Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while making a left turn at 10 mph, the power steering failed. the failure occurred three times. the engine size and purchase date were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 40,500.

Steering intermediate shaft replaced 06/29/07. *tr

Car was making clunking noise in the steering wheel/tire area when making turns. dealer replaced intermediate steering shaft. this was the third time involving a steering issue. replaced steering gear assembly and rack & pinion. *ak

We bought the car used with 34,000 miles on it in 3/2006.there was a clunking in the steering when the steering wheel was turned. the dealership replaced the steering column on 12/2007 with 66,000 miles. the clunking was still there and we were told that this is normal. since then the steering has gotten worse. the dealership has tried to find the problem but says it can find nothing wrong. yet sometimes the steering will lockup at low speed when backing up or turning while stopped. it has not done this while driving at road speed (or i would not drive it). however at road speed the steering is very vague. it requires an almost quarter turn of the steering wheel to get the car to respond to a steering input to turn left or right. this is not safe. there is also warning lights that come on the dash, and warning bells that sound, and sometimes they go back off other times car needs to shut off and restarted and it is ok then. check engine light stays on most of the time, again dealership can not find the problem. sometimes the whole dash cluster goes out, the car stays running and they come back on after a time and again if you cut off and restart the car it is ok again for a while. the car currently has 150,000 on it and i have an independent mechanic checking it over to see if he can find the problem. the chevrolet dealership can't find what is wrong to fix it, or so they say. *tr

I have had the same issue with my car a clunking sound in the tire area when making turns. this is the 4th time i have had my car in for service on this same issue.

Vehicle started to drive hard/loud after the first year. vehicle at dealer for problems with lights found problem with steering rack and leaking seal at the axel shaft. replaced steering rack and fix seal also replace brakes. problem with gas cap which lead to a series of problems including need to replace a throttle body and then the transmission. traded vehicle december 2007 will never buy another chevrolet. 2004 malibu was purchased new in february 2004 with only 7 miles. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing a recurring failure in which the power steering would fail and the steering wheel would be very difficult to turn. the failure occurred while driving at various speeds. whenever the failure occurred, the vehicle would be navigated to the emergency lane and shut off. after allowing the vehicle to cool down it would restart and function normally. during the failure, a power steering service light would illuminate on the instrument panel. the contact also stated that the failure only occurred during warm weather and the steering column was replaced prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer on several occasions where the contact was informed the steering column needed the be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 43,000 and the current mileage was 75,000.

Tl-caller is leasing a 2004 chevrolet mailbu. current and failure mileage 48000. while driving at 3mh and attempting to enter traffic,the car died with no warning. steering froze. she was able to restart the vehicle and took it to dealer later that day. the steering was replaced however the engine problem was a mystery to them. weather was dry temperature unknown. the vehicle has both manual and automatic. ktf

Power steering was displayed on message center and a light with vehicle and wrench came on for a short period. diagnostics were performed and found code cc0460. this was traced to a shorted steering sensor. they had to replace the whole steering column because the sensor is part of the assembly. i have read numerous complaints about the power steering light being displayed on the message center and then the power steering went out on the car. my power steering did not go out on the car because i drove it to the dealership right away. i was wondering if there is a recall or service bulletins on this problem to off set the cost of repairs for the sensor, which has to be replaced with a whole steering column, for a total of $850.12 in parts and labor. thank you. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while driving at various speeds, the steering locked up and was unable to maneuver properly. the contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic and they found nothing wrong. she took the vehicle to another mechanic who claimed to know the cause of failure, but did not have time to make the repair. the powertrain was unknown. the current mileage was 50,000 and failure mileage was 48,000.

I have a 2004 chevy malibu. in january 2007 i noticed a clunking noise which could be felt in the steering wheel when i was turning. on 02/07/2007 i took the car to a chevy dealer and they replaced the steering gearpart number: 15858368, and another gear, part number: 06508. about 2 weeks ago i noticed the problem had returned, the car now has 39,000 miles on it. something should be done about this as i have seen multiple complaints about this and numerous people, such as myself, reporting multiple failures. now that the car is out of warranty i will have to pay for it out of pocket to fix a chevrolet defect, not to mention the obvious safety issue. *tr

Steering gear assembly replaced 12/21/06. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle lost power steering control nearly causing an accident. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer could not duplicate the issue.

2004 chevrolet malibu with electric. consumer states that this failure occurs without any warning and sometimes the power steering light will illuminate. *kb the consumer stated in order to regain power steering, he must pull over and re-start the vehicle. the first time the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, they stated it needed to be reprogrammed or recalibrated, which did not fix the problem. the second time the vehicle was taken to the dealer, the problem could not be duplicated. on 2 separate occasions, the dealer replaced the power steering gear and intermediate steering shaft due to a noise being heard when making turns and accelerating. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact was driving approximately 30 mph when the steering wheel began to shake with a sudden loss of power steering assist. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. after restarting the ignition, the vehicle resumed normally. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer twice and each time the power steering module was replaced. in addition, a certified technician replaced the power steering module twice. the steering malfunction recurred and the vehicle had not been repaired for the most recent failure. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 26,000.

Loss of power steering in my 2004 malibu. had steering system replaced by recall 05, since then, the steering starting making noise, had to have steering rods adjusted, now i had to replace the steering gear at cost of $495.00. it still makes some noise when turning to right, need gm to compensate for these expenses, had nothing but steering problems from on set. help. *nm

I have 3 recall letters and each states the parts aren't available. those recalls are:14116,14152;13036. these recall repairs state that they affect the safety of this vehicle and yet we are forced to drive a vehicle with possible life threatening issues while the parts are not available. the safety issues aside, the recalls affect the value of this product by the implication it's defective. these issues should be dealt with swiftly as to minimize possible fatalities and if no parts are available, then a safe rental vehicle of like kind should be available at no cost to the owners. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle's power steering locked up. the service dealer determined the vehicle needed a new steering column to resolve the issue. updated 12/15/2006 - *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while attempting to make a right turn, the power steering failed and caused the vehicle to drive onto the sidewalk. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 55,000 and failure mileage was 22,000.

tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while starting the ignition, the power steering warning indicator illuminated with the loss of power steering. there was a recall related to the failure under nhtsa campaign id number 14v153000 (steering) however, the remedy part was unavailable to perform the repair. the dealer was unable to provide an expected date for the part to become available. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the failure mileage was unavailable.

The steering column was replaced in april of 2005 as a result of a recall stating that the power steering assist can fail without warning. up to this time, no actual failure had occurred. in september of 2006 the power steering assist failed for the first time as described in the recall notice. simultaneous with the failure, an audible beeping occurred and a failure message was displayed on the console. re-starting the car will correct the problem temporarily, but it recurs on a regular basis. both the dealer and manufacturer refuse to replace the steering column at their expense because it was done once in 2005. *nm

Tl* - the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving on 09/23/06 the steering became very hard. the contact was just able to steer the vehicle and park it. the vehicle was towed, and it was found that the steering module did not work. the steering module was replaced on 09/27/06. however, because the vehicle owner believed this was a hazard he was afraid to drive the vehicle. the current and failure mileage were both 10905 miles.*ak update 4/9 *tr

While i'm driving whether it's on a city street or a highway, my power steering will out of nowhere stop working. this is very dangerous, especially when you are going 55mph. sometimes stopping the car and starting it back up fixes the problem, sometimes not. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while attempting a turn at approximate speeds of 10-15 mph, the power steering failed causing the contact to barely avoid crashing into another vehicle. a police report was filed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer three times for concerns of the power steering failing. the dealer replaced the power steering column, ignition switch and throttle body. the approximate failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 120,000.

Power steering failed on 2004 chevy malibu without warning. i had taken the car in about a month ago for front alignment issues, thought they fixed it, but the problem came back and then power steering quit. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving on the freeway, the steering column locked up. the 2004 chevrolet was the first year manufactured with a electric steering column. in april 2005, the steering column was making a noise and was tight resulting in difficult steering for sharp turns. to correct the problem, the dealer replaced the steering column. in july 2006, there was a second failure to the steering column, it locked up.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. in july of 2006, the steering column was replaced at only 15,000 miles. recently, the contact felt the steering loosen while driving 20 mph. on july 21, 2009, the steering knuckle failed and she lost control of the steering. she had to place the gear into park in order to stop the vehicle. a report was filed with the manufacturer. the current and failure mileages were 56,000.

Clunking in front end. taken to dealer and rack and pinion replaced under warranty. two years later, clunking is back. taken to dealer and steering shaft replaced at my expense. one year ago, the clunking is back and i didn't take it in. now the power steering is going out completely when i am driving. i have to pull over and shut the car off and restart and that takes care of problem. this is dangerous and gm needs to fix it. *tr

Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to make either a left or right turn there is a knocking noise present in the steering of the vehicle. while driving at any speed the vehicle pulls to left. the vehicle was taken to the dealer on 3 occasions and the manufacturer has been alerted however there is no fix for these problems.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving various speeds, the steering wheel seized and excessive force on the steering wheel was required. the service soon warning light illuminated prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnosis. the technician stated that the power steering sensor needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact received a notification for recall nhtsa campaign number: 14v252000 (electrical system, electronic stability control, exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic, vehicle speed control), nhtsa campaign number: 14v153000 (steering) and nhtsa campaign number: 14v224000 (power train). however, the parts needed were unavailable to service the vehicle under the recall. the dealer was uncertain when the parts would be available. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 62,000.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds the steering light illuminated. after inspection the dealership replaced the computer chip in the electronic steering system. afterwards there was a knocking sound while turning. although the dealer replaced the steering shaft the knocking continued. the vehicle was returned to the dealer where the steering rack and pinion is being replaced.

In two occasions i experienced a complete loss of steering .the car a chevrolet model malibu year 2004 was transported to a chevrolet dealer(norwood chevrolet) in warwick ri. the mechanic diagnosed a steering column shift-torque sensor failure.gm admitted that they had an internal recall. the steering column was replaced as per gm customer relation manager.the bill was 610.48 dollars.theynever refund me because the new manager stated that the recall was lifted.please evaluate and advise me what to do. thank you . *nm

Vehicle loses power steering causing lose of control while driving. this first occurred 12/7/04 and was repaired under gm customer satisfaction campaign 04050a (recall). vehicle lost steering control again while driving on 2/20/06, vehicle was repaired. vehicle lost steering control, engine stalled and brakes failed while driving 55 mph on interstate freeway on 2/27/06, vehicle was repaired. vehicle lost steering control again on 5/11/06. vehicle is unsafe to drive and has not been repaired to make safe. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving at various speeds the vehicle was difficult to steer and the brakes vibrated. the dealership determined the tie rod had broken and repaired the vehicle.

Dt*: the contact stated while traveling at 35 mph, the power steering failed causing the vehicle to veer to the left lane. while trying to recover into the correct lane, the vehicle went over a guardrail and over a ravine. the driver was not injured. the vehicle was totaled. there was a police report filed. the contact has seen several complaints on the internet concerning similar power steering problems. the contact reports no problems with the steering prior to the accident. the cosumer stated the engine also accelerated on its own. updated 05/10/06

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 20 mph on normal road conditions, the steering wheel locked. the contact had to use force in order to barely turn the steering wheel. she heard a loud clicking noise from the steering system prior to the failure. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and they stated that the failure was related to the steering column. the steering column was replaced. the failure recurred and has not been repaired again. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 6,100 and current mileage was 20,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving at various speeds the power steering would suddenly malfunction making the steering wheel very difficult to turn. when the failure occurred the check engine, abs and tc (traction control) sensor lights illuminated. the failure was not diagnosed nor was the vehicle repaired. the manufacturer was notified and no solution was offered. the contact also indicated that while driving various speeds the vehicle would drift from side to side. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the control arms were faulty. the control arms were replaced but the defect was not remedied. while driving the headlights, turn signal lights and rear lights would intermittently shut on and off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the defect was caused by an electrical short. the defect was not repaired. the failure mileage was 17,000.

I was stopped at a 4 way stop sign and when i tried to turn right and proceed my car went diagonally across the road because the steering had gone out of the car. i was taken to the nearest dealer, apple valley chevrolet, and the steering needed to be replaced. the steering needed to be replaced again on 08/04/09 and again on 05/26/2010 at which time i was charged a deductible of $100.00 because the car was still under warranty.at this time i was told by the service manager that any future problem with this issue would be taken care of.these repairs were done at hoffman automotive. i received a recall notice for the steering and with that a form for reimbursement if already fixed and paid for. i submitted all required forms for reimbursement of the deductable in november of 2014. i have faxed those documents many times, made repeated phone calls and have just today received a denial of reimbursement. the reason was because of a part number. the recall was for the steering, not a specific part number.

Electronically assisted steering quit working while turning into our driveway and check engine or other warning light illuminated until the vehicle was finally stopped and the engine turned off and then back on. problem cleared after this incident. we've only had the vehicle for two weeks. my wife was driving during this incident and is the primary driver of the vehicle. i'm concerned with the hundreds of complaints i've seen about the same issue from others, that she may be in danger the next time this happens at higher speeds or on a corner. *nm

I own a 2004 malibu sedan lt (80k) and a 2004 malibu maxx lt (50k). both cars have the clunking noise in the rack and pinion. i am issuing this complaint because i was told by the dealer that chevorlet has no repair to eliminate the noise. i consider any part of my steering a very safety sensitive issue. if it were only one car i would not be as concerned. but i believe it should be corrected (on gm's nickel of course) asap!*jb

The steering system has failed 3 times on the vehicle. gm motors has repaired the part twice, by replacing the entire steering system. right now the car is in the shop for the 3rd time for the same defect. we are not sure if gm motors is going to pay to fix the problem. we are currently out of the warranty but this is the 3rd time. it was replaced in 3/04 & 10/04. gm told us that they were aware of the issue but according to their records not enough cars were affected therefore a recall had not been initiated. what disturbs me is they new exactly which cars where affected before they were even sold to consumers. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 30 mph the steering wheel was difficult to turn. the vehicle has been to the dealership twice for repairs, but the problem reoccurs. the dealership and manufacturer were notified however, no additional repairs have been made.

Prominent noise in steering system. dealer tried to order defective party, but gm said none would be furnished until a new part was designed. the part is the "intermediate steering shaft". they claim that it causes no hazard, but noise is annoying and vehicle, 2004 malibu lt, has only 17,600 miles. purchased 12/23/03. *nm

Steering failure, steering replaced three times. steering went out when car was 11 months old, again fall 2005, jan 2006. two different dealers have worked on car, noting that they are aware of steering problems with this model. *jb

Lost power steering twice in one day. this is the fourth and fifth times the problem has occurred. *jb

There was a clunking noise in steering when turning or acceleration and or steering wheel shakes when standing still. *ts *jb

Purchased 2004 chevy malibu, certified used with 27,000 miles. when turning i hear clicks and feel vibrations. dealer say's it's not a safety issue and general motors will fix in first quarter of 2006. i contacted chevrolet and can't get an answer on the safety issue or when this problem will be corrected. i have been reading many automobile websites and read 100's of messages from people complaining about the same noise when turning and eventual loss of steering. the car is two years old, why hasn't chevy fixed these vehicles? are they or are they not safe? what can consumers like myself do about the issue. *nm

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when driving at any speed, the steering wheel would become extremely stiff and the power steering warning light would illuminate on the dashboard. after the failure, the contact would stop and restart the vehicle to continue driving. the failure occurred intermittently and during some of the failures, the power steering light did not illuminate. the failure was never diagnosed and the vehicle was never repaired. the failure mileage was 20,000 and the current mileage was 109,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. immediately after purchasing the vehicle in november of 2005, the contact began experiencing failure with the steering column. while driving 20 mph, the steering column stopped moving. she turned the wheel as hard as she could in order to pull the vehicle to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the steering column was defective. they also stated that the vehicle was under recall and the steering column was replaced. for the past three years, the contact has had to replace the steering column every six months. the manufacturer stated that they would not reimburse her for the repairs of the steering shaft which was believed to be related to other problems. . updated 11/14/08 *cn the steering column was replaced 4 times and the lasst time it was replaced, the steering shaft was replaced as well. updated 11/19/08. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the power steering failed continuously. when the power steering failed, the wheel would make a clicking sound when the contact made a turn. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the dealer greased the steering column; however, the problem persisted. the failure mileage was approximately 9,500. the current mileage was approximately 60,400. the first time, the stabilizer link bushing were replaced, the second time, the intermediate shaft was replaced and the third time, the steering column was replaced. the right front axle seal was leaking. updated 05/24/10*jb