2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX Steeringcolumn Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AS IT ABNORMALLY PULLED TO THE LEFT ACROSS SEVERAL LANES AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISING ON THE SHOULDER AND NECK FROM THE SEAT BELT. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS RULED AS THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000. UPDATED 12/09/10 *BF ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING FAILED. UPDATED 12/13/10*JB UPDATED 4/29/14*CN UPDATED 05/15/14

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST LOCKED, WHICH PREVENTED THE STEERING WHEEL FROM BEING TURNED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE SINCE THE INITIAL FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE SENSOR WAS FAULTY, AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,020.

FEBRUARY 2005 STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE, PRIOR TO RECALL ISSUED (15,050 MILES). FEBRUARY 2007 RACK AND PINION SYSTEM REPLACED DUE TO THUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT (45,380 MILES). THUNKING NOISE RETURNED IN AUGUST 2007, THIS TIME NOISE WAS CAUSED BY STEERING SHAFT, WHICH WAS REPLACED (51,206 MILES). *TR

TOOK MAXX TO DEALER FOR CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING COLUMN AND THUMPING NOISE IN REAR OF VEHICLE UPON DECELERATION. WAS ADVISED THAT THE CLICKING NOISE HAD BEEN REPORTED BEFORE BUT NO "FIX" WAS AVAILABLE AS OF YET FROM GM. ALSO WAS ADVISED THAT THUMPING NOISE WAS THE HATCH. THEY ADJUSTED THE HATCH SO POORLY THAT NOW IT DOESN'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY AND OF COURSE THE THUMPING NOISE IS STILL THERE. TOOK CAR BACK (THIRD TIME) AND HAD SERVICE MANAGER RIDE WITH ME UNTIL HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE THUMPING NOISE IN ADDITION TO THE CLICK IN STEERING COLUMN. LEFT MAXX IN SERVICE SO THE COULD RE-ADJUST THE HATCH TO WHERE IT WAS. CAR HAS BEEN TO SERVICE NOW THREE TIMES FOR THIS ISSUE, A TOTAL OF 14 DAYS. MAXX HAS ALSO BEEN IN TO SERVICE FOR INTERMITTENT WEAK START. SERVICE COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT. *NM

I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC WHEN SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING A WARNING CAM ACROSS THE MESSAGE SCREEN SAYING POWER STEERING AND THE SERVICE LIGHT TURNED ON. I HAD LOST ALL POWER STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO MANUALLY FORCE THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT. WHEN I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE THE WARNINGS DISAPPEARED AND POWER STARING WORKING FINE UNTIL ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES LATER, ABOUT LESS THAN A 1/4 MILE TRAVELED POWER STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN. I CONTACTED MY DEALERS SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE PERSON THERE NEW INSTANTLY WHAT IT WAS AND HE SAID THAT THE STEERING COLUMN HAD TO BE REPLACED. *JB

HERE THE LATEST ON THE STEERING PROBLEMS ON MY 2004 MAXX LT WHICH IS FULLY LOADED: 1ST VISIT TO SERVICE: YELLOW WRENCH LIGHT ON AND STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING MY 2 YEAR OLD AND MY WIFE. 2ND VISIT TO SERVICE: EARLIER REPLACED STEERING COLUMN, GAVE ME THE CAR BACK. PROBLEM NOW WAS THAT I COULDN'T EVEN TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT ONLY RIGHT. 3RD VISIT TO SERVICE: WHEN I ACCELERATE THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS LEFT AS FAR AS ABOUT 10 O'CLOCK ON CLOCK FOR EXAMPLE. I TEST IT OUT WITHOUT HOLDING THE WHEEL JUST TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AND I TESTED IT OUT ON 10 DIFFERENT STREETS WHERE ALL OF THEM ARE FLAT. WHAT WOULD YOU IN MY CASE? WOULD YOU ASK FOR AN EXCHANGE OR WOULD YOU ALLOW THEM TO FIX IT FOR A 3RD TIME AND RISK POSSIBLE MORE PROBLEMS? IT HAS 6,900 MILES ON IT AND...