Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 1,147 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 1,147 · page 1 of 46
Electric Power Steering has failed on my car. Warning shows up saying power steering. Live in a snowy deer populated area impossible to turn wheel in these situations to avoid a collision. There was no actual accident that occured but there more than likely could be.
The steering system gets extremely sensitive towards highway speeds to where a slight touch of the steering wheel could cause the car to move a significant amount no warning lamps or messages
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the power steering failure message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed however, there was no DTC code retrieved for the power steering failure. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to costs. The contact linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
The Grumman LLV was hit by the driver of the Chevy Malibu. The Grumman LLV had seatbelt issues with impact. The LLV was forced over on two wheels with left side impact from the driver of Chevy Malibu. [XXX] was the driver of the USPS Grumman LLV at the time of accident sustaining neck injuries requiring medical attention. Multiple medical procedures paid out of pocket followed to include surgeries The driver of Chevy Malibu was injured and received coverage by State Farm insurance. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact's friend owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his friend was driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. The oil and theft warning lights were illuminated. The Service Power Steering message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
On multiple occasions driving at slow speeds and parallel parking, the steering wheel locked and I was unable to turn the car. This has occurred numerous times and I am very concerned about my safety as this is extremely hazardous. I am aware that this, power steering failure, is a known issue. Please advise.
1. A known about the recall for the power steering to go out. This was repaired as a recall a in 2014. It was replaced at no charge. In the last year the same thing happened again. I was charged over $1400 for repair at the dealership. Why was this not covered as well. Same part. Same problem a second time. ? 2. Also, cruise control has gone out over a year ago. No one told me there was a recall. I did not get it fixed due to cost.
My 16 yr old was driving to school when the power steering stopped working. The vehicle was around 151,850 miles. The vehicle steering light came on, the vehicle was still drivable but was very difficult to turn. I’ve taken it to a GM verified dealership to get repaired. The recall that was on the vehicle shows completed 05/2014. The vehicle has never been repaired and I have pictures of the original parts that were replaced in case you need to verify part numbers and prove it has never been repaired. I would really like to be reimbursed as this was a recall that my vehicle was never repaired for.
In March of 2015 recall for steering shift was done. The car is loosing power again when you are turning a corner it has happened several times. A powere steering code was on. A local shop looked at it and cleared it.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while reversing the power steering failed without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated the steering shaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and they stated that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage 139,000.
Driving along the power steering goes out. You have to pull over, turn engine off and on and ok until the next time. This was a recall that was fixed in 2014. It’s happening again. Happens everywhere. Slowly out to parking lot to highway speeds and everywhere in between. Exactly same when it happened in 2014. Recall 14116
The 2004 Chevy Malibu Maxx equipped with Electric Power Steering experienced a sudden loss of power steering assist. The power steering loss made it extremely difficult to control the direction of the car and can cause crash. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer after a $185 inspection to just read a code. The problem has been covered by recall Bulletin No. 14116. However, the recall DID NOT fix the problem and the exact problem showed up. Mike Maroone Chevrolet North and GM stated "when the recall is done it's done", although the problem was still there. A message was displayed on the Driver Information Center and a chime sounds to inform the driver. The Bulletin is https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2014/RCRIT-14V153-6084.pdf. There is also news on GM's website. https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2014/mar/0331-power-steering.html
EPS went out, warning message for steering on message board. Cannot steer very easily. Have not taken to dealer due to not wanting to operate unnecessarily
I was driving to work with my son and sister in the car when the steering wheel suddenly got very tight and started jerking when I attempted to make a left or right turn. I then stopped at a gas station and as soon as I came to a complete stop the vehicle shut off before I could turn it off manually. I then attempted to turn the key on and start the vehicle but it would not turn over, it would only make a clicking sound. I called a friend that was close by to come and assist me so when they arrived I asked them to jump my vehicle off via jumper cables which did get my vehicle's engine to finally start. The car sounded very weak as if it was going to shut off again once we disconnected the jumper cables but it didn't shut off. Nothing was working inside the car or outside meaning I had no radio, no interior lights and nothing on my dash was working. The speedometer wasn't working, the rims Guage wasn't working, the temp Guage wasn't working nor was anything else working on my dash. The turn signals were not working for either side and none of my headlights or taillights were working either. And I still did not safely have control of the steering. The only warning lamp, which didn't appear until my friend jumped my car off, was what looked like a symbol of a vehicle with a symbol of a locked lock in front of it. This failure just happened so I have not taken the car to a certified mechanic to inspect it but the car is available for inspection at any time. I can not afford to put my car in the shop, I work part time at a restaurant in my town and I'm also disabled and I also care for my 8 year old son who is severely autistic so I have no extra money to fix these problems. Please I need help.
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and the engine running the contact noticed that their front driver and passenger headlight were very low in both low beam and high beam and that the light eventually burned out. The contact inspected the vehicle and saw that the light bulb sockets for both the front driver side and passenger had melted. The contact stated the cause of the failure is the wiring behind the headlight assembly that is causing the headlight socket to melt. The contact replaced the headlight bulb sockets themselves with aftermarket parts to repair the failure, however, the failure persisted and reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The power steering went out while driving. The car was being backed out of the driveway. The car had lights go off when it happened. Once the car was restarted power steering worked again. This problem has only occurred once as far as known. The steering was incredibly hard to move when the issue occurred. It is foreseeable that if issue happens at the wrong time on the freeway it could lead to injury or death of driver, passenger, or others outside the vehicle. If it happens at high speeds during a turn any number of serous damage or injuries could occur. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who said a dealership would have the equipment properly diagnose the problem. If the mechanic did it himself he would have to replace several parts one a time and it might not be fixed. I will have my son take it to a dealership to look at it. Lights went off during the problem, but it is UNKNOWN which ones lit up. The lights went off, but since significant force had to be used to pull the wheel even slightly the exact lights that went off are unknown.
I have Chevy Malibu Maxx and none of the recall issues have been taken care of. I would like to get these recalls taken care of before I have accident.
Eps goes out. At first only happened when I first started my car but if I restarted it then the issue went away. Problem increased over time & power steering went out while driving. Now it just won’t come back on. Wheel “twitches” or “seizes” on its own. If I put cruise control on the speed increases slightly on its own overtime on its own. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety surely felt at risk & I felt my dogs safety was at risk too. Also any of my passengers safety or anyone else on the road at that time for that matter , had I not been paying 110% attention & noticed the check engine light some on / power steering go out, I could have crashed or someone else could’ve hit me, etc.. Power steering went out while driving quite a few times & I’ve seen numerous complaints for these issues with this same year & model so it has to be a defect not just a personal issue. Have seen comments/reviews all over the internet about these issue , mostly the electric power steering , and even some that say they had replaced their steering column on 3 separate occasions out of pocket with no help resolving this issue from gm or Chevrolet. They first appeared as soon as the power steering went out. No lights prier & no power steering warning on the radio dash thing. (It says when I’m low on washer fluid, or when the power steering goes out, etc.. across my radio)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED NOT ALLOWING THE CONTACT TO HAVE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE RAN INTO A SIDE BEARING. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SOME BACK SORENESS. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START BACK UP AND THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 255,450.
THE SENSOR AND OR POWER STEERING ASSIST IS MALFUNCTIONING AND SENDING WARNING AND SHUTS DOWN THE ELECTRIC STEERING ASSIST. MUST TURN VEHICLE OFF AND THEN RESTART SEVERAL TO GET STEERING TO RELEASE. THERE WAS NO NOTICE GIVEN TO [XXX] WHEN THE RECALL(S) WERE ISSUED FOR 2004 CHVY MALIBU. STATIONARY THUS FAR. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
POWER STEERING UPON IGNITION LIGHTS UP AND LOCKS POWER STEERING. TURN OFF AND RESTART SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE OPERATIONAL. ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHILE DRIVING. ELECTRIC ASSIST POWER STEERING. BOTH IN STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING IN CITY AND HIGHWAY.
RECALL # 14E044000, VIN# [XXX]. THE VEHICLE EXHIBITS STEERING ISSUES AS DESCRIBED IN 14E044000 AND DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY STATE THERE ARE NO RECALLS BASED ON VIN. HOW TO DETERMINE SPECIFIC VINS THAT ARE IMPACTED? WAS DRVING ON 3/1/21 AND STEERING BECAME ERRATIC. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED. MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A RECALL AND TO CONTACT CHEVROLET. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
STEERING MECHANISM IS OUT CAN'T CONTROL CAR HAVE TO TURN IT OFF AND ON AND CONTINUES TO GO OUT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE
DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE POWER (ASSIST) STEERING GOES OUT...THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATING...THE RADIO SCREEN STATES 'POWER STEERING' AS AN AUDIBLE CHIME WAS HEARD.
FIRST, THE CAR ROUTINELY BURNS OUT TURN SIGNALS, AND OVERHEATS THE TURN SIGNAL TO THE POINT THAT IT MELTS THE HOUSING THTA THE LIGHT BULB SNAPS INTO. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING/LAMP WIRINGS HARNESS MULTIPLE TIMES ALONG WITH MANY LIGHT BULBS. SECOND, THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING. MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS RECALLED FOR AN ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING SENSOR. THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT ON ME WHILE DRIVING TWICE, SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER. THEY INDICATED THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED,AND IS NOT COVERED UNDER AND RECALLS. THERE APPEARS TOBE NUMEROUS RECALLS ON GM VEHICLES RELATED TO THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING, AND REPLACING MOTORS FOR THAT MATTER, BUT THE DEALER HAS INDICATED THERE IS NO SUCH RECALL RELATED TO MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE/VIN. THIS SEEMS RATHER SUSPECT WITH THE NUMBER OF RECALLS RELATED TO THESE VEHICLES, AND FOR ME TO HAVE THE STEERING GO OUT, BUT MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE DOES NOT QUALIFY. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET WHEN IT WENT OUT ONCE. I MADE IT HOME SAFELY, ALBEIT VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL, AND THEN THE POWER STEERING WORKED AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND BACK ON AGAIN. IT WENT OUT AGAIN IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE CAR DEALER WHEN DROPPING IT OFF THE BE LOOKED AT.
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
Data on this page last refreshed .