Problems with 2008 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING

Recall: 14118 and 13036 due to these recalls i drive around holding on to the steering wheel so not to loose controll into another car or run off the road. my electrical system is faulty all the time. i am preventing this car from crashing while driving with family and friends. i have called the local gm dealer ship who in turn will not call me back regarding the recall parts. i have been driving like this for 2 years and have already put an extra over $900 in this car. i am telling you this so to have it documenting for feal of getting killed while driving. i have no other choice to drive this car.please help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver and the brake warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact mentioned that the failure occurs intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 44,000.

Steering wheel locks up and hard to turn. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when driving approximately 10 mph and attempting a turn, the contact could hear a popping noise in the steering wheel as the steering wheel would become difficult to maneuver. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the mechanic advised that the steering column was fractured and would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 72,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the contact stopped the vehicle on the shoulder and shut off the engine. after allowing the vehicle to sit for several minutes, the vehicle was restarted and the power steering assist resumed normal operation. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing however, the technician was unable to duplicate the failure. additionally, the steering wheel would shake violently while parked with the engine running. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

All the dash board lights coming on and off then car would not start all the computers burnt out don't see how 1,400 dollars later she got it back some things don't work as they did.they said she did something to it. she's a 78 year old woman she can't even check oil. so u tale me what happen it. i think there was a problem and blamed it on her , i had to pay the bill she could not. this car dose not steer rite. this car steers from side to side never in the center. an when the wind blows its 5 times worse. they say its fine.it's a hard car drive u have to work the steer the car turn signals keep breaking.been this way since she bought it. *tr

Turn signal arm does not stay in place when signaling to turn. also the turn signal arm when it does stay in place it will not return to normal position/turn off signal by itself after making a turn. when turning the steering wheel it makes popping noises. door locks on all doors stay either in the "lock" or "unlock" position at all times. one of the rear passenger door lock has been replaced at the dealership for $300.00 and the door lock still fails. the only way to unlock the passenger doors is to do it manually and climb over the seats. the driver door has to be unlocked with the key and manually locked when exiting the vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the power steering assist failed, preventing her from completing a right turn. the contact mentioned that the power steering warning lamp illuminated. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the torque steering sensor needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 35,000 and the current mileage was 43,000. updated 3/20/13 *cn the dealer replaced the steering wheel torque input sensor. updated 04/17/13

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 25 mph, the steering wheel began to vibrate in a violent jerking motion. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road for a few seconds and then resumed with the steering malfunction. the failure recurred at least three times a week. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnosis. the technician did not repair the vehicle under the extended service warranty. the defect persisted with the engine and power steering warning indicators illumination. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 93,435. updated 10/26/12 *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 5 mph and making a left turn, the contact noticed a clunking noise and a jerking motion in the steering wheel. while parked, the steering wheel would move independently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing three times. the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 69,000. updated 11/01/12*lj the consumer stated the vehicle would pull to the side. updated 11/01/12

Steering shakes violently,while driving or stopped,to the point of losing control. condition is intermitent. vehicle has been checked by dealer and diagnosed as needing a steering control module. so far chevrolet has not offered a fix ,except to replace it at a cost of 743 .00$ with the same part that is defective? engine light came on at 70000 miles and dealer replaced cat conv at no charge . the third issue is door locks stopped working at 74000 miles,and will only open manually. the steering is a very dangerous condition and i fear will cause a accident. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the steering wheel became abnormally loose and extremely sensitive. the failure recurred for years. over time, the contact noticed that a jerk or catch developed in the steering. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that the steering column needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified by the dealer and offered a 50 percent discount for repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 478 and the current mileage was 22,000. updated 7/23/12 *cn the consumer stated he began to experience problems with the replacement steering column. the consumer stated the vehicle pulled to the left and the steering wheel continued to shake. updated 07/30/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the power steering failed. the contact tried to maneuver the steering wheel but had a difficult time doing so. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis but the technicians were unable to determine the failure. the vehicle was repaired however, but the failure recurred. the second time the failure happened, the brakes failed as well. the vehicle was repaired again and the fail still recurred. the contact was unaware of the specific repairs made to the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would assist in her purchasing a replacement vehicle. the failure mileage was 17,000. the vin was unavailable.

While test driving the vehicle on april 28, 2012, i was sitting still on an incline and the wheel began to turn back and forth on its on. the car lot assured me it was motor mounts, an easy fix, and i bought the car. within a month or two, the steering became increasingly worse. today, november 5, 2013, i was driving the vehicle and without warning, the power steering went out on the freeway and i am a petite woman(weighing in at around 110 lbs.) so it was very hard for me to regain control of the vehicle. the ending cost for my vehicle is around 15,000 and it has only been a year and a half since the time i purchased it. i can't afford to replace the entire steering column. *tr

My power steering light has been on and is going out. *js

Every time i turn to either the right or the left my steering wheel pops and i can feel it inside the streering wheel when i hit a bump while turning it is even worse

I just pulled on and started to drive on a winding dangerous mountain road -not yet accelerating 40mph- when all of a sudden my steering wheel would not let me turn, almost frozen, and i am into a right curve! i was fighting the wheel to gain control for what seemed minutes but was actually seconds as i slowly put on my brakes while i tried to regain control of the wheel (mind you i am in rush hour traffic on a mt. curve, a concrete wall to my left, a rock outcropping on my right, no shoulder, guardrail begins where the rocks end. when i finally regained control, i still had a hard time steering; steering was unpredictable...intermittent shaking of the steering wheel/sometimes felt like i had lost a bolt on my right rim (for those who did at one time you know what i am talking about)/i had a shimmy on the right like something was not connected/all of a sudden i felt like there was no power steering or control at all (hard to turn the wheel-took some muscle), just not right. my car used to have such control- turn on a dime barely touching the wheel. this steering issue has happened before and mentioned to my mechanic at an oil change but they didn't find anything, even hooked up to the diagnostic machine and everything checked out, wallet lighter. i actually thought i was going out of my mind then read other people were having the same kinds of problems. if this is a known problem, why has it not been recalled? for the mountain that i have to drive every day to and from work, this could prove very dangerous-life threatening... i do not feel safe in my own car i have only had nearly a year now nor have the funds to spend on costly repairs. i am ready to take the bugger back and demand my money back and get a more dependable vehicle. i am done spending money- why this is happening? why no answers or fixes? worse yet, "everything check out okay" when it keeps happening! *kb

Steering wheel shakes while driving on highway and streets. power steering stopped working while trying to make a turn. first time steering started shaking is when i was on the highway, when it just started shaking and made my car go right onto the next lane. *tr

We was getting ready to park and the steering column got really stiff and i couldn't move the car to park. i had to shut the car off and restart the car and it loosing up. i was in the city of south bay, florida. *tr ## vin failed ##

While driving down the highway at a speed of about 45 miles per hour, the steering wheel on my 2008 malibu began to shake or vibrate while building speed. a power steering warning light came on. after pulling over, i turned the engine off and then turned it back on which seemed to reset the warning light. i knew about pulling over to reset the car due to an ?airbag warning? light that has randomly come on ever since i purchased my car. upon resuming driving, the power steering warning light came on again. it took pulling over and resetting it four times to get twenty miles down the road. it came on at various speeds. upon heading home, the steering wheel in my car moved while sitting still with the motor running. it looked like someone was turning the wheel back and forth and up and down, but i was not touching the wheel. the power steering warning light came on while sitting still, so i shut the car off to reset it. it took three tries of starting and starting the engine to reset the warning light. i drove home on a curvy county road. the same power steering warning light came on five time in less than twenty miles at various speeds - no certain speed seemed to prompt it.sometimes i was going 20 mph and sometimes i was going 55 or 65 mph when the system failed. i had to stop in the roadway to reset the car. each time, the steering became nearly impossible to turn and maneuvering the corners was not safely possible and since there was no shoulder, i had to stop in the roadway to try to reset the steering. the steering wheel shakes at various speeds and the power steering warning light continues to come on at various speeds or while sitting in park with the engine running. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving various speeds, the steering wheel automatically moved and began to shake. the failure occurred numerous times. the dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact received a recall notification for nhtsa campaign number: 14e044000 (steering); however, the part needed to remedy the recall was unavailable. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

The steering wheel turns on its own causing a very dangerous situation while traveling at highway speeds. there has been many complaints on this with the 2008 malibus and others with the electric steering motors. i know a few other vehicles with this same problem have been recalled and it is time for gm to recall the malibu before someone is killed. you tube has a fine example of this problem if anyone cares to watch. the vehicle doesn't have to be moving for the wheel to move erratically back and forth. this should be a recall asap. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 45 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel began to shake slightly. the contact approached a stop sign and attempted to brake but the steering wheel began to shake vigorously. the failure was constant. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician stated that the steering motor and module assembly was defective and would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 68,245.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the steering wheel was loose and was able to move freely without demand. the failure recurred intermittently. the dealer advised the contact that the vehicle would need to have a diagnostic performed. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 34,000 and the current mileage was 51,000.

While pressing the brake to slow to turn to the right the esc servicing comes across the dash. i call the service department the next day (cause the incident happened after hours) they tech says next time the light comes on bring it in without turning the car off. for the next several times it happens of course was after hours. i took it in for a oil change, and when leaving the light came on again. i automatically turned around and went back. upon diagnostic testing it shows nothing is wrong and the tech says my car doesn't have anything that would set off this code. can anyone tell me what esc stands for on this model car????? *tr

I have made this complaint before. it concerns the front wheel shakes, vibration. after getting tired of this i put the car on jacks removed the wheel and found the tie rod end ball nut to be loose and the ball joint to be frighteningly worn. i replaced the lower control arm and tightened the tie rod ball nut myself. the problem has completely disappeared. funny the dealership couldn't figure this out.i think that other owners should be warned of this potentially fatal condition! *tr

I purchased a 2008 chevy malibu at matt blatt in egg harbor township in new jersey approximately 5 month (march or may of 2011) with approximately 28,500 miles. i spoke with a service representative [xxx] in regards to the power steering problem that my vehicle was having. my steering was shaking out of control and i almost got involved in two vehicle accidents this week 10/19/11. i explained this situation to don, who stated that because i did not purchased an extended warranty on the vehicle i will had to pay for the service. i then proceeded to speak to the manager [xxx], who kindly sent me to the bennett chevrolet on the same date and the problem was corrected. i own a 2008 chevy malibu with 30,700 miles. i also have a problem with the power locks which i was advised that i will have to pay for this. i believe that my complaint was handled very unprofessional by [xxx], because i was very specific that i was afraid to drive the vehicle and he stated we can towed your vehicle, but you will have to pay the fee. again i was afraid because the power steering motor was damage and my vehicle was driving out of control. i'm requesting some type of compensation and i will like the power locks to be fixed free of charge. remember my car only has 30,700 miles and when i purchased the vehicle i was advised by the salesman [xxx] that i had warranty for 100,000 miles or 5 years bumper to bumper. i will like someone to investigate this. thank god i didn't have an accident due to the electronic power steering motor. i purchased in the past a 2 chevy impalas and now a chevy malibu and i will never purchase a chevy again. again, this was a safety issue and was handle wrong by service representative [xxx] . the steering wheel shakes when vehicle is in motion and the the vehicle is not moving. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

The affected steering shafts may have a yoke that inadequately supports the u-joint bearing resulting in a premature failure. it doesn't turn half the time and makes a loud popping noise and the blinker never turn off.

While driving or not driving the steering wheel shakes vigorously and the power steering warning light comes on. then the brake lights come on when i'm not touching them.when i do apply the brakes the lights go out. then have to apply a generous amount of pressure to get them to come on. i constantly keep getting the light service esc then it says it is off. i turn off car and it resets but after 2 or 3 minutes it comes back on. i also keep getting a seatbelt light as to buckle up and i'm already wearing seatbelt. the steering gets hung while driving pulling to either side of the road. *tr

While driving or not driving the steering wheel shakes vigorously and the power steering warning light comes on. then the brake lights come on when i'm not touching them.when i do apply the brakes the lights go out. then have to apply a generous amount of pressure to get them to come on. i constantly keep getting the light service esc then it says it is off. i turn off car and it resets but after 2 or 3 minutes it comes back on. i also keep getting a seatbelt light as to buckle up and i'm already wearing seatbelt. the steering gets hung while driving pulling to either side of the road. *tr

While driving or not driving the steering wheel shakes vigorously and the power steering warning light comes on. then the brake lights come on when i'm not touching them.when i do apply the brakes the lights go out. then have to apply a generous amount of pressure to get them to come on. i constantly keep getting the light service esc then it says it is off. i turn off car and it resets but after 2 or 3 minutes it comes back on. i also keep getting a seatbelt light as to buckle up and i'm already wearing seatbelt. the steering gets hung while driving pulling to either side of the road. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving 35 mph and at any speed the steering wheel began to shake violently causing the vehicle to move to the right and left instead of remaining inside the lane. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated the motor/module assembly for the electric steering was faulty. the repair cost was $800; however, the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified and stated that they would notify her and let her know if they would repair the vehicle. the failure mileage was 103,487.

Driving at highway speed of 65 mph the steering wheel suddenly jerked right and left without any warning. it jerked hard enough that it caused the car to unexpectedly cross into another lane. this has become an intermittent problem and may happen when idling or driving. gm notified on date of incident, 8/29/11, and awaiting response. *tr

I bought this malibu 2 years ago i have had steering problems ever since the wheel shakes back and forth when i'm at a stop sign. it has gotten worse in the last couple months i have almost wrecked my car multiple times i can not let anyone drive this car. *tr

When sitting at a stop sign or sitting in drive way after starting vehicle, the power steering trouble light will come on and then the steering wheel will shake for no apparent reason. this has also happened while driving and makes the driving of the vehicle difficult (makes it seems as though there is a flat tire, when there is none!). when i first purchased the vehicle in july 2011, i put the car into the dealer to get it fixed and they could not find anything wrong. the current mileage of the vehicle is at 83000. *tr

My 2008 malibu has a power steering problem. on a daily basis the power steering becomes erratic and fails to react properly under normal driving conditions, usually at highway speeds. while stopped, the steering wheel will turn left and right on its own. when this occurs at highway speed control of the car is dangerous. two hands are needed to keep car in lane and not cross the line into other vehicles. problem began when mileage hit 45,000 miles. occasionally, a chime will occur and indicate power steering in the display but by the time the chime occurs the steering problem is gone. this issue is consistent and intermittent on a daily basis. i have researched this problem for chevy malibu and have found that thousands of malibu owners are experiencing this problem. this is not a problem caused by improper routine maintenance. this steering problem is a failure of a component in the steering assembly that is not subject to routine maintenance. this is a defective part!!! as a percentage of malibus on the road that have this problem i would venture that it is very high and the number is increasing. the electronic assist power steering in the i4 malibu's is a road handling nightmare and gm has no interest in fixing this problem. i would expect a serious problem like this to be made a recall issue before there is a fatality and then gm and obama motors will be sued for reckless endangerment. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 65 mph the steering wheel became stiff and the power steering stopped functioning. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technicians were unable to duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the dealer the power steering failure was a known issue caused by a defective power steering module. the power steering module was replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 65,000. updated 2/22/12 *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, the steering column locked and the electronic power steering was pulling the steering wheel to the left and right involuntarily. the steering wheel began to vibrate once the vehicle was stopped. the failure recurred at different speeds on an intermittent basis. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostics. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 36,000.

Problems with my 2008 chevy malibu. upon starting the vehicle the steering wheel shutters and noise comes from steering column. the "power steering" display message comes up. the owners manual refers to seeing the dealership for this issue, but they can seem to fix it for me. it can be cleared, but is very annoying to happen to your car everyday. this issue started roughly 3 months after i purchased the vehicle in march of 2011. there's no speed range that the issue occurs in. it happens randomly at any speed. while driving steering wheel shutters randomly, and steering becomes dangerous. seems that you can only turn the wheel in exact 5 degree increments, which has almost cause several collisions with other vehicles. it seems this problem is evident in other malibu models equipped with electric power steering, but i haven't seen a recall or service publications to remedy the issue. gm knows about this, but is deliquent in taking any action to fix permanently. please help! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds and while stopped, the steering wheel would begin to turn back and forth. the vehicle was in the process of being taken to have the failure diagnosed. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 17,000.

Driving on i 40 at 70 mph steering became erratic and jerking, it took extreme effort to stay in proper lane, pulled to shoulder and stopped. i killed the car and restarted and steering was normal until i exited freeway and there was a short episode of loss of power steering but soon started to work normal. a popping noise is now heard sometimes at slow turning speeds and is not always heard.

Letter from senator brown on behalf of constituent re concerns about 2008 chevrolet malibu (respond to cleveland office *tgw the consumer stated the transmission cooler lines and front hub assembly were replaced. also, the power steering light illuminated and the headlights had condensation which caused the bulbs to blow out. the dealer found a seal around the parameter of the capsule was not properly sealed at the factory. the intermediate steering shaft and power steering control module were replaced. also, the front seat heater switch had to be replaced, due to the heater coming on when the seat was occupied. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. while driving approximately 55 mph, the steering wheel began to shake vigorously. the failure recurred intermittently when driving at various speeds. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics where the technicians were unable to diagnose the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 50,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that when driving various speeds, the steering wheel would wobble from left to right and would occasionally become extremely tight. the contact was concerned that the steering wheel would eventually fail and seize. the vehicle was not repaired and neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 57,000 and the current mileage was 66,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel would jerk abnormally. the contact mentioned that the vehicle would become hard to steer once the failure occurred. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the steering wheel had to be re learned. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 75,000.

Steering wheel randomly jerks right and left while driving. is very "notchy" and difficult to return to the precisely desired position. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while the vehicle was in park the steering wheel would move from left to right on its own. the failure was not diagnosed by the dealer. whenever the contact made a left or right turn the power steering system shut off and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the failure mileage was 51,852.

Steering wheel shook violently when the car was at rest and then began to shake while driving down the highway at approximately 49k miles. took it to dealer and had the steering column replaced. then the power door locks began to fail; both passenger door locks and the driver's lock must be operated manually now (well, the driver's door lock works 1/2 of the time...never know if it is actually engaged unless you do it manually). no outside keyhole exists for the passenger door side to be unlocked, which is very inconvenient and potentially unsafe, especially when you are driving alone and cannot get the doors locked by pushing the button. have driven gm vehicles my entire life, but this is the last time the company will ever get my money. sad.... *tr

Steering wheel moves left and right 20 degrees at stop or while moving. problem comes and goes. *tr

2008 malibu - drivers door latch does not work. often driver gets stuck in vehicle. in addition, there is a loud knock in the steering and it has had a ring gear replaced already, same problem 12,000 miles later. *tr