5,713 of the
29,413 complaints filed about the Chevrolet Malibu
are about the steering —
19% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2004.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the toe links and the suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched and became aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,500.
NHTSA complaint #11757535 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The esc light came on, air conditioner fan speed went high then low and my screen flickered out momentarily. The esc light came on three more times, 10-15 seconds each time with no lights remaining on after and no other changes. The next time I drove, when turning the esc light came on and the steering locked up for about 5 seconds
NHTSA complaint #11755368 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My 2020 Chevrolet Malibu experienced a sudden and severe electrical failure after driving through normal roadway water. Immediately afterward, the vehicle displayed multiple safety‑critical warnings including loss of power steering assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) faults, brake control faults, and reduced propulsion. A GM dealership inspected the vehicle, scanned the modules, and found more than a dozen network and chassis‑related diagnostic trouble codes, including: B3979, U0164, B1325, B3122, U0121, C0196, C0460, B1011, B097B, B3205, C056E, C056D, U0420, U1510, C0545, U0422. These codes indicate failures in the steering system, brake control module, stability control system, body control module, and multiple CAN‑bus communication networks. The dealership confirmed: – No physical damage – No evidence of collision or impact – No evidence of flood damage – The suspected failed component is the electric power steering rack (GM part 85621696) – The part is not available, meaning the vehicle cannot be repaired – I would be responsible for diagnostic and repair costs This is a major safety concern. The vehicle can lose steering assist, stability control, and braking support without warning. The inability to obtain the required steering component makes the vehicle unrepairable and unsafe to operate. I am reporting this because this appears to be a systemic electrical/network failure affecting critical safety systems. I believe this defect poses a significant risk to drivers, passengers, and other motorists. The attached photo is a is a picture of the printout the Chevrolet dealership Service Manager provided to me.
NHTSA complaint #11755071 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
So while I was driving my car going 60 on the highway it seemed to be having electrical issues all the lights on my dash popped on then popped off and only a few lights actually stayed on I can't remember exactly but the check engine and my abs stayed on and then on my screen it read to me warning power steering fault my headlights were dimming on and off like my car was going to die, so I had to pull over for my safety and other drivers safety, so after I pulled over safely I shut my car completely off and waited about 5 minutes and turned it back on when it turned back on the only light that popped on my dash was the check engine light, but the check engine light had actually been on the dash for a while after I replaced the 21 fuses that were missing that I didn't know were missing when I purchased the vehicle as is from a dealership the only thing that made me decide to check my fuses was because my check engine light was popping on and off and would stay off for a while then come back on a code reader said it was something to do with my turbo that code it was just very odd and the car was shifting weird 3 or 4 months after the purchase date XXX also after I put all the fuses back in a ton of codes popped up others safety and mine were at risk as I didn't really have control of my vehicle when it was doing that and it started breaking itself when I wasn't even hitting the break it was like jolting it's self and stopping slightly. I took my car to AAMCO Total car Care for a free diagnostic test, and then I had recently took my car to a Chevy dealership in Nampa Idaho off garrity boulevard because online it had told me there was recalls for my car and that recall was exactly what I was thinking had started off as the original problem originally leading into the other problems I got told to bring my car in then the fed me information saying pretty much it was a bust and that specific Malibu has no recall I think they just didn't want to work on it
NHTSA complaint #11754086 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking and locked up, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. A dealer or an independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed that the warranty on the vehicle had expired. The approximate failure mileage was 146,000.
NHTSA complaint #11751580 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND THE CAR IS RECEIVING ERROR: "SHIFT TO PARK". THIS APPEAR TO BE A KNOW ISSUE FOR 2018 CHEVY MALIBU HYBRID. CAR CUT OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC
NHTSA complaint #11751389 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There is a frequency coming from the front of the driver's seat, steering wheel, and under the instrument panel that sends a electrical shock as you drive. If you have aluminum foil or any type of material that blocks electrical signals in the driver's seat it will shock you as well. This could definitely cause an accident while driving . This happens daily. It started in April 2026.
NHTSA complaint #11748260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Everytime I turn on my car, I get a warning for ESC power steering and I have no power steering. Usually it will fix itself have shutting it off once and starting it again immediately. There has been a couple times where it has taken multiple starts to fix itself.
NHTSA complaint #11746504 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The power steering motor failed ,ESC , TRACTION and power steeringg lights came on, i am a woman and coould NOT control the car and my safety and others was at risk for an accident or crash ,there was nothing prior to this just suddenly loosing control of my car and a very scary position to be in , yes the chevy dealer has the component.I know ther was a recall on this problem and other s beside myself are still having this problem so with the low milage on this car this should NOT have happened , General Motoors should stand behind a recall no matter how long, a recall is a recall 10 years or the life off the car.
NHTSA complaint #11745342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the vehicle inadvertently shifted between park(P), drive(D), and neutral(N), and the selected gear was not visible or illuminated on the instrument cluster or the gear shifter panel. The doors locked and unlocked, and the engine started shaking abnormally. The contact stated that the message "Service Power Steering - Drive with Care" was displayed during the failure. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road after each failure and the gear shifter was slowly shifted between gears until the desired gear was selected. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11744242 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
No power steering for 25min drive home. Next day it worked. Dealership said it had an expired recall for power steering fix. No work was done by dealership.
NHTSA complaint #11743766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
As I'm driving I hear a chime and the radio says power steering and I just loose power steering it's scary and I really wish gm would have made this a permanent recall
NHTSA complaint #11738366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1.The ESC system and power steering lights come on and sometimes go off making it extremely unsafe to drive due to not having proper control of the steering wheel. It is available for inspections at any time. 2.Being able to turn and use steering wheel correctly puts me and my family at risk for collisions. 3.confirmed by a code reader. And personal Mechanic. 4. No inspections have been made at dealership u called and they said there was no recall. 5. No other than the steering wheel moving on its own when at a stop light.
NHTSA complaint #11737052 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Power steering went out and I'm told it's a sensor that is in the steering column. Very expensive to have fixed due to location of the sensor. I seen a recall for this problem however it is only good for 150,000 miles or 10 years. I just purchased this car 2 years ago with 172,000 miles. This recall should still be valid if it hasn't been repaired. I almost wrecked the car not realizing this happened while driving.
NHTSA complaint #11736746 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact's wife owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the messages "ESC" and "Fuel Low" were displayed even though there was half a tank of fuel. The transmission failed to shift out of park (P). The contact stated that the failure occurred twice. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the manufacturer's engineer determined that there was a short circuit in the steering rack. The contact was informed that the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
NHTSA complaint #11735824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2011 Chevrolet Malibu LS related to the electronic stability control (ESC), traction control, and electric power steering systems. My vehicle is currently experiencing the following problems: * “Service ESC” warning message * “ESC Off” displayed * Traction control disabled * Electric power steering warning * Airbag warning light illuminated These issues occur while driving and directly impact the vehicle’s safety systems and handling. I am aware of a prior safety recall issued by General Motors under Recall Number 13036, which involves electrical wiring, the body control module (BCM), and brake assist system (BAS). According to the recall, this defect can result in the loss of electronic stability control, traction control, and other critical safety features. My vehicle is experiencing the exact same symptoms described in Recall #13036, including the disabling of ESC and traction control systems. However, I have been informed that my VIN may not be included in this recall, despite the identical safety-related failures. This presents a significant safety risk because: * Electronic stability control and traction control systems are not functioning * Steering assist may be compromised * Crash avoidance and braking support features may be disabled I am requesting that this issue be investigated and that consideration be given to expanding Recall #13036 to include additional affected vehicles like mine, as this appears to be a widespread defect. This condition poses a serious risk to driver and passenger safety, thank you so much you can contact me back via email [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11732967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11727609 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.