2014 Chevrolet Malibu: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 349 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (27% of complaints).
Data updated weekly · latest recall Jul 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 349 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“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.”Owner report · Electrical System · Mar 2026
“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.”Owner report · Air Bags · Feb 2026
“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”Owner report · Service Brakes · Jan 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“Unknown, The ignition switch turns on when off position or restart engine when in off selection on ignition switch And the radio is powered back on if key left in the ignition switch powered off When u leave vehicle”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Sep 2025
“I receive a message on my screen stated to shift to park when it is already in park. I have to wiggle the shifter as well as try multiple times before the screen clears. I looked at information stating this is a problem but not to the level of recall but fixed by the dealership. I was told my vehicle did not qualify for the free repair. Wondering why?”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Sep 2025
“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.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2025
“The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and jerked with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,310. The VIN was not available.”Owner report · Engine · Apr 2025
“This is now the THIRD time this has happened, and GM doesn't seem to care, because when my mechanic "fixed" my auto stop problem, it was because GM themselves got the code to "fix" my car. My auto stop worked one time, before today, after my repair last week. I was at a stop light where my auto stop turned on. My brakes WERE STUCK AND COULDN'T BRAKE so I put it in park! THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE WHEEL AND BRAKE LOCKING OCCURRED. GM FIX THIS!”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2025
“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.”Owner report · Electrical System · Feb 2025
“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.”Owner report · Power Train · Feb 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 19 of these complaints and injuries in 17 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through November 5, 2013. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) control in these vehicles may intermittently become inoperable when the vehicle is started, preventing the windshield defroster from working. Thus, these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic climate control module software, free of charge. The recall began during December 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13380.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Lacrosse vehicles manufactured January 29, 2014, through March 31, 2014 and 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured February 7, 2014, through March 31, 2014, and equipped with 17 inch front brake rotors. The affected vehicles may have had brake rotors intended for the rear of the car accidentally installed on the front. The rear rotors, while the same diameter, are thinner and may result in a front brake pad detaching from the caliper.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front brake rotors, and install the correct rotors with new brake pads, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 20, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14128.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles manufactured June 12, 2013, through May 2, 2014, and equipped with a 2.5L engine with the auto stop/start option. The affected vehicles may experience a complete loss of brake vacuum assist, disabling the hydraulic boost assist. As such, these vehicles do not comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 135, "Light Vehicle Brake Systems."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic brake control module software, free of charge. The recall began on July 3, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-222-1020. General Motors number for this recall is 14201.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles October 24, 2011, to March 5, 2015. In the affected vehicles, the Slide or Tilt switch for the roof panel may not be adequately recessed to prevent the switch from inadvertently being pressed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 118, "Power-Operated Window, Partition, and Roof Panel Systems."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the Body Control Module (BCM) software to remove auto-close feature for certain switch positions, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2015. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15176.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
How other years compare
Check your exact Malibu by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
NHTSA has 349 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The most complained-about area is engine (27% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2014 Chevrolet Malibu problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 63,050 miles or less.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:windshield:electrical heating element. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.