Took my 2008 Malibu into the shop today to have basic inspection, and have the steering checked. Found out that steering gear has to be replaced along with a manufacturer recall of the chrome plated wheel covers. Apparently the original wheel covers are causing a ticking noise while at high speeds. Just thought I would let people know just in case we had any 2008 owners.

This doesn't bode well for the current Malibu generation. Have to say, I'm not surprised since the car is basically a previous-gen Maxx underneath. So much for J.D. Power's top-notch Initial Quality Survey, which doesn't mean much anyway.