1997 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 82,827 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (28% of reports).
- 80steering complaints
- 82,827median miles at failure
- 4mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 19%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.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 22 of 80 complaints (28%)
- Steering gear: mentioned in 11 of 80 complaints (14%)
- Wheel locked: mentioned in 7 of 80 complaints (9%)
- Control arms: mentioned in 5 of 80 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 20 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 80 complaints, 4 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Chevrolet Malibu steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Malibu | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Malibu | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Malibu | 5 | 7% | 54,000 |
| 2022 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 29,901 |
| 2021 Malibu | 2 | 2% | 68,000 |
| 2020 Malibu | 16 | 8% | 61,000 |
| 2019 Malibu | 2 | 1% | 48,000 |
| 2018 Malibu | 42 | 6% | 15,484 |
| 2017 Malibu | 47 | 7% | 65,782 |
| 2016 Malibu | 42 | 5% | 51,000 |
| 2015 Malibu | 9 | 3% | 71,500 |
| 2014 Malibu | 26 | 7% | 36,731 |
| 2013 Malibu | 181 | 22% | 60,000 |
| 2012 Malibu | 191 | 21% | 103,794 |
| 2011 Malibu | 214 | 22% | 89,500 |
| 2010 Malibu | 454 | 33% | 100,000 |
| 2009 Malibu | 768 | 51% | 120,000 |
| 2008 Malibu | 460 | 47% | 83,000 |
| 2007 Malibu | 667 | 68% | 105,000 |
| 2006 Malibu | 811 | 73% | 85,142 |
| 2005 Malibu | 506 | 52% | 91,000 |
| 2004 Malibu | 798 | 70% | 72,000 |
| 2003 Malibu | 21 | 4% | 67,623 |
| 2002 Malibu | 13 | 2% | 92,000 |
| 2001 Malibu | 41 | 6% | 94,000 |
| 2000 Malibu | 45 | 5% | 108,000 |
| 1999 Malibu | 37 | 5% | 68,500 |
| 1998 Malibu | 74 | 8% | 82,500 |
| 1997 Malibu | 80 | 18% | 82,827 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
1997 chevrolet malibu. Consumer writes in regards to ignition switch cut off issues. *tgw the ignition switch was replaced at a cost of $400.00 and is seeking reimbursement. Also, the outer and inner tie rods were replaced. *jb
I was driving on my way home, and i made a right turn into my neighborhood and when i began to turn left into the curve my steering wheel was turning but my car continued to go straight into a neighbor's yard causing me to slam on brakes and hit a hill! I got my car checked out that next morning…
Tl- the contact owns a 1997 chevrolet malibu. The contact was included in nhtsa campaign id number: 03v527000 (steering), received the recall repair and weeks later the failure recurred. The contact stated that while making a turn, extreme force had to be applied to the steering wheel and the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1997 Chevrolet Malibus have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 80 owner complaints about steering for the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu (18% of the 443 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 1997 Chevrolet Malibu steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall 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 82,827 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1997 Chevrolet Malibu?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 22 of 80 complaints, followed by “steering gear” (11).
Other 1997 Chevrolet Malibu problems
See all 1997 Chevrolet Malibu problems or steering problems across all Malibu years.