Steering. Review the 207 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

12 crash reports1 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

270 reports

80,000 miles · Aug 25, 2013

Steering

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THIS HAS HAPPENED DOZENS OF TIMES BEFORE GM DID THE "CAMPAIGN" 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. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10537124

80,000 miles · Aug 17, 2013

Steering

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I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY 06 MALIBU MAXX. WHEN ACCELERATING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, I CANNOT GET MY SPEED UP NORMALLY. I HEAR DING, DING, DING... THEN THE STEERING LOCKS UP. CAN NOT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN MAKING SHARP TURNS. ALMOST THREW ME INTO A DITCH ONCE AND ALMOST BOUNCED ME INTO THE GUARD RAIL ONCE. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT CHEVROLET HAS NOT RECALLED THIS PROBLEM. IT IS A TRUE SAFETY HAZARD. I AM A LOYAL PURCHASER OF CHEVY PRODUCTS, AND I EXPECT CHEVROLET TO STAND BY ME AS WELL. APPEARS THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE BY ALL THE COMPLAINTS I READ. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10535902

133,455 miles · Aug 2, 2013

Steering

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I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FOR MY 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO TAKE WITH HER TO COLLEGE. WE HAVE OWNED IT APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS NOW. ON 7/30/13, WE WERE DRIVING DOWN A LOCAL CITY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 45MILES PER HOUR, HEARD A DINGING ALERT SOUND, AND IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER STEERING. SHE WAS ABLE TO MOVE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE TO GET OUT OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. SHE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING RETURNED TO NORMAL. ON 7/31/13 SHE WAS ALONE IN THE VEHICLE, AND WAS ONCE AGAIN TRAVELING IN TOWN AND LOST THE POWER STEERING TWICE ON THAT TRIP. THE FIRST TIME SHE WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES PER HOUR, AND THE SECOND TIME GOING AROUND A SHARP CURVE GOING APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES PER HOUR. I AM FRUSTRATED DUE TO THE FACT THAT THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE AS IT IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WITH OVER A HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE ALONE. I HAVE ALSO FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS IN OTHER ONLINE BLOGS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD AT THIS POINT THAT I COULD REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN, THE EPS FUSE, THE ALTERNATOR, THE GROUNDING WIRE, AND EVEN THE MOTOR AND ASSEMBLY FOR THE POWER STEERING AND THAT IN SOME INSTANCES NONE OF THESE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE BEFORE SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING TO HOLD CHEVROLET ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR PRODUCT? IS IT GOING TO TAKE MULTIPLE DEATHS AND/OR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR LAWSUITS TO MAKE SOMEONE LISTEN AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? WHAT IF THIS VEHICLE WAS ONE THAT YOU PURCHASED FOR YOUR CHILD? WOULD YOU PUT THEM IN POTENTIAL HARMS WAY? HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE FOR ACTION????? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10533182

76,754 miles · Jul 14, 2013

Tires

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WHILE DRIVING 70 MILES PER HR ON THE HIGHWAY A LOUD NOISE AND SLIGHT VIBRATION WAS FELT. AFTER SLOWING DOWN, THE NOISE WAS NOT AS LOUD AND THE VIBRATION WAS LESS. ON EXITING THE HIGHWAY ONTO A BUSY ROAD DRIVING NO MORE THAN 45 TO 50 MILE PER HOUR THE NOISE WAS NOT NOTICEABLE AND THE VIBRATION SEEMED TO BE GONE. ON GETTING OUT OF THE CAR AND LOOKING AT ALL FOUR TIRES IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE NOISE AND VIBRATION WAS COMING FROM THE HIGHWAY SURFACE. ON PULLING OUT OF THE GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING THE NOISE WAS BACK AND THE VIBRATION WAS VERY NOTICEABLE. ROAD SERVICE WAS CALLED TO CHECK TO SEE IF THEIR WAS A FLAT TIRE OR A PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL LUGS. ON ARRIVAL THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DROVE THE CAR AND DISCOVERED THE BACK RIGHT TIRE HAD SEPARATED IN SEVERAL PLACES CAUSING THE SOUND AND THE VIBRATION. HIS STATEMENT WAS "SOMEONE UP THERE MUST LOVE YOU", THIS WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU IF YOU HAD CONTINUED TO DRIVE ON IT. THE TIRE WAS REMOVED AND WILL BE TAKEN BACK TO THE PLACE OF PURCHASE. THIS IS A FIRESTONE TIRE PURCHASED 11/27/2010 31. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10524758

110,000 miles · Jul 6, 2013

Steering

MY STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED UP AND BECAME ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. IT STARTED DINGING AND THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DISPLAY SCREEN. I JUST HAD THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED IN MARCH. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING AND IT APPEARS MOST OWNERS OF THIS CAR HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE I…

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NHTSA ODI #10523491

15,000 miles · May 11, 2013

Steering

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STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY. I WAS GOING ABOUT 45 MILES AN HOUR. I HEARD THE WARNING BELL DING AND THE WARNING DISPLAYED "POWER STEERING FAILURE". I ALMOST CRASHED BECAUSE I COULDN'T STEER. IT TOOK ALL THE POWER I COULD MUSTER TO STEER. IF MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING IT WOULD HAVE KILLED HER. ALSO MY STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES WILL JOLT BACK AND FORTH SOMETIMES WHEN THE CAR IS IDLING IN PARK. FINALLY THE STEERING MAKES A LOUD AUDIBLE "THUNK" WHENEVER I TURN THE WHEEL OUT OF NEUTRAL POSITION, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THE WHEELS ARE GOING TO FALL OFF WHEN I HIT ANY KIND OF BUMP OR ROUGH ROAD. AS FOR THE POWER STEERING FAILURE I TOOK IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. IT HAPPENED ABOUT A DOZEN TIMES SO FAR AND THE DEALERSHIP SHRUGS THEIR SHOULDERS AND SAYS "IT DIDN'T DO IT FOR ME". THE KNOCKING OR THUNKING NOISE SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM ON EVERY 06 MALIBU ON THE ROAD. IS SOMEBODY GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? OR DO WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE ENOUGH FATALITIES TO FORCE SOMETHING TO HAPPEN? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10511538

116,010 miles · May 1, 2013

Power TrainSteering

THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SOMETIME NOW. I START MY VEHICLE UP TO GO, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR LOSES ITS POWER STEERING(STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT MOVE) AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING SHOWS UP ON THE DASH DISPLAY. I ALSO NOTICE AT A STOP OR AT SLOW SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL JUMPS FROM RIGHT TO LEFT QUITE FREQUENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510214

172,000 miles · Apr 27, 2013

Steering

MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN I WAS TURNING, WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL SOMETIMES IT MAKES A POPPING SOUND. THEN POWER STEERING WILL APPEAR ON MY MESSAGE SCREEN ON MY RADIO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10509763

110,000 miles · Apr 5, 2013

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE STEERING CONTROL MOTOR MODULE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR THE STEERING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10507270

59,550 miles · Mar 12, 2013

Power TrainSteering

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MY FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING ACROSS A RAILROAD TRACK AT A SPEED OF 35 MPH....WHILE DRIVING I HEARD A DINGING AND LOOKED TO SEE MY POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME THAT I WAS CROSSING THE TRACKS....TRACKS WHERE UNEVEN SO I KINDA WENT AROUND THE UNEVEN PART AND COULDN'T HANDLE MY STEERING SO I ALMOST HIT A CAR COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION...SECOND OCCURRENCE HAS EVEN MORE LIFE THREATENING....WHILE DRIVIN ON THE HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65MPH...I HEARD THE DINGING SOUND AND MY STEERING LOCKED UP COMPLETELY(LIKE WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF) I COULD NOT USE STEERING AT ALL AND I HAD A SEMI RIGHT BEHIND ME ....I WAS APPROACHING A CURVE IN THE HIGHWAY SO I SLOW DOWN SO THE TRAFFIC WOULD GO AROUND ME TO HOPEFULLY GET A CHANCE TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT TO RESET POWER STEERING....I HAD READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND THAT WAS THE SOLUTION..I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE DID A ROAD TEST AND OF COURSE NOTHING HAPPENED....I ONLY HAVE 2 MORE PAYMENT ON THIS CAR AND TO FIND OUT THAT THE SITUATION WHEN FIXED ALWAYS RECURS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING....PLEASE RECALL THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THIS PROBLEM KILLS SOMEBODY...MY FAMILY IS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND IF I GET INTO A ACCIDENT THEY WILL BE LOOKING CLOSELY INTO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10502558

Official recalls

15V064000 · Steering:electric Power Assist System

Feb 4, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.

14V252000 · Electrical System:wiring; Electronic Stability Control (esc); Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch; Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control

May 14, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2012 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured May 16, 2003, through October 11, 2012, 2004-2007 Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, through April 5, 2007, 2005-2010 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured May 26, 2004, through January 4, 2010, and 2007-2010 Saturn Aura vehicles manufactured April 24, 2006, through May 26, 2009. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the Body Control Module (BCM) connection may result in voltage fluctuations in the Brake Apply Sensor (BAS) circuit. These fluctuations can cause one or more of these conditions: the brake lights to illuminate without the brake pedal being pushed; the brake lights to not illuminate when the pedal is pushed; difficulty disengaging the cruise control; moving the gear shifter out of the 'PARK' position without pushing the brake; and disablement of crash avoidance features such as traction control, electronic stability control, and panic braking assist features.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Any of the above failure conditions increases the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will attach the wiring harness to the BCM with a spacer, apply dielectric lubricant to both the BCM and harness connector and the BAS and harness connector, and will relearn the brake pedal home position, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed an Interim letter to customers on July 14, 2014. The recall began on August 18, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), 1-800-762-2737 (Pontiac), 1-800-553-6000 (Saturn). GM's number for this recall is 13036.

Additional source detail variants (5)

Electronic Stability Control (esc)