Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING

Dt contact stated the steering wheel would move by itself. the contact would try to turn the steering wheel and the steering wheel would turn in the opposite direction this happened on may 15, 2004, and the dealer replaced the steering column. on october 17, 2005 . ,the same thing happened again and the vehicle was going into the local dealer today. there was no prior warning. this happened on dry road conditions. also on september 1, 2005 the gas light kept coming on. , took the vehicle to the dealer, and they said there was a crack in the exhaust system. the dealer replaced the exhaust system. now , the light is back on, and the dealer is going to check that too. *ak updated 11/16/2005 - *nm

There wa sa cluncking sound every time i turned the wheel to the left or the right. i sent the car to the dealer on two occasions for repairs, and they replaced the steering column both times, the car still cluncked. .the dealer said the cluncking sound was okay and not to bring it back.the right wheel bearing was replaced, and now the gas gaug efailed. 1 was told when the gas gauge failure was an early warning that the fuel pump will soon need to be replaced.*ak

There was a cluncking sound every time i turn the wheel to the left or the right. i took the car to the dealer on two occasions for repair, and they replaced the steering column both times, the car still cluncked. .the dealer said the cluncking sound was okay and not to bring it back.the right wheel bearing was replaced, and now the gas gauge did not work. also, i was told when the gas gauge failed it wa s an early warning that the fuel pump will soon need to be replaced. *ak

I purchased a 2004 chevrolet malibu ls in april of 2004. since that time there have been many safety issues with this vehicle. the first of the issues was the brakes locking up while driving the vehicle. the dealership repaired this under a recall along with some seat belt and air bag related recalls. the vehicle has also never steered correctly and the electronic steering column has been replaced three times. i currently have around 33,000 miles on the car now and the steering has failed again. i will have it towed to the dealership this week to see if they can ever repair the steering issues. there were also issues of the key getting stuck in the ignition and the shifter moving out of the park position without any keys in the ignition. i also sued gm for $6,500 - according to the attorney gm would not buy back the vehicle. in my opinion this vehicle is not safe at all. i am afraid to drive it. *nm

Car developed a noise in the front end in october of 2004. car was brought to dealership 11/2/2004 and the steering column assembly was replaced (6491 miles). car again developed noise in march 2005. steering column assembly was replaced again ( 5/11/2005 8908 miles). noise was again apparent may 2005. power steering gear assembly was replaced ( 5/11/2005 9596 miles). noise not repaired 5/16/2005 power steering gear assembly replaced again (9657 miles). noise came back again 7/5/2005 and steering column assembly was replaced (10275 miles). on 9/11/2005 the power steering failed while trying to turn right. vehicle became very hard to steer and pulling uncontrollably to the left. the car needed to be towed to the dealership. on 9/12/2005 a new steering column assembly was installed (11388 miles). a vehicle inquiry summary was obtained from the dealership ( sylvester chevrolet, peckville). the report revealed a steering column assembly replacement on 1/21/2005 also towing. *nm

The electric power steering fails unexpectedly. the steering resets itself after turning the car off and restarting it but then it happens again sporadically. the steering column was replaced by the dealer but the problem is recurring over the past few weeks. it happened 3 times. *tr

2004 chevrolet malibu developed major steering problems.*mr the steering column assembly had to be replaced three times in the last thirteen months. *nm

Power steering keeps failing. some days it works fine the next time it is jerky, loss of power steering. have had it looked at 4 times each time the replaced steering gear, stabilizer bars, rack and pinion steering. this last a few months then same issue over and over. no its gone again and have lack of power, power failure, clunking in steering column. this is a safety and recall issue in my books. was told by one dealership until they design new parts nothing can be done well its 5 fives of this now. *tr

I have a 2004 chevy mailbu ls and it has been about a month ago i was driving and w/out any notice the power steering column broke. and on today i tried to retrive a report on-line to find out if this car has giving anyone else a problem and it sure has. about a couple months before i purchase it had been in the dealership getting service. i no that it this is not very safe because i almost got rear ended and i had to turn so deep because the power steering went out right on the spot that i could have got hit from the front as well. there was no accident but who knows the next time so i will like it to be noted that this is a serious problem

Slowed down to about 5 mph to make a right turn into parking lot. completed 90 degree turn into parking lot and started to slow down to come to a stop when she felt the wheel stiffen (steering ' felt off'); started up to make a 90 degree right turn (needed to make a 90 degree right turn followed by a quick 90 degree left turn). as she tried to turn wheel, she could only move the wheel from 12-1 o'clock so she just coasted into a parking area (car covered a couple of parking spots). stepped on brakes as she coasted to a stop since she felt as though she had no steering. towed to dealer, who replaced steering solumn again.

2004 chevy malibu steering locks up turn car off and restart car and power steering comes back when it locks up it can happen at any time while driving or sitting still,had power steering motor and shaft replaced when car was under warranty feel this is a safety issue and chevy must resolve. have not had e response from chevy. *tr

The steering column was replaced on my car twice since i purchased it in november of 2003. i lose all ability to steer at 60 mph and have to stop immediately. *ak

2004 chevrolet malibu with noise in the steering wheel customer states that this problem has been going for 2 years without correction from the dealership**cc the dealer replaced various parts in the steering, however the problem remained the same. the battery was replaced. the vehicle hesitated to start. the dealer found the ignition switch had shorted out internally. the horn was replaced. the cd player made a clicking sound. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the steering locked up on 2 separate occasions. the contact believes the electric steering has lost power and the wheels become locked. both times the dealer has replaced the rack pinion rod, but the contact express that this will happen again and was probably due to a component defect.

The power steering locks and causes the vehicle to pull to the left, making it difficult to control the vehicle. manufacturer was contacted for repair, but they fail to correct the problem.*ak

On or about 01/15/05 the power steering game out while driving. the engine light came on, car was taken to dealer on 01/17/05. dealer changed the steering wheel column, vehicle was picked up a day later. on 01/21/05 steering gave out as backing out of the drive way and engine light came on. car was turned off and on and power steering worked again. car was turned back in to dealership where after 3-4 day i was informed that there was no record of any defects. *nm

2004 chevrolet malibu suffered power steering failure.***no answer required***. *mr *jb

My wife was driving with my daughter on board,traveling at approximately 25 mph preparing to stop at approaching traffic light,all of a sudden the steering wheel "froze" and would not move. when she finally stopped the car,she turned the engine off. needless to say she was terribly frightened. after a few minutes she restarted the car and the steering was ok. i hate to think what might have happened if she had been on the express sway at the time. now she is afraid to drive her own car. the car is a 2004 malibu. *nm

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that on several occasions, the power steering would suddenly fail and he was unable to steer or turn. the vehicle was able to be maneuvered to the side of the road with much difficulty. the power steering light would illuminate immediately after the failure. at times, he would turn the vehicle off and restart it which would remedy the problem temporarily. most recently, the steering was unable to be reset by restarting and had to be towed. it was repaired under warranty three times. however, the failure continued. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer after the warranty expired and the contact paid for repairs at his expense. however, the failure continued to occur. the contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. the current mileage was approximately 55,000. the failure mileage was 4,206.

The steering on this car is subject to repeated oscillation at idle, slow and moderate speeds. the longer the car is driven on one trip the worse the problem becomes. this has been occurring over a period of time, but it is to the point that the car is not drivable. chevrolet has a service bulletin for their service departments, but no customer notifiations. the service writer at my service dealership, dave mcdermott chevrolet, east haven, ct, has same car, same problem and replaced the steering components because she knows of the problem. the failure today (01/11) and yesterday (01/10) caused the steering to lock up and a "wrench" idiot light displayed on the dashboard. that was corrected by stopping the car, placing it in park, turning the ignition off and then restarting the car. *ak electronic power steering failure. *sc

Dt: the contact stated that the torque sensor in the steering column had to be replaced. there was an accident in january because the steering locked . the dealership stated there were multiple cars of this make and model that had this problem. the consumer received a recall notices on the power steering and the brakes , but the recall notices were received after the accident. the vehicle was not inspected after the accident to determine the cause of the accident, but it was taken to a body shop to be repaired. the police report stated that the contact's vehicle hit another vehicle in the rear. the contact contacted the manufacturer, and received a letter stating there was no basis for reimbursement for the deductible. *ak

I own a 2004 chevrolet malibu. at present time, i have had to have the steering column replaced twice, due to intermittent power steering failure and a constant pull to the left. the first time was at approximately 8800 miles, the second time at 17700 miles. i have also had to have the brake rotors and pads replaced twice. the brakes still make a rubbing noise in the right front, however the dealers tells me they cannot fix that. the car currently has 18000 miles on it. i still have steering issues, such as twitches in the steering wheel and thunks and clunks when driving. i am very uncomfortable driving the car because i am afraid the steering will go out again. *nm

Tl * - the contact stated that he received recall letter 04050. the contact had a computer chip in the power steering module replaced in jan 2005 because of the recall. the contact stated the power steering failure returned three months later. the contact took the vehicle back to the dealer ,and the vehicle was diagnosed with needing another computer chip for the power steering. the dealer would not replace the chip for free because it had already been replaced under the recall. the power steering failed intermittently for the past two years. the power steering warning light came on when the power steering was not working. *ak updated 1/31/2007 - *nm

Power steering light comes on consistently. also, steering wheel locks while driving.*ak

While driving at low speeds electric steering failed three times. as a result, there was a thumping noise when attempting to turn in either direction. *ak *tt

When the consumer made a right turn onto the freeway, the steering wheel locked up without warning. the consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle and pulled over. the consumer turned off the vehicle and restarted it and drove home. the consumer contacted the mechanic for an appointment. please provide further details. *jb

The vehicle lost power steering control while driving 25 mph. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer informed the consumer that the power steering module needed to be replaced. *jb the adjuster assembly on the passenger seat belt was replaced.

While driving my 2004 chevy malibu lt a light will come on. this light is a picture of a car with a tool inside it. a beep also comes on followed by a message that says power steering. this has happened to me three times now. when this happens i lose all control of the power steering. it takes a lot of effort to turn my wheel. after i turn the car off and let it sit for a while, the problem doesn't occur for another 1-3 weeks. *ak

While wife was driving 2004 chevrolet malibu in city traffic, power steering suddenly failed concurrent with alarm chime and repair car light. she had to drive straight through two intersections and struggled to immediately park the car, and called me for assistance. after restarting the car, power steering was restored (no alarm or light). took car to dealer the following morning for repairs. dealer states that a recent bulletin may address this problem and requires a kit and replacement of steering column. parts not in stock. kit was ordered and is expected in about a week. will schedule repair after parts kit is received. this problem should immediately be upgraded to a safety recall item to minimize future accidents in less forgiving driving conditions. *ak

Problems with the:"rack and pinion steering , brakes, front suspension. *ak

A clunking noise was discovered during driving my new car. send it back to the dealership and it was greased and it stopped for awhile. i have had 4 different chevy dealerships in central texas look at it since it was a new car. it still has that noise and 190,000 miles on it. if when and how can it be fixed? *tr

(1) was driving when suddenly power steering quit working. (2) power steering light came on and vehicle was almost impossible to steer. (3) calling sealership tomorrow, insurance agent said to report to you immediately as there is a problem with this starting to occur in malibus. *jb ea04018_cat

My 2004 chevrolet malibu was parked legally in front of my house. the street was covered with black ice. the driver of a 1999 ford ranger truck slipped on the ice and hit the front of my car. his auto insurance, state farm, paid for a rental car for 40 days and paid $5,338.10 in body repairs, including replacing the radiator. however, when it came time to pay $527.18 to replace the steering shaft and the gear shifter, they refused. the reason given was that these parts in the 2004 chevrolet malibu have a history of wearing out prematurely. the car ran fine before the accident. however, after reading the complaints on your web site, i would also like to add my complaint. i bought this car as a gm certified used vehicle on august 2, 2007, 17 months before the accident. the car had 31,720 miles on it when i bought it and 34,517 miles at the time of the accident, a difference of 2,797 miles i think people should know that insurance companies do not pay for certain components on the 2004 chevrolet malibu. this car is still being sold all over the country. i found 7 gm certified used vehicles, chevrolet 2004 malibu's for sale within a radius of 250 miles ranging in price from $9,500 to $14,000. people think they are safe when they buy these 2004 malibu's; they are not. is there some way they can be taken off the road? *tr the intermediate shaft needed to be replaced. updated 03/18/09.*jb the consumer was also informed the brakes and gear shift needed to be replaced. updated 04/09/09. *jb

While driving along, heard system warning, looked at message center display which said" power steering" and realized i had no power steering. i drove slowly in the lane that would require no changing lanes, slowed down dramatically and muscled my way through each turn in order to get home. i will take the car to the service department of the dealership in the morning.*ak ea04018_cat

Electrical problems and numerous starting problems. while driving, the door locks unlocked, engine dies with no warning. *bf nar *jls the steering wheel locked up, the hazard lights stopped working, the alarm would go off, the power rear view mirrors were inoperative, the vehicle would buck and surge, the steering wheel would shake, the vehicle would start rough and the tachometer would bounce. *sc *jb

While driving at high speed of 65-70 mph vehicle momentarily lost power steering. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who found that the steering column assembly needed to be replaced.*ak

Vehicle pulled over/off the road when the power steering failed. checked under the hood, but there was no sign of apparent malfunction. took vehicle dealer for check up.*ak ea04018_cat

2004 chevrolet malibu lt vin # [xxx] - odometer reading 4320 miles - vehicle purchased 1/31/04. during normal city driving warning light came on, also ndicated a problem with power steering. immediate total loss of power steering - husband able to pull off with great difficulty into a parking lot. vehicle driven to a dealership - no service available on weekends. when vehicle was restarted the power steering was once again operational, and was driven 60 miles home. vehicle was then driven 25 miles to a local dealership (where it was purchased) - no diagnostic check/repair or replacement of parts as yet. *ak [xxx] updated 07/26/2012 *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

While driving at any speed power steering pump failed. as a result, steering became difficult.*ak ea04018_cat

I was parked on the street in front of my house and pulled away and up to the stop sign just a couple houses up the block. i was fumbling with my seat belt and slowly took off without my hands on the wheel. when i grabbed the wheel seconds later, i noticed it was off center, but the car was still going perfectly straight and then it began to twitch back and forth to the left and right. this continued all the way to the gas station where i filled up, and upon leaving gas station dic chimed in with power steering failure message and i lost all power steering. lluckily, i was still in the parking lot, turned the car off and back on and went back home without incident. ea04018_cat. *ak

Sterling column rattles, and then locking and resistance. *ak

The steering wheel locked up while driving 65 mph, the consumer pulled the vehicle over before stopping. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. *ak ea04018_cat the steering wheel vibrated uncontrollably. while receiving assistance, the steering wheel would not turn left or right. *sc *jb

I have a 2004 malibu ls, when i first purchased the car during the winter of 04 i had problems with the steering. it was under warranty, i took it back every winter for 4 years and the dealership always repaired the car. in 2010 my power steering light came on and i lost power trying to turn into a parking spot. the next time it occurred, i was driving 50 mph i went to change lanes the power steering light came on and i could not turn the wheel. i was pulling out from a parking spot the power steering light came on and i could not steer the car. this year the seat belt light stays on when my seat belt is on. it happens every day the light stays on. the dealer that i use to use went out of business and did not notify the customers. i found out when i went to have some work corrected that they did. this problem is scary because i never know when the power steering light is going to come on. that is very very scary. my check engine light comes on and they can never find anything wrong. i recently had my car inspected they would not pass it because of the check engine light.i had to drive the car for 300 miles and the light went off and they passed it for inspection. the original brakes were replaced 3 times in the first 2 years of having the car. i only have 45, 000 miles. purchased 2 batteries from gm the 2nd one lasted less then 2 years and died. an authentic gm battery. *tr

The electronic steering in my 2004 malibu failed while the car was in operation. it had been jerking while i was driving on the highway. i took it in and they said it was probably water/dampness causing the jerking. then it failed while i was driving and they replaced the parts under warranty. *jb

I have a 2004 chevy malibu ls, it is not yet 18 months old and i have to bring it in for the 2nd steering column replacement this monday. i have done some research and have found out that hundreds of people have had similar/worse problems with sterring. some examples include complete loss of steering, loss of power steering, a loud thudding sound when turning th wheel during right turns (this is what my car has been doing), i had my 2nd steering column put in my car in nov 04, when my car was 10 months old, i now am having the same problem/sound again and need to bring it in for a 3rd steering column, meaning it came with a defective one, was evidently repaired with a defective one and who knows what will happen 6 months from now. i am very concerned about this. i have spoken to my dealership, filed a complaint with chevy and was told by both that have only issued "bulletins" for mechanics. i feel a recall should be considered as this is a very serious problem, loss of steering control should not be taken lightly. so, to wrap this up, i had my car for 10 months and needed a new steering column (11/04) now 6 months later i will be getting another. please look into this dangerouse defect and feel free contact me if i can assist any further.

Vehicle purchased in december, 2003. at approximately 14000 miles, november 2004, while driving, power steering failed. turned ignition off and restarted car; power steering worked briefly, then failed again. turned ignition off and back on; able to drive vehicle home. made service appointment, but have not yet had vehicle serviced. ea04018_cat

i have had many problems with my 04 malibu. rough idle, power steering faliure many times took to dealer 3 times could not duplicate, brought in with power steering out at it was duplicated, but could not figure out for a while told me to continue to drive, no safety factor.finally thought they figured out put in a new steering column, 9,000 miles later back to having problems with power steering. also problems with hard shifting,and also with ignition sticking or continuing to turn over after leeting go of the key. i would not recomend this car to anyone and they should all be crushed.my wife is terrified of the car and will not drive.car is at dealer right now we are driving a loaner. *jb ea04018_cat

Steering wheel quivers when stopped, check steering displayed, power steering went out (1st time service 10/28/04) thump noise when turning (2nd time service 08/29/05) both service orders state replace failed steering column. vehicle is making the same thump noise again so it will be taken in for 3rd time service.*jb

While driving 25 mph, the vehicle lost power steering. the consumer managed to drive to a auto shop. the problem was repaired. the dealership was notified. please provide more information. *jb

I was driving straight down an interstate when the steering wheel made small jerking motions to the right and made a grinding noise. when i exited the interstate and was stopped at a red light the steering wheel continued to jerk on its own. this continued intermintely for a couple of days. then i was turning into a gas station and the engine light came on and the power steering went out. after i restarted the car i had power steering again. i took it to the crest chevrolet and they replaced the steering column and sensor assembly #10373948: column ki (06518-pc). ea04018_cat