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Research · Midsize Cars · 2 NHTSA variants

2014 Chevrolet MalibuRecalls, problems, MPG & safety

NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls and 363 owner complaints for the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. Most complaints involve engine (127) and electrical system (88). The EPA rates it 24–29 mpg combined, and NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall.

Check a VINAdd to my garage
Combined MPG
24–29mpg
EPA · 3 versions
NHTSA overall
5of 5 stars
NCAP crash tests
Safety recalls
6campaigns
Latest Jul 2016
Owner complaints
363
Top: engine
Fuel cost / yr
$2,200est.
EPA estimate, best version
01 —Recalls

Safety recalls

6 NHTSA campaigns · applies to some vehicles, check your VIN

Electrical system: ignition

Free remedy

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."

Electrical systemReported Jul 5, 2016NHTSA 16V502000

Visibility: sun

Free remedy

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."

VisibilityReported Mar 23, 2015NHTSA 15V164000

Service brakes

Free remedy

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."

Service brakes, hydraulicReported May 14, 2014NHTSA 14V247000
See all 6 recalls with remedies
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 4, 2026 · All recall detailsNHTSA vehicle page
02 —Complaints

Owner complaints by component

363 complaints filed with NHTSA · Jan 2014 – Sep 2026
  1. Engine127
  2. Electrical system88
  3. Power train53
  4. Service brakes46
  5. Electronic stability control (esc)36
  6. Steering26
  7. Fuel/propulsion system24
  8. Wheels19
  9. Vehicle speed control17

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

By model year

Complaints for each Malibu model year we’ve synced.

View as table
Model yearNHTSA complaints
1997452
1998999
1999800
2000944
2001739
2002596
2003611
20041,698
20051,393
20061,387
2007992
20081,017
20091,511
20101,365
2011978
2012907
2013924
2014363
2015270
2016865
2017727
2018700
2019193
2020200
202190
202299
202373
202444
202512
Crashes reported
19
Fires reported
8
Injuries reported
17
Deaths reported
1
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 4, 2026 · Full problem breakdownNHTSA vehicle page
03 —Common problems

What owners report most

Verbatim excerpts from NHTSA complaints, by component

Engine

127 reports1 crash6 fires
“Received vehicle at roughly 181,000 miles. Operated fine for about 5,000 miles and then began to show problems. In most cases when pressing down hard on the accelerator pedal, transmission drops into a lower gear and revs up to 5k rpm, cancelling cruise control, and staying there until accelerator is relieved. This makes accelerating more difficult since too much pressure on the accelerator pedal causes the car to get stuck at 5k rpm and stay at the same speed it is already at. This makes passing cars more dangerous as the car gets stuck at 5k rpm and can't pass the other vehicle, increasing the risk of a head on collision. Service engine and ABS lights are on as well as a service Stabilitrak notification in the driver information center. In addition, the outside temperature thermometer is faulty and shows much lower temperatures, such as -14 degrees during an 80 degree day. Vehicle is up to maintenance as far as my knowledge goes. Car has been previously junked twice and has a rebuilt title. There are no fluid leaks, the engine works well when the problem is not encountered, but it gets stuck at 5k rpm under hard acceleration more than it doesn't.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2025Power train, Vehicle speed control, EngineODI 11686600

Electrical system

88 reports1 crash5 fires
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2026Electrical systemODI 11722946

Power train

53 reports1 crash
“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 complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2025Power trainODI 11644493
All 2014 Malibu problemsSend a problem to a mechanic on findmechanic.ai
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026
04 —Key specs

Engines, transmissions & drive

3 versions rated by the EPA
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Engines
2.5L 4-cyl · 2.4L 4-cyl hybrid · 2.0L 4-cyl turbo
Transmissions
Automatic (S6)
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
Regular Gasoline

Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.

Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 4, 2026EPA listing
05 —Fuel economy

EPA fuel economy by version

City / highway / combined, annual fuel cost and CO₂
EPA
VersionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Malibu
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L · Front-Wheel Drive
253629$2,200310
Malibu eAssist
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L · Front-Wheel Drive
243528$2,300312
Malibu
Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo · Front-Wheel Drive
212924$2,700373
  • Malibu
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.5 L
    25 city · 36 hwy · $2,200/yr
    29
    mpg comb.
  • Malibu eAssist
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.4 L
    24 city · 35 hwy · $2,300/yr
    28
    mpg comb.
  • Malibu
    Auto (S6), 4 cyl, 2.0 L, Turbo
    21 city · 29 hwy · $2,700/yr
    24
    mpg comb.
Estimate your fuel costCost of ownership
Data from EPA fueleconomy.gov · synced Nov 4, 2026 · Fuel cost is EPA’s annual estimate (15,000 mi, 55% city)
06 —Safety

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

2 tested variants
Overall rating
5/ 5
5 of 5
Chevrolet Malibu 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
11.1%
Overall
5 / 5
Chevrolet Malibu Eco eAssist 4 DR FWD
Frontal crash
5 of 5
Side crash
5 of 5
Side pole
5 of 5
Rollover
4 of 5
Rollover risk
11.1%
Data from NHTSA NCAP Safety Ratings API · synced Nov 4, 2026Vehicle 8295Vehicle 8296
07 —Maintenance

Maintenance basics

General guidance, not the OEM schedule. Check your owner’s manual.
General guidance
ItemMilesTimeNote
Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi6–12 monthsFollow the oil-life monitor if fitted
Tire rotation5,000–7,500 miEvery oil changeCheck pressure monthly
Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi1–2 yearsSooner in dusty areas
Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi1–2 years
Brake fluid—2–3 yearsAbsorbs moisture over time
Coolant60,000–100,000 mi5–10 yearsLong-life coolants last longer
Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi—Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end
12V battery—3–5 yearsHeat shortens battery life
  • Engine oil & filter5,000–10,000 mi
    6–12 months
  • Tire rotation5,000–7,500 mi
    Every oil change
  • Engine air filter15,000–30,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Cabin air filter15,000–25,000 mi
    1–2 years
  • Brake fluid—
    2–3 years
  • Coolant60,000–100,000 mi
    5–10 years
  • Spark plugs60,000–100,000 mi
    —
  • 12V battery—
    3–5 years
Typical intervals for modern cars. Severe service (towing, short trips, extreme heat or cold) shortens them.
09 —FAQ

2014 Malibu questions

How many recalls does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu have?

6 safety recalls as of Nov 4, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.

What are the most common 2014 Chevrolet Malibu problems?

Owners filed 363 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (127), electrical system (88), power train (53). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.

What MPG does the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu get?

The EPA rates the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu at 24–29 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (3 versions rated).

How safe is the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu?

NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gives the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu 5 out of 5 stars overall.

Data from NHTSA & EPA · synced Nov 4, 2026