Problems with 2006 Chevrolet Malibu STEERING

There is a clicking or clunking type sound when turning. not with every turn but it is consistent. *tr

I have a problem with my car overheating. this car overheated and antifreeze came pouring out of the overfill hose. i had a mechanic check it and fix it, next day same thing. the car anti-theft light come on, the steering wheel sometimes freeze up. this car sometimes turns on and off by itself, yes the key need not be inside. the brakes are horrible and i spent funds to change it. help!!! this car seems to be a recall big time. *tr

Vehicle hits 25 mph while driving straight and the power steering fails. a dinging would go off and it would not move till the car was shut off and reset. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the steering wheel seized. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the steering column, steering box, and several other unknown components needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was 51,000.

i have had issues since the day after i got it. i have had this vehicle for less then a month and within 24 hours of having it the issues started. the fuel gauge drops to empty, when i fill the tank. the starter will crank but the car will not always start, sometimes the start is a long crank & sometimes it will not start at all, now today the check engine light is on. the steering wheel makes a popping noise. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the steering wheel failed while driving 20 mph. the steering wheel became hard to turn as the power steering light illuminated. the contact turned the engine off for a moment and the steering wheel briefly returned to normal function before the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to the mechanic and a diagnostic was performed, which located the failure at the power steering motor. the manufacturer denied assistance with the repair, because the vehicle had exceeded the power steering motor replacement mileage. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 156,000. updated 10/24/13*cn updated 02/18/15*lj updated 10/2/2015*js

My car had a dinging and then across the radio it said power steering and the car was very hard to steer, i lost power steering. i am an older lady and slowed down and pulled to the shoulder and i could not even turn the wheel. i called my son to come help me. he got in and started the car and the radio didn't say power steering any more. he pulled out and i followed him. we got to our street and he started to turn right into our drive way and he all of a sudden threw up his arms. he got out of the car and came and told me that the car stalled and the bell dinged and power steering came on the radio. we took the car to the dealership on 8/12/13. they diagnosed the car and said the power steering assist motor was shorting out and it would cost me 699.03 to fix. i had no money to get it fixed and the dealer said they re set the computer and said i should have it fixed as soon as possible because it was a safety issue. my son took the car home and it happened twice on the way home. on 9/25/13 we had our local dealer replace the motor. they told me the code the computer read said it was either the assist motor or the steering column. they said the motor was the most likely cause and replaced it. the total was 643.78 and the initial inspection was 99.53. on 10/18/13 i had the same thing happen as i was driving into the local market parking lot, ding,ding, ding and i lost power steering. i almost hit a parked car in the lot and couldn't steer it. i took it back and they said it is the intermediate shaft or the steering column and had nothing to do with the original problem and charged me another 90.00 to look at it. i cannot afford 1200.00 to fix the column. my son searched the internet for 2006 malibu steering problems and found transport canada recalled 67,414 2005, 2006 and 2008 malibu's, pontiac and saturns. why has the us not offered a recall. i am afraid to drive it now. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. while driving 70 mph, the steering wheel seized and the power steering warning indicator illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the technician stated that the power steering pump and the rack and pinion needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken back to the mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was notified and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000.

The car stalls when i go from a complete stop into fast-moving traffic. the lug nuts on the wheel covers do not stay securely fastened. i have increasing problems with my power steering function. it would randomly fail and then correct itself initially. sometimes it would go out when i backed up and then come back when i was in drive. sometimes it would go out for 5-10 minutes and then come back. sometimes it would be out for a day or two and then come back. therefore, i brought it in to the chevrolet dealership for repair. a few months afterwards, it began to go out again, but just for a moment at a time. this seemed to subside. however, this began happening again from time to time when i would merge onto the freeway. when i accelerate, the power steering goes out completely, the car yanks very hard to the right, and the lights and information display all blink repeatedly. this now happens each time i accelerate to either merge onto the freeway, go into passing gear to get around traffic, climb a hill, or simply quickly speed up on the road. i have brought the car back to the chevrolet dealership citing this problem, especially since i have just had the problem fixed recently. for all of these, i was told that there is no problem and no recalls for my car make and model. i do not have the option of driving another car or affording a newer one. this is a continually dangerous situation. i am fearful that these defects will cause me and my family harm. when the power steering suddenly went out and the car yanked hard to the right just last night as i went over a raised bridge, i was afraid that i would hit the guard wall and perhaps even go over it. i have had to swerve to avoid being hit from behind because the car stalled as i got into traffic. i do not know if my wheel is loose or if the wheel cover is going to come loose while i drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. while driving at various speeds making either a left or right turn, a clicking noise emitted from the steering wheel and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. the failure recurred on several occasions and appeared to occur in wet weather. the contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under nhtsa campaign number: 15v064000 (steering). the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the steering shaft was faulty and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 36,521.

Steering became difficult due to loss of power steering. warning chimes sounded and "power steering" message illuminated on stereo console. after turning off the vehicle and restarting, steering seemed to be fine. two days later i began to experience a tugging from side to side in the steering wheel. i brought the car to my dealer and after paying a diagnostic fee it was determined that there was a short in the steering column. there is a service bulletin published for this (10183) but they won't inform you unless it occurs. they also are only covering repairs for a certain range of vin numbers, even though the same problem occurs on vehicles of the same model year outside of that range. any known problem with steering should be considered a safety issue and be corrected by the manufacturer. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, a chime sounded throughout the vehicle and the power steering seized without warning. the vehicle was able to restart and resumed to normal. the failure occurred on three separate occasions. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the power steering column needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage was 69,100. updated 9/3/14*cn

Accelerating after entry to freeway, i lost the steering for approximately 200 feet and then it kicked back in. happened again on 8/15/2014 with my husband driving. it was the same circumstances; accelerating on the entrance ramp to the freeway. he quickly jerked the steering wheel back and forth a few times and thinks that's what caused it to come back. mileage at this time was approximately 26,928. *tr

While wife turning into drivrway power steering quit,causing her to wipe out mail box. touned out to be power steering assist failed.contacted gm about a recall, said there was one for power steering assist, by my vin # was not included.after weeks of back and forth with gm they decided to pay half the bill my half was 700 dollars(which was had to get seeing im retired gi on fixed income.a couple of months ago they came out with the same recall, a if repairs wewe already made you would get reimbursed i feel im due back that 700 dollars and gm says im not.the work was don at taylor chevrolet in taylor michigan, repairs were made on 8/01/13/ invoice # cvc275940

I was driving and as i was making a left turn the power steering warning came on but at the same time i couldn't turn my wheel which almost caused me to have an accident. three months ago while my teenager was driving alone he told me that the power steering had gone out while he was turning and almost had an accident. but when i drove it after him i didn't have a problem until june 28th. because it happened twice on the 28th i had the car towed to hendricks auto mall in durham nc on june 29th for fear of having an accident. they told me that the module needed to be replaced and that there was a recall on the 2006 malibu but my car was not part of the recall even though it's has the same issue as the vehicles being recalled. i spoke with a representative at chevy and they told me that it's my problem and if i wanted it fixed that i would have to pay because i was the 2nd owner of the vehicle. i asked the representative at chevy if the power steering warning and bell should give me a warning or just go out and was advised that when it appears it should only be a warning. i would like for chevy to acknowledge that my vehicle should be a part of the recall as it has the same symptoms. my car is still at the repair shop as i have not heard back from the rep jr who advised me on july 5th that he would call me back with a resolution. i feel this is a very serious issue because it puts me and others on the road around me in danger. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

I was driving down i 40 when all lights on the dashboard lit up the bell started chiming and the power steering message came across the screen. it also happened when my teenager was driving he came home and told me he almost had an accident he pulled out of the shopping center and the dash lit up the bell started chiming and he said it took all the strength he had to turn the wheel to get into the correct lane. i took the car to hendricks auto mall in july 2013 but they said that there is no recall on my vin, so we have been driving it just the way it is praying that we don't have a serious accident. *js

While driving my power steering keeps locking on me and the power steering warning light appears on the dashboard. i pull over turn off the car and then turn it back on and it resets itself but then keeps happening. it is very difficult to drive the car when the power steering keeps locking on me and was almost in an accident because of it. this needs to be recalled and fixed as soon as possible. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 65 mph, the power steering failed and the steering wheel became hard to maneuver. the failure recurred numerous times. the contact mentioned that the vehicle resumed normal functioned after the engine was restarted. the contact received a notification for recall nhtsa campaign number 14v153000 (steering). however, the part was not yet available for repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 200,000.

My wife was driving from work when the car lost power steering. this happened as she was leaving the parking lot of her company. she parked and turned off the car. when she restarted the car the problem went away but the power steering seems different and not as smooth. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, a chime sounded as the steering wheel became difficult to turn. the power steering warning light was also illuminated. additionally, the transmission would surge when the contact would start the vehicle. the failure recurred sporadically. the vehicle was not repaired or diagnosed. the contact referenced nhtsa campaign id number: 14v153000 (steering) however, the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 50,000. updated 10/22/2014*lj the consumer was informed the entire steering assembly needed to be replaced. updated 02/03/15

Since 4/24/13 my power steering warning light has come on at least five times. thankfully at this point i have not lost steering but it does scare me when it happens because i almost always have had my child in the car with me when the warning has come on. with as many complaints i've seen on this matter i feel as a single parent i should not have to pay up to $500 for repairs. a recall should be in place to protect those of us who have this particular issue. if steering should go out in the middle of a turn i could be involved in an accident. i think it is terrible that a recall may never be put in place unless an accident with serious injury occurs. *tr

While i was driving alarms started dinging, and power steering showed up on radio. i lost power steering and wheel started shaking violently. i could barely turn wheel to avoid accident. this is very dangerous and needs to be fixed. *tr

The first notice of my eps problem began when i attempted to have my front end aligned. the loss of control to the steering began around july of 2013. it has occurred more frequently since then. it's happen to my wife on the streets and to me also. i did some basic research due to the potential costs from the dealership. this included the inspection & replacement of the eps fuse, examining the ignition coil and checking the alternator. it still recurs. has there been a factory recall for this vehicle's steering problems? *tr

I was driving on the highway. while driving on the highway at around 60 mile per hour the powersteering warning came onto the radio display. shortly after the steering wheel became extremely hard to turn. i was able to pull over to the side of the road once i dont that the car cut off. i was towed to have the car looked at, once the car was looked at i had the alternator replaced. when i picked up the car from the place where it was serviced, while driving it home the car locked up again and i had to have it towed again to the place. once at the place the problem was fixed and the car ran fine for two days. while driving to work once pulled in parking space the battery light came on again. now i am afraid to drive it in fear that it will happen again and cause an accident. *tr

Either while i am driving or when i start my car the power steering light flashes on the display and dings three times, and the power steering stops working. this is very frustrating especially while i am driving, fortunately it has not happened while i am driving around corners, but i am very fearful that it will and i will be in the ditch with major issues. when i start the vehicle this sometimes happens and i need to shut the car off several times on occasions to get the power steering to start working. this is and could be a very dangerous situation. i am truly amazed that gm cares about the canadian drivers but not about usa drivers. as they have issued a recall in canada but not in the united states. *tr

I was taking my daughter to school and the car all of a sudden pulled to the right, i heard the ding ding sound the car makes when there's a problem, the power steering flashed on and off rapidly. the wheel became very hard to turn but it quickly returned back to normal. i went online and noticed that there are a number of complaints similar to what i experienced. i am really concerned about this. the 2006 malibu has had a recall on the steering column in canada but not in the us. i think that gm should fix the problem. this could cause an accident if it is not fixed. *tr

I have been having issues with my wheel since 2008. i took my car to multiple chevy dealerships and was informed that there was not an issue. fast forward to 2013 as i was making a turn my power steering completely went out and i had to let the car glide my car into the side walk as the wheel stopped working completely. i have contacted gm customer service and was informed that there is not a problem and i would still have to come out of my pocket in order to get this car fixed but i found online thousands of people having the same issue as my car. i want gm to acknowledge that there is a power steering issue with 2006 chevy malibu's and fix the problem and issue a recall on these cars. *tr

I pulled out of the parking lot of my job one day and my power steering warning flashed on my radio. at the same time my car shut off in the middle of traffic. i did not know what to do so instinctively i cut my car off and cut it back on. it temporarily fixed the issue. now out of no where if i make any sharp turns the power steering shuts the car down. this is very dangerous and could cause an accident especially if it happens in traffic. this should definitely be recalled because it is very serious issue with these cars. i read online about how a lot of chevy malibu's are doing this. why hasn't this issue been addressed? *tr

As i was making a turn on a major street my power steering went out; i have contacted gm numerous times to this fixed, without me have to come out of my pocket over $1,000.00 to get this fixed. in 2014 there was a recall done and when i went to the dealership to get this fixed they are stating that it is the power assist (motor) that is out and not part of the recall. i have been back in contact with gm but nothing has been done to resolve this. it is very difficult to drive the car without any power steering and this is a hazard to other drivers as well as me. gm should not be allowed to continue manufacturing and selling faulty vehicles. this is my last time reaching out to try to get a resolution, if nothing can be done to fix my car. i will have to pursue legal and constitutional rights as a consumer against gm. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the power steering warning lamp illuminated and the electronic steering locked up, as the consumers wife was making a left turn. the contact mentioned that the failure occurred multiple times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the steering column had an internal short in one of the sensors. as a result, the steering column needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was repaired. the failure and current mileage was 40,708. *tr updated 04/30/13*lj

I was pulling into a parking lot and the car gave me the 'ding' that tells me something is wrong. i looked at the dash and it flashed power steering. the wheel became very hard to turn and i was able to pull into a parking stall. when i started the car back up the steering was normal again. i went online and noticed that there are a number of complaints similar to what i experienced. i am really concerned about this. the 2006 malibu has had a recall on the steering column in canada but not in the us. i think that gm should fix the problem. this could cause an accident if it is not fixed. *tr

Around march 2013, i first began to encounter problems with my power steering. it began at a low speed with a chime, a message display saying to check the power steering, and my wheel locking up (power steering fail). at the time, i did not think much of it because after restarting the car, the power steering seemed fine. after this incident, there were many times when the chime would sound and the message would flash but the power steering still seemed to work. i took my car in for other issues and had this checked out at the same time. the trouble code in the system was c0545 for torque sensor input failure. my mechanic explained that this was a common problem and even checked for a recall at that time. i left with my car that day due to having to wait for parts. two days later while driving 45mph, the power steering entirely failed. it felt as if my wheel locked entirely. luckily there were not many cars on the road and i was able to direct it into a parking lot. my car was taken back in immediately and they had to replace the entire steering column. this repair cost around $500. in july 2014, it was brought to my attention that gm finally issued a recall for this problem. so, i called gm to to submit my information to be reimbursed. i was told that only some 2006 malibus were being recalled for this issue and that my 2006 malibu was not one of them...even though my 2006 malibu had the problem they were recalling for! come to find out, this has happened to many other 2006 malibu owners. needless to say, gm has done a terrible job correcting a serious mistake. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver and the power steering warning light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the coil. the failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the power steering module, eye shaft, and the rack pinion but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 70,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph, the power steering system malfunctioned. the contact took the vehicle to a dealer for diagnostics who stated that the steering a shaft needed to be replaced. the contact called the manufacturer and filed a complaint. the failure mileage was 30,280. updated 03/15/13*lj the consumer stated his wife experienced two failures at 25 mph and one at 5 mph. updated 03/27/13

I was driving on the highway with 60 mph. i suddenly recognized that it was very hard to steer. it was very hard for me to pull it over . as i knew this issue with 2006 malibu cars (read many complaints about it on the internet before), i did not panic, and achieved it to pull over without any accident. (by the way, i am a male driver and i do not think any female driver without any knowledge of such problem in advance could pull the car over) i have seen the "power steering" flash on the screen during the incident. after turning off and on the ignition, everything was normal. i do not know whether it will repeat again in the future. i searched for any recalls about the power steering, and found that 2005/2006/2008 malibu cars were recalled on october 2012 in canada. (please see the link for more information http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/7/vrdb-bdrv/search/recalldetail.aspx?lang=eng&rn=2012331 ) however, there is no such action in the usa. it is a very crucial safety problem and these cars are to be recalled immediately in the usa as well. gm should definitely take an action before any deadly accident happens. *tr

Traveling down the highway and suddenly the vehicle is very hard to steer got the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road after having to muscle the wheel then had the car towed to the dealer.was told it was a electric power steering assist motor that had went out causing the problem and after questioning about a recall was told they were recalled in canada but not the us this is a very concerning matter that gm needs to correct. *tr

The power steering goes out whenever it want to while the car is in motion. the gas hand goes down to e when the car really have gas in it, but it will go back up on its own. the engine light is on, and the car do not get as much power have to hit the gas all the way rpm go all the way up. i have not even had this car for two years but having all these problems with it. *tr

I have a 2006 chevy malibu,first incident was probably jan 2013 i filled gas tank and instantly the gauge goes to empty and engine light comes on , then gauge goes from full to empty for up to 3 days , then it goes back to normal. now i have a problem with the steering pulling me from left to right , sometimes very suddenly. had the alignment done and new tires still have the same problem. getting scary to drive. cant figure out what problem is will have to take to dealership. *tr

Upon returning from vacation, we retrieved our 2006 chevrolet malibu from a friends house and the car beeped once and my husband was like "what's that", then i noticed in the message center area that it was flashing power steering, which it had never done before. now, every time i get into the car, the car beeps and the power steering message comes on in the message center. i have researched the issue and have noticed that gm is not accepting full responsibility for these defective steering columns/power steering motors, only those select few (cobalts, etc.)?? apparently quite a few are being recalled in canada, but not in the u. s. and it only leads me to the question: why?? i have been a loyal malibu owner (this is my third one) but if gm is not willing to step up and admit a serious safety defect, i may have to rethink my choice of vehicle ownership. *tr

The vehicle was being driven on 2 lane highway at 45 mph suddenly power steering warning message appeared in display, warning noise came on (ding) and there was no power steering. the vehicle was pulled over anf the ignition was turned off and the vehicle was re-started and the warning message was gone and the powersteering started working again. i checked for, (diagnostic trouble codes), dtc's with a scantool and there were no codes listed. i looked for service bulletins for this and found the following. special coverage adjustment - power steering assist2012/05/2310183a this bulletin covers my vehicle and will replace the steering column in the vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that the power steering warning light illuminated while parking and the steering wheel seized. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis. the technician stated that the steering column would have to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000. *tr

Hard to turn steering left 4 brief moment. power steering light display???? *tr

On accel loss of power steering assist ,steering very hard to move hit brake to slow down steering recovered. accelerated vehicle again and was able to reproduce effect mention above. steering very hard to turn in the morning hours and lose of steering happens. *tr

I was working on my mother-in-laws malibu out in the front yard and crank it after looking into some other issues this car has, and the steering wheel turns itself all the way to the left on it's own.i then try to turn it back and notice there is no power assist. i ask her about it and she said it has done that a few times recently, where she is driving down the road and all of a sudden, as explained by others, a lot of dinging and there is no power steering. thank god this hasn't happened while she was in a turn or anything like that yet, however if it does, she is 66 years old with neck injuries and back problems, and if i had to guess will not be able to overpower the steering without the power assist operating properly. in looking over this website, i notice others have paid upwards of $700 to have this issue fixed at no fault of their own. how many others does it take to notice that trans-canada had a recall on this a few years back and the us has never had an official safety recall. *tr

When pulling out from a stop and making a right hand turn the power steering quits - making it very hard to steer, power steering comes up in the display center, and the warning center ding is sounded. started happening about once a week and now happens a couple times each time the car is driven. when the car is shut off and restarted everything is back to normal, until it happens again when making one of your next right turns. *tr

September 2012 i had both front drive axles replaced because there was shaking in the steering and the mechanic said it was those axles. may 2013 the shaking was still very persistent and i was hearing a popping noise when turning the wheels. mechanic replaced the sway bars. this still didnt solve the problem. 6-3-13 when driving about 25mph "power steering" came up on radio dial and car was very hard to steer. after turning car off and restarting didnt have a problem. it has done this many times since then. today 06-17-13 i still have power steering, but now there is a scrubbing sound and the steering wheel is real "jerky" when turning the wheels, especially to the left. i am very concerned that i am going to lose my power steering while on the highway and i wont be able to control the car. something needs to be done immediatly before lives our lost. *tr

Steering wheel locked 3 times within a 0.5 mile distance driving no more than 25 mph while my kids were in the car with me. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2006 chevrolet malibu. the contact stated that while traveling 65 mph, the steering wheel seized without warning. the contact shut off and restarted the vehicle as the steering wheel began to function normally. the vehicle was driven to the dealer for repairs. the contact was unsure of the exact repairs that were performed on the vehicle. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred several times. the manufacturer was not contacted about the issue. the failure and current mileages were 116,000. updated 12/14/12*lj

The power steering light came on the steering wheel started to jerk. so i put off the road turn the car off look under the hood for a power steering pump fluid holder notice there wasn't one. so i started the car and it drove fine. so lately, it keep happen very often but the chevrolet company say that it is not a defect in the car. but i have read a lot of complaints about the same problem that i am having with this car. i have carry the car in to get it service to see what was wrong with it and it was the power steering column. the dealer with not paid for it because i have to many miles on my car. but if i have only 150,000 miles they would. because the mechanic say that it is not a defect in the power steering that they will not fix it. it's cause i have a lot of miles on it and that i didn't buy it new according to the chevrolet company but if there are a lot complaints about the same thing then i feel there is a defect in the car not how many miles you put on the car. i believe there should be a recall on the power steering. *tr