Problems with 2005 Chevrolet Malibu MAXX STEERING

August 1, 2013, was driving off the parking lot at work when power steering went out. it came back after three days but on august 23, 2013, it went out completely. was driving down the highway, doing 65 mph and completely lost steering capacity. power steering light came on and beeped twice. this was very scary until i remembered i would still have manual steering. immediately got off at the nearest exit. took to get repaired at dealership because of recall related to power steering. part covered under the recall does not and did not fix power steering of vehicle. an additional $700 needed in order to fix the power steering module, which houses sensors. this module, i was told by the dealer, is what is needed in order to completely repair vehicle. why can gm not repair the entire steering component when, apparently, the module is the most expensive and most common part on these vehicles that malfunctions (if the blogs are to be believed), not due to abuse/misuse by owners but due to manufacturing defect(s). *tt

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that the steering wheel emitted a clucking noise while making a turn. the dealer performed a diagnostic test which located the failure in the steering wheel drive shaft and column. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 76, 000 and the current mileage 78,000.

Tl* the contact 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated the electronic power steering module was repaired under the manufacturer's extended warranty, but the failure occurred one year later. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and stated that the vehicle would not be repaired. the failure mileage at the time of the original repair was 122,000. the current failure mileage mileage was 151,000.

I purchased a used chevy 2005 malibu maxx from east hills chevrolet. i had problems with the steering in 08' they replaced or repaired the steering gears. 5 years later and 30,000 miles (local) i have the same problem that was sited in a bulletin with my vin number however, gm, nor the dealer will repair it for me. the cost $1,100.00 of which i do not have at the present moment. what do i do drive a potentially dangerous car??? i am getting no help from gm and am prepared to take my car back and sell it and buy anything but a chevy as the whole line is plagued with this problem. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the power steering assist failed. the contact continued to drive the vehicle without power steering assist. the following day the power steering operated as designed. the steering failure recurred numerous times intermittently. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis and the contact was informed that a sensor in the steering column had become worn unevenly and was sending sporadic signals, causing the failure. the contact was informed that the entire steering column would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 160,000. updated 04/30/13*lj the consumer provided a vin. however, it was a ford vin, not a chevrolet vin.

I was driving into a parking lot at the end of my commute when an alarm went of and a "power steering" message appeared on my console. immediately my power steering was disabled and i had to restart my car 3 times before the power steering was enabled and i was able to turn my car into the parking lot. *tr

Over the past year my 2005 malibu maxx power steering has without warning stop working. luckily this has happened at speed less than 30mph and i was able to slow and stop the vehicle without incidence. recently my engine light has come on warning power steering. this could be a very dangerous situation if driven on a highway! *js

I have had to replace the transmission already on this car, and it still is not right. the power steering will be gone no matter the temperature, but then comes right back. the brakes are always going bad on it, i have replaced them several times within the 25k miles of owning the car. the driver seat leans to the left and did not know this was not normal until after reading reports of it being a problem in this car. *kb

2005 malibu maxx began pulling to the right, then a couple months later the power steering notification starting beeping on the dash display, the steering is tight, sometimes hard to turn. found out the power steering is electronic and there is no fluid to add. the car has less than 75,000 miles on it. i am fearful for my safety and others with this issue appearing to get worse, and without warning, its fine for 10 miles then starts beeping at you, etc. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact was driving 2 mph in a parking lot when the power steering seized. the vehicle was turned off and then on for a couple seconds before the system reset itself. the steering warning light was illuminated also. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 173,000.

Accelerating quickly, making a left turn across traffic, the steering locked up and a warning ding dinged 3 times and then multiple lights flashed on the dash. releasing the gas pedal released the lock. this is happening more and more frequently now. every time there is a warning ding, sometimes there are lights on the dash, sometimes there aren't. very scary and dangerous especially when merging into traffic. *tr

My 2005 malibu maxx ls loses its power steering. it does not matter what the temperature, or what the weather is like, just out of the blue the bell goes off and power steering it runs across the dash. it will reset itself once the vehicle has been shutoff and restarted. it has happened on several occasions, however, it has become more frequent. this isn't very safe!! *tr

While accelerating, warning bell dinged and power steering failed momentarily. has happened a couple of times so far. i plan to call the dealership tomorrow. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. while driving approximately 30 mph, there was a loss of power steering and the warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the contact maneuvered to the side of the road, where the vehicle was shut off. after numerous attempts, the contact was able to restart the vehicle. the failure recurred and the power steering failed to regain operation. the vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 101,000. the vin was unavailable.

Complete and total lock up of power steering; battery light flicks on and then everything locks up until you replace the gas peddle for about 3 seconds. my lights randomly flash and rear bulbs on the driver side blow every 3 days. my turn signals will sporadically blink and the wiper blades go off with out warning or being prompted. even with no keys near or in the car it will not turn over to start the car until you floor the gas peddle and hold it there for 3-5 seconds. my radio reads at -19* all the time and the cd player has never worked correctly. when going from 0 to 50 getting on the parkway (highway) the whole car locks up and loses power including the steering radio and lights unless you completely release the gas then start to go again. im so highly frustrated and chevy refuses to fix it even though these are all recalled problems but my vin doesn't fall in there "bracket". *tr

I have a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. we had experienced loss of power steering at 87017 miles. dealer replaced power steering column under policy 10183. car has again had the same problem now at 101754 miles. policy 10183 states that gm will pay for repairs but only up to 100,000 miles. i'm 1754 miles over this. however it was repaired before only 14,737 miles ago. is gm repairing this defect with the same defective components? if so this endangers everyone and is unethical. this car has had numerous front end issues including replacing the steering rack several times (clunking noise when turning - now also back again), wheel hub and bearing issues and steering column replaced at 50425 miles for a failed torque sensor. we are concerned that the vehicle may not be safe to drive. gm should be re-engineering these components and replacing the failed ones with new design. this needs to be a recall for all impacted models before someone is killed or injured due to loss of power steering which can be very sudden and dramatic. gm claims it is not a safety issue. however, someone unprepared or without upper body strength can get into serious trouble very quickly. who will make the decision to do the right thing with this problem? apparently this is well documented with other gm products as well. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle began to veer toward the left before the power steering failed. during the failure, the power steering warning light was illuminated. the vehicle was shut off and upon restart, the vehicle operated as normal. the failure had since recurred intermittently and the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the failure and current mileage was 114,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact heard a loud clunking noise when attempting a right or left turn at low speeds. the dealer advised the contact to replace the stabilizer bar. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 138,000 and the failure mileage was 112,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact was driving approximately 20 mph when and a sudden loss of power steering occurred, followed by the illumination of the power steering warning indicator. the contact was able to continue driving using extreme bodily force to maneuver the steering wheel. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 52,000. updated 05/18/11

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. while driving various speeds, the contact stated that the steering column became hard to move. the dealer advised the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty and offered no further assistance. the manufacturer was notified and the contact was awaiting a response. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who advised her to take the vehicle to a dealer. the current mileage was 130,000 and the failure mileage was 129,000.

Stopped at stop sign and i was trying to make a right hand turn. when traffic cleared i pushed on the gas to enter onto the when my car started to make this loud ding, ding, ding sound and the steering wheel locked up. at that time i could not turn my steering wheel. then all of a sudden the steering unlocked and i then made like a sharp right as it kicked in. very scary. during the loud dinging sound i was looking to find the check engine light or some indicator to what was going on. i did not see it until this happened a second time about a week later and it flashed power steering. there is a tsb on this but because i am over the miles they won't help me. this is a safety issue and every vehicle should be recalled.

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx ls (na). while driving approximately 5 mph, the contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering. neither the dealer nor manufacturer were notified. the vehicle was not repaired. the current mileage was approximately 149,000. the failure mileage was approximately 148,500.

Unexpected loss of power steering during acceleration - dangerous situation. dealer corrected problem using technical service bulletin #08-02-32-005a. the service bulletin required adding a ground strap and replacing the ignition module. sounds like a design issue (lack of required ground strap) corrected in a service bulletin. in my opinion it should be covered under an extended warranty to correct a design defect. *tr

I was turning onto a road while driving to work and my power steering failed. i almost drove off of the road into a tree! this is the first time this has happened. i have been told that the steering column must be replaced to fix this issue. *tr

This is in relation to what i've seen in a few crash iihs crash videos. i was hit on the left side, with the impact range from the left front wheel to the outside mirror. i was beginning to make a left turn when i was struck. the impact on the steer tire caused the steering wheel to spin quickly to the right as it absorbed the energy from the collision. the steering wheel turned so violently rightward from the force of the vehicle hitting it, that i ended up with a fractured right elbow and torn ligaments in my right hand - injuries sustained from a collision on the left. i have seen the same thing in a few iihs crash test videos. in a few of their videos, the steering column shifts significantly to the left or right so there ends up being no contact between the dummy's head and the steering wheel airbag. i don't know if there is communication between nhtsa and the iihs, or to what standards are set, as i've seen some truly disturbing iihs videos on brand new cars; disturbing enough that i'm surprised that the vehicle is let into the market. thanks for taking the time to read this. my right side injuries seemed very strange until seeing some of the iihs videos in slow motion that explained how this happened. *tr

1. i was passing a car up hill on a curve in the road. when i accelerate hard i loss my power steering. i had to applied more pressure on the wheel to get around the car i was passing but half way around the car the power steering kicked back in but because of the extra pressure i was applying on the steering wheel i over steered and almost hit the guard rail. this was on a very busy highway in the new york city area and everyone was traveling at high speed. 2. i experience a loss of power steering assist caused by electrical input signals within the steering column assembly. 3. gm sent a letter too my home stating they are aware of the problem but will only fix it if the car has less than 100,000 miles. my car is over that limit. gm says it is not a recall. this is a safety issue. the power steering cuts out at high speeds. *tr

Replaced a steering rod at 34000 & 73000 & 105,000 that was made of metal ln 05. gm went back to plastic the next year as this did not hold up. second is the remote start problem. i had it repaired two different times at gm and does not work as of now. was told it was a bcm problem each time.as it was an expensive fix temporary that is.as many other people have the same problem with this car! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that the vehicle was exhibiting an unusual knocking and the steering wheel was exhibiting an abnormal grinding. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who stated that the steering shaft and steering gear was defective. the vehicle was repaired yet the failure persisted. the contact received a notice from the manufacturer regarding the steering but they stated that they would not repair the vehicle until a failure occurred. the manufacturer was not notified. the current mileage was approximately 145,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu max. the contact was driving 10 mph and attempting a right turn when the power steering warning light illuminated and the steering wheel became increasingly hard. the contact was barely able to maneuver the vehicle to avoid a crash. the manufacturer advised that because the vehicle was over 100,000 miles, they would not assist. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 123,000.

Safety issue with 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. because of a number of problems with steering and suspension, i have had four certified mechanics inspect the car. three found that the steering rack is defective; one found that the intermediate shaft is defective. neither should be defective on a car with 57k miles. the only way that the steering rack could be defective is if there was a problem with the heat treatment during manufacture; this would imply that the entire batch is defective. similarly, the intermediate shaft is a thick piece of sheet metal that should not be defective with low mileage. the problem(s) has been reported to general motors, who have not responded to repeated contacts. because the mechanics do not agree, i will have the intermediate shaft replaced to see if that solves the problem. if not, then i will replace the steering rack. *tr

While driving on local street at approximately 35mph, the power steering on our car stopped working making steering very difficult. my husband was driving and he had trouble steering to the side of the road. he turned off the car and restarted it, and the power steering came back on. within a 2 mile span, this occurred twice. i asked my kids and husband how often this happens, and it's every time the car is driven. if my husband had trouble steering when the power steering stops, it must be even worse for my 2 girls. if this occurs on the highway, there could easily be a serious accident. i looked online and numerous complaints have been made about this problem. there was a service bulletin for it but it needs to be a recall. i read that mazda3 and mazda 5 cars are being recalled for power steering failure. why haven't chevy malibus been recalled? please help. *tr

I have a problem with my power steering in my 2005 chevy malibu that has been diagnosed as a known defect with the power steering column. i called and spoke with a nhtsa representative today and he said it was a known defect on many chevy models where the cobalt was recalled but my 2005 malibu has not been recalled. i am scared to death to drive this vehicle. i've read online about accidents happening as a result of this problem as a result of power steering loss. please can you resolve this problem with chevrolet so they issue a recall. i drive my kids in my car and i am afraid to drive it. updated ivoq 08/31/10*jb *tr

Electrical issues with my 05 malibu maxx.the power steering keeps going out-chevy is aware of this problem. the engine has trouble starting. the rear wiper goes by itself without anyone touching the control-most recent event, happens every few days 1 or 2 times. i have had issues with the starting from the beginning of ownership. the power steering issue has been over the past month. sometimes the warning light comes on first, usually not. i have not paid to have any work done, but have contacted chevy's customer service and was told, that they would make a record of it. restarting the car usually fixes the power steering temporarily. i have to change the brakes once a month, so they don't destroy my rotors. power steering seems to go out more often when it is hot outside. *tr

3rd posting here. same problem. no power steering. now it is to the point where im lucky to get power steering for the length of my driveway. i called the local chevy dealership to inquire about the cobalt recall (which is the same issue as the malibu power steering issue) and they told me at this time there is nothing that can be done by them. i told them i had been in 2 times to a dealership and that was told the same thing. the next thing said really surprised me. apparently there is a "super secret warranty" for this very problem. as luck would have it i was not informed of this warranty until it had expired on my car. chevrolet handled this in true customer is always right fashion. if i want to take it in and pay for the diagnostic and repair they would possibly refund me the cost of the repair only. needless to say, if i had the funds avail to get the work done i would have either done it already or switched to a ford. to all you people out there with this issue go into a dealership and ask about the "super secret warranty" then after you get it fixed, sell it!!!!! *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 mph and turning a corner, the power steering malfunctioned. the contact turned the vehicle off and restarted it and the vehicle functioned normally; however the failure occurred again. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the assist motor for the rack and pinion needed to be replaced at her expense. the contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint but they did not offer any assistance.. the failure mileage was approximately 95,500. the current mileage was 95,536.

2005 malibu maxx power steering reading came up 2x on radio. took to be checked and cost to $700 to replace the unit. vehicle only has 53,000 miles. this unit should not be going out this soon! *tr

I own a 2005 malibu maxx ls. i was attempting to leave work and put my car in reverse. a message popped up that said power steering. my steering wheel would not move in either direction. i was stranded at work, forty miles from home. later that evening i went attempt to retrieve my car and it was fine. no message, no issue. i have had this message pop up briefly before, but disappears after a block or two. i took it to a shop and they informed me that it is most likely a loose wire. the problem is, no codes are found and i would be spending money to attempt a repair without really knowing what the problem is. i am a single mom. i do not have money lying around to hopefully fix a problem they are not sure of. i don't understand why this issue has been resolved by gm. *tr

We own a 2005 chevy malibu maxx that we bought certified used in 2008. for the past few months the power steering stops working while the car is being driven.. it becomes very hard to steer and is very scary when it happens especially on the highway when traveling at faster speeds. also scary when traveling on curvy roads. if we stop the car and restart it, the power steering returns. my husband took it to our mechanic who says the part is about $500 and the labor is about $200. shouldn't this be a recall? it's very unsafe and could easily lead to a serious, or fatal, accident. please check into this quickly before someone is killed. thank you. *tr

My power steering randomly goes out on my car. i have to pull over and restart my car to reset the power steering. sometimes it last 10 minutes, sometimes it lasts 1 month. why don't they recall this part with all the problems owners are having with power steering on this make and model? *tr

I own a 2005 chevy malibu maxx. when i was driving it to work the power steering message came on the dashboard. shortly after that my steering wheel locked up so i couldn't freely move it like i wanted to. mind you i was on the expressway so when it locked up i was terrified. i was told that it will reset itself but the message still comes on. sometime my wheel locks up and sometime its too loose. please consider about recalling this vehicle because i was fortunate with my life, maybe next time i wont have the same luxury. i know there's many other people with this problem and this vehicle should be recalled. *tr

My electric power steering goes in and out while driving. *tr

I was driving on the highway at speeds between 60 and 65mph when my power steering stopped working. there was an alert reading "power steering" but no service engine lights came on. i steered the car off the highway with much effort and turned it off. i looked at my owner's manual and decided that i would try to turn the car on again and see what would happen. the steering was restored and the problem did not return on my drive home. for the time that the power steering was not working it was extremely difficult to steer and i was worried about being able to control it. i had my three year old daughter in the back and i am now worried about that happening again. *tr

My 2005 malibu maxx i just had to get the intermediate shaft fixed again. after about every 10,000 to 15,000 miles we have to do this. and also my power steering keeps going out and when the car is shut off it resets itself but can't steer the vehicle when it happens. this has happened at least 5 times now. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact was driving approximately 45 mph downhill when the brakes were applied and the steering wheel collapsed. the contact was able to pull the steering column back up but had to hold it upward while driving. the failure persisted. later, the contact purchased a repair kit directly from the manufacturer at a local auto repair shop. after the repair kit was installed, the contact stated that the failure did recur but not as often as before the kit was installed. the dealer was contacted and advised there were no recalls for the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

Power steering failure on my 2005 malibu maxx. *tr

Had to have the intermediate steering shaft replaced on my 2005 malibu at 9,923 miles and 23 months. luckily the 3 years or 36,000 covered that. had to have that shaft replaced 10,658 miles, and 34 months later. "out of warranty" had to pay even thought the part was "younger" than the warranty when it was new. it being put in new at 9,923 miles was not a factor. looks like new shaft - no pun intended - every 10,000 miles as long as i own the car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet malibu maxx. the contact stated that while driving the power steering failed and the vehicle lunged forward when the wheel turned in the opposite direction that she was turning in. the power steering alarm also failed and the warning light began to flicker. speed does not seem to be a factor. the dealer stated that the steering harness and coil needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 50,000. the current mileage was approximately 65,000.

My 2005 malibu maxx's power steering has continued to worsen lately. i has been coming and going, and at times it has been rather hard to steer at lower speeds for my wife. it has also rattled ridiculously when braking. this is not related to the braking system, but is in the steering section of the car. *tr

I have posted on this site 2 times now with both about the "power steering" or lack there of. i have been battling this for 70,000 miles! i can tell you all that it will only get worse to the point of you will go days without power steering. it will go out everytime you start the car when the temperature outside is above 60 degrees and works best when it is below freezing. it will go out when your just driving down the street straight ahead or when your turning, it becomes a constant worry while driving. to say this is a safety issue is an understatement. the report i read say there have been only 14 accidents and 1 death caused by this problem, i find that hard to believe. i cannot believe that it has taken them this long to issue the recall. and it's only the cobalt? i took my car in for the problem originally in 2008 and was told there was nothing that could be done to fix it. i could go on and on but will bite my tongue now. gm, you need to own up to this and take care of the people that pay your salaries. *tr

This has happened on multiple occasions. most of the time its when we are pulling into a parking space and turning left. at first we thought it was a fluke..now it is happening more and i am getting very nervous about driving our car, scared that it is going to happen while we are driving on the road. when the power steering goes out the car is almost impossible to turn the wheel, and the beeping alarm goes off and it says power steering on the dash board. we have to come to a complete stop turn off the car wait a few moments and then turn the car back on. i am very scared what if this happens in the middle of a turn? please take notice of this problem! *tr