NHTSA Complaint #10625725 — 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX

MY WIFE WAS SLOWING DOWN TO ENTER A REST STOP IN HER 2005 CHEVY MALIBU MAXX WHEN THERE WAS A DING AND POWER STEERING WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. AT THE SAME TIME, SHE NOTICED SHE HAD LOST POWER STEERING. SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND TURNED IT OFF. A FEW MINUTES LATER, SHE RESTARTED THE CAR. THERE WAS NO LONGER THE POWER STEERING DISPLAY AND THE POWER STEERING HAD RETURNED. A RECALL NOTICE WAS ISSUED ON APRIL 21 FOR ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST FOR THIS GENERATION OF MALIBU (GM RECALL NO. N140116; NHTSA RECALL NO. 14V153) BUT WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A LETTER. WHEN I CALLED THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, I WAS TOLD PARTS ARE STILL NOT AVAILABLE. APPARENTLY THERE ARE THREE OTHER GM ELECTRIC POWER STEERING RECALLS, WITH PARTS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE THREE OTHERS BUT NOT OUR CAR. SO FAR THE PROBLEM HASN'T RETURNED, BUT ONCE IT HAPPENS THE FIRST TIME DOUBT GETS PLANTED. ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THIS IS AT LEAST THE SECOND TIME THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A RECALL. WE GOT A RECALL NOTICE IN LATE 2007 FOR THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM AS WELL, AND I'M PRETTY SURE THERE WAS ANOTHER ONE BEFORE THIS YEAR'S RECALL.