This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The power steering in my 2009 Chevy Malibu went out on. The car is available for inspection upon request. This is very unsafe because I am unable to turn the car quickly, if needed. This is a safety risk to not only me, but other drivers on the road. I took the car to Tire Rama in Helena, Montana on February 12, 2025. The receipt stated that there was a steering column internal wire issue. The car has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representative or others. The message, ESC (electronic steering control) occurred at the same time the power steering stopped working. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My Power Steering stops working. I have to shut the car off and on several times and it will come back on. There is a recall for the 2009 Malibu, although my VIN is showing it-??s not part of the recall. The air conditioner works some days, but other days not at all. It also shows that this is under recall, although my VIN shows not affected by this recall either. The air conditioner is inconvenient, but the steering is a safety issue. My wheel will barely turn when it stops working.
My chevy malibu has been losing power steering multiple times per day. It comes back on after turning the car off and on again, but then goes out again after just a few miles. I understand this is an issue with the 4 cylinder, electric power-steering malibus from that year. However, my VIN is not covered by the recall for this.
After no issues with my electric power steering for the vehicles whole life, it randomly started shutting off and back on. If I were to park and restart the car, the power steering will return, then shut off again once I steer while driving. The next day, no power steering at all and none since. After taking it into a shop, they told be the steering sensor needed to be replaced and would cost about $1000. I read on this and found there was a recall for '09 Malibus for the electric power steering, but my car was not part of the recall. All of the symptoms of the issue listed in the recall are the same and many people online report the same. Same issues, same shutting on and off and a complete shutdown.
Power steering failing intermittently. While driving get message power steering and check ESC. After stopping and restarting the car the failure goes away but returns few miles later. It's very hard turning with no power steering. If I had to avoid something I probably wouldn't be able to respond quickly enough. I probably will go to car shop to have it checked. I see that on Chevy forums this issue is common. Some VINS recalled and some not? No warning lamps other than when it happens I get the power steering indication and check ESC.
- East Brunswick, NJ, USA
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Powering steering intermittently goes out. Sometimes when backing up sometimes while driving straight and sometimes while trying to take a ramp on the highway. The battery on the car was replaced and the alternator was checked and all there is good. This model has an electric power steering pump and the same pump was recalled on other malibus. Why has this one not been recalled?
Without notice, as I was driving down the road, I turned the turn signal on to turn right and then the steering wheel stiffened up and was unable to turn so I hit the curb, as i kept on struggling to force hardened steering wheel to the right.. I managed to straighten it to pull over safely.. I was very fortunate not to be rear-ended or hit something else in front of me besides the curb.. I was thinking I could pour power steering fluid into it, but I was unaware until someone else looked at it, that it is not like the cars back in the day where you can pour it in -??I was told (not by a mechanic, just someone who stopped to help me get home.) that there was no reservoir and that it was an electrical power steering unit, that needed to be replaced, from inside the car, & that they had heard of a recall on this problem. Sooo, can you help me with this in some way ?? ?
Power Steering light and function kept shutting on and off. Stated with shaking wheel. Eventually just stopped working completely. Took to Dealership to get diagnosed. I see this is a common issue/recall on 2009 chvy malibus.
Sudden Loss of Electrical Power Steering - it is the exact problem listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000. When the VIN number is scanned it does not list this vehicle as falling under the recall, but it is the same year, make, & models as those that do. The steering failure occurs randomly, several times a week, including today.
I've been trying to fix the car I've put alternator new starter wires everything you can think of new fuses and the esc light burnt out 2 brand new battery's I've lost my job because it's unfixable almost killed after the power steering went out because of what's going on with this problem I can't fix it I've spent over 1000 trying to find the problem.
When driving my 2009 chevy malibu out of nowhere my car steering wheel became difficult to turn. Then "Service Power Steering Loss SC" illuminated. I was able to steer the vehicle using extra effort to drive the vehicle. I turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. Then as I continued driving the power steering failure reoccurred. I pulled off the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle regained power steering functionality. The failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure. It was dangerous that out of nowhere the power steering started that issue as I was driving and could have caused a serious accident.
The contact owns a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the roadway. The contact was able drive to the residence by using excessive force to steer the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electric power steering (EPS) assist motor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 (Steering). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 245,000.
I recently bought this car used a month ago, currently I still do not have any check engine lights. The other day while turning my power steering went out and -??service esc-?? flashed on my dash. My vehicle is normal when you start it but as soon as I start driving and make a turn in any direction my power steering goes out and the traction control gets turned off.
The component that-??s messing up is the power steering causing a warning light to come up I got the car in January and been dealing with this issue since it-??s making my car hard to drive and I been getting stuck in places the warning lamps been popping up about two months after I got the car and it-??s been acting up since my steering wheel shakes uncontrollably and sometimes it slips and tries to turn on its own I haven-??t been in a accident but the issue is getting worse and will cause that
Loss of Power Steering Assist while driving, increasing risk of crash, occurred on 3/8/24. No warning of failure, but upon failure the dash indicated Power Steering malfunction. When able to schedule into repair shop, system error codes indicated the Electronic Power Steering Motor Control Module and Steering Column required replacement (shop mechanic said these parts have worn out). Vehicle has not been repaired due to excessive cost ($1400 parts, plus $385 labor and shop supplies, plus sales tax). Vehicle only had 96,227 miles when malfunction occurred and has never been driven hard. Malfunctioning parts are still in vehicle and are thus available for inspection upon removal. Vehicle is still in use and probably poses an elevated and unnecessary risk to the general public and occupants of this vehicle due to poor manufacturer design and/or quality assurance. I have driven the vehicle 11 miles to date, without re-occurrence of malfunction (yet).
In 2012, I was driving down a somewhat of a curvy road when all of a sudden when approaching a curve, the car would not turn!!! I was headed straight for a tree as well as traveling into opposing traffics lane. Fortunately, no one was coming. Eventually the steering came back which sent me back in the other direction as I was pulling on the wheel trying to get it to turn. This sent me over a curb that was on my side of the road, resulting in damage that had to be repaired at a collision center. I was scared to drive the car after this because of what happened, but everyone I talked to said there wasn't nothing wrong with the car. I started driving it again and everything was fine, until in 2022 as I was pulling into my mother's driveway, and it happened again!! I started the turn and boom no steering and ended up in her front yard. I haven't drove it since because I am terrified it will happen again. Today I decided to look into if anyone was having the same issue as I, and I found that my car was under a GM special coverage 15356 which has now expired. This should have been a RECALL!! If I wouldn't have thought to look into the problem I would have never known. Not only am I out money for the repair from the first incidence this could have ended poorly not just for me but other drivers around me as well.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Helena, MT, USA