NHTSA Complaint #11166697 — 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU

YESTERDAY, WHEN TRYING TO PARK, I HEARD A CHIME AND THE MESSAGE "POWER STEERING" POPPED UP ON THE INFO SCREEN. THE CAR BECAME INCREDIBLY HARD TO STEER, SO I'M THINKING THE POWER STEERING HAD SHUT OFF. I TURNED MY CAR OFF, THEN BACK ON, AND THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK ON, SO I WAS ABLE TO PARK THE CAR CORRECTLY. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT TO HEAD HOME, AS SOON AS I TURN ON A BUSY STREET, JUST BEFORE GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CHIME GOES OFF, THE MESSAGE POPS UP, AND MY POWER STEERING SHUTS OFF AGAIN. I TURNED (WITH ALL MY MIGHT) INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A LITTLE BIT. MY FAMILY AND I WERE LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, BUT WE WEREN'T SURE WHAT TO CHECK FOR. WE EVENTUALLY GOT BACK IN THE CAR AND WENT HOME. THANKFULLY, THE POWER STEERING STAYED ON AND WE GOT HOME SAFELY (17 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY). I'M JUST WORRIED THAT IT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN OFF ON ITS OWN AGAIN. IF I HAVE TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO GO IN PREPARED THIS TIME. A FEW MONTHS AGO, WHEN I HAD A BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE, ONE PARTICULAR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TRIED CHARGING ME $500+ FOR A PART. THE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIED ON IT'S OWN ONLY ABOVE 50 MPH, I TRIED IT OUT AND I'LL TELL YOU, IT'S A TWO HANDED FIGHT TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER CONTROL.