NHTSA Complaint #10422422 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

MY CAR HAS ALWAYS HAD LITTLE QUIRKS THAT DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT ABOUT IT SINCE I PURCHASED IT FROM MY CHEVY DEALER. IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME SO MY LEVEL OF CONCERN WASN'T AS HIGH AS IT IS NOW. THINGS LIKE A SPORADIC START TO THE ENGINE WHILE TRYING TO CRANK THE CAR AND THE CAR SHIMMING OR QUIVERING WHEN DRIVEN FASTER THEN 70 MPH (HIGHWAY). I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ASSESSMENT WHICH ALL CAME BACK INCONCLUSIVE. THIS LAST EXPERIENCE MERITS THIS COMPLAINT. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT TAKING MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL TO ADJUST MY SEAT BELT. I GLANCED OVER TO MY STEERING WHEEL AND IT BEGIN TO DANCE/ROCK RIGHT TO LEFT AND LEFT TO RIGHT. MY HANDS WERE CLEAR OF THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY FOOT FIRM ON THE BRAKES. WHEN I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE ONCE THE LIGHT WAS GREEN, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS THAT IS WHEN MY WARNING SIGNAL CHIMED, AND THE POWER STEERING MESSAGE FLASHED ON THE MESSAGE CENTER SCREEN. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND IT BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. I BEGIN TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. I REALIZED THAT TURNING THE VEHICLE TOOK A GREAT AMOUNT OF EFFORT. AFTER GETTING IN TO THE PARKING LOT AND TURNING THE ENGINE OFF I WAITED FOR ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES THEN I PROCEEDED TO RESTART MY ENGINE TO SEE IF THE SAME TROUBLE WOULD OCCUR. I DROVE AROUND IN THE PARKING LOT FOR ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES TO SEE THE I WOULD ENCOUNTER THE SAME ISSUE. THE CAR SEEMED FINE CONSIDERING, I DROVE IT HOME. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS SINCE BUT IT WAS A HORRIFYING ORDEAL. *TR