What 976 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT DOESNT HAVE A RECALL. THEY SAID THAT THE STEERING WHEEL TORQE SENSOR IS OUT AND NEEDS REPLACED.

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I WAS DRIVING ON THE THE AND THE POWER STEERING, LOCKED UP. I REACHED OUT TO NA DEALER SHIP AND THEY CORRECTED THAT PROBLEM AND MY SEAT BELT. THE NEXT DAY 2/10/2018. THE CAR SLOWED DOWN TO MAYBE 8MILES WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AND ENOUGH POWER TO THE ENGINE. VERY DANGER, VERY DANGER. THANK GOD THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS PAYING ATTENTION. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 3 YEARS. I MYSELF CAME OUT OF POCKET FOR WIRING PROBLEMS. CAR JUST STOPPING ON THE HYW, NO POWER AT ALL. I REPLACED THAT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CAR TO BE ON THE ROAD. I KNOW CARS HAVE ISSUES. BUT ALL THIS 3 YEARS AND JUST STOPPING AND SLOWING DOWN IS AND WILL BE THE DEATH OF OTHERS. CHEVY IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONE OF THE BEST CAR MAKING, BUT THIS IS HORRIBLE. AND A LOT PEOPLE FROM WHAT I READ ARE HAVING ISSUES. THIS VERY DANGEROUS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ESC WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PADDOCK CHEVROLET (3232 DELAWARE AVE, KENMORE, NY); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DECLINED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF THE FAILURE WAS NOT RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V153000 (STEERING), SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC COST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,000.

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"LOSS OF ELECTRIC POWER STEERING" I HAVE RECENTLY LOST MY ELECTRIC POWERING STEERING AND THE ESC WARNING AS WELL AS THE POWER STEERING WARNING KEEP DISPLAYING, WHEN THIS STARTED I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A POWER GLITCH BECAUSE THE AIR BAG AND OTHER WARNING INDICATORS WOULD ALSO GO OFF RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING IT FIRST HAPPENED WHICH SCARED ME AND I SLOWED MY VEHICLE UNTIL I COULD FINALLY PULL IN SOMEWHERE SAFELY (MY REAR TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS ARE CONSTANTLY NOT READING AT ALL WHICH STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I HAD NEW TIRES PUT ON IT BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY NOTIFICATION I WAS GETTING UP UNTIL NOW). I THOUGHT MOST OF IT WAS DUE TO THE EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER AND RESTARTING MY CAR TOOK CARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT AGAIN FOR A LITTLE WHILE. HOWEVER THIS WEEK RESTARTING MY CAR HASN'T HELPED AND NOW I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AT ALL WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN TURNING MY VEHICLE AND GIVEN THAT THERE IS STILL LESS THAN 85K TOTAL MILES ON IT THEN I AM SURPRISED THAT I AM EVEN HAVING THIS ISSUE AT ALL, BUT I DID READ THAT SOME OF THE 2011 MALIBU'S HAVE A RECALL ON THE U-JOINTS, I BELIEVE THAT I READ. I JUST FOUND WERE THERE IS CURRENTLY 2 RECALLS ON MY CAR NOW AND I HAVE NEVER HAD TO DO A RECALL THEREFORE I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT AND WHAT I WOULD NEED TO DO FOR THAT, AS WELL AS REPORT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ISSUE TOO. ANY INFORMATION THAT YOU MAY HAVE PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED SINCE I DID NOT SEE MY CAR LISTED FOR THE POWER STEERING RECALL THEN I'M NOT SURE IF I HAVE TO FILE A COMPLAINT FIRST AND/OR IF THEY WILL CONTACT ME WHEN/IF IT IS INCLUDED WITH THOSE RECALLS? THANK YOU AGAIN!

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STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN STOPPED AT IDLE AND SHAKES SLIGHTLY WHEN DRIVING, AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE POWER STEERING SOME TIMES DOES NOT WORK AND SERVICE ESC MESSAGE APPEARS. I CAN TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT AND EVERYTHING WORKS BUT WHEEL STILL SHAKES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE THE CONTACT'S STEPDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 15-20 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROSSROADS CHEVROLET CADILLAC OF JOPLIN (4630 E 32ND ST, JOPLIN, MO 64804, (417) 626-6620) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E044000 (STEERING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

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AT RANDOM TIMES MY CHEVY MALIBU 2011 W/ FLEX FUEL STEERING WHEEL BECOMES HARD TO CONTROL. THE SERVICE ESC AND POWER STEERING LIGHTS BEGIN TO FLASH. WHEN I PULL OVER (BECOMES THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY A LOT) I TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THE ISSUE SEEMS TO TEMPORARILY GO AWAY. MY CAR MILEAGE IS ONLY AT 107,500. I'VE READ ABOUT RECALLS AND TESTED MY VIN FOR IT. UNFORTUNATELY, I DO NOT SEE THAT MY CAR WAS ONE THAT WAS RECALLED FOR THE 2008-2013 CAR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T HAVE EXTRA FUNDS TO BUY A NEW CAR OR GET THIS ONE FIXED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE THAT I HOPE THEY CAN FIND A SOLUTION FOR.

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MY 2011 CHEVY MALIBU WHEN DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL WONT FUNCTION.

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FAULT CODES POWER STEERING AND BREAK LIGHT SHOW UP ON DASH BOARD. CODES WILL NOT CLEAR THUS CUSSING THE VEHICLE A NO START NO CRANK. THE VEHICLE WHILE BE DRIVEN INSTRUMENT GUAGES GO IN AND OUT CAUSING IT TO THROW CODES RANDOMLY.

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STARTED THE CAR TO GO TO WORK . ON THE SCREEN CAME UP POWER STEERING ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, THE TRACTION CONTROL WAS ALSO ON AND THE CAR HAD NO POWER STEERING. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACED THE CABLE AND BATTERY. WAS GOING TO GO TO THE STORE TODAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED NO POWER STEERING. NOT REALLY DRIVING THE CAR THIS WEEKEND. IT'S DANGEROUS IF IT WOULD SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING IN THE SNOW. LIKE EVERYONE ELSE THAT HAS FILED A COMPLAINT IF I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAIT A LITTLE BIT AND RESTART I HAVE POWER STEERING AGAIN

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

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POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING

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'TAKATA RECALL' THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY WHEN I PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION THE LIGHT BECAME DIM. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, I HEARN A CHIME AND THE DASH SHOWS 'POWER STEERING' AND 'SERVICE ESC'. THE CAR WOULD NOT CRANK; ONLY FLICKER N THE DASH AND LOOSE POWER.

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RIGTH TURN POWER STEERING STOP WORKING OLMOST HAVE A ACCIDENT WITH THE CAR COMING POWER STEERING ESC ON

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND SHOOK THE STEERING WHEEL TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE POWER STEERING AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,419.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL WIGGLED AND MADE A SQUEAKY AND GRINDING NOISE WHILE MAKING LEFT AND RIGHT TURNS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR PREVIOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBURBAN BUICK GMC (21800 WOODWARD AVE, FERNDALE, MI 48220 (248) 547-6100) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION AND THE MOTOR TO THE ELECTRICAL STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

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SERVICE TRACTION AND ESC OFF ARE THE MESSAGES THAT POP UP. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON. UNABLE TO DISABLE ENABLE/DISABLE WITH THE TC BUTTON. WHILE DRIVING THE TWO MESSAGES APPEARED AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE TRACTION CONTROL FEATURE WON'T TURN OFF AND THE ESC FEATURE IS OFF. ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THERE WERE 3 RECALLS FOR THE 2011 MALIBU. I HAVE A 2011 MALIBU AND WHEN I MADE A SEARCH WITH THE VIN IT SAYS THERE ARE NO RECALLS. ON VEHICLEHISTORY.COM I MADE A VIN SEARCH AND THE RECALLS WERE FOUND. THE RECALL ON THE 2011 MALIBU WAS FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND THAT THERE COULD BE DISABLEMENT OF CRASH AVOIDANCE FEATURES SUCH AS TRACTION CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL, AND PANIC BRAKING ASSIST FEATURES.

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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

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WHILE TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED (BETW 10-20 MPH) ON 3/20/17, THE CAR STARTED TO SHAKE, THE SERVICE ESC MESSAGE LIGHT TURNS ON, AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT TURNS ON (WITH MESSAGE THAT CAR WILL POWER DOWN). SO, IF I PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE CAR OFF (BEFORE IT SHUTS DOWN ON IT'S OWN), WAIT 2 MINUTES FOR THE COMPUTER TO RESET, THEN GET RPM UP QUICK (SO THE SPEED IS QUICKLY ABOVE THE 20 MPH), THEN IT IS WOULDN'T DO IT AND I COULD GET IT TO THE MECHANIC. WHEN THE MECHANIC WENT TO CHECK IT, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD, SO NO LUCK WITH COMPUTER SCAN. HE PUT IN NEW BATTERY. SO I DROVE IT AND IT DID IT AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND HE CHECKED IT AND HE REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL (COMPUTER CODE INDICATED A BAD SENSOR). HOWEVER, IT DID NOT TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE. BRAND NEW BATTERY AND STILL DRAINING BATTERY (OVERNIGHT). MECHANIC THINKS A RELAY MAY BE STAYING OPEN SOMEWHERE HOWEVER ISN'T SURE. CURRENTLY NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO THE SHAKING AND THAT SERVICE ESC AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL MESSAGES COME ON WITH STATEMENT THAT VEHICLE WILL POWER DOWN (WHILE DRIVING). FIRST OCCURRED ON 3/20/2017 AND IS STILL OCCURRING 4/20/2017 (MECHANIC HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIX)! BEEN DEALING WITH A SLOW BATTERY DRAIN SINCE PURCHASED CAR IN JULY 2016. IF DIDN'T DRIVE CAR FOR 5 DAYS, BATTERY WOULD BE DEAD (4TH DAY WAS STILL OK). THEN IN MARCH 2017, OTHER ISSUE STARTED AND THE BATTERY DRAIN BECAME MUCH WORSE. NOW BRAND NEW BATTERY AND WILL DRAIN COMPLETELY DEAD OVERNIGHT. HUGE ELECTRICAL ISSUE. CAR HAS 85,000 MILES ON IT.

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HEATING/AIR DOESN'T WANT TO BLOW UNLESS A WINDOW OR SUNROOF IS OPEN AND CAR IS IN MOTION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,260.

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THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURS WHEN DRIVING. *TR

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STEERING WHEEL "SHAKES" AS OF 12/2016 VEHICLE HAS APPROX 92,000 MILES PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW IN NOV 2010 FOUR NEW TIRES JUNE 2015 FULL ALIGNMENT AUGUST 2016. BRAND NEW BRAKE PADS AND BRAND NEW ROTORS, ALL 4 WHEELS, NOVEMBER 2016. DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT (AND CONDITION): STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN RATTLING NOTICEABLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (40 MPH TO 75 MPH) AND WHILE TRACKING A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE THE VEHICLE HIT THE 40,000 MILE MARK. CAN FEEL SLIGHT MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING WHEEL COINCIDENT WITH THIS RATTLING OF THE STEERING WHEEL. DOES NOT APPEAR TO AFFECT ABILITY OF THE VEHICLE TO TRACK A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE MOVING. THE RATTLE ALSO OCCURS AT LOWER SPEEDS LESS THAN 40 MPH, BUT IT HARDER TO DISCERN SINCE THE CITY STREET ROAD CONDITIONS IN SE WISCONSIN ARE TERRIBLE. STARTING ABOUT DECEMBER 2016, I HAVE NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT MOVING, THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, AND THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE (NOT SURE IF THIS OCCURS WHEN IT IS IN PARK). THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE DOING SOME KIND OF "HUNTING" AS THE RATTLING IS RANDOM. APPEARS TO BE INDEPENDENT OF TEMPERATURE AS THIS OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS -10 DEG F AND AS WELL AT ABOUT 50 DEG F. POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS ARE NORMAL. I CAN NOT DISCERN WHETHER THIS OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNING WHILE IN MOTION, OR WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE CAR IS STATIONARY. END. *TR

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ON 12/19/2016 AS I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN EXITING THE HIGHWAY ONTO A SURFACE STREET MY 2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE DASH BOARD DISPLAYED A "POWER STEERING " MESSAGE. BEING UNABLE TO STEER MY CAR WENT FORWARD AND I ALMOST HIT THE CAR ON MY RIGHT WHO WAS ALSO TURNING LEFT. I HAD TO SLAM ON THE BREAK TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR AND THE CARS BEHIND ALSO HAD TO SLAM THEIR BREAKS. LUCKILY NO ONE HIT EACH OTHER. RIGHT AFTER THAT DASHBOARD MESSAGE DISAPPEARED AND MY CAR WAS ABLE TO TURN AGAIN WITH NO PROBLEM. THE NIGHT OF 12/20/2016 THE SAME HAPPENED BUT AS I WAS EXPECTING A PARKING LOT. A WEEK BEFORE THE FIRST INCIDENT I STARTED TO NOTICE THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD POP LIKE IT WAS SHUTTING DOWN AT A STOP OR RED LIGHT. I READ THAT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO GM AND NHTSA AND THAT OWNERS IN OTHER STATES HAVE RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES FOR THAT PROBLEM. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED SUCH NOTICE AND IT'S NOT LISTED AS A RECALL ON THE NHTSA OR GM WEBSITE FOR MY VIN. *TR

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