What are the common problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?

Owners file complaints about the engine most often, then the electrical system. Power train and brakes follow. See the problems section above.

Does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?

Yes, recalls exist for this year. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.

How many complaints does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have?

NHTSA has 363 owner complaints on file. They are unverified reports from owners.

What is the gas mileage of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?

See the fuel economy section of this page for the numbers.

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?

The complaint record is mixed and spread across several groups. Read the problems section and compare years in the by-year section.

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Problems, Recalls and MPG

NHTSA has 363 owner complaints on file for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu^[1]. The engine group is the largest, with 129 complaints^[2].

363owner complaints^[1]

6recalls^[3]

24–29MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

5★NHTSA overall rating^[5]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Safety
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Here are the complaint groups owners raise most often, biggest first.

Engine. 129 complaints^[2]. Owners describe the car shutting off at a stop and then moving again on its own, odd noises under the hood, and sudden surges in engine speed.
Electrical System. 88 complaints^[6]. In the stories we read, drivers describe the car losing power while moving, gauges and the radio going dark, and warning messages that appear without a clear cause.
Unknown Or Other. 57 complaints^[7]. These reports do not fit a single named part.
Power Train. 53 complaints^[8]. Owners describe jerking when the gear changes, shifts that feel wrong, and the car holding a low gear when it should settle down.
Brakes. 49 complaints^[9]. Owners describe a soft pedal, warning lights that come on when braking, and a few stops that did not go as planned.
Electronic Stability Control. 36 complaints^[10]. These reports tie to the stability system and its alerts.
Steering. 26 complaints^[11]. These reports name the steering system.
Fuel/Propulsion System. 24 complaints^[12]. These are the smallest of the groups listed here.

Recalls

Newest first. Each recall covers only certain vehicles, so not every 2014 Malibu is necessarily included.

Electrical System › Ignition (16V502), July 2016. About 8,367 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, the car rolling away. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[13]
Visibility › Sun/Moon Roof Assembly (15V164), March 2015. About 87,063 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[14]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum (14V247), May 2014. About 140,067 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[15]
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc (14V240), May 2014. About 8,208 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced braking. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[16]
Power Train › Automatic Transmission (14V092), February 2014. About 355 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: injury, the car rolling away. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[17]
Visibility › Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element (13V567), November 2013. About 42,696 vehicles are potentially affected across every model and year the recall names. The recall names these risks: a crash, reduced visibility. Dealers do the repair free of charge.^[18]

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	Annual fuel cost
Malibu, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[19]	21 / 29 / 24	$2,800
Malibu eAssist, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[20]	24 / 35 / 28	$2,400
Malibu, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive^[4]	25 / 36 / 29	$2,300

Safety ratings

Version	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
4 DR FWD^[5]	5	5	5	4	11.1%

Engine and size

Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles.

Engine	Horsepower
2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.0L 4-cylinder^[21]	250 hp
2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.4L 4-cylinder^[22]	182 hp
2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.5L 4-cylinder^[23]	196 hp

How 2014 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Malibu model year. The 2014 is highlighted^[3].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1997	446	4
1998	981	3
1999	793	1
2000	933	3
2001	734	2
2002	583	2
2003	585	2
2004	1,697	7
2005	1,393	4
2006	1,387	6
2007	1,036	3
2008	1,017	4
2009	1,534	5
2010	1,365	3
2011	978	3
2012	907	2
2013	924	11
2014	363	6
2015	270	3
2016	865	10
2017	725	4
2018	711	6
2019	195	1
2020	199	1
2021	90	2
2022	99	1
2023	71	2
2024	43	2
2025	11	1

NHTSA's counts for the Malibu show 363 complaints and 6 recalls for 2014^[3]. Among the 29 model years listed, 8 have fewer complaints than 2014 and 20 have more^[3]. The fewest complaints are for 2025 (11) and the most are for 2004 (1,697)^[3]. These counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat them as a rough guide. The chart above shows every year.

Should you buy a used 2014 Malibu?

The record for this Malibu shows a wide spread of complaints, led by the engine and the electrical system^[2]^[6]. Some reports involve crashes or fires, so they deserve a careful look^[1]. These are unverified owner reports and they are not adjusted for how many cars were sold^[1]. Recalls also exist for this year, which you can see in the Recalls section^[3]. If you are shopping, check the repair history for the problem areas above and compare it with other years on this page.

Frequently asked questions

What are the common problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?: Owners file complaints about the engine most often, then the electrical system^[2]^[6]. Power train and brakes follow^[8]^[9]. See the problems section above.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?: Yes, recalls exist for this year^[3]. They are listed in the Recalls section of this page.
How many complaints does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have?: NHTSA has 363 owner complaints on file^[1]. They are unverified reports from owners.
What is the gas mileage of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?: See the fuel economy section of this page for the numbers.
Is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?: The complaint record is mixed and spread across several groups^[1]. Read the problems section and compare years in the by-year section.

Keep exploring

Other model years of the Chevrolet Malibu

2010 1,365 complaints, 3 recalls
2011 978 complaints, 3 recalls
2012 907 complaints, 2 recalls
2013 924 complaints, 11 recalls
2014 this page
2015 270 complaints, 3 recalls
2016 865 complaints, 10 recalls
2017 725 complaints, 4 recalls

Compare all model years of the Chevrolet Malibu

Other Chevrolet models from 2014

2014 Chevrolet Camaro 188 complaints, 3 recalls
2014 Chevrolet Cruze 702 complaints, 10 recalls
2014 Chevrolet Equinox 548 complaints, 1 recall
2014 Chevrolet Traverse 548 complaints, 7 recalls

All Chevrolet models

Similar cars from 2014: midsize cars

2014 Mercedes-Benz E-Class 295 complaints, 8 recalls
2014 Nissan Maxima 96 complaints, 0 recalls
2014 Nissan Sentra 380 complaints, 5 recalls
2014 Subaru Legacy/Outback 261 complaints, 10 recalls
2014 Toyota Corolla 269 complaints, 2 recalls
2014 Volkswagen Passat 594 complaints, 10 recalls

All midsize cars we cover

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 363 owner complaints on file for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu (19 mention a crash, 8 a fire, 17 injuries, 1 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
129 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 6 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 78,410). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Chevrolet Malibu model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Malibu, 2.5L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 25 city / 36 highway / 29 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,300. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR FWD: overall 5 stars, frontal 5 stars, side 5 stars, rollover 4 stars; rollover risk 11.1%. NHTSA vehicle records
88 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 5 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 64,550). NHTSA vehicle records
57 complaints name the unknown or other component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 62,500). NHTSA vehicle records
53 complaints name the power train component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 49,780). NHTSA vehicle records
49 complaints name the brakes component group (4 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 50,000). NHTSA vehicle records
36 complaints name the electronic stability control (esc) component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 67,000). NHTSA vehicle records
26 complaints name the steering component group (3 crashes, 0 fires, 2 injuries, median mileage at failure 36,731). NHTSA vehicle records
24 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 82,500). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 16V502, filed July 5, 2016: Electrical System › Ignition. NHTSA recall database
Recall 15V164, filed March 23, 2015: Visibility › Sun / Moon Roof Assembly. NHTSA recall database
Recall 14V247, filed May 14, 2014: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Power Assist › Vacuum. NHTSA recall database
Recall 14V240, filed May 8, 2014: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc. NHTSA recall database
Recall 14V092, filed February 21, 2014: Power Train › Automatic Transmission. NHTSA recall database
Recall 13V567, filed November 13, 2013: Visibility › Defroster / Defogger / Hvac System › Windshield › Electrical Heating Element. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for Malibu, 2.0L 4-cyl turbo, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 29 highway / 24 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,800. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for Malibu eAssist, 2.4L 4-cyl, Automatic (S6), Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 24 city / 35 highway / 28 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,400. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.0L 4-cylinder: rated 250 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.4L 4-cylinder: rated 182 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Chevrolet Malibu with 2.5L 4-cylinder: rated 196 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2014 Chevrolet Malibu: problems, recalls and fuel economy