Let me preface this by saying that so far I love everything about this car! Well, almost everything ...

The steering on my 2LT w/ 2.4L engine is driving me nuts! I'm still trying to figure out exactly what is driving me nuts about it, but it just seems to not want to stay on center. For instance, at highway speeds, it's really a struggle to keep the car in between the lines. It feels like if I take my eyes off of the road for a second, by the time I look back up I've started drifting into the next lane.

It's strange, because it doesn't feel like an alignment problem. It doesn't pull in any one direction in particular. It just seems to not want to center itself. At highway speeds, if I turn the steering wheel an eighth of a turn in a direction, it doesn't just come back to center. The wheel will just stay there.

I feel silly not being able to describe it very well, as I've driven MANY crappy cars over the years with all kinds of front-end problems. That's why I've just kind of attributed it to the electric steering just being different. If this is the case, does anyone else feel the same as me? Is there a way to adjust the steering to make it more accurate?

I'm kinda with you on your opinion....maybe I'm just used to my old car still but I feel like I'm constantly making course adjustments. I think it might be that the steering is so finely tuned that it's that sensative. I'm sure I'll get used to it but at times it weirds me out.

I'm kinda with you on your opinion....maybe I'm just used to my old car still but I feel like I'm constantly making course adjustments. I think it might be that the steering is so finely tuned that it's that sensative. I'm sure I'll get used to it but at times it weirds me out.
I do have a tendency to over-steer, but that's a matter of getting used to the Malibu after driving my pickup.

I do have a tendency to over-steer, but that's a matter of getting used to the Malibu after driving my pickup.

Yeah i think so too. I'm sure I would feel the same with any new car....or maybe my old car was so bad that I thought it was OK...hmm.

According to several test reports the hydraulic power steering solves the issue you reference. Available on LT2 w/ 6cyl and LTz. Perhaps an adjustment can be made to the electronically controlled units.

check the air in your tires, my malibu was drifting on the hiway too.checked the air in the tires mine were at 35 psi. droped pressure down to 30 psi car tracks great now. jack

Good point, Jack. Mine were overinflated as well. I've heard the factory does that to eliminate flat spots during shipping and storage. It's the dealerships responsibility to bring the air pressure down to its proper inflation.

My tires (at 30 PSI cold) quickly increase pressure to 31, 32, and 33 while driving (especially while traveling on the freeway). (I enjoy occasionally scrolling through the 'DIC' while driving, and am aware of the tire pressures and their changes.)

I agree with the above comments. My Malibu seems to 'drift' from center also, and I seem to be driving with a more 'corrective grip' on the steering wheel.

Each of the past two days, I drove my 1st and 2nd 'trip' with my Malibu (225 miles each day), and the trip was very comfortable. 'Cruise' about 1/3 of the time (set @ 78 or 79), overall mileage around 28 MPG, relatively quiet, comfortable seating, about 4,300 miles on the odometer.

Well, at least I'm not going crazy. I need to get the dealer to fix a part of the window tint that pulled up, so maybe at that time I'll have them take a look at the steering. That's probably the way it's designed, I guess. Hopefully I'll get used to it.

I'm just finding it hard to believe that they got 99% of the things right on this car, with such an attention to detail, but they fumbled the handoff on the steering.

It's funny I ran across this thread. I noticed that if I'm at a stop light, and the steering wheel is on center, if I barely adjust it left or right, it feels likes it's being "electronically tugged" in the wrong direction. I guess it's just the electronic steering assist (but it doesn't do it while I'm driving at speed).

On my road trip, I didn't notice any drifting, but like Pizza Man, I oversteer a lot (like second nature) and sometimes I don't even notice it.

I noticed the "drifting" on the highway home from the airport today and my tires had warmed up past 30psi on the DIC readout - I think it's a tire temp issue personally - I constantly have to make minor adjustments in the lane to keep the car centered and the wife thinks I'm drunk!!! I don't want to let too much air out of the tires - any solutions here?

I have the exact same problem. I noticed that the car doesn't center itself... I don't know if it's because it's new and still a little stiff or what, but i noticed that when you turn the car slightly at highway speeds, it keeps on turning and won't go back to center. I also don't know if it's because of the 4 cylinder or not. I know with the 6 cyl. you get hydraulic steering. Don't know. I just got my car yesterday.. So we'll see - That is the absolulte only complaint I have. Other than that, I love everything, the ride is amazing, and the it's so quiet. Very happy.

I got more highway time with the 'Bu yesterday. I "hovered" my hands on the steering wheel yesterday to see if it tracks straight, and it did for quite a while (almost 1/4 mile). It has seemed to have gotten better with more miles on the car for me.

Maybe the suspension/steering just has to have more of a break in period. When my tires warm they get up to 33-34 psi - normal should be 30 -- does the high psi hurt the car / mpg in anyway?

When my tires warm they get up to 33-34 psi - normal should be 30 -- does the high psi hurt the car / mpg in anyway?
PSI increases as the tires warm up is normal. Filling the tires as recommended will take into account the increase in pressure. It is always recommended to adjust tire pressure while the tires are cold.

Well, I really am loving this car more everyday. I'm getting used to the steering; I'm not sure if it's breaking in or I'm just getting used to how it drives. I'm in the phase where I'm washing the car every chance I get ... I am really digging it.

However ... Now I'm starting to notice this weird groaning when I turn the steering wheel at low speeds, like less than 10 mph. It seems like it's gotten louder. It's loud enough now that I can hear it even with the radio turned up. Anybody else notice that?

My tags came in today, so I plan on swinging by sometime in the next day or two and getting them to look at it.

I haven't heard any "groaning" and I just passed 1200k - I will listen for it on my drive to work today...

I don't hear any groaning either. I heard that was a problem in the Aura's.

I thought the groaning was with the power steering pump on the hydraulically equipped V6 cars (Aura's so far- no reliable reports of 'bu's with the problem yet)? The four cylinder cars all use EPS (electric power steering), so if they're groaning, I haven't got a clue what could be causing it. With hydraulic systems, the low engine rpms cause low pump pressure, and can result in groaning when the tires are turned (high resistance at lower speeds).

Could the issue of drifting be that the tires are so new that the little knobbies are causing the problem until they wear down after a few thousand miles?

BTW - I have serious whining/groaning on my Grand Prix steering. It all started when my mechanic did a steering system flush and refill a long time ago. Then I went to the dealer, and they replaced the steering pump, only to make the problem worse. No one can figure out what is causing the whine/groan, and I don't want to spend any more money fixing this problem. When the GP becomes my daughter's car soon, my wife said this will be a good problem to have, because everyone will know she's coming!

Could the issue of drifting be that the tires are so new that the little knobbies are causing the problem until they wear down after a few thousand miles?

BTW - I have serious whining/groaning on my Grand Prix steering. It all started when my mechanic did a steering system flush and refill a long time ago. Then I went to the dealer, and they replaced the steering pump, only to make the problem worse. No one can figure out what is causing the whine/groan, and I don't want to spend any more money fixing this problem. When the GP becomes my daughter's car soon, my wife said this will be a good problem to have, because everyone will know she's coming!

Try just a little more fluid. My wife had a 97 Grand Prix which may have had the same pump as your newer car. The pump would show full, but adding a ounce or so would make it quiter. Worth a try.

Try just a little more fluid. My wife had a 97 Grand Prix which may have had the same pump as your newer car. The pump would show full, but adding a ounce or so would make it quiter. Worth a try.


I'll try again - but two different garages said they filled it to the top. Is it the same process as filling oil or transmission fluid? Is there a cap that comes off and you just pour it in?

Is there a cap that comes off and you just pour it in?

Yes, it is easy to add fluid. We had to go slightly over full.

I have an 08 Malibu LS with electric PS, so here are my observations.

It tracks very true, but there is NO true center. Most hydraulic PS have an exponentail built in that makes it stiffer as you get further from center. It adds to the sporty feel, but also gives you a feel of center. You can gently wobble left and right and start to feel resistance. Not on the electric models. You can crank it all the way either direction and its the same feeling. It's not a bad design, but it will take some getting used to.

I have noticed this problem as well. It's like there is no 'toe out' in the front wheels. The car will not stay center and strait and I find that my thumb gets tired from constantly gripping the wheel and adjusting due to how stiff the steering is. I will have to try lowering the PSI to see if that helps. Maybe a TSB will come out for this one because it is kinda annoying. Any updates from other posters with this problem who took their car in for service?

I agree with the steering issues in this thread. The electronic steering is a good concept and I'm sure there was some cost reduction involved in it's development. I too have a hard time keeping the car centered. The steering isn't bad, it's just different. The more I drive it the better "feeling" I get of how to correct accordingly.

I agree with most of you on electric steering. It isn't too bad but is different and takes some getting used to.

Update, I noticed this week that the steering is most stiff at center and when trying to make small adjustments to keep center. When turning it seems the steering takes less force the more you turn the wheel.

I also paid close attention to the roadway to confirm if the problem was an out of alignment issue or just the slant of the roadway. From what I can tell is that when I'm having issues keeping strait it's due to the roadway condition and not the car itself. If the road is flat the car will drive strait unless I stomp on it then the torque steer pulls to one side.

Also this is the first front wheel drive car I've had in over 11 years. Maybe it's just me...:)

RE: Steering
The drifting problem may be caused by insufficient caster in the front alignment. Try this simple test. Have two people, that each weigh at least 200 pounds, sit in the back seat and test the steering on a freeway. If the condition improves, the positive caster should be increased. The additional weight increases the positive caster. If there is no change, it may be a design issue.

Well, I really am loving this car more everyday. I'm getting used to the steering; I'm not sure if it's breaking in or I'm just getting used to how it drives. I'm in the phase where I'm washing the car every chance I get ... I am really digging it.

However ... Now I'm starting to notice this weird groaning when I turn the steering wheel at low speeds, like less than 10 mph. It seems like it's gotten louder. It's loud enough now that I can hear it even with the radio turned up. Anybody else notice that?

My tags came in today, so I plan on swinging by sometime in the next day or two and getting them to look at it.


I just noticed somthing start last night,
I hear it also during low speed turns, not too loud but it sounds weird,
vinyl on plastic rub sound or electric motor sound or even a cats "reawow" noise?

Did you get yours sorted out?

2008 4cyl 4 spd 2440 miles.

I just noticed somthing start last night,
I hear it also during low speed turns, not too loud but it sounds weird,
vinyl on plastic rub sound or electric motor sound or even a cats "reawow" noise?

Did you get yours sorted out?

2008 4cyl 4 spd 2440 miles.

That's the noise I heard too. After a few thousand miles the noise went away. As a matter of fact, the steering has gotten better too. I'm up to 29,000 miles. I don't know if the steering has gotten better or maybe I've gotten used to it, but I don't have any complaints about it anymore.

I still love this car though! The only real issue I've had is the LED in the driver's side door going out. I haven't made it in to get it fixed yet.

I had the same thoughts about the steering in the Malibu. My wife recently hit a pothole and she took it to Town Fair tire. Luckily ther was no serious damage but they did say the alignment was off. What a difference. It now hanldes unbeleivable. It has a tight feel and handles great in the corners and does not drift any more. I woudl have the dealer take a look at the alignment.

Hey there,

I love My 2009 Malibu LTZ, I have driven it only about 400 miles.
My wife had us opt for the 4cyl for the gas mileage :(

No big deal I suppose, but this electronic steering drives me nuts.
Too much correction involved while driving on the highway. Its awfully sensitive, and just doesnt feel as good hydraulic steering.

I have only one thought as to why the went with the electronic steering...
... they tried to squeeze another .000001 mpg out of the engine.

Not a good move. In my opinion I'd rather have hydraulic steering.

With the electronic steering, I just dont think that there is enough physical feedback from the steering rack, when the car tries to make adjustments.
I am imagining that if you were to jack your car up in the front and move the front wheels, the steering wheel will move unnaturally.

I would like to say that GM can issue some firmware update, but it really boils down to getting used to a not so good design(for Me).

Mike

The EPS is also my number one complaint. Definitely have to keep a close watch because I'm constantly correcting it from a drift and causes me to put a death grip on wheel to the point that I end up with achey/painful hands and forearms. I've been wearing insulated leather gloves from almost day one which only helps a little. Part of that pain comes from the mild but constant vibration at highway speeds and another portion from the horrible contour of the wheel that just does not fit my hands. This results in pressure points to my hands.

I noticed the "drifting" on the highway home from the airport today and my tires had warmed up past 30psi on the DIC readout - I think it's a tire temp issue personally - I constantly have to make minor adjustments in the lane to keep the car centered and the wife thinks I'm drunk!!! I don't want to let too much air out of the tires - any solutions here?

Not worried about wife, but the cop who pulls me over thinking I'm drunk. Will GM pay for that?
Big caution on running under-inflated, tire separation is no fun. Mine has 55 profile and have wondered if sticking with 60 series would have been wiser, but then I'd be giving up some benefits of the lower profile. The solution would obviously be to just tighten the steering.

Could the issue of drifting be that the tires are so new that the little knobbies are causing the problem until they wear down after a few thousand miles?

BTW - I have serious whining/groaning on my Grand Prix steering. It all started when my mechanic did a steering system flush and refill a long time ago. Then I went to the dealer, and they replaced the steering pump, only to make the problem worse. No one can figure out what is causing the whine/groan, and I don't want to spend any more money fixing this problem. When the GP becomes my daughter's car soon, my wife said this will be a good problem to have, because everyone will know she's coming!

It sounds like a small amount of air is stuck in system, PS unit, not pump. It takes a special procedure to get it out. I think the car is jacked and then steering turned to limits several times, but don't remember if it is engine running or not.

[QUOTE=Malibooboo;1424]Could the issue of drifting be that the tires are so new that the little knobbies are causing the problem until they wear down after a few thousand miles?
QUOTE]

No. Tires can break in to the alignment of the car, a couple of thousand miles maybe, but assume it is aligned correctly. But then I wonder if the specs are the best for this car. A different camber setting for front, left to right, sure peaks my interest. That would normally only be done if you are driving in circles and has me wondering if someone at GM is a race fan.
You might find a stretch of perfect road where vehicle seems to stay straight, but most roads are not that way and the looseness at the wheel is the problem. Find that stretch of road and gently rock steering back and forth rapidly until it reaches the point it actually moves from straight line. That is how much play you have in the system.
That is if you hold wheel steady, that is how much the wheels can deviate without any input from you.

I have an 08 Malibu LS with electric PS, so here are my observations.

It tracks very true, but there is NO true center. Most hydraulic PS have an exponentail built in that makes it stiffer as you get further from center. It adds to the sporty feel, but also gives you a feel of center. You can gently wobble left and right and start to feel resistance. Not on the electric models. You can crank it all the way either direction and its the same feeling. It's not a bad design, but it will take some getting used to.

Sorry, but mine has wobble before you feel resistance and the best driving cars I've been in had no resistance on hydraulic.
Part of the self-centering is due to alignment. Turning from center you will observe that the tires rise up on edge which elevates vehicle slightly. So, naturally the tires and steering system want to return to the lowest point with gravity.
This is part of the camber setting and involves something called the steering angle inclination. It should show on any good alignment printout. There is one figure that includes the angle of the strut plus the camber and from what I've read the side to side difference should always be zero. Not so on this vehicle according to printout. And this might possibly cause a wide band where the tire thinks it is flat on the road or self centered. I have not looked at the suspension and don't know exactly where the adjustments are at, but it seems that to accomplish that zeroing you would either need to alter length of lower control arm or cut slots at the top of the strut tower.
But then I have no idea why GM thinks this vehicle needs a different setting for right and left front camber.
Beware, the dealer claimed part of my issue was alignment and they aligned to factory spec., they claim, and now I have a bad wear pattern developing with only 2500 miles. Is there rack out of calibration?

Update, I noticed this week that the steering is most stiff at center and when trying to make small adjustments to keep center. When turning it seems the steering takes less force the more you turn the wheel.

I also paid close attention to the roadway to confirm if the problem was an out of alignment issue or just the slant of the roadway. From what I can tell is that when I'm having issues keeping strait it's due to the roadway condition and not the car itself. If the road is flat the car will drive strait unless I stomp on it then the torque steer pulls to one side.

Also this is the first front wheel drive car I've had in over 11 years. Maybe it's just me...:)

Steering should be tightest at center because that is where you want to maintain straight line. This would be what is sometimes referred to as the high point or where gears are more precisely ground to aleviate slack. Steering gear boxes with arm had adjustments to handle how tight it would feel, along with using recirculating balls of steel.
You might find some lengths of road where the car goes straight, that is you've matched the alignment to the road. You can align a vehicle so that it drives straight on a crowned road, but any other road will seem wrong.
I suspect you have an alignment problem if you are feeling torque steer. Torque steer originally intended to describe pull to the side because of unequal torque being delivered to the drive wheels has become all encompassing to include alignment issues. That is, if the contact patch of the drive tires is different, one being farther from the center of the vehicle than the other, one side will pull the vehicle crooked. With uneven road surfaces it only a very sophisticated suspension system could maintain perfect tire contact. One of the ways to help maintain straight travel is crank in more caster.
As to the real torque steer, GM had an internal technical bulletin during early 90's aiming to make the drive shafts of equal length because the difference in shaft angles causes different torque to wheels. As near as I can tell, the shafts on this one are equal and likely interchangeable. Earlier first changes to correct this problem included a section of straight shaft from the tranny and a mounting plate with bearing bolted to engine assembly so that the first joint was equidistant from centerline. Some added it internally by adding a snout to the transmission.
Trouble shooting what you call torque steer (and most others these days), get a highly accurate tire pressure guage and ensure even pressure left to right and do it with cold tires.
If that does not help, then alignment is the next step if brake drag has been eliminated.
If you still have issue, rotate tires and look for a change. Sometimes they only swap front left to right to narrow the offending tire. Yes, it is possible for the problem to be caused by a bad tire.