2016 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems

Rear steering knuckle and control arm knuckle.my car moves side to side. I have replaced everything in the rear end. I just recently bought this car.

NHTSA ID

11748538

Incident

Feb 27, 2026

The vehicle went into shift to park and will not turn off. This is a known problem with ALL GM vehicles that hasn’t been fixed or offered a warranty for. It’s dangerous and causes the car not to move shut off in traffic and drains the battery. My car currently isn’t working due to this issue and the repair to fix is too much with no assistance from GM for a known defect. My car was almost hit because of the car had to be towed because it’s unable to be moved.

NHTSA ID

11706991

Incident

Dec 24, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle came to a stop. After coming from the stop, the steering wheel seized. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact’s daughter crashed the vehicle into a utility pole and a utility box. The air bags deployed. The contact’s daughter was transported to the hospital by ambulance and treated for a concussion and seat belt-related bruising on her chest and waist. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard, but the insurance company was not yet notified of the accident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11679278

Incident

Jul 24, 2025

Mileage

160,000 mi

When driving the car it will stop mid drive and slow to 20MPH. The car has broken down in the middle of the road on multiple occasions. It has locked me in the car where I am unable to get out. On one occasion the battery was dead and the car had locked me out. I had to have someone unlock it. The next day the car was fine with no signs of issues. The car has been taken to multiple mechanics and no one knows the issue. Car doesn’t throw any codes or show any symptoms of issues.

NHTSA ID

11589445

Incident

Aug 10, 2022

Shift to park displayed when gear was already in park I was traveling on the highway when I felt the speed decline and engine speed reduced was then displayed. Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11531104

Incident

Jun 2, 2023

My vehicle accumulates moisture and has done so for the past three years or more. As a result there was mildew in the vehicle which was covered under the manufactures warranty and the vehicle was cleaned. Now fast forward a few years there’s a problem with the electrical system as a result of the moisture accumulating in the vehicle. I believe there is a manufacture defect with the Chevrolet model that is causing moisture to accumulate in the vehicle does causing electrical issues with the car

NHTSA ID

11491629

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

After car restarts from auto start, a warning is displayed on the MFD “Steering Assist Reduced, Drive with care”. Puts my self, passengers, and other drivers. If the power steering reduction happens while driving or during a turn, it could result in a collision. Has not been inspected at this point. Notification pops up on Multifunction Display Screen

NHTSA ID

11489841

Incident

Oct 18, 2022

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the traction control and steering reduced warning lights were illuminated. There was also a message stating reduced power; drive with care. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,800.

NHTSA ID

11473526

Incident

Jul 1, 2022

Mileage

109,800 mi

Issue 1: The rear backup camera is not viewable as the Infotainment Touch Screen will not power on. The soft-reset procedure did not work. I am unsure I can avoid hitting an individual while backing up. Issue 2: The steering wheel is very hard to turn. I am unsure if I could avoid a collision with a car or person.

NHTSA ID

11449520

Incident

Jan 21, 2022

Unknown ,vehicle cut off in the middle of busy road with warning sign popping up after car cut off stating service stabilitrak and steering assist reducing power with steering wheel locking.Me and my child 10 year old could’ve lost our lives today.Then there was no engine light coming on until car couldn’t come back on.Roadside Assitance gave a hot shot car still didn’t come on car won’t start back up just keep ticking in all lights inside and radio works fine the heat came out cold.Also when car goes into auto stop car will just cut off in won’t start back up you can only drive in L6.I only had the car for 2years

NHTSA ID

11440358

Incident

Nov 13, 2021

THE AUTO RIGHT AFTER BEING STOPPED AND WHEN YOU START AGAIN THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND ALMOST CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. THE STEERING ASSIST REDUCE COMES ON. LOOKING ON GOOGLE THIS IS A COMMON AND BAD PROBLEM WITH THE AUTO AND SHOULD HAVE A RECALL. THANK YOU

NHTSA ID

11433837

Incident

Sep 21, 2021

POWER STEERING IS LOCKING UP WHEN MAKE A TURNAROUND OR FOR A TURN WHEEL IN MOTION. THE CAR WILL BE ON AND WHEN THE POWER STEERING IS ABOUT TO LOSE THE POWER, MY STEREO SCREEN WILL BLACK OUT ALONG WITH THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING. IT FEELS AS THOUGH MY POWER STEERING IS OUT WHILE MAKING A TURN. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN, ONLY HAPPENS RANDOMLY.

NHTSA ID

11402687

Incident

Feb 27, 2021

Mileage

81,286 mi

OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY ON TWO OCCASIONS. EACH TIME THE ENTIRE CHARGING SYSTEM WAS CHECKED WITH NO FAULTS IDENTIFIED. RECENTLY, LAST 3 MONTHS, ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS VEHICLE WILL STALL WHILE IN MOTION. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FROM ACCELERATING FROM A STOP TO AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN VEHICLE STALLS ABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE IS DRAMATICALLY REDUCED; ESPECIALLY HAZARDOUS WHEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ON OTHER OCCASIONS ALL ACCESSORIES AC, RADIO, WIPER BLADES, ETC WILL ALL TURN OFF AND NOT RESTART UNTIL THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. ANOTHER FREQUENTLY REOCCURRING ISSUE IS THE SOUND YOU NORMALLY HEAR WHEN A TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED WILL STOP - THIS USUALLY PRECEDES THE ENGINE STALLING. ON MOST OF THESE OCCASIONS THE ENGINE WILL RESTART - TWICE IT REQUIRED A JUMP START. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WE RECEIVE VARIOUS FAULT LIGHTS/MESSAGES THAT TOO WERE UNFOUNDED. MOST FREQUENT REFERENCING THE STABILITY TRACKING. RESTART THE ENGINE AND FAULT IS CLEARED ONLY TO RETURN AT LATER TIME. ALL OF THESE ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND PLACES MY FAMILY AND I IN DANGER EACH TIME WE OPERATE THE VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS WRITE UPS DETAILING THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH MULTIPLE YEARS OF THE CHEVY MALIBU GMC AND CHEVY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEMS AND CONTINUE TO LEVY CHARGES AND COLLECT MONIES FROM OWNERS FOR WHAT PROBABLY SHOULD RESULT IN A RECALL IN ORDER TO AFFECT REQUISITE REPAIRS.

NHTSA ID

11382736

Incident

Dec 1, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY MALIBU ONLY HAS 34K MILES ON IT AND IS METICULOUSLY CARED FOR. ON AUGUST 10TH, I WENT TO START IT. IT WOULD NOT START OR TURN ON THE LIGHTS. SO I TRICKLE CHARGED IT AND 4 HOURS LATER WHEN IT FINALLY TURNED ON I HAD THE BATTERY CHECKED. THE BATTERY IS FINE. HOWEVER, THE STABILITRAC IS NOT COMING BACK ON ALONG WITH MY CRUISE CONTROL AND LANE ASSIST. THE BACK UP CAMERA, BACK UP CAMERA LINES, CRASH AVERSION SENSORS, AND SCREEN WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE 10TH OF AUGUST AFTER THE CAR CAME BACK ON. THE SREEN HAS HAD ISSUES IN THE PAST AS WELL WITH NOT TURNING ON ALONG WITH SHOWING THE PROPER TIME, TEMPERATURE, AND MORE.

NHTSA ID

11348728

Incident

Aug 10, 2020

Mileage

34,400 mi

REDUCE ENGINE POWER AND THE BRAKES JUST CUT OFF GOING DOWN ROAD DRIVING NOT SAFE

NHTSA ID

11343342

Incident

Aug 4, 2020

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN APRIL OF 2019. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, THREE DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE SAME REASONS. THE FIRST ISSUE IS THAT WHENEVER THE CAR ACCELERATES FROM A STOPPED POSITION, AND WHENEVER SOMEONE IS IN THE BACKSEAT, THERE IS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF THE CAR. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. I HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE NOISE THREE DIFFERENT TIMES, AND ALL THREE TIMES I WAS TOLD THEY DROVE THE VEHICLE (WITH PEOPLE IN THE BACK) AND COULDN'T "REPRODUCE" THE NOISE. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE HAD THE GEARSHIFT CHANGED OUT TWICE WITHIN 8 MONTHS, BECAUSE THE CAR KEPT SAYING THAT THE VEHICLE WASN'T IN PARK AND WOULDN'T TURN OFF, EVEN THOSE IT WAS IN PARK. THE NOISE COMING FROM THE BACK IS DEFINITELY THERE, AND BASED UPON WHAT I HAVE READ, IT HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER MALIBU OWNERS AS WELL

NHTSA ID

11339927

Incident

Jun 25, 2020

Mileage

52,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, "ACTION REQUIRED STEERING ASSIST REDUCED" APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING JERKED. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, BUT THEN RESTARTED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO COVINA CHEVROLET (635 SOUTH CITRUS AVENUE, COVINA, CA 91723, (626)-732-1100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

11278501

Incident

Oct 23, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

MY DRIVE TO WORK IS A LONG COMMUTE, IT HAPPEN TO ME ON THE FREEWAY I WAS ON THE LAST LANE DRIVING 80 WHEN IT LITERALLY ' POWER ENGINE REDUCE ' COMES OUT ON MY SCREEN. IT LITERALLY STOPPED MY CAR TO LOWER SPEED AND COULDN'T STEP ON IT FOR THE CAR BEHIND ME I HAD TO PUT MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON SO THEY CAN MOVE AWAY FROM ME! AND HAD TO REACH THE SAFETY SIDE, IT WAS THE WORST EXPERIENCE AND IT ALWAYS HAPPENS TO ME EVERY OTHER 3-5 DAYS. THEN WHEN I'M ON TRAFFIC JAM, THE STEERING WHEEL REDUCE DRIVE WITH CARE POPS UP AND TURNS OFF MY CAR POWER AND RADIO AND EVEN UNLOCKS THE CAR. AND DOES IT WEIRD NOISE AND TURNS BACK ON AND STARTS OVER. KEPT HAPPENING TO ME ON TRAFFIC JAMS ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

11271478

Incident

Oct 27, 2019

Mileage

107,000 mi

WHEN AT A STP LIGHT, AND PRESS EXCELERATOR THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM H WILL GO OUT & CAR HESITATE TO MOVE. THEN, IT WILL KICK ON. ALSO, THIS THROWS MY SIRUS RADIO OUT COMPLETELY & I HAVE TO CUT THE CAR OFF COMPLETELY TO GET STATION BACK ON OR CALL FOR A REFRESH, BUT LOCAL STATIONS WILL REMAIN. NOW I GET A WARING ABOUT THE STEERING ABILITY-DRIVE CAREFULL.

NHTSA ID

11270142

Incident

Oct 17, 2019

Mileage

57,000 mi

SHOWS "REDUCED STEERING ASSIST, DRIVE WITH CAUTION" MESSAGE. I HAVE A 2016 CHEVY MALIBU. 53000 MILES. I'VE SEEN THIS MESSAGE 3 TIMES THIS MORNING & I SAW IT LAST MONTH ALSO. I AM ALWAYS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. FIRST TIME I WAS ON A CURVE. TODAY I WAS IN TRAFFIC & BARELY MOVING. HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I NOT NOTICED THIS MESSAGE? I CAN'T WATCH THE ROAD AND MESSAGE BOX AT THE SAME TIME

NHTSA ID

11266794

Incident

Oct 7, 2019

Mileage

53,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL MY CAR HAS COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON ME TWICE IN TRAFFIC NOW, THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU LOOSE CONTROL OF YOUR STEERING AND BRAKE SYSTEM LUCKILY BOTH TIMES I WAS NOT GOING AT A HIGH SPEED AND I LET THE CAR SLOW ON IT'S OWN, BUT THERE ARE NO ERROR CODES POPPING UP, NO TYPE OF WARNING AT ALL THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. SOMETIMES IT WON'T START IN THE MORNING SO AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY OR REMOTE BATTERY SO I CHANGED BOTH IT STARTED WORKING FOR ABOUT A WEEK SO I THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS FIXED BUT IT STILL CUTS OFF A FEW TIMES A DAY, LIKE TODAY IT WOULDN'T START AND WHEN I FINALLY GOT IT STARTED MY HEAT AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WOULD NOT WORK, OTHER TIMES MY HOME SCREEN WILL BE COMPLETELY BLACK AND NO POWER TO IT. I HOPE WHATEVER IS GOING ON WITH THESE VEHICLES ARE FIXED SOON BECAUSE IT IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. ANOTHER THING WHEN MY CAR IS STATIONARY AND IT WON'T START I WILL PUSH THE PUSH TO START BUTTON YOU WILL HERE A CLICKING SOUND AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL FLASH BUT THE ENGINE WILL NOT TURN ON ONCE I DO GET IT STARTED I GET THE WORD STABILETRAK, SO I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER ONCE AGAIN AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.

NHTSA ID

11246598

Incident

Aug 24, 2019

Mileage

51,000 mi

THIS HAS HAPPEN TO ME MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE MOST RECENT ONE BEING TODAY. THE CAR WOULD BE AT A RED LIGHT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE WHOLE CAR WOULD SHUT IT SELF OFF THEN RESTART AGAIN SHORTLY AFTER TURNING OFF. THEN A MESSAGE WOULD POP UP ON THE LCD SCREEN SAYING SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF. 'POWER STEERING ASSIST REDUCED' THE MESSAGE WOULD DISAPPEAR SO FAST THAT IT DOESN'T EVEN GIVE ME A CHANCE TO FULLY READ IT.

NHTSA ID

11241207

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

71,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE STABILITY CONTROL AND STEERING ASSIST REDUCED WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

NHTSA ID

11234760

Incident

Jul 25, 2019

Mileage

80,000 mi

MY STEERING IS VERY ERRATIC AND TOUCHY. AFTER DRIVING STRAIGHT FOR A SHORT PERIOD I CAN FEEL A SLIGHT CATCH IN THE STEERING. THIS REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT AND THEN THE CAR SHOOTS ACROSS THE LANE. IM CONSTANTLY CORRECTING THE STEERING ITS SCARY TO DRIVE AT TIMES. I HAVE HAD THE DEALERSHIP INSPECT IT AND FOUND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THEY REPROGRAMMED THE STEERING, REPLACED THE TIRES AND PERFORMED SOFTWARE UPDATE.

NHTSA ID

11221720

Incident

Jun 17, 2019

Mileage

47,000 mi

DASHBOARD COMPUTER SHOWS "WARNING STEERING ASSISTANCE REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE" CHEVY WILL NOT COVER EVEN OUT OF WARRANTY

NHTSA ID

11208584

Incident

Apr 26, 2019

Mileage

39,000 mi