10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 11 / 1
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 6 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 84,950 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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« Read the previous 20 complaints
We got this 2010 Malibu about a month ago. On April 12, 2010 I had a sudden loss of power steering while driving on high way 9. I pulled over on the shoulder and turned it off and waited about 25 minutes and when I started the engine it goes back to normal. Few days ago we had the same problem while exiting the freeway. Again, we had to park it on the shoulder and when we turned it off and turned it back on it would go back to normal. We took it to the closest shop and the mechanics there checked it and found nothing wrong with it. They said all Chevy with traction control are like that, especially when it's pouring rain or when it's too cold, and I believe they were telling the truth because I usually have all these ESC/traction and steering wheel warning lights only when it's raiining or too cold. Please help us as we have kids and don't want to take the risk. Thanks!
- Marysville, WA, USA
I left my driveway early in the morning. After going down my residential street, I went to turn my car to the left and the power steering went out. On my dash the meassage "ESC service power steering appeared". after turning my car off for a few seconds, I turned the car back on and the power steering was back to normal, and the message was gone from my dash. After doing some research I see there has been a recall on the Chevrolet Malibu for this problem, however my car's VIN is not included in it even though it is having the same problem with power steering.
- Stanford, KY, USA
While driving on an interstate I lost all power steering. The powering steering light came on and I had to try to move over to the shoulder which was very difficult. Very hard to turn the steering wheel without power steering. I'm just glad I was driving and not my wife. This happened more than once. After shutting off the car it went back to normal but would happen more often over time. I always knew the car had steering issues but always thought it was just the tires. Finally when the wheel would just shake while in park I did some research and found out this is a major recall in many General Motors cars which include every model year Malibu except the 2010. For some reason the 2010 model there is only a special coverage warranty, not a recall. GM admits there is a major defect with the power steering recall on all these cars but for some reason didn't recall the 2010 model. They only did the special coverage bulletin. If you are over 150,000 miles or 10 years your out of luck. You put your life on the line driving it. Since they put the special coverage on it they are admitting it has the faulty parts in the cars. Unexceptable. All cars that they know have these problem parts need to be taken off the road.
- Bayville, NJ, USA
Fist occurred approx. 4yrs ago the steering will lock while car is in motion traction light pops on and steering will lock cannot move the only recourse is to place in park, turn off and back on to free steering. I reported to maundy Chevrolet dealership I was there is not a check engine light on so there is nothing that can be done. This continue to happen throughout the 4yrs maybe twice a year until ending of 2017 when it became more consistent. After March of 2018 after it happened 3 time within that month, once with my granddaughter in the car, I took my vehicle to pep boys for a tune up {please note preventance maintenence work is being constantly done all this while } spoke to the electrician that was performing the tune up, and explained what the issue was, he did preformed a tune up and ran a diagnose and found a C0561 code in the system. He advise me to return to the dealership with this information which I did, along with the paperwork from pep boys. Ironically despite the check engine light not being on mundy Chevrolet " found the issue" which amounted to $1400 in repair work. { again please note I have been taken my car into the dealership to have varying maintenance work done} I contacted GM, I was assigned a case number and a senior case advisor by the name of destiny, despite several calls and voice mail, I am yet to receive a call from destiny. GM has shown no interest in an issue that is life threating. Imagine your steering basically going "dead" while the car is in motion. I am lucky to still be alive. This has happen on city street, while in motion particularly on turns.
- Houston, TX, USA
I got the car in 2015 and from that I have had problem with the steering light coming on and shutting off the power steering which my wife was driving and she lost control of the car and almost ran into a pole. This has happened more than one time and when she turn off the car, it works again but then happens again. I have more problems with the headlights going out over and over and the socket being burned out and have to replace them as well now my radio has power but doesn't come on, after it was just working. I can't hear any door chimes or turn signal signs. It like a problem after a problem with the electrical components in this car. I am buy this car but we don't even feel safe to drive it. It has only 79000 miles but the problems started happening around 50,000 miles and when I got the car it had 43,000 miles I believe.
- Cleveland, OH, USA
Sometimes when I start the car the power steering sign will be on the dash, it will also say service the ESC =. there will be no power steering. I can turn off for awhile and re start and the problem will go away. There is also a shacking in steering wheel while I'm in park or stopped at a light
- Madison Heights, MI, USA
2010 Chevrolet Malibu power steering shimmy started yesterday. Today power steering quit. After restart power steering works with hands off shimmy again.
- Flemington, NJ, USA
I was driving down the road and the power steering light came on along with ESC, and service ESC. I could not steer my car as usual. I shut off the car and when I started it back up it was fine.
- Ottawa Hills, OH, USA
I was driving in my neighborhood, when suddenly, my power steering failed. I had to use a great deal more effort to steer the car to avoid parked cars, as well oncoming traffic. I had a couple near misses, but made it to my driveway. Since, I have had the same power steering fail 4 times while driving in neighborhood and on the highway each timehighway. Fortunately, I avoided contact with other cars while moving, but only due to my experienced driving. If my kids were driving this car, they would have had an accident! now, I learned GM had an effective recall for my model, but for earlier years up through 2009. Hence, they have closed said recall and left me with nary an option. I am turning to you to see if a renewed recall can be reopened!
- Carmel, IN, USA
Chevrolet Malibu 2010 4 cylinder electric power steering having intermittent power steering issues both while stationary and moving in other words at times during startup it will be functional and sometimes non-functional same while moving. Supposedly this vehicle is not part of a power steering recall that was issued in 2014 although it appears to have the same mechanical issues. No correlation to speed steering or any other notable variable that I could see.
- Avon, IN, USA
July 2015, driving down the highway at 70 miles an hour, steering locked up on me and had to power the vehicle off the road with the dash saying, "ESC power steering". in between starts, the wheel unlocked and the dash message was gone. I stopped at a GM agent and was told they could only help if it was still showing on the dash. This problem coupled with a constant twitching occurred over 10 times in 3 years; and in January 2018 while driving to work on the highway it locked up and the power steering is since gone, and the twitching is scary worse. The car is currently parked as the wheel will not turn. This problem is going to kill someone if not fixed soon. I am glad I get to live another day to share my experience.
- Saginaw, MI, USA
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. On several occasions, after the vehicle was started, the service power steering and the ESC off indicators illuminated. Afterwards, a complete loss of power steering ability caused the steering wheel to seize. On multiple occasions, the contact had to shut the vehicle off to reset the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 182,000.
- Burton, MI, USA
There are alerts about the power steering and the service ESC on the dash when I turn on the car. Sometimes when I start the car the steering wheel shakes and jerks, without my control. This affects my driving abilities and is a clear danger. The steering wheel shakes the most when I am stopped, but it shakes the entire time I am driving the vehicle. The other times I start the car, the power steering alerts come on and there is no power steering and I have to steer manually. This problem started slowly; originally the wheel shook but not as violently as it does now. Over the past couple weeks it has gotten worse, and recently the power steering has gone out when I've started. Before I could just restart my car and the power steering would work, but now the more I restart the car the less likely the steering will work properly. This problem started in January but intensified in March.
- Battle Creek, MI, USA
For the last three days my 2010 Malibu is experiencing a problem with the steering. Every time I turn my car on it says service ESC and my steering is super hard to work with. I can't steer my car at all. I have to shut my car off and reset the engine until the service ESC goes away. I was driving home from work today and it went off while I was driving and I couldn't steer my car at all. I had to pull over which was tough because there was some traffic. I've been looking all over online and most people say there is a recall for the steering column but my car's VIN isn't popping up for any of the recalls. Which is crazy because my car is doing the same stuff the people who got it fixed for free.
- Gasport, NY, USA
Complete loss of power steering, while drivng, steering wheel constantly shaking by itself. Also replacing headlights an brake lights every couple months.
- Shephardsville, KY, USA
"takata recall while driving on a city street my steering locked up and light came on the steering would not work
- Carnegie, PA, USA
While driving on busy highway the power steering light and ESC light comes on and there was loss of power steering. It became very hard for my daughter to turn the wheel. After stopping and turning off engine, she restarted and got the power steering back but the steering wheel vibrated and moved on it's own. Later that week the power steering went out while driving down the highway and it has not come back. I'm thankful she wasn't hurt and the numbers of the exact same complaint on this car is getting ridiculous. The manufacturers need to step up and do the right thing.
- Collinsville, OK, USA
Takata recall. When car is running I have steering failure. Hard to turn the steering wheel. Almost had an accident. Alarm sounds and on dash it says power steering and ESC off and service ESC.
- Fairless Hills, PA, USA
Power steering warning indicator and other indication on hard. Manual says contact dealer. Dealer says this VIN not in recall which was issued.
- New Bedford, MA, USA
- New Port Richey, FL, USA