BAD/FAILING WHEEL BEARING. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATIONS ONLINE REVEAL THIS TO BE A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL, NOT LIMITED TO THIS MODEL YEAR. THE DANGER IN THIS IS THAT THE BEARING WAS NEARING A POINT OF FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN WHEEL SEPARATION OR BEARING LOCKUP; EITHER OF WHICH COULD HAVE SENT ME INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY, WHICH LEFT ME TO PAY $420 FOR THE REPAIR. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT AND URGE THE CONSIDERATION OF A RECALL ON THIS. I HAVE RETAINED ALL PAPERWORK PERTAINING TO THE REPAIR AND CAN PRODUCE THIS IF NEEDED FOR EVIDENCE OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION.
WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY TO DO SO. ONCE I MADE THE TURN I COULDN'T TURN WIDE ENOUGH BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2011 Chevrolet Malibu has 123 Steering complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.