NHTSA Complaint #10335128 — 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX

I BOUGHT MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THE FIRST WEEK I LOST MY POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED POWER STEERING. THE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK THE CAR TO THEIR SHOP AND SENT IT BACK SAYING IT WAS FIXED. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY FOR THE NEXT 20,000 MILES. THE LAST WEEK BEFORE I HAD IT REPAIRED THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT GOING 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD NOT STEER AT ALL AND I LOST MY BRAKES UNTIL I SHUT THE CAR OFF. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE TORQUE SENSOR FAILED COMPLETELY AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN. I WAS TOLD THEN BY THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP AND ALSO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND SEVERAL CHEVROLETS ON THEIR LOT HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS COST ME $700.00 AND ALSO I HAD A NEAR ACCIDENT DUE TO LOSING STEERING AND BRAKE FUNCTION AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT AND APPARENTLY WELL KNOWN. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT I WOULD HAVE HELD GM RESPONSIBLE AS THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT GM USED SAAB PARTS FOR A FEW YEARS UNTIL THE PROBLEM BECAME APPARENT. THE CHEVY MALIBU MAXX 2004 AND 2005 MODELS WERE RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR