What 921 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

THE CAR APPEARS TO HAVE NO CENTER. SOMETIMES IT PULLS LEFT AND SOMETIMES IT PULLS RIGHT. WHEN I GO TO CORRECT THE ISSUE THE CAR DOESN'T RESPOND RIGHT AWAY, THEN IT OVER CORRECTS. THE CAR NEVER RIDES IN THE CENTER ANYMORE. I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT. I FEEL LIKE SOMEONE IS GOING TO REPORT ME FOR DRUNK DRIVING OR THAT I AM GOING TO GET PULLED OVER FOR IT. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR IT AND THEY "CANNOT DUPLICATE" AND TELL ME THAT IT'S NORMAL FOR THE CAR TO DRIVE THAT WAY BECAUSE ITS ALL ELECTRIC NOW. THE CAR DID NOT DRIVE LIKE THIS WHEN I BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. IF IT DID, I WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED IT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. ..UPDATED 03/18/14 *BF THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. UPDATED 03/21/14

NHTSA ODI 10564751

WHILE DRIVING ON LONG STRAIGHT STRETCHES OF SMOOTH ROAD (I.E. INTERSTATE) THE STEERING SYSTEM APPEARS TO TAKE A "SET" WHEN MAKING SMALL STEERING CORRECTIONS. THIS MANIFESTS AS A SLIGHT BUMP OR RESISTANCE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. IT IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND NEVER APPEARS DURING PERIODS OF MUCH STEERING ACTIVITY (I.E. LOTS OF TURNS, TOWN DRIVING, ETC.) IN MY CASE IT USUALLY APPEARS ON LONG TRIPS, AND AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH, ON ROADS WHERE VERY LITTLE STEERING INPUT IS NEEDED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MALIBUS AS ATTESTED TO BY THE CHEVROLET OWNERS FORUM. EXTREMELY HARD FOR DEALERS SERVICE TO DUPLICATE DUE TO THE INTERMITTENT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

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STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO LOCK AND NEEDS A HARD PULL TO TURN WHEEL, I HAVE NOTICED THIS ISSUE ON OTHER TRIPS. I CAME HOME CHECKED ON LINE TO SEE IF THIS PROBLEM IS SOMETHING OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCE AND I SEE IT IS. THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED FOR SAFETY REASONS! *TR

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WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE IS A STIFF OR STICKY SPOT IN THE STEERING. STEERING MUST BE PULLED HARDER THAN WHAT WOULD BE NORMAL TO RIGHT OR LEFT GIVING A CLICKY OR BUMPY FEELING IN THE STEERING. PROBLEM IS CONTINUOUS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

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DEAD SPOT AT DEAD CENTER. TAKES EXTRA FORCE TO MAKE VERY SMALL ADJUSTMENTS TO PUSH THROUGH THE FORCE - MAKING A MUCH LARGER OUTPUT THAN NORMAL INPUT. FEELS DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10562296

WHILE TRAVELING PRIMARILY AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, I NOTICE THE STEERING LIGHTLY "STICKING" OR "LOCKING" CAUSING THE CAR TO VEER OFF CENTER, MAINLY TO THE LEFT BUT OCCASIONALLY TO THE RIGHT. WHEN I MAKE THE CORRECTION I CAN FEEL A "CATCH" AND THE STEERING WHEEL JERKS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE CORRECTION. AT TIMES THE PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENTLY AND AT OTHER TIMES INFREQUENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10561844

WHEN DRIVING THE MALIBU AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING STICKS, ALMOST LIKE A DEAD SPOT AT THE CENTER POSITION. MINOR CORRECTIVE INPUTS ARE DIFFICULT, TAKE MORE FORCE THAN NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560655

WHILE DRIVING STRETCHES OF STRAIGHT ROAD, THE STEERING SEEMS TO ALMOST LOCK INTO POSITION. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A VERY SLIGHT CORRECTION, THERE IS RESISTANCE THAT MUST BE OVERCOME, IN MY CASE, ONLY WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560325

WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT (MOST NOTABLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS) THE STEERING FEELS STIFF ON CENTER. MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS ARE BECOMING DIFFICULT DUE TO THE RESISTANCE FELT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560307

WHILE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, PARTICULARLY AFTER MORE THAN 30 MINUTES OF CONTINUOUS TRAVEL, MY 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU'S STEERING BECOMES EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. THE CAR WILL "WANDER" LEFT OR RIGHT EVEN THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL IS HELD STRAIGHT. WHEN I ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE "WANDER," THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT REACT. AFTER APPLYING CONTINUOUS PRESSURE TO THE STEERING WHEEL FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 SECONDS, IT THEN "GIVES" TOO MUCH IN THE CORRECTIVE DIRECTION. IT IS AS IF THE STEERING RESPONSE IS DEAD AND THEN OVER-CORRECTION OCCURS. IF THE WANDER OCCURS TO THE LEFT FIRST, OVER-CORRECTION WILL OCCUR, AND THEN THE CAR WILL WANDER TO THE RIGHT, AND THEN OVER-CORRECTION WILL OCCUR AGAIN, ETC. AS A DRIVER, IT FEELS AS IF TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE AND A ZIG-ZAG PATTERN IS THE NEW STRAIGHT. THIS OVER-CORRECTION OF THE DEAD STEERING WHEEL VARIES IN LEVEL OF INTENSITY. HOWEVER, THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE INITIAL FAILURE THAT HAVE RESULTED IN NEAR ACCIDENTS. MY LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE (THEY WOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR 30 CONTINUOUS MINUTES AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS OF 70 MPH). THE DEALER ROTATED MY TIRES AND CHECKED ALIGNMENT WITH NO ISSUES IDENTIFIED OR CAUSES FOR CONCERN NOTED. THE DATE OF THIS SERVICE WAS 12-31-2013. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO GETTING WORSE AS THE MILEAGE ACCUMULATES ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. SOMEONE COULD BE VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. *TR

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AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS THE STEERING WILL HAVE SOME FORM OF A DEAD SPOT IN IT. THIS STARTED AROUND 13000 AND I NOW HAVE OVER 20000 MILES ON IT.YOU WILL ATTEMPT TO GO LEFT OR RIGHT AND HAVE TO CORRECTED THE STEERING WITH ALOT MORE FORCE THAN NORMAL. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL AS IN CITY TRAFFIC. ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS SO FAR IN CITY TRAFFIC, I HAVE ALMOST CAUSED WRECKS FROM THE CORRECTION. MY WIFE AND I BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE DEAD SPOTS EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT WE DRIVE THE CAR. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE ISSUE. BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE ISSUE. THE DEALER REPROGRAMMED THE STEERING ANGLE AND POSITION SENSOR CALIBRATION. AND NO CHANGE. THE DEALER TOLD ME THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND IS FAR MORE RESPONSIVE TO DRIVER INPUT. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT CHEVY HAS A BIG ISSUE WITH THIS YET WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. ON THE CHEVY FORUM WE HAVE A THREAD THAT IS OVER 10 PAGES LONG AND GROWING WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. HTTP://WWW.CHEVYMALIBUFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=26489. *TR

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IN ABOUT SEPTEMBER MY STEERING STARTED STICKING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS SINCE THEN IT IS GETTING WORSE HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER YET, I PLAN TO DO SO A LITTLE WORRIED WITH READING WHAT ISSUES OTHER OWNERS HAVE HAD WITH THE DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD AND CHEVROLET NEEDS TO LOOK INTO WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THERE ARE SEVERAL FATALITIES! *TR

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WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME STIFF. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A STEERING ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME TIGHT AND HAD TO FORCE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE THE MOVEMENT. IT WAS LIKE THE FEELING OF A TORQUE WRENCH REACHING THE REQUIRED TORQUE, THEN THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT. THIS CONTINUED THE ENTIRE TIME DRIVING HOME FOR APPROXIMATELY 180 MILES. ALMOST EVERY TIME I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, THEN HAD TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE RIGHT, THIS WOULD HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10556985

THIS VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES STICKY/STUCK AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS AND TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM CREATES OVERSTEER AND OVERCORRECTION CREATING A SWERVING OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT CORRECTED. I'M SET TO TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THIS IS BECOMING A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

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TL-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH OR GREATER THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED AN UNKNOWN PART HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,500. JS

NHTSA ODI 10556185

STEERING BECAME STICKY STIFF IN 12 O'CLOCK POSTITION, MAKING STEERING CORRECTIONS DIFFICULT WITH OVERCORRECTING. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM THAT COULD BE A SEVER SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS TRAVELING ON I-75 AT 65-70 MPH WHEN MALFUNCTION OCCURRED. I CONTACTED A DEALER IN TAMPA AND THEY DID NOT SEEM TOO CONCERNED, HARD TO COMMUNICATE DUE TO IT BEING A HOLIDAY WEEKEND. THE TAMPA DEALER ADVISED IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, I WOULD HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER. I AM CONCERNED, BEING ON VACATION, FOR THE LONG TRIP BACK TO KNOXVILLE. ALSO, I HAVE EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION SHUTTER AT LOW SPEED, INTERMEDIATE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10554103

I WAS GOING ABOUT 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY AND THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECOMES STIFF CAUSING ME TO JERK THE STEERING WHEEL A LITTLE BIT HARDER. THAT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE AND POTENTIALLY GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE ISSUE MIGHT BE IF IT IS A BRAND NEW CAR FRESH OFF THE LOT. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE EXACT REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. ...UPDATED 11-18-13 *BF

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, HE APPROACHED A TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT APPLIED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TWICE WHERE THE STEERING MODULE WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER EACH REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 9/23/13 *CN

NHTSA ODI 10535150

MY SON WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE CARS STEERING DRASTICALLY PULLED HIM TOTALLY OFF THE ROAD !!!! LUCKY THERE WAS NO ONE TO THE RIGHT OF HIM THEY WOULD OF BEAN KILLED .THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! THE DEALER IS TRYING TO BRUSH IT OFF LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. NILES SALES & SERVICE KEY WEST FLORIDA ! ITS A NEW CAR. PLEASE CALL ME [XXX]5/13 /13 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10511612

WHILE DRIVING STEERING SEEMS TO FEEL AS IF IT IS LOCKING UP. I HAVE TO GIVE IT A LITTLE TUG TO FREE IT AND THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO SWERVE A LITTLE. IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING IS HOLDING THE STEERING IN THAT POSITION, WHILE DRIVING THERE IS MOVEMENT IN THE STEERING. *TR

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