TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THE POWER ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED REGENCY CHEVROLET BUICK GMC (825 E MAIN ST, UVALDE, TX 78801) AND WAS PROVIDED A REPAIR ESTIMATE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
2006 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems
moderate 1,016 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700
Complaints
1,016
Recalls
0
Crashes
31
Avg fix
$700
What owners are reporting 17 most recent
THE STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE COMMUTING TO WORK ON I-95, SOUTH, IN MAINE. ONE TIME IN PARTICULAR, NOTED ABOVE, IN WHICH IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FRIGHTENING. THE ENTIRE DASH WOULD LIGHT UP AND ALL GAUGES WOULD DROP, THE POWER STEERING WOULD COMPLETELY LOCK, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO SLOWLY MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. THERE WERE ALWAYS STEERING, SHIFTING, LOCKING, BRAKING, CON…
UPON TURNING ON MY VEHICLE, I WAS UNABLE TO STEER THE STEERING WHEEL. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO FIRMLY HOLD IT. TEMPORARY FIX HAS BEEN TO RESTART THE VEHICLE.
MY 2006 CHEVY MALIBU HAS HAD ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MALFUNCTION. I WAS DRIVING ON A VERY DANGEROUS CITY HIGHWAY. WITH MY THREE CHILDREN IN CAR. I LOOKED UP AND SAW THERE ARE RECALLS ON THE YEAR AND MAKE OF MY CAR BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY DON'T SEE A RECALL UNDER MY SPECIFIC VEHICHLE. I DON'T THINK IT MAKES SINCE AND I DON'T KNOW ANYONE TO FIX IT. BECAUSE MOST CARS HAVE A NORMAL POWER STEERING…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF AND WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED, IT OPERATED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD INVOLUNTARILY TURN TO THE…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX LT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE POWER STEERING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE LATER ON IN REFERENCE TO THE STEERING BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER THE MILEAGE LIMIT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROX…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSEQUENTLY THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A ROAD BARRIER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED. AN IDENTICAL FAILURE OCCURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.
PURCHASED VEHICLE IN JULY 2006. CERTIFIED USED. KEPT HEARING NOISE, KNOCKING FROM LEFT FRONT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER 2-3 TIMES UNTIL THEY REPLACED A PART. NOISE RETURNED SOME WEEKS LATER. NOW THE ELECTRONIC STEERING IS MALFUNCTIONING. WHEN THE STEERING IS TURNED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN THE "POWER STEERING " WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND THE WHEEL STIFFENS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO TURN AND VERY DANGEROUS T…
I WAS WORKING ON MY MOTHER-IN-LAWS MALIBU OUT IN THE FRONT YARD AND CRANK IT AFTER LOOKING INTO SOME OTHER ISSUES THIS CAR HAS, AND THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS ITSELF ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT ON IT'S OWN.I THEN TRY TO TURN IT BACK AND NOTICE THERE IS NO POWER ASSIST. I ASK HER ABOUT IT AND SHE SAID IT HAS DONE THAT A FEW TIMES RECENTLY, WHERE SHE IS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, AS EXP…
DRIVING AT A LOCAL GROCERY STORE AND LOST STEERING AND ALMOST CRASHED INTO CAR WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT. THIS NEEDS TO GET FIXED AND I'M NOT PAYING FOR SOMETHING THAT IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE DIES BECAUSE GM DOESN'T WANT TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT. AVERAGE COST OF REPAIR $700. AVERAGE COST OF A LIFE, PRICELESS. MAKE A RECALL HAPPEN NOW. *TR
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 1016 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities.
Repair cost estimates are independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area.
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