Problems · by component

2014 Chevrolet Malibu power train problems

53 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu cite power train, 15% of all 363 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
53
15% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

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
“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
“powertrain there is a problem with auto stop restarting then dying. The transmission not engaging after a complete stop like it is neutral this only happens after the car has been driven a bit everything at temp. today stopped for trash service auto stop engaged got ready to go nothing gunning and gunning never died like no power though finally moved no more stops till home a problem sitting in road can not move. have not taken to shop yet money for it now not.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 6, 2024Power train, Electrical system, EngineODI 11629182
“The cars automatic start/stop will activate and not restart the car. This has happened at stop signs, stop lights, intersections, hard breaks, etc. There are no warning lights or system failed/malfunction warnings. This has been inspected multiple times with software updates, changing batteries, changing fuses, etc.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2024Power train, Service brakesODI 11613762
“The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while accelerating between 0 to 20 MPH, the transmission hesitated while shifting into first gear. While driving at speeds above 20 MPH the hesitation was more prominent, causing the vehicle almost stall; however, the vehicle would remain running. The contact stated that the “Transmission Failure” warning light was illuminated. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V092000 (Power Train). The dealer had not been contacted. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V092000 (Power Train). The manufacturer had referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 93,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 7, 2024Power trainODI 11607041
“The Auto Stop/Start feature is experiencing issues where the vehicle fails to restart, resulting in significant disruptions during driving scenarios such as heavy city traffic, stop-and-go traffic, and maneuvering through busy intersections. These incidents not only cause traffic jams and congestion but also force detours for other drivers. Particularly, when encountering highway traffic from exit offramps, sudden stops due to overcrowding and tailgaters trigger the Malibu to auto stop without restarting, creating considerable challenges, especially during rush hours in cities like Atlanta. In each of these circumstances, attempts to restart the vehicle prove futile as the engine endlessly turns over without success. While resolving these situations required considerable effort and time, further elaboration is beyond the scope of this discussion, given the valuable time already expended on addressing these issues.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2024Power train, Unknown or otherODI 11576265

Showing 6 of 53 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

1 recall on this component

Power train: automatic transmission

Free remedy

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."

Power trainReported Feb 21, 2014NHTSA 14V092000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 4, 2026

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