2014 Chevrolet Malibu Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 89 Electrical System complaints for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, 25% of all 351 complaints filed for the year. Owners report engine-bay and auxiliary-battery fires, instrument cluster blackouts, and unexpected shutdowns, with median failure mileage at 64,550 miles. The related recall (16V502000) covers the ignition key/park lock lever, not these fire or shutdown issues.
- Electrical System complaints
- 89
- 25% of 351
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 5
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 64,550 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- Owners report the instrument cluster, gauges, and radio suddenly going black while driving, sometimes with warning messages for the air bag and tire pressure systems.
- Some owners describe the vehicle shutting off completely while moving or at a stoplight, requiring several attempts to restart.
- Several complaints describe fires starting under the hood or in the rear auxiliary battery compartment, in some cases after the vehicle had been parked and powered off for hours.
- Owners report the remote start and alarm system triggering falsely and being difficult to reset.
- Some describe automatic headlights and instrument panel dimming activating in bright daylight, making the gauges hard to read.
When 2014 Chevrolet Malibu electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Oct 28, 2014, latest Mar 9, 2026.
Electrical System recalls for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
- 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.
Electrical System complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems on the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?
- NHTSA lists 89 Electrical System complaints for the 2014 Malibu, which is 25% of the 351 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for electrical issues on the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Yes, recall 16V502000 covers the electronic park lock lever, which could allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. This recall does not address the fire or instrument cluster complaints reported separately.
- Do 2014 Malibu electrical problems cause fires?
- NHTSA data shows 5 fires reported among the electrical complaints for this year, including cases involving the auxiliary battery and engine compartment.
- At what mileage do 2014 Malibu electrical problems usually happen?
- The median mileage at failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2014 Malibu is 64,550 miles, according to NHTSA data.