NHTSA Complaint #10171841 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED IN APRIL OF 2005 AS A RESULT OF A RECALL STATING THAT THE POWER STEERING ASSIST CAN FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. UP TO THIS TIME, NO ACTUAL FAILURE HAD OCCURRED. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006 THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED FOR THE FIRST TIME AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. SIMULTANEOUS WITH THE FAILURE, AN AUDIBLE BEEPING OCCURRED AND A FAILURE MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED ON THE CONSOLE. RE-STARTING THE CAR WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY, BUT IT RECURS ON A REGULAR BASIS. BOTH THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSE TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT THEIR EXPENSE BECAUSE IT WAS DONE ONCE IN 2005. *NM