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 2014 Chevrolet Malibu submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 25 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
When the auto stop feature turns on, the car totally stops, and doesn't turn the engine back on for 20 minutes. I had complained about this before, and the mechanic did NOT fix it, so I am complaining AGAIN! I was in the middle of the street when it stalled! The steering wheel and brake locks up, and it's impossible for the engine to turn on. It revs, but doesn't work. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
When I was on auto stop, my car never started back up. The steering wheel and brakes were frozen, and I could barely pull off the road I was on. Turning the key did not help, as the engine wouldn't turn back on.
THE CAR WILL NOT START AND MESSAGES POPPED UP ON THE DASHBOARD STATING BATTERY SAVER ASSIST, POWER STEERING CARE, STABILOCK CONTROL.
POWER STEERING RANDOMLY GOING OUT WHILE DRIVING THEN ALL WARNING LIGHTS COME ON DASH AND CAR STOPS ACCELERATING. SHUT CAR OFF AND ALL LIGHTS TURN OFF AND CAR DRIVES FINE AND THEN RANDOMLY COMES ON AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AND POWER STEERING DOESN'T WORK NEARLY GOT IN AN ACCIDENT . AFTER READING MANY FORUMS THIS SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY CHEVY !! VERY VERY UNSAFE STILL CAN'T SOLVE HOW TO FIX THE ISSUES AND HAVE TO DRIVE CHILDREN AROUND!
I'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUE WITH MY CAR SLOWLY BUT SURELY. FIRST MY SOLENOID ROCKET WENT BAD AFTER A 1YR OF PURCHASING THE CAR THAT CAME WITH 40,000 MILES. A YEAR AFTER THAT I WAS RUNNING ERRANDS ONE DAY, PULLED OUT OF A STRIP MALL AND MY CAR STARTED LIGHTLY SHAKING FOR A MINUTE TIL IT CAME TO A STOP AND WOULDN'T START. IVE CALLED MY INSURANCE PROVIDER FOR ROAD ASSISTANCE AND GAS, THINKING I WAS LOW ON GAS THAN NORMAL THAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM. I'VE RECEIVED GAS THEN PROCEEDED TO STARTING MY IGNITION 3 TO 5 TIMES, IT NEVER CRANK AND ULTIMATELY THE KEY STOP SWITCHING AND I COULD ONLY TURN THE KEY TO ON POSITION NOT START. DISPLAYING ON MY DASH THE MESSAGE STEERING/POWER DRIVE WITH CARE! GOTTEN MY CAR TOWED TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC, HE TOLD ME MY FUEL PUMPS WERE BAD BECAUSE OF SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER FOUND IN THE TANK SYSTEM, THAT I NEEDED TO PURCHASE TWO FUEL PUMPS AND 4 STARTERS FOR HIM TO COMPLETE THE JOB. NO LONGER THAN 5 TIL 6 MONTHS AFTER COMPLETION OF THE LAST REPAIR IM NOW EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WHEN STARTING MY VEHICLE MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AGAIN A MESSAGE ON MY DASH DISPLAYING STEERING/POWER DRIVE WITH CARE! ONCE I SHIFTED MY GEAR IN DRIVE WHILE MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKES, THE LIGHT OF THE GEAR SWITCHES KEPT JUMPING BACK AND FORTH RAPIDLY AS IF THE GEARS WERE BEING SHIFTED MANUAL AND THE CAR MOVED LIKED IT WAS RESPONDING TO THE RAPID GEAR CHANGING AS WELL LUCKY I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKES DURING THAT INCIDENT. WHILE DRIVING MY CAR SEEMED TO SWITCHED GEAR, IN MID DRIVE ON AN EXPRESS WAY WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN INSTANTLY AS IF I PUMPED THE BRAKES. THAT HAPPENED FOR 30 SECS OR LESS THEN IT RESPONDED BACK TO THE INITIAL SHIFT IT WAS ORIGINALLY IN ON ITS OWN. AT TIMES MY CAR MOVES AND JERKS FORWARD WHEN I SHIFT MY CAR IN REVERSE. STILL ONGOING EVERY SO OFTEN MY CAR MOVES AND JERKS FORWARD MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE SHIFTING INTO GEAR TIL THIS DAY.
CAR TURNS OFF THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND FOUND OUT THE ROCKER ARM SOLENOID VALVE IS NOT WORKING I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR NOT EVEN ONE YEAR. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR IT TO TURN OFF IN THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY IT WAS ON THE STREET WHEN THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF
THIS CAR IS STALLING AND SURGING. YOU GO TO LEAVE THE STOPPED POSITION IT HESITATE OR STALLS. DIES LIKE IT'S STARVED OF FUEL. RPM RAISES UP WITH DOING ANYTHING LIKE A LOSS OF POWER. CODES P0010 P0011 P0002
SERVICE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ALONG WITH ANTI LOCK BRAKES (ABS) AND SERVICE VEHICLE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER ALL THREE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND APPEARED ON CENTER DASH CONSOLE, THE CHEVROLET MALIBU BEGAN TO JERK AND STALL AGGRESSIVELY AND VIOLENTLY. THEN THE POWER STEERING WAS DISABLED AND NO.POWER TO THE CAR. THE CAR POWER SHUTOFF AND CAR CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. TRIED TO RESTART CAR BUT CAR DOES NOT TURN ON BUT CAR WAS ELECTRICAL POWER, RADIO TURNS ON AND OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVICES WORK FINE. 15 MINUTES LATER THE CAR TURNS ON NORMALLY BUT ONCE PUT INTO DRIVE THE CAR JERKS AND STALLS THEN POWERS OFF COMPLETELY.
THE VEHICLE IS REGULARLY REQUIRING A JUMP START DUE TO A LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE. WHILE OPERATING MY CAR WHENEVER I COME TO A STOP THE AUTO START/STOP FEATURE ACTIVATES AND MY ENGINE IS SHUT OFF. AS I RELEASE MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE RESTARTS ALL POWER TO MY VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY LOST TEMPORARILY, INCLUDING THE POWER TO MY STEERING WHEEL WHICH INSTANTLY LOCKS UP. IT'S BEEN VERY SCARY AND CONCERNING TO SAY THE VERY LEAST. I'VE ALSO LOST POWER TO OTHER SYSTEMS ON MY CAR LIKE THE CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM BEING UNRESPONSIVE ENTIRELY, NOT BEING ABLE TO ADJUST IT AT ALL. THE CLIMATE CONTROL SECTION UNDERNEATH THE RADIO CONTROLS WERE COMPLETELY BLACKED OUT AND NON-FUNCTIONING. THERE WAS NO BUTTONS ILLUMINATED NOR WERE THE AMBIENT LIGHTING AROUND IT ILLUMINATED. I TRIED RESTARTING MY VEHICLE AND THAT DIDN'T WORK. THE CLIMATE CONTROL EVENTUALLY WAS FUNCTIONING AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, I REGULARLY GET AN ALERT FROM THE INFORMATION SCREEN IN BETWEEN THE GAUGES STATING SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF "SERVICE STABILITRAK". EVERY TIME THE MESSAGE APPEARS I FEEL THAT MY ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION LOSES A BIT OF IT'S SENSE OF FUNCTIONALITY. MY CAR JERKS REGULARLY. I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE THE AUXILIARY BATTERY WHICH I'VE REPLACED AND I'M STILL EXPERIENCING THESE ISSUES.
WHEN I TURN MY CAR ON SERVICE POWER STEERING DRIVE WITH CARE WARNING SIGNS COMES ON AND MY STEERING WHEEL IS VERY HARD TO TURN WONT ALLOW ME TO TURN ALL THE WAY LEFT OR RIGHT SO I BASICALLY GET STUCK ON THE STREETS INTERSECTIONS PARKING LOTS STEERING WHEEL IS STIFF THE WARNING SIGN WOULD COME OFF EVERY TIME I WOULD HIT A BUMP BUT NOW ITS SO HARD AND STIFF TO TURN I HAVE TO USE FULL FORCE JUST TO MAKE A TURN. I TAKE IT IN AN D THEY SAID THEY CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY VERY FRUSTRATED AND VERY SCARY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 80 MPH AND MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, BUT IT WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN ABOVE 20 MPH WITHOUT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. ALSO, THE "PLEASE SERVICE STEERING" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-3897166123. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,731.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE DROVE INTO A NEARBY DITCH. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A COLLISION CENTER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT END NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
WHEN CAR IS ROLING ,THE STERING HAS TO BE IN A WORD [ YANKED] TO REDIRECT YOUR CENTER OF YOUR [ ONE] LANE !!!!!! 80%ON HIGHWAY DRIVING...NOTE,ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN CHECKED AND RECHECKED THREE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DRIVING CAR ON THE EXPRESSWAY HIT A PUDDLE ABS LIGHT ALONG WITH CHECK STABIL TRAK AND CHECK BREAK ASSIST SYSTEM COME ON, FEW MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD ATTEMPT TO BREAK AND TURN WHEEL NEITHER WORK, HIT GUARD RAIL L, AFTER HITTING GUARD RAIL ANOTHER WARNING LIGHT SAYING SERVICE POWER STEERING, DRIVE WITH CARE APPEARS, TOOK TO DEALER FILED CLAIM WITH GM TO FIX BODY DAMAGE FOR MANUFACTURES DEFECT. GM DID NOTHING, BLAMED ISSUE ON WHEE BEARING.
STEERING GETS STUCK IN THE CENTER POSITION WHILE DRIVING ON STRAIGHTAWAYS AND REQUIRES FORCE TO CORRECT IT WHICH CAUSES OVER STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE CAR ONLY HAS 10,000 MILES ON IT AND DIDN'T DO IT WHEN NEW. IT IS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING THIS CAR AS YOU ARE CONSTANTLY CORRECTING THE STEERING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED LEFT AND RIGHT BEFORE SEIZING. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 49,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND AFTER RESTARTING IT, THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM GM ON 12/05/2014 STATING: "THE LETTER IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT SOME 2014 MODEL YEAR CHEVROLET MALIBU VEHICLES MAY HAVE INCREASED FRICTION IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. THIS COULD CAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL TO STICK IN THE STRAIGHT-AHEAD POSITION AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY. THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE TURNED BUT IT MAY REQUIRE INCREASED EFFORT. DO NOT TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO YOUR CHEVROLET DEALER AS A RESULT OF THIS LETTER UNLESS YOU BELIEVE THAT YOUR VEHICLE HAS THE CONDITION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE." I AM FILING THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT TO HAVE THE 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU RECALLED. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEMS WITH MY STEERING, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WANT HAPPEN IN THE NEAR FUTURE. WHICH IS WHY CHEVROLET HAS GIVEN A "10 YEAR OR 150,000 FREE SERVICE ON THIS PART". AS A CONCERNED OWNER/CONSUMER, I DON'T BELIEVE CHEVROLET IS ACTING RESPONSIBLY IN HANDLING THIS POSSIBLE SAFETY TRAGEDY. PLEASE INTERVENE AND HAVE THIS MODEL CAR RECALLED. THANKS FOR YOUR PROMPT CONSIDERATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTRACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED THE FAILURE AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,350.
THE STEERING JERKS TO THE LEFT AND WHEN CORRECTING IT BACK THE STEERING HITS A STICKY SPOT. THERE IS NO VIBRATING OR ADVANCE WARNING, IT IS JUST A QUICK PULL AND THEN A STICKY SPOT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON A TWO LANE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE STEERING DOES NOT TRACK STRAIGHT IN THE LANE TO A SMALL DEGREE SO WHEN CORRECTING TO STAY STRAIGHT WOULD FEEL A STICKING POINT AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO OVERCOME IT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VEER. IN MY INSTANCE ALMOST CAUSING ME TO TURN INTO A SEMI TRUCK. THE TEMPERATURE WAS AROUND 35 DEGREES WITH DRY STRAIGHT ROAD. *TR
I PULLED TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE CAR WENT INTO AUTO STOP. AS I TRY TO NAVIGATE RIGHT THE STEERING LOCK UP ON ME. THIS MADE THE CAR START CLIMBING THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED TO STEP ON THE BRAKES AND THE CAR ACCELERATED AND HIT THE WALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TURNING RIGHT, THE TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR WHEN TURNING LEFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500.
PURCHASED THIS CAR ON APRIL 22, 2014. AT 738 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR BRAKE ISSUES. WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO WAIT AT LEAST TILL THE CAR HAD 1700 MILES ON IT SO THE NEW PARTS WOULD SETTLE. I READ IN A NEWS PAPER ARTICLE THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD A OPEN RECALL ON IT. I THEN RETURNED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MAY 16 2014. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE RECALL. HE STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING IN THERE SYSTEM CONCERNING THIS MATTER. MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THERE WAS A VALID RECALL ON THIS CAR. I HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR BACK 4 OTHER TIMES FOR THIS BRAKE ISSUE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATES THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. I STILL HAVE THE INTERMITTENT BRAKE ISSUE IN WHICH ONE MECHANIC AGREED THAT HE FELT THE LONG PEDAL ON THE BRAKES.. GM STATES THAT THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS SHOULD. SOMEONE NEEDS TO CONTACT THE NEW GLOBAL SAFETY CHIEF([XXX] ). THIS SOUNDS LIKE IGNITION SWITCH DRAMA ALL OVER AGAIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65-70 MPH) ON STRAIGHT AND LEVEL HIGHWAY, STEERING WOULD DEVELOP A "STICKY, OR DEAD SPOT" ON CENTER. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SLIGHT CORRECTION, IT REQUIRED INCREASED EFFORT TO OVERCOME THE "STICKY" SPOT; I COULD FEEL THE INCREASED RESISTANCE, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE. IT TOOK EFFORT TO KEEP THE CAR FROM JERKING. INITIALLY THIS WOULD OCCUR ONLY WHEN TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW APPROXIMATELY 50 DEGREES (WE WERE ON CHRISTMAS BREAK IN UTAH). HOWEVER, UPON RETURNING TO TEXAS AND WARMER WEATHER, THE CONDITION HAS PERSISTED, ALBEIT INTERMITTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 15 JAN; HOWEVER THEY WERE "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE". THIS AFTERNOON I OBSERVED THE SAME "STICKINESS" WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO WORK THROUGH CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES ON-LINE, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A ""PROBLEM" EXISTS. *TR
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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