YearToAvoid

2014 Chevrolet Malibu Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls

Good The 2014 Chevrolet Malibu ranks 13th of 21 model years with a complaint index of 40 and a Good verdict, well below Avoid years like 2009 (index 100). Owners most often reported Engine issues (39% of complaints), followed by Electrical System (25%) and Brakes (18%).

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

YearToAvoid Scorecard

Complaint Index
40/100
#13 of 21 Malibu years
Verdict
Good
vs. other years of this model
Complaints
351
unique NHTSA reports
Recalls
6
distinct NHTSA campaigns
Crashes
19
reported in complaints
Fires
8
Injuries
17
Top issue
Engine
Best nearby year
2021
rated Best
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
28
24 city / 35 hwy
Injuries / deaths
17 / 1

Top 2014 Chevy Malibu problems

Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine137 (39%)
  2. Electrical System89 (25%)
  3. Brakes64 (18%)
  4. Other54 (15%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain52 (15%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires30 (9%)
  7. Fuel System26 (7%)
  8. Steering26 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body18 (5%)
  10. Airbags16 (5%)

A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.

What owners report

  • Brakes reportedly failed at low speed, in one case leading to a rear-end crash and injuries.
  • Owners described sudden engine compartment fires, including one that started while the car was parked with an abnormal noise beforehand.
  • Steering has been reported to lock up suddenly during turns or low-speed maneuvers, sometimes sending the car off the road.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in rear-end and side-impact crashes, with owners sustaining injuries.
  • Owners reported a faulty trunk seal allowing water intrusion, followed later by unintended forward or reverse acceleration.
  • An auxiliary battery in the rear compartment reportedly caught fire while the vehicle was parked and powered off.
2014 Chevrolet Malibu complaints: complaints filed per quarter322014 Q12015 Q42017 Q32019 Q22021 Q12022 Q42024 Q3
351 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2014 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2020 Q1 (32).

2014 Chevrolet Malibu recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V502000Jul 5, 2016Electrical System8,367 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    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."

    Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

    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.

  2. NHTSA 15V164000Mar 23, 2015Visibility & Wipers87,063 vehicles

    Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly

    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."

    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.

    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.

  3. NHTSA 14V247000May 14, 2014Brakes140,067 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum

    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."

    Risk: If the hydraulic boost assist is disabled, slowing or stopping the vehicle will require additional brake pedal effort and a lengthened stopping distance. Both of these effects increase the risk of a crash.

    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.

See all 6 recalls for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu →

2014 Chevrolet Malibu fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24 MPG
Highway
35 MPG
Combined
28 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2014 compared with other Malibu years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2012Avoid85906226
2013Caution708351026
2014Good40351628
2015Good30270326.5
2016Avoid75837927

All Chevrolet Malibu years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2014 Malibu has a complaint index of 40 and ranks 13th out of 21 model years, earning a Good verdict relative to other Malibu years.
What are the most common problems with the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?
NHTSA complaints show Engine issues make up 39% of reports, followed by Electrical System at 25% and Brakes at 18%. Median mileage at failure for engine complaints was 75,000.
Does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have recalls?
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2014 Malibu, covering brakes, transmission shift cable adjusters, HVAC software, and electrical park lock issues. None are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2014 Malibu compare to other Malibu years?
The 2014 model's complaint index of 40 is much lower than Avoid years like 2009 (100) and 2010 (95), but higher than newer years like 2021 (10) and 2024 (5), which earn Best verdicts.
What is the fuel economy of the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?
EPA rates the 2014 Malibu at 28 mpg combined (24 city/35 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.