NHTSA Complaint #10150971 — 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX

MY CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX (2005, 17K MILES) FREQUENTLY HAS A CLUNKING NOISE THAT APPEARS TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT SUSPENSION. THE NOISE IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY THE FEELING OF A "HIT" UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S FEET AND ON OCCASION SEEMS TO BE CONNECTED TO A STEERING INPUT (STEERING WHEEL MOVES NOTABLY). THIS HAPPENS ONLY AT LOWER SPEEDS (BELOW APPROX. 35 MILES/HOUR) AND DURING OR AFTER LEFT TURNS AND IS ESPECIALLY STRONG ON UNEVEN ROADS. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CERTIFIED CHEVROLET DEALER FOR REPAIR AND HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS CLUNKING IS RELATED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMITTENT SHAFT OF THE STEERING, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN TO CHEVROLET AND HAS BEEN ASSIGNED THE NUMBER PIC3747, AND THAT NO REPAIR IS POSSIBLE AT THIS TIME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE NO DATA INDICATING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS AT THE SAME TIME A SAFETY ISSUE. BUT AS I HAVE A NOTABLE STEERING INPUT, AND AS THE CONSTANT CLUNKING IS ALSO INTERFERING WITH CONCENTRATION, I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY ISSUE AND THUS FILED THIS COMPLAINT REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. *JB