I had the column replace at Muzi Chevrolet, brought it back a week later because the popping noise was slight but still there. They said they couldn't hear the noise. It got worse, a year later brought it to another shop, they said it was annoying but not a problem. I just brought the car again to Chevy in Texas. They think suspension or column. From all the comments and past experience, I will spend $1500 for them just to tell me it is ok when it comes back next week. How is this acceptable?
For months there has been a popping sound coming from the front of the car I was told that the car needed to be grease, so the mechanic lubed under car , changed oil and I also had my front brake pads replace and there was a new rotor put on the front left wheel. After a week the noise returned. I did not go back to the mechanic because i had no money to get the car fixed,the noise continued to get louder. Then my power steering light came on and I my steering went out a couple of times. Is there a recall on this Malibu that I don't know about. I 'm afraid to drive the car fearing that the steering will go and I will have an accident. How can i get my car fixed? Is GM repairing the problem. If some one can direct me where to get a solution, I truly would appreciate it.
Bought this car from a chevy dealer in Indianola, Iowa now located in Norwalk, Iowa. They told me when I took it back for a noise in the steering they would fix it and didn't understand what it could be. Got it back they said it just needed a little adjustment in the steering 2 days later the noise was back. Took it to a privately owned repair shop he said he couldn't fix it but my car was known for that and GM should of recalled them years ago. So a dealer who specializes in GM acted stupid like they had never heard of this problem before and a private repair shop knew right away - he had seen it many times. Called them up to advise them of this they said sorry we can't help you. I think we are all seeing why GM went under, they have worthless dealerships selling and ripping off the customer. Destroying the chance for new and returning customers. They might think they have saved a few hundred dollars by lying when in reality they lost thousands.
As I read other peoples complaints I am glad that I am not the only one that GM is not trying to straighten out their mess. My wife drives this piece of junk. I have been a GM buyer for years until this klunker. I had steering problems with my GM trucks,tahoe,and now my car. I will not buy another GM car or truck. No wonder they were going under, they do not know how to treat their customers.
I too was hearing the popping when turning my wheels on my 2005 Chevy Malibu. I took the car to the mechanic and was told that I needed my ball joints and stabilizer bar replaced which cost me 1200.00. During the drive home I noticed a slight popping when I turned my wheels. I called the mechanic and he advised me that he would look it up to see what the problem could be. I never heard back from him. That was 6 months ago. Well this 1-1/2 weeks ago when it got really cold hear in Ohio...the popping got louder and unbearable. I took the car to another mechanic that told me it was the rack and pinion. It would cost me 650.00. I asked could I drive the car with it making that noise. He told me that it wouldn't be a problem and the only issue would be the loud popping noise. I made an appointment to get the car fixed on last Thursday. On Wednesday (day before car appt), I dropped my daughter off at school. I turned 3 corners in my drive back to my home. On the 3rd turn I heard a very loud pop and I could no longer turn my wheels. I could turn the steering wheel but it no longer made the car wheels turned. I found myself on the wrong side of the road and was able to stop the car 2 feet from a very large tree!!!! I called the mechanic and told him the car would needed to be towed. A police officer pulled up to see if I was ok..looked under the hood and told me the rack and pinion was DETACHED from the steering wheel! I got the car repaired but today...2 days after it was repaired...guess what? The popping is back!!!
By the way....I also had the intermittent problems with the power steering display. The power steering would sometimes go out. I had to turn the car off then turn it back on and then I would be able to turn the wheel and the display would no longer say power steering.
Chevrolet needs to handle this death trap problem!!
I will never buy a chevy again!!!!
- Tl S.,
Cleveland, OH, US
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
I am unsure as to when this problem actually started. I happened to notice the popping noise when I turned and have looked and had friends, you know " car guys" look, and we all came up blank. Now I had a small slide off the road around the beginning of '08 and had to have the big $600 dollar part attached to the steering underneath replaced. And it seemed fine until a few weeks later the popping noise began again. Annoying to say the least I didn't and don't have the cash to continue to have my car looked at, so I decided to ignore it until it became a real problem. Somewhere near the end of February my sensor gave me the steering problem across the screen and I checked my booklet at my next stop. All it informed me was to take to my nearest dealer and have a diagnostic run. YEAH! Real helpful there. So since it was still drivable and my power steering was still working I have ignored it. Now I chanced upon this web site looking for a solution to another problem and have thus like many others added my complaint. and I say FIND A WAY TO FIX THE FLIPPING PROBLEM!!!!!!
Popping noises started around 33000 miles, dealer replaced intermediate steering shaft, which first took them about 3 hours just to diagnose the problem. Car now has about 55000 miles and the exact same noises have started again. Since I opted not to buy the extended warranty, I expect to have to pay for the same repair this time around. Only other complaint is the vibration during hard braking which started a long time ago, haven't fixed that yet.
For the past 3 years, I've been hearing a popping noise in my steering column, but it never really bothered me, so I didn't do anything about it. Well, over the past 5 months, a warning light has been coming on (the car symbol with a wrench in the middle of it) along with the words "power steering". This has been an intermittent problem. Took it to the dealer and was told that they couldn't diagnose the problem. On Thursday, 9/17/09, right before getting ready to turn onto the freeway, "I HAD NO POWER STEERING". Thank goodness I didn't get on the freeway and managed to pull into a parking lot (struggled doing so). Right before calling my tow service, I started up the car again and "HAD POWER STEERING; NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER". So, I immediately drove it to the nearest dealer and was told they are already aware of the problem, but there was no recall and that they couldn't help me because they were closed. Well, to make a long story short, I have been driving the vehicle ever since and the light has come on twice, but the steering hasn't locked up again. I got online to find out if others have complained of this problem and that's when I discovered this website. IT LOOKS LIKE I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP, BUT JUST KNOW IT'S A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS TO YOU!!!!!!!!! Based on comment #33, #16, #14, I'm requesting that the dealer consider that repair and I'm making a copy of all of these complaints. I'm planning to also contact the Chevrolet Customer Service Dept to make them aware of this complaint. I'm taking my car in on Thursday, 9/24/09 to a reputable dealership. If anything should happen to me as a result of this issue, at least it's documented and GM will be responsible.
I told myself I wasn't going to buy another Malibu, but the price lured me back. I was so glad to find this forum for airing out issues with the car. My car is also making the popping sound from steering column every time I turn left or right. I was disheartened (?) to see very few repair success stories. There was an entry for shortening the steering joint. The author said the steering column is now quiet. As anyone else been successful using this same solution?
When I steer my car, and make turns either right or left, my steering sounds like a pop. It started around 50K miles. Now I have 77K. I thought nothing of it, but when I heard other 2005 Malibus where acting the same way, I thought I would write a complaint.
Whats the matter? Malibu 2005 models are ripe-offs.
Took to dealer under warranty, and Santa Rosa Chevrolet replaced "steering gear," which did not fix the problem. Resolved the problem for the remainder of the warranty, then the problem returned. Took to Sebastopol Chevrolet dealer, whom quickly diagnosed that the "intermediate steering shaft" had no lubricant! They lubed the shaft and indicated that this problem would likely recur and would eventually need to replace the shaft. Had the car back from Sebastopol in two hours - Santa Rosa took four days. Have since been advised that Santa Rosa Chevy's service department frequently gets it wrong, and Sebastopol frequently repairs the damage done by Santa Rosa.
We love this Malibu, bought used 12/2005. Have had this same steering problem fixed twice before, all with the same problem. The first 2 times it was under warranty; now we have an extended warranty so it will cost $100+. The service manager says there was no recall but there should be. We can't understand why there is no permanent fix for this problem. My husband told the manager that GM deserves going out of business since they can't seem to make their cars last!! Well, we'll probably have it happen again, but this is my car (my husband has a Ford truck) & I love driving it. We get 38 mpg on the freeway, which is great. And it is FUN TO DRIVE!! But would I recommend your buying one? I doubt it!!
WHEW!!!! So glad I am not the only one. I just recently had the tire rod replaced in the car that did not fix the clunking problem. Now I am told that it is the steering. Also the keyless entry does not work anymore and the starter sticks everso often. Now my car has 83,000 miles on it. I also have a 97 Toyota Corolla that has 197,000 miles on it and it drives way better than my Malibu and has not been in the shop a day in its life. I would drive it to New York and back....but not this American made piece of crap. I guess you get what you pay for. I think my next purchase will be foreign again. Come on Chevrolet step up to the plate and recall these problems.
Steering popping noises began just before warranty ran out. At first, I thought it was ball joint noises. But the dealer replaced the rack. That fixed the problem for about 5 thousand miles, until out of warranty. I have not attempted another "fix". The car now has 62000 miles and popping big time. Judging from the many complaints I've read, no one seems to know the real fix for this problem. You would think that GM has the answer, but I'm inclined to think that the problem is an engineering design one that has no fix short of starting all over. Surely, this very common problem would have surfaced during the initial design stage had GM done just a little extended - time testing. It's just a bad design that results from changing designs with each model redesign rather than sticking with and improving the design as time goes by.
Wow! Totally shocked that Chevy made such a crummy car. My 2005 Malibu with only 36,000 miles on it(which i just bought in April of '08) was making a popping noise when i turned the steering wheel. I drove it off the lot that way and was told from the salesman that some popping was normal. Well, it never went away, it only got louder and more often. So they replaced the rack and pinion in June, which did not fix the problem...it was still popping. well i just got back from Preston Hood Chevrolet in Fort Walton Beach and guess what.....they said the rack and pinion needs to be replaced again. yet this time its not under warranty and that i would have to pay $603 plus change because GM will not do anything about it....we'll see about that. I can't imagine after only 16,000 miles that the rack and pinion needs to be replaced AGAIN. Somebody does not know what they are doing. A rack and pinion should be good for about 80,000 miles. So, if your thinking about getting a Chevy Malibu.....DON'T! Save yourself the huge hassle.
Bought the heap in Jan 2005; the popping started, but only while turning left in March of 2006 (while under warranty), the dealership said the power steering pump came loose. So, they slapped some Loctite on it and tightened a bolt on the pump housing. The same noise came back in August 2007, (now out of warranty), this time the dealer said they need to replace the steering box for about $680. I left scratching my head and am still driving with the pop today, but it pops when I turn right and left. I called the GM Customer Service number 800-462-8782, asked the rep about recalls. She put me on hold and called my dealership (Lupient Chevy in Bloominton, MN) to get the skinny and the service manager said the first time they have record of my issue was the second time I brought it in. They had no record of the bolt tightening visit. Then she got into how much money I have spent at the dealership and how many visits I have made. Like it was my fault the car is falling apart. As we were saying goodbye she said she was filing my call under the unsatisfied column. They wonder why nobody buys there cars anymore and they need Corporate Welfare.Thanks GM.
I bought my Malibu in Mar.08 from Carmax. Consumer Report gave it good reviews, and the price was right. I did not know about the cars electronic steering control (ESC) and all its related steering problems. The car had 35k miles when I bought it. Except for the starter solenoid sticking occasionally, the first 10k miles were trouble free. At about 45k, I began to notice a popping noise when turning slowly to the right and back to center. The problem continued to get worse, and I became concerned that I may be doing serious damage to the steering components, and was it even safe to drive? That's when I decided to go surfing and stumbled across AUTOBEEF. It was a little consoling to know that I am not alone. It is very disheartening to me to know that GM gave so man
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
I had the column replace at Muzi Chevrolet, brought it back a week later because the popping noise was slight but still there. They said they couldn't hear the noise. It got worse, a year later brought it to another shop, they said it was annoying but not a problem. I just brought the car again to Chevy in Texas. They think suspension or column. From all the comments and past experience, I will spend $1500 for them just to tell me it is ok when it comes back next week. How is this acceptable?
- Dagmara F., Garland, TX, US