Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 45 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 45, in the owner's own words
GAS FUEL TURNED BLACK AND WAS SPILLING OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING THEN TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN IN THE INTERSECTION OF PALM ST N MAIN STREET SANTA PAULA CA.
MY CAR SHUTS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING IT, WHEN I TRY TO TURN IT ON IT WON'T TURN ON. I COULD SMELL GAS BUT IT WON'T TURN ON. IT'S A HAZARD WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT JUST CUT OFF ON ME AND I'M STUCK IN THE MIDDLE LANE WITH INCOMING TRAFFIC. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUES WITH ANY OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE MY FUEL PUMP IS IN GREAT CONDITION MY TUNE UPS ARE UP TO DATE I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE ANTI-THEFT AFFILIATED WITH MY KEY IGNITION PLEASE ADVISE.
RACK AND PINION MOUNT BRACKET RUSTED OUT
WHEN MAKING A TURN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND COULD NOT CONTROL MY CAR I HAD TOWED TO A MECHANIC THAT TOLD ME THAT THE SUBFRAME TO RACK BRACKET WAS RUSTED OUT AND THAT THE SUBFRAME AND THE RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE REPAIR COST WILL START AT ABOUT $2000.
I BOUGH THE 2000 CHEVY MALIBU USED IN AUGUST 2014 SINCE THEN I HAVE BEEN SEEING THE SAME THING I HAD HAPPENING WITH THE 2003 SATURN VUE I BOUGHT IN 2012 PRE OWNED , THE KEY IN THE IGNITION COMES OUT AND DOES NOT TURN OFF THE CAR . THE KEY COMES OUT WHILE THE SWITCH AND CAR IS STILL RUNNING THE KEY ALSO DOES NOT TURN OVER AS IT STICKS INSIDE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH AND I HAVE A HARD TIME GETTING CAR STARTED ALSO . THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED I ALREADY HAD THE SATURN VUE REPAIRED SINCE IT WAS RECALLED THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AS WELL. PLEASE ISSUE A NATIONAL RECALL ON THE 2000 CHEVY MALIBU CARS TO GET FIXED ASAP. I WOULD LIKE TO GET THE CAR FIXED ASAP THIS IS NOT SAFE AND ALSO IT IS GETTING HARDER TO TURN THE CAR ON AND THE KEY IS FALLING OUT A TIMES ALSO WHILE THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN SINCE THE SWITCH IS STICKING . I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT WHEN I HAD TWO PREVIOUS SATURN'S A TURQUOISE COUPE AND SL2, IT HAPPENED TWICE AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I ACCIDENTALLY TOOK ANOTHER PERSONS CAR IN THE PARKING LOT OF A MOVIE THEATER SINCE THE KEYS TO THE SATURN'S OPEN THE DOORS OF CARS LIKE THE SAME CAR I REALIZED IT WAS NOT MY CAR AND IMMEDIATE TOOK IT BACK AND GOT MINE THANK GOD THE MOVIE WAS STILL GOING OR I COULD HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF STEALING THE CAR THIS IS ANOTHER MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE SHOULD THEY EVER FIGURE OUT THAT THE KEYS ALL WORK ON THE SAME MAKE AND MODELS . I ALSO LOCKED MY KEYS IN MY CAR AND ASKED ON MAN TO OPEN MY DOOR WITH HIS KEY I WAS FOOD SHOPPING AT THE TIME HE HAD THE SAME SATURN COUPE AS MY TURQUOISE SATURN AND IT WORKED HE STOOD THERE IN DISBELIEF I TOLD HIM I KNEW THIS SINCE IT HAPPENED ONCE IN A MOVIE THEATER PARKING LOT. THIS NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH ASAP I WROTE IN ONCE AND NEVER HEARD BACK ABOUT IT.
MY TEENAGER WAS TRYING TO AVOID A COLLISION RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD CAME BACK ON THE ROAD AND THEN THE CAR WAS HEADED TO LEFT SHOULDER AND (TEENAGER) ATTEMPTED TO STRAIGHTEN THE VEHICLE OUT AND THEN THE VEHICLE RAN BACK OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD AGAIN CAUSING A ACCIDENT. TEENAGER SAID VEHICLE BECAME HARD TO STEER AND BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STEER TO THE LEFT. ADDITIONALLY, THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE FLEW UP AND STRUCK THE TOP OF THE ROOF RESULTING IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE K FRAME, TO WHICH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING IS BOLTED, WAS FRACTURED DUE TO RUST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 287,000.
STEERING WHEEL LOCKED,ENGINE POWER WAS LOST, BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE,I HIT A POLED,BORKE BOTH LEGS, HAVE A ROD IN FEMUR AND MESSED UP MY KNEE,STILL RECOVERING AND IN AWHEEL CHAIR FOR NOW. *TR
RACK CAME LOOSE FROM SUB FRAME RUSTED FRAME FROM THEM MOUNTS TO HOLD RACK CAN'T DRIVE IT OR STEER IT. TO HAVE IT FIXED LIKE $900.00. *TR
WHILE PARKING I HEARD A NOISE IN THE FRONT END AND UPON TURNING THE WHEEL HARDER THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I COULD BARELY TURN THE WHEEL. LATER IN THE DAY PUT IN MORE POWER STEERING FLUID THINKING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM BUT HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I THOUGHT THE POWER STEERING WAS GOING OUT AS I WAS HEARING A GRINDING TYPE NOISE IN THE FRONT END. THE NEXT DAY I COULD FEEL SOMETHING UNDER THE DRIVER FLOOR BOARD AND LOUDER NOISES WHEN TURNING HARD. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD SUB-FRAME IS RUSTED AND NEEDS REPLACED AS WELL AS THE RACK AND PINION; THIS WILL START OUT AS A $2000.00 REPAIR AND COULD GO UP TO $4000.00 DEPENDING ON WHAT ELSE THEY FIND WHEN THEY WORK ON IT. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY GM AS THEY USED SHODDY MATERIALS BUILDING THIS VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC SAID I SHOULDN'T DRIVE IT AS I MAY LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS CAR WAS KEPT IN A GARAGE FOR THE FIRST 10 YEARS I HAVE OWNED IT AND HAS ONLY BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS. AT ONLY 89,000 MILES I AM DISGUSTED AT THE WAY THIS VEHICLE WAS BUILT. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE! *TR
THE SUBFRAME IS RUSTED AND THE RACK AND PINION NEED TO BE REPLACED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STOP WITH LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND REQUIRED REPEATED SERVICE CALLS TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF PROBLEM AS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR
EARLY IN 2011 I STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTIES WITH MY 2000 MALIBU. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD APPEAR RANDOMLY ON THE DASHBOARD. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS IT WOULD DISAPPEAR. IT BEGAN STAYING ON LONGER AND LONGER SO I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER. THEY CHECKED IT OUT, COULDN??T FIND ANYTHING SPECIFIC, AND TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE THEM PUT IN A NEW COMPUTER. THIS COST APPROXIMATELY $550.00 AFTER THE REPAIR A NEW SYMPTOM BEGAN TO APPEAR: SPONTANEOUS ENGINE STALLING COUPLED WITH LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE CAR RESULTED IN NO ENGINE CRANKING. I FOUND THAT AFTER WAITING FOR A WHILE THE CAR WOULD START AGAIN AND BE FINE. AT ONE POINT WE WERE TRAVELING AT FREEWAYS SPEEDS ON THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND MY TWO YOUNG GRANDDAUGHTERS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE STALLED AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. IT WAS FRIGHTENING, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. WE SAT FOR A FEW MOMENTS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF WE WERE GOING TO BE STRANDED. AFTER A FEW TRIES, THE CAR STARTED UP OKAY AND WE CONTINUED TO OUR DESTINATION. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL PARKING LOT, IT REPEATED THIS BEHAVIOR. WE COMPLETED OUR JOURNEY AND GOT HOME SAFELY. A FEW DAYS LATER I TRIED TO START THE CAR BUT IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I CONTACTED THE SAME CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WHO SENT A TOW TRUCK TO FETCH US AND THE VEHICLE. ONCE AT THE DEALERSHIP, ONE OF THE MECHANICS QUICKLY SUGGESTED THAT IT MIGHT BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CHARGED ME OVER $400. I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN AND THE REPAIR BILLS WERE A LOT FOR ME TO HANDLE. *TR
BOUGHT THIS CAR AS A PROJECT CAR WITH LOW MILEAGE. GOT BOUGHT AT A USED CAR DEALERSHIP. PISTON SLAP!!! ESPECIALLY COLD. FRONT SUB FRAME ROTTED OUT AND RACK AND PINION DESTROYED NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. LATER WAS TOLD ROCKER PANELS ARE DESTROYED WITH HUGE HOLES I WAS CLEARLY UPSET ANOTHER MALIBU WITH ANOTHER PROBLEM. COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBU'S FROM '98-'02. WAS UNABLE TO SAFETY BECAUSE OF PANELS MISSING A LAYER IN SPOTS (HOLES). REAR QUARTER PANELS SEVERE ROTTING AROUND WHEEL WELLS AND GAS CAP AREA REQUIRING BONDO TO FILL IN HOLES A HORRIBLE PROBLEM WITH MALIBU'S. AIR CONDITIONING CLUTCH GRINDING CONSTANTLY AND HALF THE TIME A/C BOTTOM WORKS. SADLY GM WILL NOT RECALL THESE ISSUES NOW HAVE TO INVEST $7000 TO MAKE INTO A SHOW CAR. GM SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF BODY PROBLEMS AND CONSTANT PISTON SLAPS AND LIFTER KNOCKING. I HAVE TO DO AN OVERHAUL OF $600-800 ON ENGINE. PATHETIC GM LINK TO THE PISTON SLAP ON MY CAR ON YOUTUBE : HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=MNTTRCTQ5MM&FEATURE=YOUTUBE_GDATA_PLAYER. *TR
THE CAR WILL NOT TURN LEFT. IT MAKES A METAL ON METAL SOUND. MY MECHANIC SAYS THE ENGINE CRADLE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, AND THE RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDS REPLACING.HE SAID THE RUST IS CAUSED BY THE HOSE FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING DRIPPING ON THE ENGINE. HE SAID THAT HE SEES THE ENGINE CRADLES RUSTED OUT ALL THE TIME ON CHEVY MALIBUS. I HAVE MAINTAINED THIS CAR AND NEVER KNEW ABOUT THIS RUST UNTIL NOW. THE CAR HAS VERY LOW MILES FOR ITS AGE. THE BODY OF THE CAR IS PERFECT. I WOULD LIKE CHEVY TO REPAIR THIS. IT WOULD BE ABOUT $2000 OR SO TO GET THE CAR REPAIRED WITH A USED ENGINE CRADLE AND A USED RACK AND PINION. I SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TOLD YOU ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR
THE RACK AND PINION MOUNTS RUSTED FROM THE FRAME. SHAKING AND ISSUES WITH VEHICLE PULLING TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING BEFORE BREAKAGE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE SUB FRAME WAS REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE STEERING WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
2000 CHEVY MALIBU-RACK & PINION MOUNT ON DRIVER SIDE BROKE FROM FRAME. BEFORE FAILURE FONT END SHOOK LIKE BRAKES WERE BAD. CAR BEGAN TO STEER HARD AND MAKE LOAD NOISE (FELT UNDER DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD). UPON LOOKING INTO PROBLEM I NOTICED THAT THE MOUNTS ARE ONLY MADE OF CHEAP SHEET METAL. PASSENGER SIDE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF EXTREME RUSTING ALSO. TO REPAIR WILL REQUIRE FRONT SUB FRAME TO BE REPLACED. I BELIEVE THAT GM IS PUTTING MONEY FIRST AND PERSONAL SAFETY SECOND. *TR
SUB FRAME CRADLE WEAK, RELEASES RACK AND PINION. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70 MPH THE DRIVER WOULD PUT THE VEHICLE ON CRUISE CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT INCIDENT. *JB THERE WAS A NOISE WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT START. *SC THE POWER STEERING RACK AND FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. *TC *JB
COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. WHILE MY FAMILY AND I WERE DRIVING HOME FROM A RESTAURANT ACCELERATOR PEDAL LOCKED OPEN WHILE APPROACHING OUR EXIT. IT WAS ONLY BY MY QUICK REACTION AND COOL HEAD THAT MY FAMILY WAS SPARED A HORRENDOUS ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. JUST LAST WEEK THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.. THIS TRIBUTE WAS A NIGHTMARE, CONSIDERING THE AGE OF THIS VEHICLE AND ONLY 45,000 KILOMETERS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STARTED SUDDENLY TO DECELERATE, AND DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS COME ON, FOLLOWED BY VEHICLE STALLING. ALSO, TIE RODS WERE RUBBING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK *NM
WHILE DRIVING, THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM FOR THE STEERING FAILED. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES. THE CONSUMER RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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