2005 Chevrolet Malibu Suspension Problems

I CURRENTLY HAVE SEVERAL MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH MY 2005 CHEVY MALIBU AS DESCRIBED IN THE NHTSA AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NUMBERS: NHTSA #09E012000; NHTSA #14V224000; NHTSA #11E009000; 10032206; 10019020; 10030685; AND 10059101. THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE EXIST WHETHER THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION, HOWEVER, THEY ARE MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING.

AT 45000 MILES I NOTICED A POPPING NOISE IN THE FRONT END (PASSENGER SIDE) WHEN I MADE A LEFT TURN. I TOOK IT INTO MY MECHNIC AND HE SAID THE CV SHAFT WAS GOING OUT, BUT IT WOULD TAKE AWHILE BEFORE IT DID. IT DIDNT GET WORSE FOR AWHILE, NOW AT 62000, THE FRONT END HAS A HORRIBLE SHAKING, PULLS TO THE RIGHT SIDE, POPS ALL THE TIME AND THE TIRE ON THAT SIDE MAKES A WEIRD FLAPPING NOISE, IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE THE TIRE ITSELF IS OUT OF ROUND OR SOMETHING, AND IT IS WEARING SMOOTH ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE. I HAVE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH AND IT SEEMS OTHER MALIBU OWNERS ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS, IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE UNDER RECALL? IS GM AWARE OF THIS ISSUE? *TR

2005 MALIBU MAXX HATCHBACK / V6 / AT 30,000 MILES ON ODOMETER STEERING PROBLEMS INTERMITTENT FOR A MONTH, MECHANIC COULD FIND NO CODE WHEN I TOOK IT TO HIM AND HE DROVE TO CONFIRM WITH POWER STEERING HAVING FAILED - DEALER KNEW RIGHT AWAY AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN ALTHOUGH NO FAILED PARTS WERE PROVIDED TO ME - POWER STEERING STILL SEEMS WEAK AT TIMES OF LOW RPM - NOW AT 32,000 MILES BOTH FRONT BOTTOM BALL JOINTS NEED REPLACING - THEY ARE A SEALED UNIT WITH NO GREASE FITTINGS. TOYOTA ISN'T THE ONLY MANUFACTURE WITH SAFETY PROBLEMS. *TR

METAL ON METAL RATTLING SOUNDS COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. THE NOISE IS LOUD. SOUNDS UNSAFE LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING TO FALL OFF OR FREEZE UP. TOOK THE CAR TO MY REPAIR GUY AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. WE THE(REPAIR) GUY AND I TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. THEY SAID IT'S SOUNDS BAD BUT, DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. HE SAID THEY COULD START REPLACING PARTS BUT WILL NOT GUARANTEE UNTIL THE ACTUAL PART (S) ARE FOUND IF ANY. *TR

THE FRONT END SOUNDS LIKE IT IS GOING TO FALL OUT ALONG WITH FEELING A METAL CLANKING SOUND AT 18000 MILES. I TOOK THIS TO BLACK CHEVROLET IN NASHVILLE WHICH WAS NOT THE SALE DEALERSHIP BUT ONE I HAD BOUGHT A TRUCK WITH AND WAS USING THEIR SERVICE THEY STATED THAT A RECALL MIGHT BE COMING SOON ON THE PROBLEM AND IT WOULD NOT PRESENT A SAFETY CONCERN. THE CAR WAS MY FATHERS WHICH DIED IN 2006 AND MY MOTHER WAS PUT IN ASSISTED LIVING IN 2008 SO I JUST FOUND OUT THE PROBLEM PLEASE HELP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS A PULLING SENSATION AND NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT THE FAILURES WERE NOT RESOLVED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SUSPENSION MALFUNCTION WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,330.

FRONT STRUTS ARE FRACTURED AND APPARENTLY HAVE BEEN EST. $400+ TO FIX, CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX! HAVE SEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ONLINE REGARDING FRONT END RATTLES, I ALSO COMPLAINED SOON AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR W/25K ON IT, NOTHING WAS DONE THEN! REAR LEFT TAILLIGHT & BRAKE LIGHT KEEP FAILING EVEN AFTER REPLACING BULBS. *JB

FRONT SUSPENSION IS CLUNKY AS IF THERE ARE LOOSE-FITTED PARTS. FRONT BRAKES PULSATE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAUSING STEERING DIFFICULTY IN CORNERS. *JB

ON 4-28-06 I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVE WAY AND TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL AND HEARD A CLICKING AND A POPPING NOISE. AS I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE GETTING UP SPEED TO ABOUT 45 MPH, OUR ROAD HAS SLIGHT BUMPS IN IT, I HEARD THE SAME NOISE. THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED BUT IS NOW LOUDER, IT IS IN THE FRONT END. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE MONTHS AS OF TODAY 6-24-06. SO THE FIRST WEEK OF MAY '06 I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I GOT IT THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR THREE DAYS AND SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG I DROVE THE MECHANIC IN MY CAR AND HE HEARD THE SAME NOISE SAID KEEP DRIVING IT. I AM A MECHANIC MYSELF AND KNOW SOMETHING IS WRONG I THOUGHT CV JOINTS SO I LEFT. SO I CALLED THE CHEVROLET DEALER IN MY TOWN AND ASK IF THEY WOULD LOOK AT IT AND THEY HAVE AND SAID THEY DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING MAJOR WAS GOING ON AND ONE MECHANIC SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS A STEERING PROBLEM AND HE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE STEERING WHEEL OUT AND GREASE SOMETHING, BUT THEY WILL LOOK TO EASE MY MIND. NOW YESTERDAY I RAN INTO A MAN WHO BOUGHT A '05 FOR HIS WIFE AND I ASK IF HE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH HIS CAR CLICKING AND POPPING IN THE FRONT END AND HE SAID YES AND TOOK HIS TO THE SAME PLACES I HAVE AND TOLD HIM THE SAME THING AND IF I FIND ANY THING WRONG OUT TO LET HIM KNOW AND HE WILL ALSO COMPLAIN. I DON'T FEEL SAFE AT ALL AND ESPECIALLY WITH MY FAMILY IN THERE ALSO. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER RENTED A VEHICLE FROM ALAMO RENTAL IN ORLANDO, FL AT THE AIRPORT. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WITHOUT WARNING HE WAS JUST DRIVING AT 35 MPH AND THE VEHICLE JERKED TO THE LEFT. HE SAID THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT TURNED AND HE LOST CONTROL AND ALMOST FLIPPED OVER IN THE MEDIAN WHERE IT ALSO DISMOUNTED THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE FROM THE RIM. THE CONSUMER SAID THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS INSERTED ABOUT 6 INCHES LIKE IT WAS TURNED IN TOWARDS THE VEHICLE. ALAMO WAS CALLED AND THEY OFFERED TO FIX A FLAT BUT THE CONSUMER WANTED A DIFFERENT VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY REASONS. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. CALLER FEEL THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT. *JB