2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU Complaints

I DRIVE A 2006 MALIBU, AND HAVE BEEN FOR THE PAST 4 YEARS. THE STANDARD 2006 MALIBU HAS EPSA (ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST). THERE IS NO RESERVOIR TO FILL FLUID AS WITH OLDER MODELS. I FOUND OUT TODAY THROUGH EXPERIENCE THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING LOCKS/UNLOCKS ON ITS OWN WHICH HAS CREATED AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING AND AS I WAS PULLING INTO ANOTHER DRIVEWAY (MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN), THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED SO THAT I COULDN'T TURN, AND I WAS INCHES AWAY FROM HITTING A POLE. I AM FEARFUL OF THIS VEHICLE ESPECIALLY SINCE A CHILD RIDES IN THIS VEHICLE REGULARLY. I AM THANKFUL THAT MY CHILD WASN'T IN THE VEHICLE DURING THIS TIME. I CAME IN TO WORK TO DO SOME RESEARCH SINCE THE MECHANIC CONFIRMED THERE IS NO RESERVOIR FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID. NO PUMP, NO HOSE, NOTHING TO TOP OFF. WHAT I FOUND THROUGH MY RESEARCH IS SCARY AND IRRESPONSIBLE OF GM. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY GM IMMEDIATELY. I AM DISAPPOINTED TO FIND THAT GM HAS NOT RECALLED THIS VEHICLE NOR IDENTIFIED AND ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM (OR OTHERS). I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY MAILINGS OR NOTIFICATIONS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT GM CAN LEGALLY PUT OUT A VEHICLE FOR MASS PRODUCTION WITH SUCH HAZARDOUS FLAWS SUCH AS THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING PROBLEM (AMONG OTHERS). AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND BLOGS ABOUT THE EPS SYSTEM, I AM CONVINCED THAT THE MAILBU IS SUFFERING FROM THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE COBALT AND OTHER VEHICLES IDENTIFIED IN A 2005 (MODEL) RECALL. THIS ISSUE IS A LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

WITHIN 1 WEEK OF PURCHASING THE VEHICLE USED I COULD HEAR A CLUNK WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A 'STEERING COLUMN GEAR' AND FIXED IT. WITHIN 6 MONTHS THE SOUND STARTED AGAIN, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC HE SUGGESTED REPLACING THE RACK AND PINION. THIS STOPPED THE SOUND FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS, THIS TIME THE SOUND NOT ONLY CAME BACK BUT THE STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE MERGING ONTO THE FREEWAY, WHEN I LET MY FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE STEERING CAME BACK. THIS LOCK UP HAS OCCURRED 2 MORE TIMES, MAKING A TOTAL OF 3 STEERING LOCK UPS IN A YEARS TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. UPON RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE HAD AN ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF POWER STEERING FLUID. BASED ON THE CONTACT'S RESEARCH, HE BELIEVED THE FAILURE TO BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR. NEITHER THE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT TWO MPH THE POWER STEERING STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED IT AND THEN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED BY THE MANUFACTURER SINCE THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION WAS VERY COMMON. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 10/15/10 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. UPDATD 10/2110*JB

POWER STEERING FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY. WARNING LIGHT LIT UP ON DASHBOARD. CAR JERKED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. SEVERAL HOURS LATER SAME THING HAPPENED UPON BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LOCK WHILE ATTEMPTING A TURN. THE CONTACT WOULD SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING WOULD RESET ITSELF. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND ADVISED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL TORQUE INPUT SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THEY WOULD SPEAK TO THE DEALER TO DETERMINE WHO WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS HELD LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 51,000. UPDATED 11/9/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER STEERING AND PULL THE LEFT IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. UPDATED 11/16/10

POWER STEERING WENT OUT ON CAR PULLING OUT OF A MALL PARKING LOT ONTO HIGHWAY. ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING/TURNING ON TO HIGHWAY. DROVE CAR HOME AND PARKED. RESTARTED NEXT MORNING AND WORKED FINE. *TR

POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. DIFFICULT TO STEER AND TURN. POWER STEERING DEFAULT LIGHT ON DASH. DEALER UNWILLING TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. GM HAS ALREADY RECALLED OTHER BRANDS FOR SAME PROBLEM: RECALL SUMMARY GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2010 CHEVROLET COBALT AND MODEL YEAR 2007-2010 PONTIAC G5 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRIC POWER STEERING. THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING ASSIST THAT COULD OCCUR AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLES CHIME AND POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND UNLOCKED WHEN RELEASING THE PEDAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES AND WAS REPAIRED TWICE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE ELECTRONIC STEERING MOTOR WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 86,000. UPDATED 10/01/2010. *LJ UPDATED 10/04/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED FORCING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 17000.