06 Malibu Maxx, thump when steering turns

Driving or sitting , there is a thump when the wheel is turned. this is usually just a few degrees from dead center either way, driving or sitting still. I beleive this Maxx has the steering by wire.

I could be wrong, but don't think so, that the '06 and '07 Maxxes have hydraulic steering (I know FOR SURE that the '07s do, since my sister has one). My '04 has the electric kind (and the '05s do as well). There are many other threads in this forum that concern steering issues on the '04s - '07s, so I recommend you search through past threads. Most funny noises concern the intermediate steering shaft, which is often replaced. But the suspensions on these models is lousy as well, so it could be any number of things. I've had "half" the front end replaced over time, but it's been a great car the last 2 years. Fortunately, all of my front end work was done under warranty...

Your best bet is a trip to the dealer for diagnosis.....then come back with the dealer's answer if you intend to do the work elsewhere (or yourself).

I've had the thump on my 04 Malibu and it was the intermediate steering shaft. I learned from my 1999 Cavalier that had the same problem what to do. The splines in the shaft suffer from lack of lubrication. However, trying to grease the shaft without tearing it down is difficult. You cannot get grease down into the thing. So what I did was to dissolve some high quality bearing grease in bit of gasoline. With a squeeze bottle and a long thin spout I allowed this mixture to flow into the intermediate shaft accessible from the drivers position.

The gasoline acts as a carrier and takes the grease right down into the shaft. In a few hours the gasoline has evaporated leaving the grease behind. I did this to my Malibu over 2 years ago and the noise has not returned. I don't say this will cure all noises but it's worth a try.

It's an 05, i do not see any power steering fluid pump...so i guess fully electronic steering?

It is EPS - electric power steering. Anyway, whether it is electric or hydraulic makes no difference. The intermediate shaft is the same. Part of the problem is the acute angle the universal joint must operate at. This causes the splines in the shaft to move up and down more. That is, the length of the shaft fluctuates as you turn the steering wheel. Any lack of lubricant will cause the splines to briefly jamb which will translate into a thumping noise.

That's why it's important to get the lubrication right down into the assembly.

The car is still under warranty so off to the dealer it goes.

I finally had some spare time:runaround: between work, trying to get the wheel locks off my sisters car ( she lost the key ) coputers people keep dropping off at my house to repair...I got up and looked in the 06 Helm manual and there is both EPS and Hydraulic. It is my Mom's car, the Maxx. Luckily she got the extended warranty. It only cost $200. They said they replaced the intermediate shaft. Had it on the bill no part number no returned part in a plastic bag:dunno: I guess maybe labor, who knows what it's up to by now...when I used to work for Chevrolet it was around $40 an hour. I have not been to the Dealer much in the last 25 or so years. Probably just lubed th eshaft. I didn't care much for the service writter. Tired to trick me.

He said we diagnosed what was wrong and we changed your oil, also we recommend getting your emmissions cleaned. I said "changed the oil, I just did that 2 months ago" the service writter said..."oh wait a minute, the mechanic is recommending that to be done also" . I never reset the oil life warning light that comes on, i guess they saw that..still I did not like the way he tried to sneek it by. The I asked him what does the emissions cleaning cover....long pause...likr no one before has ever asked that...they just say ok. He said "fuel injectors and catalytic converter cleaning" I'll bet he was thinking...why did I say catalytic converter. Should have said fuel lines, regulatoe. fuel rails injectors, throttle body.... anyway I had just finished running some sea-foam in the gas , throttle body and poured in through the vacum hose to the manifold ( make sure to wear googles...my Impala back fired and threw that stuff all over the place. Well happy ending anyway..drove the car, runs great...I can't understand why anybody wants to drive anything else other than a GM product. At work we have 5 or 6 of those retro Mustangs...I gotta say I have been looking at that same design for the last 40 years...Did not care for it much then still do mot like it now. That's another story I guess.

I think the 3.5l had electric and the 3.9l had hydraulic IIRC, my 06 has electric/ 3.5l