2005 CHEVROLET CLASSIC Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF STEERING ABILITY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DIAGNOSTIC RESULTS WERE NOT DISCLOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

Mileage: 143,000

I HEARD SOME CLUNKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END. WAS TOLD BY A CHAIN REPAIR SHOP THAT THE STRUTS PROBABLY NEEDED REPLACING. I THOUGHT IT WAS TOO LOUD FOR THAT, BUT I TRUSTED THEIR OPINION. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS WAY OFF CENTER. AS I WENT TO MAKE A U-TURN, I LOST STEERING COMPLETELY. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF TRAFFIC SAFELY WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER ON THE FREEWAY. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE MOUNTING TABS FOR THE STEERING GEAR WHERE EVERYTHING IS ATTACHED RUSTED OUT COMPLETELY FROM THE SUBFRAME AND NEEDED A CRADLE SO HE COULD RE-ATTACH THE STEERING COMPONENTS. ALSO, THE STEERING RACK WAS DAMAGED IN THE PROCESS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS WAS $1390, WHICH WAS ACHIEVED BECAUSE OF FINDING USED PARTS.

Mileage: 56,000

FOR THE 4TH TIME POWER STEERING FAILED. FOR THE 2ND TIME THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE THE FIRST TIME IT FAILED CHAPMAN CHEVROLET IN TEMPE, AZ REPLACED THIS AND CHARGED $970 FOR REPAIRS. THE 2ND AND THIRD TIME THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR WAS REPLACED FOR FREE AT NO CHARGE. NUMEROUS GM CARS INCLUDING THE 2010 COBALT HAVE HAD THIS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE BUT GM AND CHAPMAN REFUSE TO REFUND TO REFUND THE INITIAL CHARGE SINCE THIS IS NOT SHOWN AS A RECALL ITEM AT THIS TIME. *JS

Mileage: 114,202

FRAME THAT HOLDS FRONT SYSTEM BROKE OR RUSTED THROUGH . CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING. *TR

Mileage: 106,020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME LODGED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE VEHICLE STALLED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE TRAVELED OFF THE ROADWAY AND ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND A SECOND PASSENGER BECAME TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. THE POLICE ARRIVED AND HAD TO REMOVE ALL THREE OF THE PASSENGERS FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS TURNED OVER ON THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, THE RIGHT ARM ROTATOR CUP, AND A BRUISED BREAST AREA. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED PAINS AND BRUISES IN THE PELVIC AREA AND THE THIRD PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR ABRASIONS. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT ALL THREE OF THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

Mileage: 110,000

POWER STEERING ASSEMBLY BREAKS AWAY FROM ENGINE CRADLE DUE TO HEAVY CORROSION. (PHOTOS AVAILABLE) WIFE COMPLAINED OF THUMPING NOISE WHEN TURNING. I TEST DROVE A FIGURE EIGHT AND PARKED WITH PASSENGER WHEEL 30 DEGREES OUT OF ALIGNMENT. LOSS OF STEERING (NOT JUST POWER), REGARDLESS OF CAUSE, STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE CRADLE CAN'T BE ALLOWED TO FAIL, EVER. EITHER THE ORIGINAL METALLURGICAL SPECIFICATIONS WERE IN ERROR, OR SOME SUBSET OF THE SUPPLIED CRADLES DID NOT MEET SPECS. 10579587, DATED 3/12/2014 ? IS AN EARLIER ACCURATE DESCRIPTION OF SAME PROBLEM. WEB WISDOM SUGGESTS A/C CONDENSATE REPEATEDLY COLLECTS ON THE CRADLE CAUSING (HIDDEN) CORROSION. THAT SEEMS PLAUSIBLE TO ME, SINCE MY CAR IS RUST FREE, INCLUDING THE UNDERCARRIAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE HEAVILY CORRODED CRADLE. ACCORDING TO WIKIPEDIA GM PRODUCTS THAT SHARE THE SAME GMX130 PLATFORM USING THIS CRADLE ARE: 1999?2004 OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1999?2005 PONTIAC GRAND AM 1997?1999 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 1997?2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU 2004?2005 CHEVROLET CLASSIC I MANUALLY BROWSED NHTSA DB FOR FRONT-END RELATED 'FAILED COMPONENTS' ON THESE VEHICLES. I READ FOR A DAY. WHAT DOES A STATISTICAL SUMMARY OF FRONT-END RELATED FAILURES SAY ABOUT THE GMX130 PLATFORM? I ASSERT THAT THERE IS A CRITICAL FLAW IN SOME OR ALL CRADLES USED BY THE GMX130 PLATFORM MAKING THEM VULNERABLE TO EXTREME CORROSION, LEADING TO A VARIETY OF POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING COMPONENT FAILURES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF STEERING. ... UPDATED 03/19/15*BF *JS

Mileage: 95,000

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXMIATELY 60 MPH, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND BECAME HARD TO STEER. IT HAS NOT WORKED SINCE. *TR

Mileage: 147,100

UPPER PORTION OF 2 PART STEERING SHAFT CAME LOOSE AND STILL IS.TRUCK WAS ONE YEAR OLD WITH 5000 MILES ON IT. JUST MAKES NOISE. HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO CHANGE IT. ALSO FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WORE OUT AT 30,000 MILES. IGNITION SWITCH SOMETIMES JAMS FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS. TRUCK ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT NOW. *TR

Mileage: 3,000

THE ENGINE SUBFRAME (CRADLE) MOUNTING TABS FOR STEERING GEAR HAVE RUSTED OUT CAUSING STEERING GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE IS THEN UNABLE TO STEER POSING THREAT OF CRASH AND SERIOUS INJURY. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN THIS ON PONTIAC GRAND AM, AND OLDSMOBILE ALERO MODELS FROM YEARS 2000-2005. *JS

Mileage: 87,524

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING MOTOR HAS BEEN GOING OFF/ON WHILE DRIVING. THE LATEST INCIDENT WAS SATURDAY DECEMBER 21,2013. THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING WENT OUT BRIEFLY WHILE DRIVING THE FREEWAY AND GOING UP A HILL RETURNING TO MY RESIDENCE. IF POWER STEERING ASSIST WAS ALMOST LOST WOULD REQUIRE GREATER DRIVER EFFORT AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS,INCREASING MY RISK OF CRASH. THE MANUFACTOR OR DRIVE TIME WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEVER INFORMED OF THE RECALL OF THIS PART. *TR

Mileage: 84,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET CLASSIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 30 MPH AND ATTEMPTING A RIGHT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER THEN CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE DRIVER DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000.

Mileage: 76,000

FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN NOTICING A NOISE WHEN I TURN LEFT WITH MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU CLASSIC. I WENT TO MY REPAIRSHOP AND THEY SAID MY STEERING FLUID WAS LOW, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. TODAY, I VISITED THE SAME SHOP AND THEY FOUND THAT MY STEERING RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I AM RUNNING THE RISK OF IT LOCKING UP WHILE DRIVING AND BEING UNABLE TO TURN. I HAVE DONE SOME SEARCHING ONLINE, AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH MY VEHICLE. LOSING ALL CONTROL OF STEERING IS A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD AND I BELIEVE GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THEN JUST STARTED MAKING FAINT NOISE, PROGRESSING MORE AS TIME WENT BY. WENT TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP LEFT IT. WAS TOLD THEY REPLACED P/S PUMP AND REPLACED LEFT DOOR PANEL. WENT BACK TO 1ST. DEALER SEVERAL MORE TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE. THEY REPLACED A RUBBER GROMMET, RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM. STILL NOT FIXED. WENT BACK TO 2ND DEALER AGAIN,WAS TOLD THAT "GM" SAID THEY HAD ALREADY FIXED IT ONCE AND THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT AGAIN. BECAUSE IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH NOT JUST MY CAR BUT OTHERS AS WELL. NOW IT IS SO MUCH WORSE, THAT I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE STEERING/ SUSPENSION. *JB

Mileage: 255,123

NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THEN JUST STARTED MAKING FAINT NOISE, PROGRESSING MORE AS TIME WENT BY. WENT TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP LEFT IT. WAS TOLD THEY REPLACED P/S PUMP AND REPLACED LEFT DOOR PANEL. WENT BACK TO 1ST. DEALER SEVERAL MORE TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE. THEY REPLACED A RUBBER GROMMET, RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM. STILL NOT FIXED. WENT BACK TO 2ND DEALER AGAIN,WAS TOLD THAT "GM" SAID THEY HAD ALREADY FIXED IT ONCE AND THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT AGAIN. BECAUSE IT WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH NOT JUST MY CAR BUT OTHERS AS WELL. NOW IT IS SO MUCH WORSE, THAT I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, BECAUSE IT IS IN THE STEERING/ SUSPENSION. *JB

Mileage: 255,123

I PURCHASED MY 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU CLASSIC IN FEBRUARY OF 2005. SO FAR MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME WAS TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. AFTER DRIVING LONG DISTANCES AND TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONER THE CAR WOULD COMPLETELY TURN ITSELF OFF. THIS HAPPENED TWICE, IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. NEXT, AN 02 SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AFTER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING OFF AN ON. THE LAST 3 TIMES I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS TO SEE IF I CAN GET MY CURRENT PROBLEM RESOLVED. WHEN I AM DRIVING, THERE IS A LOUD METAL BANGING SOUND COMING FROM BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL AREAS OF THE CAR (SUSPENSION NOISE). EACH TIME THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP, THEY HAVE REPLACED A PART. SO FAR I HAVE HAD STRUT CUSHIONS/SPRING SEATS REPLACED. TOMORROW WILL BE MY 4TH TIME TAKING MY CAR TO THE SHOP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT TIMES YOU FEEL VERY LITTLE CONTROL OVER THE STEERING, IT SEEMS LIKE THE FRONT TIRES AREN'T CONTROLLING/DIRECTING THE REST OF THE CAR. *NM