Steering Column problems of the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu - part 2

I was driving and my power steering went out-completely. It was the hardest thing to turn that I have ever driven and I own a 66 mustang that was not equipped with power steering. There is literally no way to steer the car when driving very slow like when you go to pull into the driveway. My father-in law builds/designs production cars for a living and he took my car to a dealership he works with and they told him that the defective part goes out about every 30,000 miles. The cost to replace just the part is around $800 without labor. The actual part that is defective is not sold on its own so you have to buy a whole new steering column since the small part that is defective is riveted to the column. The dealership said they could not do anything for my car. The column had been replaced once before by a dealership and apparently did not fix the problem. Chevy will not cover their bad parts/design and it is one of the most unsafe things that can happen while driving. Its like when toyotas priuses accelerator would get stuck-its just as dangerous. What needs to make a recall happen? it has affected so many people and it is very dangerous. Do we need to wait until the problem causes multiple tragedies to say now its worth the time to fix the problem and do good business? back your product chevy.

While driving the steering column on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu, locks up.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. While the contact was driving approximately 45 mph and heard a chime inside of the vehicle when suddenly, there was a loss of power steering. The contact was able to maneuver to the side of the road where the engine was turned off. Upon restarting, the vehicle resumed as normal. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who advised the contact that the steering column would need to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 15 mph and attempting a left turn, the power steering seized without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls . The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 89,000.

Steering- when making left turns steering collumn pops as if linkage is slipping. Apparently a known defect at Chevrolet. Steering column should be replaced. Loss of power sterring in the past at higher speeds, one complete lockup of steering wheel while vehicle was in motion. Brakes- increasingly difficult over time to slow vehicle to a stop safely. Brakes were completely replaced at 51k miles due to an issue of wear at rates exceeding mechanical estimates. Dealership inspection yields no damages or problem yet test drive shows how difficult vehicle is to stop effectively.

Own a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving at approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel became stiff making steering extremely difficult. Traveled approximately 3 miles & parked the vehicle. Thought it needed power steering fluid. Was told by a mechanic that this was a hugh problem with the 2006 Malibu vehicles. He personally had repaired many, many cars with this steering column issue. The cost would run $900 +. Restarted the engine and the car was driving fine. Owner researched the website for recalls. Found out that with is a very serious problem with the 2006 Malibu & gm doesn't seem to have a recall for it. Unfortunately, it will take loss of lives before any action will be taken. Too many of these cars have this defect. Gm should "man up" and either repair the problem permanently or allow for trade-in's with appropriate trade in value. Also, it sounds like even after repair have been done, the problem may or may not come back. No guarantee for permanent solution. Owner is afraid to drive the car for fear of the steering issue occurring at any time & maybe causing a minor or even worse fatal accident. Approximate failure mileage 118,000.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact was driving 10 mph when the steering wheel exhibited an abnormal noise. The failure would occur when attempting a turn in either direction or driving over road bumps. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who performed a diagnostic that located the failure at the steering column. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and the current mileage was 35,000.

Around 60000 miles you could hear and feel a clunking or popping coming from inside the steering column. This happened especially while turning the wheel or going over bumps. At approximately 65500 miles while my wife was traveling at 20 mph making a turn the power steering instantly and without warning locked up. After turning the car off and on again the power steering would reset but would still randomly lock up. I called Chevrolet and explained what was happening and how this was a huge safety concern. If this had happened at high speeds my wife could have lost control of the vehicle. Chevrolet informed me that they had no knowledge of this failure. They also stated they would not help with the $1081. 31 dollar repair bill for a new steering column module. As of Mar 31, 2014 Chevrolet has posted a recall for the sudden loss of electric power steering in the 2006 Malibu maxx. After calling Chevrolet to inform them I would like to get this new part to fix the issue they informed me my 2006 Malibu maxx was not within the VIN numbers affected. This is terrible if Chevrolet knows this problem exists but is waiting for more complaints or deaths I guess. Now I'm just waiting and hoping my pregnant wife is not involved in an accident from sudden loss of electric power steering.

I purchased my 2006 Malibu in 2007. Since the time of purchase I have had problems with this car's steering column. It would make a clunking sound every time I would make a turn left or right. I knew something wasn't right. I took the car to the dealer once and they replaced something in the steering column. I still hear the clunking noise today. When I turned the key to start the car at times it seemed like the car was cranking and running on its own. Hard to explain it unless you were starting the car. That was an issue as well. Now this 2006 Malibu was parked in my drive way after going to the store and the next day when I tried to start it it would not start. I thought it might be the battery and had that checked out. Not the battery, then I was told it was the timing chain. I had the car towed to the shop where I purchased the car and now I am told that the rocker arm broke and in turn it bent the rods and damaged the engine. The engine is now ceased and damaged.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. While driving at approximately 35 mph, the steering wheel became stiff making steering extremely difficult. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostics. The technicians stated the steering column and the pedal position sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 117,000.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving at any speed when the steering wheel was turned to the left it locked. The failure was experienced numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who performed a diagnostic test that located the failure in the power steering column. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 75,000 and the current mileage was 85,000.

Power steering periodically goes out. First time, when it was very cold out a few months ago. The last time (on Sunday) was going down the interstate at +70 mph speed. Work has not been done since the steering column part is $359 plus 2 hours labor and if that does not fix the problem the assist motor will need be replaced at $450 plus labor. I did take it the local dealer repair shop and they put it on the computer since after I turn my car off resets itself. Not safe to drive on the interstate since it may go off again. This problem is a major complaint with owners of this car.

Check power steering messaging appeared while driving at highway speed. Messaging disappeared after turning car off and on. Message reappeared three more times at different speeds in next two days. Brought car to mechanic who recalibrated steering column. Messaging reappeared on drive home from shop while passing over a speed bump. Returned car to shop, was told steering column and module needed replaced. Repairs exceeded $1000. Mechanic mentioned that when local parts dealer keeps many of these replacement units on hand, it's clearly a known issue that chevy needs to address. Vehicle has low mileage and majority of these miles were accrued on city streets, implausible that a part of this caliber would require replacement at this time based on use. Mechanic tried calling chevy on owner's behalf as parts warranty extended to 36,000 miles. Chevy unwilling to grant any concessions as failure mileage was 37,847.

Steering column locks while pressing gas pedal, this is very dangerous when changing lanes on the expressway. This usually happens to me daily as I travel to and from work on the interstate.

Electrical power steering column (eps) in my car, and many others of the same year or older has/will fail. Very dangerous, car will not turn when driver wants it to. Foresee accidents and injury if left unrepaired. There was a recall issued for the 2005 model, which uses the same eps as the 2006. There are many complaints about this problem happening at different mileage mielstones, however, chevy/gm is basically saying they don't expect their sedans to last longer than 100,000 miles by not remedying the problem. I have 3 kids, this is a very dangerous situation. There must be a logicial reason as to why in 2007 they switched to power steering fluid instead of the junk eps. Gm/chevy can expect me, an owner of 5 chevy vehicles, to never purchase this type of power steering again. I am asking for a recall, a repair, a compromise form gm/chevy to fix the vehicle and keep my loyalty to the brand. It's very upseting a recall would go out for an older vehicle, yet this one gets ignored. How may of my children need to be involved in an accident before gm/chevy takes responsibility for their crappy handywork. I have an estimate on the repair, which would run between $740-$940. A recall issued by the government, would show their concern; and dedication to consumers.

At 102,600 miles power steering began to intermittently fail. It woud return when the car was turned off and then started again. My wife very nearly wrecked in a parking lot when it first happened. Gm had a secret warranty to 100k. . . Cost me 660, region refused to help. It was a sensor in the steering column. "old part" is not available, dont know what the dealer would do with such. As my wife suffers from reduced arm strength, it was not an option as to repair.

Clunking in the steering column of my 06 chevy Malibu maxx lt. Persistent issue is worsening.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving in reverse at two mph the power steering steering light came on and then the power steering failed. The contact turned the vehicle off, restarted it and then the vehicle began to function normally. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the steering column needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle should be recalled by the manufacturer since the power steering malfunction was very common. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 70,000. Updated 10/15/10 the consumer stated the problem has been resolved. Updatd 10/2110.

My 2006 chevy Malibu is having power steering problems. This problem results in loss of steering. On July 8, 2010 I was making a left hand turn and my steering wheel started moving the car to left and then to the right then I completely lost steering. After a minute or so the steering came back but only to the point where I had to put all my muscle into it to steer. Power steering flashed on my radio during this occasion. After turning the car on and off a couple times the power steering flash disappeared and my steering was back to normal. I have lost steering completely for a short time driving on the interstate. This is very unsafe. I took my car into the chevy dealership for service on July 9, 2010. I was told that I needed to replace my steering column and it would cost close to 600 dollars to fix. I have an extended warranty and for some reason it does not cover this. This should be a recall situation. It is very unsafe for me to be driving and I fear driving my son in the car with me. After reading online I have learned that I am not the only one with a 06 Malibu who has steering complaints. Alot of people have paid hundreds to fix this problem only for it to return. I can't afford to fix this problem this time let alone if it happens again after it is fixed. I really fear not being able to control my vehicle. As of now my vehicle continues to flash power steering on my radio and the steering is not working properly. When I turn the car on and off a couple times it fixes it for a few minutes and then it returns while I am driving.

The electrical power steering on my 2006 Malibu maxx lt has failed repeatedly. I took it to a Chevrolet dealer, the unit locked on the service department doing simple parking lot maneuvers. The service department said that the steering column and eps unit had to be replaced however the failure will happen again. This problem can not be fixed, it can only be replaced with defective parts since the defect is inherent in the electrical power steering system. I have reported this safety issue to the Chevrolet hot line as have other owners and still no recall. I was on the atlanta interstate 85, it locked on me and I thought that for sure a serious accident was going to occur or worst death. This failure happened three times in one day. This is a serious safety issue and has been reported for several years, please do not wait until someone is seriously injured or dies as a result. A simple internet search shows that this safety issue has been reported without results. Again, I ask that you please recall this vehicle and protect the american consumer from a death trap. I can not drive this vehicle knowing that this failure can occur at anytime without warning. Even if Chevrolet does pay to fix my vehicle, this failure will happen again.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu maxx lt. The contact stated shortly after purchasing the vehicle, she noticed that the power steering warning light continued to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility where it was diagnosed that the power steering column was defective. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the power steering column was replaced and reset. Five minutes after leaving the dealer, the power steering light illuminated again. The dealer attempted to reset the codes five times to no avail. The dealer stated that the vehicle was safe to drive. The contact stated that the power steering would lock while driving at various speeds of 3 to 65 mph. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure persisted. The failure mileage was 74,000 and the current mileage was 76,000.

This has happened dozens of times before gm did the "campain" to lessen the affect on the steering. Normally while accelerating hard around a corner or up a hill, the powersteering would literally jerk the wheel from your hands and attempt to straighten the wheel. Obviously this is extreme disconcerting and dangerous at any speed. Symptoms are the ding ding ding warning and the very brief flash, like they don't want you to see it, of power steering on the radio display. That lasts maybe 1. 5 seconds before it goes away, so you have to know to look at the radio very quickly when the ding ding ding goes to see the "error" message. It took 2 trips to the dealer on the recall to "resolve" the problem in gm's eyes. What they do is replace the column, and some settings in the computer that reduces the amount of force the motor exerts against the driver. The wheel no longer completely jerks from your hands, but it still will change your course when on a turn if you don't have a tight grip on the wheel. I consider this such a safety issue, that I rarely allow anyone but myself to drive it because it would just scare the bejeavious out of them for the car to take the wheel from their hands. Was back in the dealership yesterday on the extended campaign of 150k miles or 10 years. They indicated the fault was that the motor tossed an overheat code and that was causing computer input issues out of what was expected. I advised it does it even when the car is cold, not driving for more than a mile. Their response was the motor has an internal fault that causes it to overheat quickly, just by starting the car. Repairs costs are well over $700 parts and labor, and reading on the internet, this problem may not even be resolved by such a costly repair.

The electronic power steering malfunctions causing the vehicle to go into a hard left turn. The problem occurs with out warning. It takes a very strong person to over power the electric steering motor and maintain control of the vehicle. Reprogramming the steering torque sensor corrects the problem temporarily. Replacing the steering column will correct the problem for a few thousand miles.

While making a left hand turn on to a road my power steering completely went out and I just about ran off the road into a tree. This problem occurs just about every day and it is now to the point where I wont let my wife drive my car or let my kids ride in it. I have been told that I will need to replace the entire steering column and that the approx. Cost will be $1000.

Loss of power steering in 2006 chevy Malibu. Loss of control of steering. Replaced steering column at dealership.

My 2006 chevy Malibu is having major issues. Power steering is intermittently going out. . Without warning. Steering completely locks up for no reason when driving. Very unsafe! also. . In 2008 the steering column had to be replaced. Also. . Very unsafe. I am aware that these issues have become quite common and am very upset the chevy has not acknowledged and provided a recall.

Tl-the contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact started the ignition and noticed when turing the steering wheel into the left direction a loud noise would emit. The vehicle was taken to an independent auto shop where the front swing arm suspension was replaced. The failure continued to occur and the vehicle was taken to a different technician who stated the defect was contributed to the steering column. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was unavailable. Js.

Power steeering failure while car is in motion-when car slows down it is almost impossible to control. Happened 2x-car towed to dealer they replaced power steering motor. Happened again 2 weeks later-dealer replaced steering column-$1400 total repairs! gm will not help because car is out of warrenty.

I have a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu maxx. It currently will shut down the power steering and reduce engine power without warning. This is a unsafe condition and I have read about alot of these incidents on the web that results in the whole steering column to be replaced.

My steering wheel locks up tight . . Cannot use have to pull off road wherever I'm at. . . 2006 chevy Malibu. . . Was looking online and it is very common with the make. . . Will gm wait until people die before they go good with this problem? they are aware and don't seem to care. . . This year and model should have recall on the steering column. . . . Very dangerous.

I was driving (with my daughter in the car). I turned the corner to pull into the parking lot at my place of employment and the steering wheel locked up. I could get it into the garage and into a spot but only with a great deal of effort. I had the car towed to a repair shop. He told me that it was an electric steering system and that it had to be replaced -- the cost would be in the vicinity of $640 plus. I took the car to a gm dealer to have it diagnosed. They confirmed that it was the steering column and it needed to be replaced. The car has approx. 52k miles. I think there needs to be a recall on this model. I am reading a great deal about many other instances similar to mine. I see there is a bulletin about the 2005 model but not the 2006. This is an extreme hazard. Gm do right by the people trying to support american cars. Please.

The power steering on our 2006 chevy Malibu locks up intermittently. Just purchased it as a used vehicle two weeks ago for our 16 year old daughter and it has already happened twice. Each time we have brought it into the dealership. The first time they said there was nothing wrong and it checked out fine. We didn't even have the car back a week and it happened again. It is a definite safety hazard, especially for a new and inexperienced driver. It is in the shop now and they say it needs a new steering column assembly. I have researched this problem via internet and found numerous similar stories. There have been people who have hit guard rails and other vehicles because of the steering locking up. The most recent incident date is listed below.

Wife, mother-in-law, and two daughters on 400 mile trip while traveling approximately 70mph on interstate, the car makes a sudden and violent left turn. My wife pulls hard to keep the car on the highway and manages to keep control. After determining there was no fix, they proceeded home with constant pressure on the wheel to keep it from turning left. At home I inspected the car. When you start it, the wheel will turn full left all by itself. I can turn it right with alot of effort, but if I let go or slip, it turns full left. There is no lights, bells, warnings or anything. Took the car to the dealer, and they said the electric power steering column was way out of calibration, and I had them calibrate it. It worked for 1 day and not turns right. Gm refuses to admit this is a safety issue, but I don't see how it cannot be. The owner is a 65 year old lady on ss and cannot afford the $850 repair bill and gm does not admit any issues. She cannot safely drive the car without it trying to turn to the ditch at any moment. Right now it is constantly turning to the right.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the steering wheel forced itself to drive straight and became unresponsive while making turns. The contact shut the vehicle off and the vehicle performed as normal upon restart. The vehicle was taken to dealer, where the steering column was replaced. The failure recurred and the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and no further assistance was provided. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 80,000.

2006 Chevrolet Malibu maxx - 1st incident was turning into a parking lot, the wheel was extremely hard to turn "power steering" flashed on the console display, parked the car and turned it off and on, and it was working fine; about 12 times since may, I start the car and the wheel will not turn, the check engine light comes on and the "power steering" display on the center console flashes, it sometimes takes about 10 tries, but it eventual starts correctly; about 4 of the 12 incidents have been while driving, it usually happens on turns, switching lanes, all at relatively slow speeds; it has been in a Chevrolet dealership five times with expensive repair bills (a sensor module replaced/repaired, steering column was replaced, sensor modules/solenoids replaced, a relay/sensor replaced in the column, last visit there was no code, so the mechanic said he could not do anything and to wait until it does it again and keep it running and they would come tow it, however the last time it happened, I was on business 2 hours away and it wasn't possible for them to do it) and the problems continues and appears to be getting worse (more frequent and takes more restarts to work properly); even more disheartening is that the dealership claimed to have never heard of this problem, but I've found many blogs with owners with the same problem.