Problems · by component

2014 Chevrolet Malibu engine problems

127 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu cite engine, 35% of all 363 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
127
35% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“Automatic Start/Stop feature is faulty! When it activates, it prevents the engine from restarting for several minutes. This puts myself and others in my car at a major risk of getting in an accident. I have so far been lucky and avoided any accidents. Several thousand has ben spent to try and fix the issue, with no luck.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2025Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11675623
“The headlights burn out frequently the air conditioner does not work the ignition had to be replaced there's always a code of p0171 the start/stop feature does not work the brakes make the car shake. When does stuff takes place I have to pull the vehicle over cousin me to put others in danger by being on the shoulder of the road broke down. Yes the car is available for inspection. The radio randomly turns on and off therefore the backup camera does not work as it should why this vehicle has not been recalled is beyond me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 30, 2025Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11670354
“The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled and jerked with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 213,310. The VIN was not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2025EngineODI 11657903
“This is now the THIRD time this has happened, and GM doesn't seem to care, because when my mechanic "fixed" my auto stop problem, it was because GM themselves got the code to "fix" my car. My auto stop worked one time, before today, after my repair last week. I was at a stop light where my auto stop turned on. My brakes WERE STUCK AND COULDN'T BRAKE so I put it in park! THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE WHEEL AND BRAKE LOCKING OCCURRED. GM FIX THIS!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2025Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineODI 11646105
“When I was on auto stop, my car never started back up. The steering wheel and brakes were frozen, and I could barely pull off the road I was on. Turning the key did not help, as the engine wouldn't turn back on.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2025Steering, EngineODI 11642755

Showing 6 of 127 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 4, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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