2006 Chevrolet Malibu Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

788Steering complaints

70.7%Of all 1,115 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

STEERING788 · 70.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM132 · 11.8%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM52 · 4.7%

SERVICE BRAKES50 · 4.5%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING46 · 4.1%

Share of the 1,115 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. CONSEQUENTLY THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A ROAD…”NHTSA complaint 10297312 — filed 12/29/2009

“POWER STEERING GOES OUT WITHOUT WARNING. HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND SHOP CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT CAUSES IT.”NHTSA complaint 10296491 — filed 12/20/2009

“I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, MADE A RIGHT TURN AND MY POWER STEERING JUST WENT OUT. THERE WAS NO WHERE TO PULL OVER ON SIDE…”NHTSA complaint 10291346 — filed 11/07/2009

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu have steering problems?

Steering is the most-reported problem area on the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu: 788 of 1,115 complaints on file (70.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2006 Chevrolet Malibu have in total?

1,115 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 41 involved a crash, 6 involved a fire, 26 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.