What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME I'VE ENCOUNTERED THIS EXACT ISSUE, AND HAVE HAD PREVIOUS ISSUES AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE (USED) BACK IN 2013. BOTH TIMES THIS EXACT ISSUE AT HAND OCCURRED, BOTH HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING. FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN A SHARP CURVE WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT. THIS LAST TIME I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY NOTHING WAS HIT IN EITHER CASES, HOWEVER THIS PAST TIME I PULLED MUSCLES IN MY BACK STRAINING SO HARD TO TRY AND STEER THE VEHICLE TO GET AT LEAST VERY MINIMUM OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO A SIDE STREET AND TO SAFETY. AS BOTH TIMES I WERE DRIVING THE ESC LIGHT CAME ON, AND POWER STEERING LIGHT CAME ON. RESULTING IN ME NOT BEING ABLE TO BRAKE, OR STEER - THE ONLY STEERING I WERE ABLE TO DO WAS VERY STRAINED (AS PREVIOUSLY STATED), I HAD TO PUT FORTH EXTREME EFFORTS TO GET IT TO BARELY TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL ACTED AS IF IT WERE LOCKED. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED, AND COVERED UNDER A RECALL AS I'VE READ/HEARD A MULTITUDE OF THE SAME ISSUES THAT ARE ALL COMMON WITH THIS EXACT YEAR, MODEL/CAR. AND FOR THIS BE SUCH A DANGER, IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED BEFORE IT COSTS SOMEONE THEIR LIFE. I'M TERRIFIED TO THINK WHAT IF EVERYONE AROUND ME WEREN'T PAYING ATTENTION WHEN BOTH EVENTS TOOK PLACE, IT COULD'VE RESULTED IN MY LIFE. MY SPOUSE BEING SINGLE RAISING OUR PRECIOUS 4 CHILDREN. HOW CHEVY/GM CAN LIVE KNOWING THESE ISSUES HAPPEN AND NOT ADDRESS IT IS HORRIBLE, KNOWING VERY WELL IT COULD RESULT IN A LIFE I'D NOT MORE BEING LOST. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE LIGHTS TO TURN OFF AND ME TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE, I HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, WAIT, AND TURN IT ON IN ORDER TO CONTINUE MY DRIVE TO WORK. I'M TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THIS DEATH TRAP OF A CAR, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THESE ISSUES COULD HAPPEN AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING OR REASON. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. OTHERWISE THIS IS A LAWSUIT JUST WAITING TO HAPPEN.

NHTSA ODI 11364680

WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU LTZ, I EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE WAS ONLY TEMPORARY; WHILE DRIVING APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, I WENT THE APPLY THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL HAD ALMOST NO PRESSURE. IT ALMOST WENT THE THE FLOOR BEFORE I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES. UNFORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT WORK, WHICH LED TO MY CAR REAR ENDING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. AFTER BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, I MADE MY BEST ATTEMPT TO INSPECT THE BRAKES AND BRAKE FLUID, AND NOTICED ALMOST NOTHING. THE ONLY THING I HAD NOTICED WAS SLIGHT LOW BRAKE FLUID. AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH, I READ A FEW COMPLAINTS RELATED TO BOTH ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACK ISSUES, AND BRAKE FAILURE. BOTH OF THESE WHICH I EXPERIENCED. ALL OF WHICH HAPPENED AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH ON A CITY STREET

NHTSA ODI 11363307

SATURDAY AROUND ABOUT 2 PM ON 2/2/2019. IN VEHICLE TRAVELING IN LEFT LANE ON HIGHWAY 72. VEHICLES WERE AT COMPLETE STOP AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT CHANGED AND THE VEHICLES BEGAN TO MOVE ABOUT LOW MPH TO GRADUALLY FLOWING WITH MOVING TRAFFIC. I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM BRAKE MY VEHICLE INITIATED AN ACCELERATION. IT SEEMED STRANGE SINCE THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPER ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. MY VEHICLE PROPELLED WITHOUT THE HELP OF ACCELERATION AS TRAFFIC WERE AT LOW MPH. MY VEHICLE SUSPENSION CHANGED IN STEELING OFF INTO THE MEDIAN FROM LEFT LANE GOING DOWN HILL UNABLE BRAKE OR TO CONTROL THE STEERING. IT HAPPENED SUDDENLY HITTING THE RAISED CONCERT MEDIAN MY CAR AND I WENT AIRBORNE. INJURY TO MY HEAD, AGGRAVATED NECK CERVICAL, SPINE, HIP AND LEGS. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY VEHICLE TOTALED. THE ON-STAR FAILED TO OPERATE. THANK GOD FOR DISPATCHING HIS ANGELS AROUND ME. AND THANK GOD FOR ON THE SCENE ANGEL AND ANGELS. STAYED WITH ME AND CALLED FOR HELP. I HAD PAID MY CAR OFF 2 YEARS AGO. THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME A LETTER THAT THEY HAD A BUYER FOR MY VEHICLE. UNBEKNOWN TO THE DEALERSHIP CAR WAS TOTALED. WITH IN THE LAST YEAR I HAVE SEE CHEVROLET CARS AND TRUCKS MANUFACTURED MORE AND MORE DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. FAILURE TO KEEP THE CONSUMERS SAFE IS BAD BUSINESS BASED ON ADVERTISEMENT SAFETY HAZARDS THAT CAUSES PREMATURE DEATH. COMMUNICATION TO THE CONSUMER SAFETY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT INFORMATIONAL TO THE MEDIA ABOUT RECALLS DEFECTS WARNS PROACTIVELY SPEAK VOLUMES ABOUT THE MANUFACTURERS AND THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. CUSTOMER SERVICES IS KEY TO SAFE LIVES MATTERS ON THE STREET AND IN MY VEHICLES MANUFACTURED AND DEALERSHIP WE THE PEOPLE CAN COUNT ON YOU!

NHTSA ODI 11302153

MY POWER STEERING KEEPS GOING IN AND OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING. THE SERVICE ESC LIGHT APPEARS AND THEN WILL TURN OFF WHEN I TURN MY CAR OFF

NHTSA ODI 11279517

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE EARLY MORNING OF OCTOBER 17TH 2018, MY TIE ROD END SNAPPED IN MY VEHICLE, CAUSING ME TO GO OFF THE COUNTY ROAD INTO A TREE HEAD ON GOING 60 MPH. I ALSO WAS NOT WEARING A SAFETY BELT SO FORTUNATELY I AM STILL HERE TO WRITE THIS. ITS BEEN A ROAD TO RECOVERY AND STILL GOT A WAYS TO GO BUT THIS SHOULD DEFINITELY BE LOOKED INTO SO IT DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANY ONE ELSE. I UNDERSTAND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN BUT THIS IS PLAYING WITH PEOPLES LIVES IF THIS IS A FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ODI 11183177

THE NIGHT OF 12/29/2018 ABOUT 10PM AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 45MPH I EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU HOME FROM THE MOUNTAINS AND STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND WE ALMOST RAN OFF OF THE ROAD DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT. A SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING LIGHT WAS ON THE DASH. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WENT OUT AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN AND BEING IN A DARK REMOTE AREA WITH NO CELL SERVICE I SLOWLY DROVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEM. I RESEARCHED THE REASON I HAD OVER THE INTERNET AND FOUND GM IS AWARE OF THIS OBVIOUS (POTENTIAL DEADLY) SAFETY ISSUE BUT I'VE OWNED THIS CAR 6 YEARS AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. A CHECK VIN OF RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE DO NOT SHOW THIS PROBLEM BUT WHEN I CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A "SPECIAL COVERAGE' WHERE GM WILL REPAIR THIS STEERING PROBLEM AT NO COST BUT I WAS TOLD MY CAR DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR THIS 'SPECIAL COVERAGE' BECAUSE I HAVE OVER 150,000 MILES ON IT. WHAT?!!!! I HAVE A CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT GM IS AWARE OF BUT BECAUSE THE CAR HAS OVER 150,000 MILES ON IT THEY WON'T REPAIR IT. I'M DISABLED WITH DIMINISHED STRENGTH AND I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT PLACING MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE IN DANGER SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. GM SHOULD REPAIR MY DANGEROUS CAR AND BE PROACTIVE ENOUGH TO PREVENT AN OBVIOUS VEHICLE SAFETY RISK TO ME AND OTHER DRIVERS.

NHTSA ODI 11164313

AIRBAGS AND SIDE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, STEERING LOCKED UP AND WHEEL SEPARATED FORM AXEL

NHTSA ODI 11056165

ON 8/20/2017 AT AROUND 9:30PM I WAS DRIVING ON A DARK BACK-ROAD IN LEMONT, ILL. (BLUFF RD. TO BE EXACT) I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 20MILES AN HOUR & NEEDED TO MAKE A SHARP TURN. ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRACTION LIGHT WENT ON & MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP CAUSING ME TO HAVE NO CONTROL OF MY CAR. I IMMEDIATELY PUMPED MY BRAKES SO NOT TO GO OFF THE ROAD. AFTER LOSING CONTROL I PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO STEER MY WAY HOME BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY DARK BACK ROAD. VERY SCARY!! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT AND HOW TO GET MY CAR FIXED. AUTO MECHANICS ARE ON STRIKE HERE

NHTSA ODI 11018634

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED FRACTURED BONES ON HER FACE AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR CONTUSIONS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING AXLE AND TIRES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

NHTSA ODI 10895902

2/28/15 TWITCH IN STEERING AT 55 MPH. (5 TWITCH/8 MI.) HAD BEEN SNOWY WITH SUBZERO TEMPS, AND SUSPECTED ICE IN STEERING LINKAGE. FOLLOWING DAY EXHIBITED SAME TWITCHES, BUT FEWER. BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE WHEN STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. MESSAGES ON DRIVER INFORMATION: POWER STEERING FAILURE, ESC REQUIRES SERVICE, AND A YELLOW TRIANGLE WITH WAVY MARKS WAS ILLUMINATED. DROVE 2.25 MI TO RELATIVE'S HOME. TURNED CAR OFF & RESTARTED; POWER STEERING WORKED AGAIN. NEXT DAY CHECKED FUSE CONNECTIONS ON PASSENGER SIDE OF CONSOLE, AND UNDER HOOD NEAR BATTERY. 80A POWER STEERING FUSE WAS LOOSE ON ONE SIDE. NUTS SECURELY TIGHTENED, BUT RIVETS ON FUSE BODY WERE LOOSE; LUG COULD BE MOVED APPROX 1/32". REPLACED FUSE, AND WORKED BETTER. THEN NOTICED THAT TWITCHING HAD RETURNED; WAS PREVALENT WITH VEHICLE STOPPED AND RUNNING. ON WED DROVE VEHICLE TO PICKUP LUNCH,; STEERING WHEEL WAS TWITCHING WITH CAR IN PARK AND ENGINE RUNNING. USED REMOTE START SYSTEM TO LET ENGINE RUN AS IT WAS NEAR 0 F AND HAD ONLY DRIVEN 3 MI. RETURNED TO CAR WITHIN 10 MIN REMOTE START RUN TIME, INSERTED KEY; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK & SAME MESSAGES DISPLAYED. STOPPED & RESTARTED CAR; POWER STEERING DIDN'T WORK. ARRANGED FOR REPAIR, AND DROVE CAR TO SHOP LATER THAT AFTERNOON; POWER STEERING WORKED, BUT LOTS OF TWITCHING. STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO STEERING WHEEL TORQUE SENSOR CODE C0545. POWER STEERING FAILED AND FOUGHT ME AS EVIDENCED BY UNEVEN JERKY TURNING FORCE. SYSTEM ALLOWED STEERING WHEEL TO RUN ABOUT 1/8 TURN, AND THEN DAMPENED TURNING. HAVE A SORE RIGHT SHOULDER. FORCE REQUIRED TO STEER WITHOUT POWER STEERING IS INEXCUSABLE. SYSTEM DOES NOT DISENGAGE WHEN IT FAILS, AND INTERMITTENTLY INTERACTS WHILE DISPLAY INDICATES IT'S OUT OF COMMISSION. SYSTEM IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DUE TO FUNCTION DURING FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10693743

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY TO DO SO. ONCE I MADE THE TURN I COULDN'T TURN WIDE ENOUGH BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TIGHT AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10692676