My 08 Malibu 2LT with 11,000 miles has developed a rattle from the steering column that occurs at any speed when the steering wheel is in the neutral (straight ahead) position. When the wheel is turned the rattle goes away.

Northern California dealer says that Chevrolet is aware of the problem and is coming out with a fix in a couple of months, something about a loose connection. Told the rattle is not dangerous and will not cause loss of steering and to wait for the fix.

Anyone experiencing the same? Thanks for the input.

Jfry

Hello... I just started experiencing the same thing! It started this weekend and my Bu is also at 11K miles. I really hear it when I hit a bump or something. Sounds like a screw or something has fallen out in there! Let me know if you hear anything else.

anyone have a little bump, or knocking sound from the steering column when they hit a bump, or go over a transition when youre turning?

anyone have a little bump, or knocking sound from the steering column when they hit a bump, or go over a transition when youre turning?

Could very well be the intermediate steering shaft that a lot of cars with this platform and the hydraulic steering have had issues with, particularly the Aura (as well as the last gen full size GM trucks, some W-body cars, etc.). It typically presents itself as a varied rattle, clunk, or other knock in the steering over bumps and/or when turning.

Or something else, but this is the typical--the Aura guys know it well.

well, if it is a electronic column, like the older malibus, then you will need the column replaced. each item has its own noise. it is very hard to explain each one, but when you drive them and diagnose the car, it is usually obvious which item is the problem. could be several things, but i would put money on the column rattle. easiest way to find out, if it is equipped with a EPS system, you can disconnect the fuse for it. should be like a 100 amp fuse or 80 amp, or something like it. rediculous number. if the noise goes away then you will know its the column. note - when you do this, it will throw a code. so you may have to disconnect the battery to clear out the codes.
or you can use a scan tool. also you wont have any power assist when you have it disconnected, so be careful.

if not the column, then i would definitely agree with everyone else, the steering shaft is probably the next place i would go.

I'm pretty sure it's the intermediate steering shaft. This was going on with my 2000 Cavalier. I went to the dealership about 3 times to fix it. It seems to happened every 20,000 miles. I drive a government impala at work and it has around 11,000 on it and it started to do it too. I was told in the past it has something to do with the grease on the shaft. It dries up and starts making to noise.

My '09 has a clunking rattle somewhere underneath up front and it started at around 3,000 miles. I can't feel anything in the steering column though. Can you guys feel this 'clunk' in the steering wheel when you hear it?

yes, you can feel it, but each item has its own feel, be it in the floor board, in the steering wheel, or just a weird clunk with a full feel to it, everything is different.
several items you can feel through the steering wheel. this will narrow it down to multiple items. if its in the floor board then its usually control arm bushings, or ball joints. or sway bar links. same can be said if its felt through the wheel at times. also each item has its own resonance, and frequency at which it clunks at, thus giving you a dull noise, or a pop, or bang, or a rattle, etc... knowing what item to chase comes from experience, and patience.

Interesting. Whatever my clunk/rattle is, you cannot feel it. I wonder if it's a bad or loose shock. One of these days I'll take it in and find out if a mechanic can figure it out.

I had a similar problem shortly after I purchased my new Impala in '05, after about 6000 miles. It turned out they replaced the steering column. After that, no more problems.

The hard part is finding a day to let them have the car to service it. What a pain!

I just got my 08 4 cyl 6-speed LTZ out of the shop with the intermediate steering shaft issue. Took those a**holes 3x to find the issue. Mine has just under 20,000 miles but started around 18,500. Sometimes I think they know what it is but do not fix it. All they had to do was take it back out for a test drive and see that the noise was still there. It got progressively worse.

Fixed under warranty but taking the shuttle back and forth to work 3x sucked canal water.

Pls some one reply for Crm2019.... i need that...

__________________
Chase Auto Loan (http://chaseautoloan.net)

I just got my 08 4 cyl 6-speed LTZ out of the shop with the intermediate steering shaft issue. Took those a**holes 3x to find the issue. Mine has just under 20,000 miles but started around 18,500. Sometimes I think they know what it is but do not fix it. All they had to do was take it back out for a test drive and see that the noise was still there. It got progressively worse.

Fixed under warranty but taking the shuttle back and forth to work 3x sucked canal water.

Interesting. So in some cases the rattle has been a rack, and in others it's been the steering sliding shaft (like on the Silverados). Maybe it took them that long to diagnose the multiple possibilities? Still, they should have test driven it like you said.

It is back again for the 4th time...and I only have 26K on it. Now the steering also makes noise when I turn it hard to the left or right when standing still or at low speeds. I am loosing confidence in GM with this model.

I also have the 'warped' dash above the dash compartment among some other minor stuff.I just got my 08 4 cyl 6-speed LTZ out of the shop with the intermediate steering shaft issue. Took those a**holes 3x to find the issue. Mine has just under 20,000 miles but started around 18,500. Sometimes I think they know what it is but do not fix it. All they had to do was take it back out for a test drive and see that the noise was still there. It got progressively worse.

Fixed under warranty but taking the shuttle back and forth to work 3x sucked canal water.

Had my steering sliding shaft lubed, didn't do a darn thing. Exact same clunk over small bumps in the road. Sounds like the whole subframe is what's clunking

The steering has many issues and is the one and only real "issue" with these cars IMO.

I had all sorts of clunks and noises a few months back, they ended up replacing the steering rack and intermediate shaft. That took care of that, but now I have been noticing some odd feeling when I turn the wheel when the car is stopped or moving very slow. I wonder if it is the power steering pump. I'm do for a oil/filter change soon, I'm gonna have it looked into then when I bring it in....

Do a search for "G6 clunking issues 06-02-32-007F" and then read the "Weird clicking-clunking when steering..." thread on Pontiac G6 Forum. The TSB now covers Malibu, G6, and Aura upto 2010 MY. It sounds bleak but I try to remind myself that not every Malibu will be plagued by the problem and that it's not a safety issue.

Could you provide the details in the TSB?

Could you provide the details in the TSB?

Click http://www.g6ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3338 and then scroll down to the post by 06G6GTMD.

anyone have a little bump, or knocking sound from the steering column when they hit a bump, or go over a transition when you're turning?

I just had my intermediate steering shaft replaced under warranty for this. Car has just over 10000 miles on the clock. The first time I brought it in they said they didn't hear anything..:confused:..I took the service manager for a quick test ride and had him hear it and they fixed it today. I have yet to pick up the car so I cannot tell you if this indeed fixed the problem. I will tell tomorrow!