2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering problems

“The power steering on my vehicle is not working. I believe it may be a malfunction with the torque sensor. It is available for inspection upon request. This was a safety risk because the steering wheel was shaking as I was driving. Thankfully, it never locked up on me while on the road, however if it had, it could've caused a life-threatening accident as I am constantly driving on large 4 lane highways. I know that there is a safety recall open for 2007 chevrolet malibu's regarding the torque sensor and power steering, however my vehicle does not seem to fall under this safety recall for some reason? I attempted to have it serviced by my local dealer, but they do not want to service it under the recall. I believe that if this is a known issue on SOME 2007 chevrolet malibu's, then it should be repaired under the safety recall even if my VIN is not associated with it.”

“The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while reversing, the message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed, and the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The vehicle became difficult to steer, requiring extra effort in maneuvering the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel was vibrating abnormally with the message “Power Steering Fault” displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed on another occasion, the steering wheel continuously vibrated. The message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering). However, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.”

“After several years of instability, the power steering on my 2007 Chevy Malibu has started to lock up while driving. Turning of the vehicle is then difficult. The issue resolves only by turning the engine off and then on again, but does not remain resolved.The readout on the dash informs me that there is an issue with the power steering. I spoke with Chevrolet customer service and was told that they would not assist me financially in fixing the problem. They explained that there is no recall on vehicles with my VIN, although I see that there have been in the past. The number of issues reported on this website indicates that this issue is ongoing and widespread, and no one appears to be getting assistance by the manufacture. I suppose it's going to take a few fatalities to get the attention of Chevrolet and the NHTSA before some sort of action is taken.”

“The power steering fails. Chevrolet (manufacturer) and Pine Belt Chevrolet (NJ) both claim that our vehicle was in for the recall and did not have an issue. The power steering has failed since we bought the car new in 2006. The problem was intermittent for years, but recently the power steering fails 5 or more times during a 10 mile trip. We shut the car off and restart it and the power steering comes back on. We contacted Chevrolet. They told us our car was repaired/checked for the recall and they are not responsible. We feel that since there was a recall for this that they should fix the problem. They told us that the parts are not under warranty but since it was a recall we think it should still be covered under the recall. We are currently in Florida and don't know if it is safe to drive the car back home to NJ.”

“The contact's mother owns a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the power steering assist intermittently failed to operate as needed with the "Power Steering Fault" message displayed. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the power steering failure occurred, and excessive force was needed to steer the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V064000 (Steering). The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.”

“My 2007 Chevy Malibu began experiencing intermittent power steering failure at around 103,000 miles. This issue makes the vehicle extremely dangerous to drive, even though it is not classified as an official recall because it only affects certain VIN numbers. However, I see multiple other owners reporting the same problem, proving this is a widespread defect. I had the issue diagnosed as a failing torque sensor, which was previously covered under Chevrolet’s Special Coverage Adjustment 10183. Unfortunately, this coverage expired in 2022 or at 120,000 miles—yet my vehicle has significantly less mileage and still exhibits the defect. Chevrolet has refused to take responsibility for this known issue. The previous owner of the vehicle passed away before the car transferred ownership to me, so it was impossible to have this defect fixed while coverage was still active. This leaves me, and others in my situation, vulnerable to a sudden and unexpected loss of steering assistance. This defect poses a severe safety risk. If the power steering fails at high speeds, in rainy conditions, or on the freeway, it could lead to an accident. I strongly urge NHTSA to investigate…”