NHTSA Complaint #11165052 — 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU

I PURCHASED MY USED 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU NOVEMBER 23, 2016, THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS. I WAS IN MOTION MERGING INTO PHILADELPHIA'S SCHUYKILL EXP WHEN MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE FOR 2-3 SECONDS AS I WAS GOING OVER 55 MPH ON A SLIGHT TURN. I REMEMBER THE WRENCH LIGHTING UP IN THE TOP LEFT CORNER OF THE DASHBOARD AND READING 'POWER STEERING' MESSAGE ON MY THE SCREEN. THE STEERING WHEEL STIFFENS AS IF YOU HAVE THAT CAR THAT RUNS OUT OF STEERING FLUID. ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION, WHEN I WAS COMING DOWN PHILADELPHIA PIKE MERGING ON THE I-95 SOUTH. AGAIN, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS FOR A FEW SECONDS, READS POWER STEERING ON THE SCREEN WITH THE ORANGE WRENCH IN THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OF THE DASHBOARD. IT'S FRIGHTENING BECAUSE MY CAR COULD GO IN ANOTHER LANE AND HIT AN INCOMING CAR, OR VICE VERSA. THE FIRST TIME I COULDN'T PULL OVER TO RECOOPERATE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO SHOULDER LANES. I'M STILL HAVING THIS ISSUE AND IT HAS BEEN TWO YEARS. EVEN WHEN I AM PARALLEL PARKED SOMETIMES, MY STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENS AND I CAN'T FULLY TURN THE WHEEL. WHEN I CALLED CHEVROLET THE FIRST TIME, THE REPRESENTATIVE ASSURED ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS SHOWN FOR MY VIN NUMBER. I WAS DIRECTED TO GO TO CHEVY AND TOLD ME IT WAS A STEERING COLUMN ISSUE. THE COST AND LABOR ITSELF IS STEEP. I CALL TO FOLLLOW UP AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF THE TIME FRAME FOR THE WARRANTY WHICH DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE NO MANUFACTURER EXPECTS TO RECALL TO HAPPEN.. AND PAYING FOR THAT REPAIR IS NOT EVEN A GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX THE ISSUE BASED ON THE OTHER COMPLAINTS.