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

190,000 miles · Mar 27, 2018

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED BEFORE OR DURING THE FAILURE. THE DEALER VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V064000 (STEERING) AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA REGULATED WHAT VEHICLES WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND TO CONTACT NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

NHTSA ODI #11081480

75,000 miles · Feb 20, 2018

Steering

WARNING COMES ON RADIO WITH WARNING BEEPS AND ALL POWER STEERING IS LOST UNTIL YOU TURN OFF CAR AND RESTART. IT CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY DRIVING SITUATION AT ANY SPEED. THE CAR HAS ALREADY HAD THE INITIAL RECALL TAKEN CARE OF FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM EVEN THO WE NEVER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH IT THEN. NOW EVEN THO ANOTHER RECALL WA…

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NHTSA ODI #11073938

76,000 miles · Feb 10, 2018

Steering

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RECALL 14116, STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR WAS PERFORMED 1 APRIL 2016 AT 37560 MILES. ON APPROX. 1-05-18, AT APPROX. 76000 MILES, THE STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY RESULTING IN EXTREMELY DIFFICULT CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS AFTER THE RECALL REPLACEMENT. UPON DIAGNOSIS TECHNICIANS FOUND THAT THE STEERING SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR AND THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MOTOR CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. THE MOTOR CONTROL MODULE PROBABLY FAILED DUE TO INCREASED STRESS ON THE SYSTEM DUE TO THE TORQUE SENSOR HAVING FAILED. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD TWO ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENTS FOR THE MOTOR CONTROL MODULE FAIL OUT OF THE BOX BEFORE A GOOD ONE WAS PROVIDED, AND BOTH UNITS HAD TO BE REPEATEDLY TESTED AND ADJUSTED BEFORE ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE WAS REACHED. BASED ON THE HISTORY OF THESE TYPE FAILURES IT IS APPARENT THAT GM HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEMS WITH THESE SYSTEM COMPONENTS. IT COST $747.36 FOR PARTS, AND $234.00 LABOR FOR THE REPAIR, NOT INCLUDING TAX. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE THAT GM IS NOT ACTUALLY CORRECTING THE APPARENT DESIGN ISSUES WITH THESE SYSTEMS, BUT IS CONTINUING TO USE THEM IN VEHICLES EVEN WITH THEIR HISTORY OF FAILURE. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFERED NO HELP AT ALL FOR THE COST OF THIS REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THEIR PARTS APPEAR TO BE DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN. THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD MADE THE RECALL CORRECTIONS AT NO COST ONCE AND WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN. YET THE OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS FAILED REPEATEDLY OUT OF THE BOX. IT SEEMS THAT GM SHOULD HAVE SOME RESPONSIBILITY AS THEY CONTINUE TO PRODUCE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS THAT APPEARS TO FAIL REPEATEDLY..

NHTSA ODI #11072094

111,000 miles · Dec 11, 2017

Steering

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INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING RESULTING IN A REQUIREMENT TO DRIVE WITH ONLY MANUAL STEERING WHICH REQUIRES GREATER FORCE AND LOWERS THE ABILITY TO REACT QUICKLY TO TRAFFIC PATTERS DRAMATICALLY. THIS HAPPENS BOTH WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND STOPPED. TURNING THE POWER ON AND OFF RESULTS IN TEMPORARILY RESTORING POWER STEERING. WORTH NOTING, GM SAID THE RECALL WAS CLOSED FOR THIS VEHICLE AND THE REPAIR WAS ALREADY PERFORMED, BUT FAILED TO BRING RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THEIR SENSOR THAT IS NOW NOT FUNCTIONING AGAIN. PRESUMABLY VEHICLE WAS FIXED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY PART FROM GM OR WAS NEVER ACTUALLY FIXED TO BEGIN WITH. THIS PROBLEM CREATES A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI #11053844

156,000 miles · Oct 18, 2017

Steering

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STEERING LOCKS UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE FEW MONTHS I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN WHILE ACCELERATING (SUCH AS TURNING LEFT ONTO A BUSY ROAD). SOMETIMES IT HAPPENED UPON ACCELERATION WITHOUT TURNING. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THIS SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR, HOWEVER, WHEN I TYPE IN MY VIN NUMBER, NOTHING COMES UP. IT IS MOST DEFINITELY A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP. I CANNOT AFFORD TO DO IT AT THIS TIME. PLEASE TELL ME IF PERHAPS MY VIN JUST DOESN'T SHOW UP, BUT I MAY BE ABLE TO GET IT FIXED AT NO CHARGE DUE TO THE RECALL THAT INVOLVES VERY SIMILAR PROBLEMS/HAZARDS.

NHTSA ODI #11034466

130,000 miles · Jul 24, 2017

Electrical SystemEngine

ENGINE GOES INTO ENGINE POWER REDUCED MODE WHILE GOING 55 ON A HIGHWAY AND SOON THE ENGINE BECOMES DISABLED WHICH DISABLES THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES. NO INJURIES AS I WAS SMART ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE SITUATION, BUT THIS HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND MY CAR READS NO CODES FOR THE SITUATION.

NHTSA ODI #11010391

382,000 miles · Jun 6, 2017

Steering

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THREE CHIMES SOUNDED, THE VEHICLE SEIZED, PULLED TO THE RIGHT, AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL, IT WOULD CANCEL THE CRUISE CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AT 304-422-6501 AND CONFIRMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT THE SHAFT TORQUE SENSOR KIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE A CASE NUMBER OR EMAIL AFTER INFORMING THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 382,000.

NHTSA ODI #10993394

140,000 miles · May 11, 2017

Steering

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DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, AND SLOWED TO A STOP LIGHT. THE CAR SUDDENLY DINGS THREE TIMES. I HEAR A HIGH POPPING NOISE AND THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT APPEARS ON THE SCREEN. LIGHT TURNS GREEN. THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES VERY HARD TO TURN. IT TAKES ALL OF MY MIGHT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT ON A RED LIGHT INTERSECTION. I BARELY AVOIDED HITTING THE OPPOSITE CAR THAT WAS GOING LEFT ACROSS FROM ME. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD A RECALL. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS INFORMED MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY IN THE RECALL BECAUSE IT WAS MADE EARLIER THAN THE OTHER MODELS, AND THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED IN 2014 ANYWAY. SCARED ME TO DEATH ALMOST HITTING SOMEONE ELSE.

NHTSA ODI #10984811

110,000 miles · Mar 10, 2017

Steering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH AN AUDIBLE WARNING SOUND ACTIVATED BEFORE THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO …

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NHTSA ODI #10959910

139,000 miles · Mar 9, 2017

Steering

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I WAS PICKING UP A FRIEND & THE CAR DROVE SMOOTHLY TO THEIR DESTINATION. I STOP THE CAR & PUT THE CAR IN PARK MODE, RIDER GOT IN & I PUT THE CAR BACK IN DRIVE MODE. A FEW MOMENTS LATER IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET I TOOK A LEFT TURN & THE STEERING WHEEL RIPPED ITSELF OUT OF MY HANDS STRAIGHTENING ITSELF OUT. POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON THE CENTER CONSOLE, I HAD NO POWER STEERING DURING THE LEFT TURN & ALMOST GOT INTO A CAR ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF IT. I HAD TO MUSCLE THE STEERING WHEEL TO SAFETY & PULL OVER. AS OF RIGHT NOW I AM STILL FACING THIS ISSUE, POWER STEERING IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE & THE PROBLEM IS WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. I LOOKED UP THE ISSUE ONLINE ONLY TO FIND OUT I WASN'T ALONE, MANY OTHERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE AS I DID. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED ASAP

NHTSA ODI #10959768

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)