2006 Chevrolet MALIBU MAXX problems and owner complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE DASHBOARD HAS 12 SAFETY MESSAGES THAT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE BRIGHT ENOUGH DURING THE DAY SUCH AS THE BRAKE FLUIDS, GAS CAP, DOOR LATCHES, ENGINE DISABLED, TAILGATE, POWER STEERING AND AIR BAGS TO NAME A FEW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT ALL THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANELS HAVE THE SAME LIGHT INTENSITY FOR ILLUMINATION.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10162852 at NHTSA ↗

I HAD AN UNCONTROLLABLE IMMEDIATE RIGHT HAND TURN AT A VERY HIGH SPEED THAT WAS NOT INITATED BY ME. I HAD PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO PASS ANOTHER CAR WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL DID AN EXTREMELY HARD RIGHT HAND TURN TAHT TOOK THE CAR OFF OF THE REGULAR ROADWAY AND ONTO THE OUTER EDGE OF THE SHOULDER. WHEN I RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE WHEEL SNAPPED BACK TO THE LEFT AND MY VEHICLE WAS NOW SIDEWAYS ON A MAJOR FREEWAY AT 60 MPH! I WAS LUCKY IN THAT NO ACCIDENT/INCIDENT WITH ANYONE ELSE OCCURED. I TURNED THIS VEHICLE INTO MY LOCAL DEALERSH…

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10173118 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE PADS WORN OUT (ALL 4) AFTER ONLY 17,000 MILES, ROTORS WARPED. CHEVROLET WARRANTY WILL NOT COVER THIS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS LOW MILEAGE (LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD OF VEHICLE). CONTINUE TO WORK WITH LOCAL DEALER FOR REPAIR WORK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10206583 at NHTSA ↗

I STARTED THE CAR AND THOUGHT IT HAD STALLED BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED. I RESTARTED THE CAR AND FOUND IT WAS THE POWER STEERING. THE CAR SAT FOR ABOUT 4 HOURS AND WHEN RESTARTED THE POWER STEERING HAD RETURNED. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IT FAILED AGAIN AND ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10237914 at NHTSA ↗

LOSS OF POWER STEERING! DRIVING LESS THAN 1 MILE I LOSS ALL POWER STEERING! I MADE A LEFT HAND TURN DOWN A CUL-DE-SAC STREET AND WHEN TURNING AROUND AT THE END OF THE ROAD I LOST MY POWER STEERING! I WAS SHOCKED THAT AFTER DRIVING TO THE SAME BUS STOP MORNING AFTER MORNING WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR THAT I HAD LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL DUE TO THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM THAT FAILED! IT WAS VERY HARD TO MAKE THE SIMPLEST TURN. THE DIFFICULTY THAT I HAD EXPERIENCED TOOK ME BY SURPRISE. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND SHUT THE CAR DOWN AS SOON AS…

Owner-reported narrative. 80,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10288939 at NHTSA ↗

WE HAD THE BRAKES SERVICED . IT INCLUDED THE CHANGING OVER THE BRAKE PADS AND THE ROTORS TURNED. AND IN LESS THAN 8MONTHS LATER WE WENT BAKE TO GET THE BRAKES INSPECTED DUE TO A VERY HIGH PITCHED NOISED THAT GREW SINCE THE BRAKES WE REPLACED WITH NEW ONES. THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT THE BACK BRAKES VERSES THE FRONT BRAKES WE NOT WEARING EQUALLY AND THAT HE WAS SHOCKED TO DISCOVER THAT BOTH FRONT AND BACK BRAKES WERE REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THEY WERE REPLACED AS I SAT AND WATCHED THE PREVIOUS MECHANIC INSTALL OUR N…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10255923 at NHTSA ↗

THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING ON MY 2006 MALIBU MAXX LT HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY. I TOOK IT TO A CHEVROLET DEALER, THE UNIT LOCKED ON THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DOING SIMPLE PARKING LOT MANEUVERS. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE STEERING COLUMN AND EPS UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED HOWEVER THE FAILURE WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THIS PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FIXED, IT CAN ONLY BE REPLACED WITH DEFECTIVE PARTS SINCE THE DEFECT IS INHERENT IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I HAVE REPORTED THIS SAFETY ISSUE TO THE CHEVROLET HOT LINE AS HAVE OTHER OWNERS AND …

Owner-reported narrative. 77,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10342098 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX . THE CONTACT STATED WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING WILL FAIL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE CONTACT WOULD SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO RESET THE POWER STEERING ASSIST. THE DEALER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE THE EXACT CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILE…

Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10359638 at NHTSA ↗

TRANSMISSION: CHEVY MALIBU MAXX 2006 LTZ 6 CYC LURCHES SPEED UNDER CONSTANT THROTTLE & STRAIGHT LINE ROAD SURFACE & STEERING WHILE DRIVING AT MEDIUM CRUISING SPEEDS 30-45 MPH. OUR MAXX HAS HAD THIS ISSUE SERVICED TWICE BEFORE; NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN. WHILE MAXX WAS UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY; THE MECHANIC WAS TOLD TO BLANK THE TRANSMISSION'S MEMORY; THIS INSTRUCTION WAS FROM AN INTERNAL FACTORY SERVICE BULLETIN. THIS CHEVY MALIBU MAXX 2006 LTZ HAS HAD ONLY ONE OWNER. THE TRANSMISSION'S MEMORY IS CORRUPTED EVERY 40K SERVICE MILES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10572909 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN OVERWHELMING SMELL OF GASOLINE FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS CRACKED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 83,089. UPDATED 08/19/10*BF UPDATED 08/23/10*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 83,089 miles reported. Look up ODI 10331384 at NHTSA ↗

FUEL TANK CRACKED AT SEAMS LEAKS FUEL EXCESSIVELY. CONTACTED DEALER IN FRESNO CA THEY STATED THEIR WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE. I THINK THEIR SHOULD BE BECAUSE THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 54,535 miles reported. Look up ODI 10353719 at NHTSA ↗