Unfortuneately, this car has a vibration sensitivity that GM has not figured out yet. Not all customers seem to complain about it so perhaps it really does just affect some cars. The only fix GM has at the moment for customers that complain is to replace the tires and road force balance them. In my opinion, this is just a bandaid fix. Others and myself have complained of this problem to GM for months. I believe it is a mechanical resonance in the drivetrain that gets excited by a number of different inputs. One is a tire out of balance or out of round. Other inputs are the transmission downshifting or the torque converter engaging and disengaging causing a shudder or bucking sensation. Also, just small bumps in the road can cause a bouncing sensation. Replacing out of round tires with round ones that are perfectly balanced can help a little but it doesn't fix the real problem. GM has not been able to fix my car after numerous attempts so I have had to begin arbitration to force a buyback.
TSB # 09-03-10-009, steering wheel vibration issues
Has anyone had this problem? 09 Malibu LTZ with V6. The TSB is specific to 18" wheels.
When driving, after turning, or making slight adjustments in the lane you are driving, when the wheel returns to center, you can feel a slight pulsation in the wheel; it will not return smoothly. While driving straight, you cannot feel a thing.
Service manager and tech know about it, they started by replacing the front tires; tech said as he balanced it he could still see the tire was slightly wobbly. TSB had a GM tech guy's actual phone number on it, so I'm wondering if this is a bug that affects a small amount of cars.
Anyone else had this issue?
So far, I've had a radio squeak problem, the bluetooth issue, a seat trim piece that kept popping off, and now this. If GM had that 60 day guarantee when i bought the car, who knows, I might have used it.
When driving, after turning, or making slight adjustments in the lane you are driving, when the wheel returns to center, you can feel a slight pulsation in the wheel; it will not return smoothly. While driving straight, you cannot feel a thing.
Service manager and tech know about it, they started by replacing the front tires; tech said as he balanced it he could still see the tire was slightly wobbly. TSB had a GM tech guy's actual phone number on it, so I'm wondering if this is a bug that affects a small amount of cars.
Anyone else had this issue?
So far, I've had a radio squeak problem, the bluetooth issue, a seat trim piece that kept popping off, and now this. If GM had that 60 day guarantee when i bought the car, who knows, I might have used it.
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After re-reading your post again, it sounds like your steering problem is something binding up in the steering rack and pinion or related components. That shouldn't have anything to to with the TSB you mentioned for defective tires. I would think that would be a straight forward repair by your dealership. It does sound like you've had more than the normal number of repairs. I know what you mean, you don't buy a new car just to spend time getting it fixed. Luckily, those problems don't sound like ones that would come back to bother you in the future. That steering problem should be looked at asap though.
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