2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx Steering Problems
Owners have filed 207 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, 77% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 83,319 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (17% of reports).
- 207steering complaints
- 83,319median miles at failure
- 8mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,000typical repair cost reported by owners
- 28%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering column: mentioned in 35 of 207 complaints (17%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx at $1,000, and half of them between $890 and $1,500.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2009–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 188 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 207 complaints, 8 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 3 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 Malibu Maxx | 10 | 23% | 64,000 |
| 2006 Malibu Maxx | 207 | 77% | 83,319 |
| 2005 Malibu Maxx | 185 | 57% | 85,000 |
| 2004 Malibu Maxx | 251 | 58% | 75,766 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2006-2007 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx vehicles manufactured April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2006, and 2006-2007 Pontiac G6 vehicles manufactured April 18, 2006, to June 30, 2006. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly, free of charge. The recall began February 24, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. GM's number for this recall is 14772. Note: This is an expansion of recall 14V-153 to cover additional vehicles built between April 1, 2006 and June 30, 2006.
Steering:electric power assist system
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2006 Malibu Maxx, 2009-2010 HHR (non-turbo), 2010 Cobalt, 2008-2009 Saturn Aura and 2004-2007 Ion, and 2005-2009 Pontiac G6. In the affected vehicles, there may be a sudden loss of electric power steering (EPS) assist that could occur at any time while driving.
Risk: If power steering assist is lost, greater driver effort would be required to steer the vehicle at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will perform one of four bulletins. Parts are not currently available. GM expects to send an interim notification around May 28, 2014. When parts are available, owners will be mailed a second letter to come in to have the applicable bulletin applied. Bulletin 14115 covers model year 2004-2007 Saturn Ion, 2009-2010 Chevrolet HHR and 2010 Chevrolet Cobalts. Dealers will replace the EPS motor. Bulletin 14116 covers model year 2004-2006 Chevrolet Malibu and Malibu Maxx, 2005-2006 Pontiac G6 and 2008-2009 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from March 1, 2008, through June 27, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly. Bulletin 14117 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from February 1, 2008, through February 28, 2008. Dealers will replace the torque sensor assembly and EPS motor controller unit. Bulletin 14118 covers model year 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, Pontiac G6 and Saturn Aura built from October 1, 2007, through January 31, 2008. Dealers will replace the EPS motor controller unit. The recall began on July 17, 2014. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. GM's number for this recall is N140115. Note: GM bulletin number 14119 will be implemented for model year 2006-2008 and early production of 2009 Chevrolet HHR (non-turbo) and model year 2003 Saturn ION to provide EPS Motor replacement for the life of the vehicle.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the power steering malfunctioned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. During the failure, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the…
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the steering wheel became firm. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to pull over, but the steering wheel was difficult to maneuver. The contact was able to pull over, shut off and…
The contact owns a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx. The contact stated that while driving at an undetermined speed and attempting to make a left turn, the steering wheel failed to turn left or right. The vehicle continued to move forward. The power steering assist fault light was illuminated. The…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxxs have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 207 owner complaints about steering for the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx (77% of the 270 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx steering?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 83,319 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,000 (half paid between $890 and $1,500), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 35 of 207 complaints.
See all 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx problems or steering problems across all Malibu Maxx years.