2014 Chevrolet Malibu Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 52 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu, 15% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 51,890 miles. A related recall (14V092000) covers faulty transmission shift cable adjusters on 2014 models.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 52
- 15% of 351
- Crashes reported
- 1
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 51,890 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Vehicles fail to accelerate while driving at speeds around 35-45 mph, with engine RPMs increasing but no corresponding power delivery.
- Transmission jerks or bucks violently when shifting gears, sometimes occurring at very low mileage shortly after purchase.
- Vehicle unexpectedly downshifts on its own while cruising or going up hills, causing sudden unwanted acceleration or speed changes.
- Vehicle stalls briefly after taking off from a stop, then jerks and lurches forward unexpectedly.
- Transmission shuts down or fails to engage properly after highway driving, with erratic, hard, or hesitant shifting reported by owners.
When 2014 Chevrolet Malibu transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Mar 20, 2014, latest Sep 11, 2025.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
- NHTSA 14V092000Feb 21, 2014Transmission & Powertrain355 vehicles
Power train:automatic transmission
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."
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 not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
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.
Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Malibu model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many transmission complaints does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have?
- NHTSA lists 52 transmission & powertrain complaints for the 2014 Malibu, accounting for 15% of the 351 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a transmission recall for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?
- Yes. Recall campaign 14V092000, reported February 21, 2014, covers faulty transmission shift cable adjusters. GM notified owners and dealers inspected and replaced the affected parts.
- At what mileage do 2014 Malibu transmission problems usually appear?
- NHTSA data shows a median failure mileage of 51,890 miles for transmission & powertrain complaints on the 2014 Malibu.
- Did the transmission problems cause any crashes?
- NHTSA data associates 1 crash with transmission & powertrain complaints on the 2014 Malibu, with no reported fires or injuries.