What 689 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

CAR IS STATIONARY WHILE WAITING FOR RED LIGHT TO CHANGE, THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF AND REDUCED DRIVING ASSISTANCE ERROR MESSAGE WILL POP UP BEFORE TURNING BACK ON. THE RADIO WILL ALSO CUT OUT IN PROCESS OF CAR TURNING BACK ON FRIM AUTO SHUT OFF. IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER A MONTH AND SEEMS TO GET WORSE. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TODAY ASWELL

NHTSA ODI 11366433

WHILE DRIVING IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC, I WILL GET A WARNING ON THE DASH THAT STATES "STEERING ASSIST REDUCED, DRIVE CAREFUL" THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES, WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.

NHTSA ODI 11351265

WHILE DRIVING IN COLDER WEATHER ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH FOR 5 MILES OR LONGER THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY LOCKS IN AT THE TOP POSITION CAUSING A SLIGHT OVER CORRECTIONS WHEN NEEDING TO TURN THE WHEEL TO CHANGE LANES

NHTSA ODI 11351267

WARNING MESSAGES LIGHT UP "STEERING POWER IS DIMINISHED, DRIVE WITH CARE", SOMETHING PERTAINING TO BRAKES AND BATTERY, THE WARNINGS FLASH SO QUICKLY I CAN'T READ THEM ALL. THE CAR GOES DEAD WHEN I STOP, SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WITH DASH LIGHTS GOING COMPLETELY OUT, THEN A VERY SLOW RESTART AS THE LIGHTS BRIGHTEN VERY SLOWLY. AFTER THE THIRD TIME YESTERDAY AND TODAY I HAD TO PUT THE CAR IN "PARK FOR IT TO RESTART AT A STOP LIGHT AND NOW IT WILL NOT START AT ALL,

NHTSA ODI 11317344

THE STEERING WILL "STICK" AT THE TOP AFTER TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. THIS WILL HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY AN IN THE CITY BUT IS MORE PRONOUNCED ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAVE REPEATEDLY TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. SEEMS TO BE WORSE IN COLDER WEATHER. THIS IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WHEN IT RELEASES YOU OVER CORRECT YOUR STEERING AND WANDER AROUND IN YOUR LANE. IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS ALMOST SINCE NEW AND IT NOW HAS 18,500 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI 11296904

2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU WITH 15, 300 MILES. SINCE THE LAST RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED, WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD AN INCREASE OF TENSION THEN IT SUDDENLY RELEASES ALL TENSION WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO A RAPID OVER CORRECTION. THE PROBLEM FEELS SIMILAR TO A MAGNETIC BREAK RELEASE. NO FAULT CODES TRIP AND THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE CENTER SAYS THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE ON WHILE STATIONARY OR SHORT DRIVES BUT IT'S FELT ON LONGER DRIVES GREATER THAN 15 MIN. PROBLEM HAS REMAINED FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH.

NHTSA ODI 11289870

AFTER DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE FOR A WHILE, THE STEERING SEEMS TO HAVE A FLAT SPOT, WHERE IT IS HARD TO TURN AND THEN IT JERKS SLIGHTLY.. MORE FREQUENTLY THE COLDER THE WEATHER.

NHTSA ODI 11289104

I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP 2 DIFFERENT TIMES NOW BECAUSE OF THE STEERING WHEEL RANDOMLY SHAKING WHILE GOING DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD. THEY HAVE TRIED TO REPLICATE IT BUT IT SEEMS TO DO IT RANDOMLY. IVE NOTICED IT IS AROUND 38 MPH. IF MY HANDS BARELY COME OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL IT STARTS SHAKING BACK AND FORTH. THIS IS HAPPENING JUST DRIVING AROUND THE CITY ON STRAIGHT ROADS. ONCE I PUT MY HANDS BACK ON THE WHEEL IT STOPS. THEY CANNOT SEEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS. IT HAS HAPPENED RANDOMLY EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY CAR BRAND NEW ABOUT A YEAR AGO.

NHTSA ODI 11256536

MY CAR HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR MONTHS BECAUSE OF A "STICKING" SENSATION IN THE STEERING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THIS ISSUE WAS SHORTLY AFTER BUYING THE CAR IN SEPT OF 2018. DURING A TRIP OUT TO EAST TEXAS I NOTICED THE STEERING WASN'T RESPONDING TO THE SLIGHT ADJUSTMENT I WAS MAKING TO REMAIN IN MY LANE OF TRAFFIC, LIKE IT WAS STUCK OR "TURNED OFF". I HAD TO APPLY A LITTLE GREATER FORCE TO THE STEERING TO REMAIN IN MY LANE OF TRAFFIC AND WHEN I DID I OVERCORRECTED AND ALMOST HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR MONTHS NOW, EVEN JUST ABOUT A YEAR NOW, AND GM DOESN'T SEEM TO TRULY CARE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT MY DEALERSHIP HAS DONE SO MANY TESTS ON THE CAR BUT EACH TIME THEY CANNOT SEEM TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, OR THAT IS WHAT I'M BEING TOLD AT LEAST. AND EACH TIME I TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP I AM GIVEN ANOTHER GM CAR TO DRIVE AND STRANGELY ENOUGH I DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUE WITH THE LOANER CAR(S) I HAVE DRIVEN THAT HAVE THE ELECTRIC STEERING. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE AND GM IS NOT DOING ANYTHING TO ADDRESS IT.

NHTSA ODI 11255598

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE APPROACHING A STOP. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BREDEMANN CHEVROLET (1401 W DEMPSTER ST, PARK RIDGE, IL 60068, (847) 655-1485) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING ASSIST SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.

NHTSA ODI 11255828

DURING OPERATIONS WHILE TURNING CAR LOCKED UP; LOST POWER, LOST STEERING. WITH ENGINE RUNNING THE RADIO AND AC SHUT OFF. DRIFTED TO SHOULDER OF ROAD. ILLUMINATED DASH LIGHTS: POWER STEERING DRIVE WITH CARE, TRACTION CONTROL, EMERGENCY BRAKE, ABS LIGHT, TEMP SHOWED COLD, NO GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT. OPERATED CAR LESS THAN 5MPH APPROX. 1/4 MILE AND SHUT ENGINE OFF. DURING OPERATIONS IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH BRAKES WERE ON (SCREECHING/CLANKING). ONCE ENGINE SHUTDOWN STABILITRAK LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WITH POWER STEERING. DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK, WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN (TRAPPED IN VEHICLE 10 MIN). BRAKE PEDAL LOCKED, CAR WOULD NOT START. 45 MIN LATER CAR STARTED. ALL ILLUMINATED LIGHTS CLEARED, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP INVESTIGATED. SEVERAL FAULT CODES WERE PRESENT. EACH FAULT CODE PERTAINED TO VEHICLES COMMUNICATION. VEHICLE LOST COMMUNICATION WITH EVERYTHING. DEALERSHIP STATED DIFFICULT/IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW ANY SORT OF DIRECTION FOR FIX. DEALERSHIP DROVE CAR AND COULD NOT REPLICATE INCIDENT. ASKED ME TO DRIVE AND RECREATE PROBLEM THEN TO BRING BACK. CAR IS UNSAFE. INSTANTLY LOCKED UP DURING OPERATION, TRAPPED ME INSIDE, LEFT ME STRANDED AND SCARED ME. REFUSE TO DRIVE. GM WAS CONTACTED; AWAITING GUIDANCE.

NHTSA ODI 11245972

I RENTED A 2018 CHEVY MALIBU. IT SEEMED TO DRIVE AND HANDLE GREAT IN TOWN, HOWEVER WHEN I BEGAN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I NOTICED PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT FOR A FEW MILES THE STEERING WOULD 'STICK' MEANING I HAD TO APPLY EXTREME FORCE IN ORDER TO TURN THE WHEEL, ONCE IT BROKE FREE IT WAS BACK TO NORMAL BUT AFTER I'D DRIVE STRAIGHT FOR A FEW MILES I'D ENCOUNTER THE SAME ISSUE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY FIRST DESTINATION (ABOUT 750 MILES) I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD TURN IN THE PARKING LOT THE STEERING WAS CLICKING. I WILL BE RETURNING THE CAR TO THE RENTAL AGENCY AS I DON'T BELIEVE THIS IS SAFE. UNFORTUNATELY YET ANOTHER REASON NEVER TO BUY A GM CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11191498

STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO STICK IN THE STRAIGHT-AHEAD POSITION AFTER DRIVING 10 MILES ON A STRAIGHT HIGHWAY ABOVE 60 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CAN BE TURNED BUT IT REQUIRES INCREASED EFFORT

NHTSA ODI 11161800

AFTER DRIVING THE CAR FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL STICK IN THE STRAIGHT POSITION. WHEN TRYING TO MAKE LANE CORRECTIONS, THE WHEEL WILL JERK LEFT OR RIGHT CAUSING THE CAR TO MOVE ABRUPTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET DEALER FOR EVALUATION, THE SERVICE WRITER CALLED IT 'STICK/SLIP' AND SAID IT WAS COMMON ON OLDER MALIBUS. OF COURSE,THE CONCERN COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED BY THE DEALER. VEHICLE HAS ACTED UP SEVERAL TIMES SINCE DEALER VISIT.

NHTSA ODI 11161239

I RENTED A 2018 MALIBU (11K MILES) WITH THE 1.5 ECOTECH ENGINE FROM HERTZ IN LAKEVILLE, MN STARTING 10/31/18. NO VIN BUT IT WAS RENTAL RECORD #147556754, VEHICLE #02298, LICENSE #IL AW71337. WE PUT APPROX 1100 MILES ON IT THE FIRST TWO DAYS - ALL INTERSTATE DRIVING. ON THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME 'STUCK'. TO MAKE SMALL LANE CORRECTIONS OR CHANGE LANES, I HAD TO MODERATELY FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN. IT WAS COMPARABLE TO HAVING A 'CATCH' IN THE STEERING. ONCE THE FORCE WAS MADE, THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY MOVED 1/4 TO 1/2 A LANE LEFT OR RIGHT DEPENDING ON WHICH WAY I WAS TURNING. AFTER THE FIRST TWO DAYS, THE CAR SEEMED TO WORK FINE. MAYBE IT WAS BECAUSE THE WEATHER WAS COOLER AFTER THE FIRST COUPLE DAYS - NOT SURE. I DID REPORT THIS TO THE LOCAL HERTZ CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON AND SHE SAID THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT. PERSONALLY, I CONSIDER THIS A GM ISSUE VS A HERTZ ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11153184