2014 Chevrolet Malibu Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
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What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Engine12725.2%
- Electrical8617.1%
- Powertrain (other)499.7%
- Driver assistance479.3%
- Brakes458.9%
- Fuel system265.2%
- Steering255.0%
- Visibility204.0%
- Other / unspecified183.6%
- Airbags163.2%
- Body & structure112.2%
- Suspension81.6%
- Interior & seats71.4%
- Seat belts71.4%
- Exterior lighting51.0%
- Tires & wheels30.6%
- Transmission30.6%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
Received vehicle at roughly 181,000 miles. Operated fine for about 5,000 miles and then began to show problems. In most cases when pressing down hard on the accelerator pedal, transmission drops into a lower gear and revs up to 5k rpm, cancelling cruise control, and staying there until accelerator is relieved. This makes accelerating more difficult since too much pressure on the accelerator pedal causes the car to get stuck at 5k rpm and stay at the same speed it is already at. This makes passing cars more dangerous as the car gets stuck at 5k rpm and can't pass the other vehicle, increasing the risk of a head on collision. Service engine and ABS lights are on as well as a service Stabilitrak notification in the driver information center. In addition, the outside temperature thermometer is faulty and shows much lower temperatures, such as -14 degrees during an 80 degree day. Vehicle is up to maintenance as far as my knowledge goes. Car has been previously junked twice and has a rebuilt title. There are no fluid leaks, the engine works well when the problem is not encountered, but it gets stuck at 5k rpm under hard acceleration more than it doesn't.
Automatic Start/Stop feature is faulty! When it activates, it prevents the engine from restarting for several minutes. This puts myself and others in my car at a major risk of getting in an accident. I have so far been lucky and avoided any accidents. Several thousand has ben spent to try and fix the issue, with no luck.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. It was later discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle mileage was 177,918. The contact had owned the vehicle since 2022. After scanning the vehicle with an OBD scanner, the mileage was discovered to be 286,307.
Car started shaking in the middle of driving it about 30 mph and all the electrical like door locks were going up and down car wasn’t accelerating and an alert came up for stabilizing wheels i believe. It happened for about a couple seconds and then everything went back to normal and randomly happens while I’m driving.Check engine appeared and went to the mechanic shop i usually go to and found out I had ebcm and ecm modules bad. Do some research on the car and noticed it had a recall back in 2014 for EBCM. The problem has resurfaced
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
Received vehicle at roughly 181,000 miles. Operated fine for about 5,000 miles and then began to show problems. In most cases when pressing down hard on the accelerator pedal, transmission drops into a lower gear and revs up to 5k rpm, cancelling cruise control, and staying there until accelerator is relieved. This makes accelerating more difficult since too much pressure on the accelerator pedal causes the car to get stuck at 5k rpm and stay at the same speed it is already at. This makes passing cars more dangerous as the car gets stuck at 5k rpm and can't pass the other vehicle, increasing the risk of a head on collision. Service engine and ABS lights are on as well as a service Stabilitrak notification in the driver information center. In addition, the outside temperature thermometer is faulty and shows much lower temperatures, such as -14 degrees during an 80 degree day. Vehicle is up to maintenance as far as my knowledge goes. Car has been previously junked twice and has a rebuilt title. There are no fluid leaks, the engine works well when the problem is not encountered, but it gets stuck at 5k rpm under hard acceleration more than it doesn't.
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the lights on the gear shifter was flashing, with the power steering assist and parking assist messages displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the vehicle jerked violently while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired and remained with the dealer. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Car started shaking in the middle of driving it about 30 mph and all the electrical like door locks were going up and down car wasn’t accelerating and an alert came up for stabilizing wheels i believe. It happened for about a couple seconds and then everything went back to normal and randomly happens while I’m driving.Check engine appeared and went to the mechanic shop i usually go to and found out I had ebcm and ecm modules bad. Do some research on the car and noticed it had a recall back in 2014 for EBCM. The problem has resurfaced
Received vehicle at roughly 181,000 miles. Operated fine for about 5,000 miles and then began to show problems. In most cases when pressing down hard on the accelerator pedal, transmission drops into a lower gear and revs up to 5k rpm, cancelling cruise control, and staying there until accelerator is relieved. This makes accelerating more difficult since too much pressure on the accelerator pedal causes the car to get stuck at 5k rpm and stay at the same speed it is already at. This makes passing cars more dangerous as the car gets stuck at 5k rpm and can't pass the other vehicle, increasing the risk of a head on collision. Service engine and ABS lights are on as well as a service Stabilitrak notification in the driver information center. In addition, the outside temperature thermometer is faulty and shows much lower temperatures, such as -14 degrees during an 80 degree day. Vehicle is up to maintenance as far as my knowledge goes. Car has been previously junked twice and has a rebuilt title. There are no fluid leaks, the engine works well when the problem is not encountered, but it gets stuck at 5k rpm under hard acceleration more than it doesn't.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Car started shaking in the middle of driving it about 30 mph and all the electrical like door locks were going up and down car wasn’t accelerating and an alert came up for stabilizing wheels i believe. It happened for about a couple seconds and then everything went back to normal and randomly happens while I’m driving.Check engine appeared and went to the mechanic shop i usually go to and found out I had ebcm and ecm modules bad. Do some research on the car and noticed it had a recall back in 2014 for EBCM. The problem has resurfaced
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that the heater and A/C system were inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was provided an estimate for the repairs and for other unrelated repairs. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. Additionally, the contact stated that after turning off the vehicle, the vehicle restarted independently without the key in the ignition switch. The contact also stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding, causing the braking distance to be extended. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 139,098.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
2014 Chevrolet Malibu LS ECO , has a start/stop system that will shut off the engine at a traffic light or stop sign upon reaching a full stop and when the brake pedal is firmly pressed. Upon releasing the brake pedal the engine should immediately restart and driver can proceed. Randomly and intermittently the engine will fail to restart, recently it occurred while in heavy traffic with many traffic lights. Problem not noticeable in rural driving. Have not contacted a dealer, no recall found for my VIN. No Check engine light or MIL is illuminated. Can be unnerving when it happens, people are beeping their horns behind me while I have to shift into park, turn off ignition and restart. Engine restarts normally. 2014 model appears to not have a method of disabling this feature. Car has approximately 111,000 miles on it. Problem first occurred last year 1 or 2 times. Yesterday 2/13 was first time it occurred multiple times in one trip. I have not brought the vehicle to anyone at this point for evaluation. This problem appears In many areas on the internet with other owners of this vehicle type. I am not the first to experience it. What can be done?
Automatic Start/Stop feature is faulty! When it activates, it prevents the engine from restarting for several minutes. This puts myself and others in my car at a major risk of getting in an accident. I have so far been lucky and avoided any accidents. Several thousand has ben spent to try and fix the issue, with no luck.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
When the auto stop feature turns on, the car totally stops, and doesn't turn the engine back on for 20 minutes. I had complained about this before, and the mechanic did NOT fix it, so I am complaining AGAIN! I was in the middle of the street when it stalled! The steering wheel and brake locks up, and it's impossible for the engine to turn on. It revs, but doesn't work. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
When I was on auto stop, my car never started back up. The steering wheel and brakes were frozen, and I could barely pull off the road I was on. Turning the key did not help, as the engine wouldn't turn back on.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
The defrost control does not engage properly causing very poor visual conditions. Has been this way for a long time now and have not been able to get it fixed. If this problem does not get fixed soon I feel it will cause an accident. Thank you for your time.
Front defroster does not work. Started to function improperly at intermittent intervals but is completely non functional now. Makes driving hazardous as windshield fogs up while driving during cold temperatures and no way to clear it.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I PURCHASED SAID AUTO 2015 WITH 30,000 MILES I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 6 AXLE BEARING 2 BECAUSE ABS TAPE CAME OFF OF HUB I HAVE REPLACED CAMSHAFT ACCUATERS AND CAM SHAFT SOLONOID,I WAS A MECHANIC AND SERVICE MANAGER FOR OVER 20 YEARS .CAR, HAD THE RIGHT 5-20 OIL AT OIL CHANGES. CAR HAS 160,000MILES NOW BUT ABOUT EVERY 30,000 MILES IT NEEDS ANOUTHER AXLE HUB.I DROVE PONTIACS FOR YEARS I WORKED IN A PONTIAC GARAGE THE LAST TWO HAD HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS I REPLACED MY SELF. I THINK GM SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL ON THESE CARS FOR I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE REPLACING THESE HUBS
CAR TURNS OFF THE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND FOUND OUT THE ROCKER ARM SOLENOID VALVE IS NOT WORKING I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR NOT EVEN ONE YEAR. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR FOR IT TO TURN OFF IN THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY IT WAS ON THE STREET WHEN THE CAR JUST TURNED OFF
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
I haven’t been in an accident or even tapped anything with my vehicle but a system warning stating the airbags may be malfunctioning continuously flashed on the driver dashboard and now my “check engine” warning light is continuously lit.
Was in a bad wreck, other drivers car deployed airbags, mine did not but engine shut off and hazards stayed on. Crash was about 30 miles an hour or so at impact.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
GOV vehicle was traveling north on the Baltimore Washington Parkway near Interstate 695. The steering and brakes failed, and the driver moved the vehicle safely to the shoulder and exited the vehicle. The vehicle began to smoke and caught fire. The Traction control , steering, brake and ABS warning lamps appeared.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WATER LEAKED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The car tries to start in its own. Even if the key is on the off-position. The car struts and shocks aren’t the best it won’t take a bump without moving the car
My car only has 54,000 mile and my transmission is already going out and it happened out of nowhere literally I just started getting stuck at lights like the cat didn’t want to go so mechanic told me it had to be something the dealership could do cause it’s no way I keep up my fluids and all and my brakes just keep wearing
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
I am filing a complaint regarding a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu that I purchased from a dealership on November 22, 2024. The vehicle was advertised as being in “excellent condition” at the dealership’s site. During the test drive, I raised concerns about potential transmission issues, but the dealership assured me that the vehicle was “clean” and safe to drive. Unfortunately, this assurance turned out to be false, as the vehicle has since displayed significant mechanical failures, including overheating issues, that pose serious safety risks. Within a week of purchase, the vehicle broke down twice: first on November 29, while driving to work, and again on November 30, while on I-10 Katy freeway. The second breakdown created a life-threatening situation as the vehicle suddenly lost power in traffic. I incurred towing costs of $125 to return the vehicle to the dealership. After an attempted repair, the vehicle was returned to me on December 5, 2024. However, it broke down again on December 8, 2024, requiring another tow. Since that time, the vehicle has remained at the dealership, yet no adequate resolution has been provided. Additionally, I have since discovered that the vehicle has persistent overheating issues that were not disclosed at the time of sale. These overheating problems pose a serious safety risk as they could result in a fire or explosion, endangering my life and the lives of others on the road. The dealership’s negligence in addressing these critical safety concerns demonstrates a disregard for consumer safety. I believe the dealership knowingly sold me a defective vehicle with significant mechanical issues that were either hidden or misrepresented. The sudden and repeated breakdowns, particularly in hazardous driving conditions, and the risk of fire or explosion due to overheating, warrant immediate attention from the NHTSA.
I have an electrical problem with my car. Driver seat is electrical and the seat has been stuck in one position. The siding of the seat where the buttons are broke. The seatbelt gets stuck from the plastic being broken. I’ve had the car for a year and within 3 months of purchase I had to change brakes and it needs brakes again.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have an electrical problem with my car. Driver seat is electrical and the seat has been stuck in one position. The siding of the seat where the buttons are broke. The seatbelt gets stuck from the plastic being broken. I’ve had the car for a year and within 3 months of purchase I had to change brakes and it needs brakes again.
I went to put my seat belt on, car was parked, (driver side front) and the cable that holds it the floor snapped in half. Can not use seat belt until I get it replaced. Called dealership and I knew car was out of warranty, but this is a safety issue. Said nothing they could do. The belt itself is ok, it's the cable on floor that broke in half. Car on has 30,000 miles on it. This Happened today Nov. 4 2021. Car is available for inspection
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG ISN'T WORKING AND MY ELECTRICAL TO MY EMC ISN'T WORKING AND WHEN BATTERY IS UNHOOKED THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON I'VE HAD SEVERAL SENSORS TO GO BAD. *TR
ON INFORMATION PANEL I RECEIVED A MESSAGE THAT THE BLINKER LIGHT WAS OUT I'VE CHANGED THE BULB AN NOW NO WORKING HEADLIGHTS OR TAILLIGHT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR ASSURANCE FUEL MAX TIRES, SIZE: P225/55R17. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A VIBRATION PRESENT AND THEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN POP SOUND ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW OUT AND SPLIT THREE WAYS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE THREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE THREE SEPARATE WAYS. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,875.
2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THE USE OF TIRE/COMPRESSOR KIT AND SAFETY ISSUES. *TGW THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS SPARE TIRE AND JACK IN THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD, THE VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH A TIRE/COMPRESSOR KIT. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THE KIT WAS ONLY USEFUL FOR A FLAT TIRE. IT WASN'T USEFUL FOR SIDEWALL FAILURE OR A BENT RIM. *JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
I have owned this car for a little over 3 years and it suddenly started giving me a "Shift to Park" message after I physically put the car in "Park" and turn the car off. The car will not turn off completely because the car does not think that it is in "Park". It is gradually getting worse as time goes on. There were two instances where I thought the car was turned off and when I came back to my vehicle, the car was dead. All within 15 minutes. The car does not shut off after turning it off because it thinks that the car is not in park so the radio, lights, and everything electrical stays on. This issue causes the battery to drain quickly. This issue can easily leave someone stranded with a dead car. I took it to the dealership to get a diagnostic test on it in June 2022 and they could not replicate the issue. I am taking it back again this month (August 2022). I have read a lot of discussion forums about this issue. There was only a recall for the same model for the production years of 2016-2019 I believe. This issue is pretty common among Chevrolet and I think that it's crazy that there is a huge problem with their shifter assembly and they never fixed it!
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that when she started the vehicle, the vehicle was in manual mode while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle failed to shift into gear as needed. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and replaced the battery; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted, and the contact explained that her vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V092000 (Power Train). The dealer confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall and informed her that she was responsible for the cost of the repair. The manufacturer was contacted, and they also stated that the vehicle was not under recall and advised to contact the NHTSA. The failure mileage was 214,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .