repaired · 2018 Q1
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.
2014 Chevrolet MalibuProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 351 owner complaints about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, most often about the engine. It is covered by 6 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-164 the manufacturer reports only 89% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu has problems
351 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
125Engine7 crash/fire/injury
86Electrical system6 crash/fire/injury
52Power train1 crash/fire/injury
42Service brakes4 crash/fire/injury
31Electronic stability control (ESC)4 crash/fire/injury
26Steering
24Fuel/propulsion system
18Wheels
17Vehicle speed control
8913 other systems16 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 125 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 86 | 6 |
| Power train | 52 | 1 |
| Service brakes | 42 | 4 |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 31 | 4 |
| Steering | 26 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 24 | 0 |
| Wheels | 18 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 17 | 1 |
| 13 other systems | 89 | 16 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2014 Chevrolet Malibu recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2016 Q3
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
Risk. The Slide or Tilt roof panel switch may inadvertently be pressed and the roof panel may auto-close unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a pinch injury.
repaired · 2015 Q4
Power assist: vacuum
Risk. If the hydraulic boost assist is disabled, slowing or stopping the vehicle will require additional brake pedal effort and a lengthened stopping distance.
repaired · 2015 Q3
Foundation components: disc
Risk. If a brake pad detaches from caliper, there may be a sudden reduction in braking, lengthening the distance required to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk…
Show 2 more recalls
repaired · 2015 Q3
Power train: automatic transmission
Risk. If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may…
repaired · 2015 Q1
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
Risk. The inability to turn on the windshield defroster may decrease the driver's visibility thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Chevrolet.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
75kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 75 engine complaints. 71% were reported before 100,000 miles.
15under 30k miles53under 100k miles22100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2014 vs. every other Malibu year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Malibu median. How we score
0120245321134439767899227215675691,1489751,1199779891,5111,36397890783735127084170570119320390100734612
'73'74'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'86'89'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2014 Chevrolet Malibu safety ratings
2014 Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (11.1% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words
What Malibu owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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 headlights burn out frequently the air conditioner does not work the ignition had to be replaced there's always a code of p0171 the start/stop feature does not work the brakes make the car shake. When does stuff takes place I have to pull the vehicle over cousin me to put others in danger by…
Own a 2014 Malibu?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.