Steering Problems of Chevrolet Malibu - part 1

I own a 2008 Chevrolet Malibu ltz (VIN [xxx] ) with an electric power steering (eps) issue that matches gm’s known eps defect and recall 14v?153 / bulletin 15356 for 2007–2012 Malibus. The steering is very stiff and hard at low speeds, the car feels like it is dragging, and the steering wheel shakes back and forth while driving, especially at low to moderate speeds. A Chevrolet customer?service representative confirmed the VIN does not show the eps recall, but said I should report this to NHTSA. This is a safety?related steering?assist defect pattern that gm has already acknowledged on other Malibus. I am requesting NHTSA to review whether this 2008 Malibu ltz should be included in the eps?related recall or special coverage, or whether further action on this defect is needed information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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Power steering went out.

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The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the u-joint in the steering column, which made the vehicle difficult to control. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

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I have not been involved in no incident or accident with anybody but my vehicle is installing up and dying in the middle of the road the power steering is locking up the battery is draining and the car is cutting off I had the battery replaced and I'm still losing power in my battery and I can't figure out why I'm not too long after the battery dying and the vehicle starting up and dying it started overheating for no known reason at all shortly after sorting the overheat my navigational system and my radio has started to fail I took it to several places to have it put on machines they can figure out why the check engine light is on or why the battery is dying because it's showing that it has battery the battery life they don't know why it's falling up and down I'm checking till not sound but other than that they're not getting no read out on the machine they put it off of I'll contact the dealership because on certain 2013 chevy Malibu equals they have a recall on the general control module system burger is being defensive but I'm on my specific then there's not a recall online but everything that happens with the defective general control module it sounds like what's going on with my car I'll contact it the dealership and they told me that although they had the recalls on the defective funeral control module if I was to take it to a dealership and it proved to be an effective general control module that I was still going to be liable for out-of-pocket expenses because my car is not covered under the van recall and I'm not understanding how that right or how that's legal when they have all these defects of recalls on these cars and if that's what's going on with mine how is it not the same thing.

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On March 4, 2026, my wife was driving the vehicle when she suddenly lost power steering. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, creating a dangerous situation that could have resulted in serious injury. She was able to safely pull over and contact me. I carefully drove the vehicle home. The vehicle was taken to jeff wyler Chevrolet of columbus for diagnosis and repair. The dealership confirmed that the problem involved the power steering system. The repair cost was $1,513. 03. After researching the issue, I discovered that this 2012 Malibu is subject to a special coverage related to the steering torque sensor. General motors had reportedly sent notification letters to owners, but we never received one. Had we been aware, we would have addressed the issue immediately. This defect represents a significant safety risk, as sudden loss of power steering could cause an accident or serious injury.

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I was cruise control 80mph and my. Power steering went out. Esc power steering warning on dash. Car is incredibly hard to steer. When I turn car off and back on it might go away for a few minutes but then come. Back randomly in a scary scenarios. Thing is a death trap.

The power steering goes out at times. When I start up or when I am driving my steering will get harder and I get a power steering warning on the dash. If I shut the car off, sometimes it goes away but most of the time it does not.

See all problems of the 2010 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

In 2014 there was a recall issue on 2004 to 2009 Chevrolet Malibus 2. 4 l motors with the electric power steering assist motor. They were to be replaced with labor and free cost. A recall is a safety issue that has no expiration date. In 2015 gm issued a special coverage adjustment for 2010 through 2012 chevy Malibus. This special adjustment is for those vehicles 2010 through 2012 to have the power steering assist motor replaced for up to 10 years or 150,000 miles from the original service date. The problem with that is I have a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu that has the exact same electric power steering assist motor that the 2004 through 2009 half but yet I only have a special coverage adjustment which is not even close to a recall where there is no expiration date on when the manufacturer would replace the electric power steering assist motor free of charge. The issue with the electric power steering assist motor was a malfunctioning of a bushing issues in the motor. I have the same electric power assist motor in my Malibu that all the recall Malibu's 2004 to 2009 have. So what made the difference after 2009 with this product the electric power steering assist motor? today February 13th 2026 my electric power steering assist motor will only work when I reset the system. I almost had an accident because the power steering went out and I was driving. Took my Malibu to repair shop called express pro in indianapolis indiana and they diagnosed it power steering assist motor failing. I do not fall under the special coverage adjustment although that's really for non-safety concerns a recall is first safety issues with no expiration date and my 2010 Malibu should be in the recall. I cannot afford $1,500 to get this motor replaced which I had no clue there was even a recall until today. The car will set until there is a recall issue which is the only fair thing to do when it was issued for 2004-2009 Malibu's since there was no change in the electric power steering assist motor.

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, the traction and power steering assist motor warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with power steering assist failure. The contact was informed that the power steering assist motor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 14v153000 (steering); however, the VIN was not associated. The failure mileage was approximately 70,560.

The powersteering is failing in my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu with 93k miles on it. The warning light on the dashboard appears randomly then it becomes difficult to steer. This has become a safety issue because when driving on the highway or trying to navigate turns requires a lot of strength and can be a hazard while driving in traffic or alone. I have taken the vehicle to an auto repair shop for a diagnostic and they were unable to fix it due to the Chevrolet dealership who no longer makes the part. I have researched and found that gm had a special coverage 15356 for this problem but no recall. The special coverage is now expired. I am not sure if it has been inspected by the manufacturer as I am the 2nd owner. The message that appears on the dashboard when there is a loss of power steering says esc power steering then it becomes difficult to steer. The problem started about 1 month ago.

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I was driving and the steering wheel locked, the whole steering column has to be replaced it brought up a code saying torque input sensor I've only put 10,000 miles on this car and have only had it for 11 months.

My steering wheel is twitching & possibly failing due to the torque steering sensor & it is very unsafe to drive.

The power steering on my vehicle is not working. I believe it may be a malfunction with the torque sensor. It is available for inspection upon request. This was a safety risk because the steering wheel was shaking as I was driving. Thankfully, it never locked up on me while on the road, however if it had, it could've caused a life-threatening accident as I am constantly driving on large 4 lane highways. I know that there is a safety recall open for 2007 Chevrolet Malibu's regarding the torque sensor and power steering, however my vehicle does not seem to fall under this safety recall for some reason? I attempted to have it serviced by my local dealer, but they do not want to service it under the recall. I believe that if this is a known issue on some 2007 Chevrolet Malibu's, then it should be repaired under the safety recall even if my VIN is not associated with it.

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The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, it lost power steering functionality. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and restarted the vehicle, and the power steering functionality returned. The failure reoccurred every mile while driving, requiring the driver to pull over to the side of the road to restart the vehicle. The power steering, esc, and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated who was a retired independent mechanic, determined that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 14v153000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the contact noticed a vibrating and clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. The “service esc” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restarted, and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was purchased. The vehicle was diagnosed with a failed torque sensor within the steering column. The contact was informed that the torque sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.

Driving down the interstate I noticed the steering wheel lightly jumping intermittently like it wanted to take control and turn itself. A few minutes later the power steering completely went out and the dash board display esc off, power steering. I had no control of the vehicle. After turning the car off and then back on it would go away but happen later. Tried the recommended disconnect of the battery and hard restart and it would be fine for a little bit but happen again. Fast forward 2 weeks later and now completely out. This is extremely dangerous and a recall was already conducted for this year, make and model, but not on all vins associated. This recall needs to be reinstated covering all vins of this year before someone is seriously hurt or possibly killed.

The eps malfunctions and turns off during normal driving operations at random intervals. Happens more when temperature outside is below 50 degrees. This has made it difficult to steer and has almost caused me to get in an accident on multiple occasions.

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while reversing, the message "power steering fault" was displayed, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle became difficult to steer, requiring extra effort in maneuvering the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the steering wheel was vibrating abnormally with the message “power steering fault” displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed on another occasion, the steering wheel continuously vibrated. The message "power steering fault" was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v064000 (steering). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The power steering went out on the car as I was driving down the highway going 65 mph.

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The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The power steering failure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with strg shaft torque failure. The contact was informed that the strg shaft torque needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 14v153000 (steering). The dealer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was informed that the recall repair was performed in 2015. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

When coming from a stop the steering wheel jerks and a warning message appear on the dashboard display, "power steering assist is reduced. Drive with care. ".

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So just recently I was on my way home from my parents house, and I take a highway to get there from my home. It’s a direct shot, fastest way to get to and from. I was merging right to get in the turn lane to the highway I take, and I heard a click, and my steering wheel felt like it locked up. I look at the dash, and see it says “power steering” and then “esc off”. The turn to merge onto the highway is a pretty sharp turn over a very steep hill. I had to force the steering wheel to the right, and crush on the brakes to get on the side of the road, where I could stop and inspect. I inevitably ended up giving up, because it’s freezing outside and I am not a mechanic. But it didn’t happen the rest of the way to my home. Since then though, it happens every time I drive the car. Turning the car off and on, while moving the steering wheel from left/right seems to temporarily fix the issue. Until the cars is idling again, and then it clicks off. I have a video of my steering wheel shaking and moving on its own, but this website only lets you upload pics or files. This started the next time I drove the car. Which was the day after the incident. I have not had any service done to it, as I can’t afford it. It is available for servicing upon request. I have had an check engine light and abs light on for sometime. But I think that’s because the warning lights weren’t reset after my dad changed my oil, and my brake pads.

The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering assist. There were three audible dings with the message "power steering" displayed on the instrument panel. The contact reset the steering wheel and the battery, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 15v064000 (steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

See all problems of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu 🔎.

The “service esc” light came on while I was driving on the freeway causing the steering wheel to lock up and I couldn’t turn the wheel. It was really stiff after it said “service esc” and “esc off”.

Power steering went out and esc warning came on the dash . This has happened multiple times mostly while sitting at idle. Turned off car and restarted and it was corrected. This is becoming more frequent.

December 12, 2025 I had to drive 20-30 miles an hour the car would not break I had to use parking break. When I would try to stop it would continue to roll. The pedal was hard! this is very dangerous and other cars have crashed there are also class action lawsuits regarding just this! vehicle vacuum pump the bill was $5200 I am asking for reimbursement! vehicle vacuum pump engine light on tire sensor light on saw there have been more cases.

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Power steering has failed. There are numerous complaints for these model and year cars. There has also been recalls for certain VIN numbers but not all. Very unsafe!.

Was driving on highway and starting to exit and my engine light came on and it alerted reduced engine power. I had to slam on my brakes but they were very hard to press and almost non existent and steering was also difficult. Managed to get car to side of road but due to very hard to non existent brakes I did graze a truck and damaged my rear drivers side fender. I am very lucky I didn’t get injured and was able to mostly miss the cars stopped in front of me. I also have the shift to park issue happen at least 4 times a week.

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The power steering fails and service esc is displayed on the dash. This has been happening intermittently on my daughter’s car and she struggles to control the vehicle when it loses power steering. A quick internet search revealed is a known issue and is extremely dangerous. Please consider recall immediately.

Power steering will shut off when moving at slow speeds or when stopped with car running such as at a stop light. Warning lights will flash. Saw that there was a recall in 2014 for the same issue and was never informed. When checking recall alerts, I don't see my VIN however I am having the same issues as the recall.

Apparently, there was a recall on these cars for the power steering suddenly shutting off. Apparently it’s also electric so there’s nothing you can do at home to remedy it. It is incredibly dangerous to drive. I just bought my car it has under 100,000 miles on it, but I guess they have also 10 year age policy that they won’t service the recall. This was a brand new car for me and it is very dangerous for a company to allow cars to be out on the street with no power steering and decide after a certain amount of time it’s no longer their problem. Is their product and people are going to get into accidents. I’m very disappointed in this car.

Power steering warning light appeared then steering wheel tightened while slowing down to make a turn into my apartment. This occured two times in 3 weeks.

Power steering failing. As I was driving down the road I got a power steering message and chime. No dash light came on and I lost all ability to turn my vehicles steering wheel. I went to add power steering fluid just to learn that my 2005 chevy Malibu maxx LS comes equipped with eps(electric power steering). Then I check on NHTSA for safety recalls and there is a safety recall for the chevy Malibu maxx including the 2005 chevy Malibu maxx. I was pulling safely out of store parking lot into traffic and I had to hit the ditch luckily I didn't get t-boned. Thanks to my reaction time being fast I made it safely outta the road. I am available to have car inspected if needed. It just started on 11/23/2025 I bought the car used a year prior in Nov. 2024.

Power steering randomly goes off taking the traction control with it. Terrible for the snow roads to have. Have to life the steering wheel slightly when starting to the car get it to work. Steering angle sensor or torque position sensor maybe??.