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8.1

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$910
Average Mileage:
42,500 miles
Total Complaints:
19 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. had fixed under warranty (7 reports)
  2. not sure (7 reports)
  3. replace steering column (4 reports)
  4. gave back to bank as I did not want to die in my car (1 reports)
2004 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems

steering problem

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2004 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Comments

problem #19

Oct 052012

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 64,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I could not believe the price on fixing my 2004 malibu $830.00 wow the dealership claims it was the steering column. I would drive and go to turn my car on the highway and my car would lock. I would have to turn my car off wait a few then turn it back on. Its happened several times I was so scared at times to drive because of this problem. After paying what I payed their not even sure this will not happen again because its a electrical problem. Unfortunately I cannot buy a car right now I'm a single mom and unemployed and paying what I payed at the dealer ship I had to pay $53.00 dollars to rent a car for the day unbelievable. Mind you its a 2004 malibu I only have 64,000 miles on it. So the car really hasn't been driven much and to know this problem could come about again wow I wished I would have known this car was all electrical.

- gmaria, West Palm Beach, FL, US

problem #18

May 202013

Malibu LX 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

Piece of crap as they know about the massive safety problem yet fail to recall and fix. Guess someone has to die first

- sad malibu owner, Indianapolis, IN, US

problem #17

Mar 012013

Malibu LT 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 120,000 miles

I'VE OWNED THIS CHEVY MALIBU 2004 SINCE 2006 - I PURCHASED WITH 7000 MILES ON IT - DRIVE IT MORE THAN 100000 MILES TILL LAST YEAR, 2012, WHEN I SPENT ABOUT $1600 FIXING THE WHOLE STEERING SYSTEM. BEING TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR BUT,....NOW IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN , AT FIRST CRACKING NOISE AND THAN NOT STEERING AT ALL GREAT!!! OTHER $1600??? I DON'T THINK SO! OTHER MALIBU? EHH..... LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT I'M LUCKY DRIVING THIS CAR OVER 100.000 MILE ,SPENDING ONLY IN BASIC MAINTENANCE

- alexnj, Old Bridge, NJ, US

problem #16

Oct 142008

Malibu LX V4

  • Automatic transmission
  • 35,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

car now has 52,000 miles and guess what. The same steering column problem again and of course out of warranty. These parts must be made of plastic. I am going to contact dealer and if they dont fix for nothing then I will go further. Either they did not fix the proiblem correctly or these steering columns have a serious problem

- Nancy H., Onancock, VA, US

problem #15

Jul 202008

Malibu LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,000 miles

Well, just got the car back a week ago after being fixed for the same problem. This morning, steering went again. This means tomorrow, back to the dealer where they will now have to totally replace the power steering column and I will again have to rent a car. The first time total $525.00 with repair and rental this time....????????? Have talked to 4 different people at GM, filed with the Better Business Bureau and Attorney General's office. As of last Friday, GM will not help me with problem or money spent. They claim that #1 the car was bought used (so what only 34K miles) and #2- the recall they had had for this problem and canceled in 2006 was canceled because after they fixed a few cars, it became a "maintenance" problem. That's BS because the system is not like the old power steering systems where you put more fluid into it. My understanding is that it is a self-contained unit. When all is said and done, if I don't get help with costs from anyone - my last resort will be Small Claims Court. I would love to see them fly someone out here from Detroit to contest my claim -HA!

- Kathy H., Chicopee, MA, US

problem #14

Feb 052008

Malibu 2.2L Sohc

  • Automatic transmission
  • 82,000 miles

This has been an ongoing investigation, come to find out that the steering wheels electrical power assist is the problem,I payed out of pocket and will also be installing it, but the time and money that it's going to cost is what I'm most upset about. And know I hear that they haven't even got the problem fixed, I've read that some folks are replacing this same part up to three times!!!! Wow I dont't know what to say that, I'm pretty much stuck with this car seeing as the resale value of the car is extremely poor! Gee I wonder why.

- r0ll0e, Phoenix, AZ, US

problem #13

Jul 032008

Malibu LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 34,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

7/3/08 I lost power steering on my car. As of 7/10/08 I still am using a rental car as my car is still being repaired. I have contact GM by email and phone and after talking to 4 different people, today I talked to the most arrogant idiot who refused to help me or pay for the repair. Needless to say they have me on a recording yelling and swearing my head off at him. I am out approx. $300.00 to date in car rentals, and the cost of the repair (which I don't even know yet). I have contacted the Better Business Bureau, am going to mail the Attorney General's office when I have all the paper work and am wondering if any one else on here would like to find out the info. as to how we can all do a class action suit. That's how mad I am. Buy American-Bull, I'm going back to foreign!!!!!

- Kathy H., Chicopee, MA, US

problem #12

Jun 032008

Malibu LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 16,200 miles

My 2004 chevy sucks its been to the shop 2 times regarding the steering and been fixed twice. i've been to the dealer so many times for this car i just had it with this car its a lemon i'm done i over paid on it to begin with but read everyones comment about the steering and everything else its all true i have had it all done and dealt with. never again will i buy american chevy built tough my ass built to break your whole savings fixing a some what great car, well its not chevy needs to do something about the steering theres no reason this should be happening there should be recalls and if needs to be fixed then they need to replace the parts that hey use to replace the defected ones because in my eyes they are all defected!

- gionet, Laconia, NH, US

problem #11

Oct 222007

(reported on)

Malibu LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,000 miles

I too have had my steering column replaced multiple times. I am now on my 3rd steering column. It originated with my power steering going out, then a couple days later the wheel began to jerk back and forth uncontrollably. Most of the repairs have been done under warranty, but that took some fighting for after the 2nd column went bad.

- Andrea F., Columbus, OH, US

problem #10

Sep 192007

(reported on)

Malibu

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

My son bought Chevy, American made!!!! Aagghh!! He bought it in feb 07, the past month he has been having trouble with his steering, light off and on, grinding noise, a little stiff, brought it to a shop, they reset the light! good job! next losing steering while driving, stop turn it off, start it up and it works for a while, since nobody can get parts or fix this part due to computerized programming, and I guess Chevy stopping anybody else from learning about this system, we finally had to bring to the dealer, after calling GM, theres a service bulletin but no recall, nobody died yet, right? so anyway he had to pay $796.00 to replace steering column, but as I read all these complaints that GM says they haven't even heard about yet, it seems like its going to keep happening! Chevy sucks!!!!!! Watch out GM you got this momma mad, you're going to hear about this problem again and again!!

- Linda P., Pelion, SC, US

problem #9

Apr 072007

(reported on)

Malibu LT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We have had the steering column replaced three times... twice under warranty and once out of our pockets. My husband has contacted GM about this problem and they were willing to pay half of the labor cost the last time it happened. About one week ago, we had to have the steering fixed again, but they didn't replace the whole thing... costing almost $300. There has been nothing but trouble with this steering... I would advise anyone DO NOT BUY THIS CAR!!!!

- Erin J., South Bend, IN, US

problem #8

Oct 262006

(reported on)

Malibu LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

The steering column would "thump" when straightening out from a low speed turn. The dealer replaced the steering column, citing a lubrication problem in the column. A few thousand miles later the same thing happened and they replaced the steering column again. 20,000 miles later it's happening again. I'm just going to live with it...

- Jeff S., Cumming, GA, US

problem #7

Dec 262006

(reported on)

Malibu ES V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 10,308 miles

This was one of my recalls..... I ended up having to take my car back TWICE to have it fixed. My Power Steering went out on a Sunday....... I took it to the dealer the next day & that evening I received my recall notices in the mail........ and the dealership wanted to know why I had ignored my notices???

- jtca, Riverside, CA, US

problem #6

Sep 252006

(reported on)

Malibu LT

  • 20,000 miles

I first started experiencing excess play in my steering wheel and a loud popping noise whenever i turned left. I took it to the dealer. Three days later they said nothing was wrong. I ended up taking it back to them a week later because I wasn't going to kill anyone, especially my family. Two days later they said it was a broken strut mount. Of course it got rid of that popping noise, but the car got worse. It started to feel like I was driving on ice because I had to severly overcorrect the steering to turn. I then took it back for a third time and they finally said that the steering box was bad. It really didn't take a genius to figure that out. However, two months later, the problem is starting to reappear and I'm taking it back in to have it fixed along with two other reoccuring problems.

- Tim T., Cincinnati, OH, US

problem #5

Mar 292006

(reported on)

Malibu

  • 12,440 miles

Of course, three hours later when the tow came, the car mysteriously worked and they wouldn't tow it. Drove it carefully to the shop myself.

- jzw, Uxbridge, MA, US

problem #4

Mar 252006

(reported on)

Malibu

  • 20,000 miles

The first indication I had a problem was sitting at a light and suddenly the steering wheel felt like a ghost had reached in and grabbed the wheel. After a few weeks I called the dealer I purchased it from and he looked it up and sure enough Gm knew they had a problem. Called the dealer in the city I had moved to and they had never heard of that trouble. 2 days later another customer was towed in with the same trouble. Within the week my car was in the shop because I had to use the strong arm technique to make a left hand turn. Vehicle was at the shop for over a week while they waited for a part. Fixed, so I thought, it has been back to the shop again within 4 months for the same trouble. Now I'm not very happy.

Well at least they had apart this time. It only took a day and a half to fix, replace the steering column again. Good thing I work near the dealer and I still have a warranty.

Well I'll be darn, here we go again, but now they are calling it a rack and pinion. Sounds like the same thing to me!! Another replacement, another rental. I feel the staff at the service counter are family now. Great staff but on a new car should I know that??

- 2smart2late, Aylmer, QC, Canada

problem #3

Jan 282006

(reported on)

Malibu LX

  • 24,250 miles

My 2004 off the show room floor malibu is a lemon, my vehicle has been to the dealer 6 times for the steering column, and no one wants to be responsible, so i gave it to the bank as i will not die driving the thing, I was having dreams at night over and over agian that I was getting killed in my car, I do alot of highway driving, and I feel my life is worth way more than my $50,000 life insurance policy!!!!!!!

- Beckie B., Chandler, AZ, US

problem #2

Nov 062005

(reported on)

Malibu LS

  • 11,000 miles

my car was purchased off the show floor brand new. it has been in the shop going on seven times, this is the second time the steering wheel has been replaced and i will not stop until someone is held responsible for removing me out of this car. why should i have to keep making a car payment when it is a lemon now.

- Shavonna M., Chickasha, OK, US

problem #1

Jul 282005

(reported on)

Malibu

  • 20,911 miles

I leased the car in 2003 and I have to have the steering column replaced 3 times it is a lemon now and i'm fighting to have them take the lease back and i'm done with Chevrolet.

- Lillian S., Lancaster, PA, US

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