2012 Chevrolet Malibu steering problems

“On March 4, 2026, my wife was driving the vehicle when she suddenly lost power steering. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn, creating a dangerous situation that could have resulted in serious injury. She was able to safely pull over and contact me. I carefully drove the vehicle home. The vehicle was taken to Jeff Wyler Chevrolet of Columbus for diagnosis and repair. The dealership confirmed that the problem involved the power steering system. The repair cost was 1,513.03. After researching the issue, I discovered that this 2012 Malibu is subject to a special coverage related to the steering torque sensor. General Motors had reportedly sent notification letters to owners, but we never received one. Had we been aware, we would have addressed the issue immediately. This defect represents a significant safety risk, as sudden loss of power steering could cause an accident or serious injury.”

“i was driving and the steering wheel locked, the whole steering column has to be replaced it brought up a code saying torque input sensor i've only put 10,000 miles on this car and have only had it for 11 months”

“The “service ESC” light came on while I was driving on the freeway causing the steering wheel to lock up and I couldn’t turn the wheel. It was really stiff after it said “Service ESC” and “ESC Off””

“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the power steering warning light was illuminated, and the message "ESC OFF" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced an intermittent loss of power steering while driving. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated as intended; however, the failure initially became a persistent failure upon restarting the vehicle and then became a permanent failure. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic for a tire replacement, the contact was also informed that the steering failure was related to Chevrolet Special Coverage Number: 15356. The contact was referred to the dealer, who informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.”

“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle briefly lost motive power and came to a complete stop. The vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the steering wheel angle sensor. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,000.”

“The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V252000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) and 15V269000 ( SEAT BELTS); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the steering wheel vibrated and seized. The "ESC" and “Traction Control" warning lights were illuminated. The contact used a scanner and diagnosed the vehicle with steering failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The dealer was made aware of the issue and wanted to charge the contact for the parts. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000. Parts distribution disconnect.”