What 361 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu Eco

I am filing a complaint regarding a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu that I purchased from a dealership on November 22, 2024. The vehicle was advertised as being in “excellent condition” at the dealership’s site. During the test drive, I raised concerns about potential transmission issues, but the dealership assured me that the vehicle was “clean” and safe to drive. Unfortunately, this assurance turned out to be false, as the vehicle has since displayed significant mechanical failures, including overheating issues, that pose serious safety risks. Within a week of purchase, the vehicle broke down twice: first on November 29, while driving to work, and again on November 30, while on I-10 Katy freeway. The second breakdown created a life-threatening situation as the vehicle suddenly lost power in traffic. I incurred towing costs of $125 to return the vehicle to the dealership. After an attempted repair, the vehicle was returned to me on December 5, 2024. However, it broke down again on December 8, 2024, requiring another tow. Since that time, the vehicle has remained at the dealership, yet no adequate resolution has been provided. Additionally, I have since discovered that the vehicle has persistent overheating issues that were not disclosed at the time of sale. These overheating problems pose a serious safety risk as they could result in a fire or explosion, endangering my life and the lives of others on the road. The dealership’s negligence in addressing these critical safety concerns demonstrates a disregard for consumer safety. I believe the dealership knowingly sold me a defective vehicle with significant mechanical issues that were either hidden or misrepresented. The sudden and repeated breakdowns, particularly in hazardous driving conditions, and the risk of fire or explosion due to overheating, warrant immediate attention from the NHTSA.

NHTSA ODI 11632052

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.

NHTSA ODI 11629182

P0420 code

NHTSA ODI 11628204

Hello. I have a 2014 Malibu. Recently it has been stalling when coming to a stop and yet there are no engine/warning lights on. Took it to numerous mechanics, spoke with people at the dealership service area and yet nothing! Nobody can figure it out at all. I’ve had the throttle body replaced, module piece, and a few other parts by someone who previously worked at the Chevrolet dealership and even they can’t figure it out. This is not only a safety hazard but a very uncomfortable feeling riding a car and having to put it into Neutral when approaching a light or stop sign ! My car will tell me if my turn signal is on for longer than 2-3 minutes so I’m not understanding why it won’t tell me why my car is shutting off. I’m frustrated because I’m paying different mechanics to figure it out and it’s still an unsolved problem! It would be nice if Chevrolet can look at everyone’s vehicle and not charge this time!! I have children so having them ride in a car that stalls is UNACCEPTABLE!

NHTSA ODI 11619494

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.

NHTSA ODI 11613762

I have an electrical problem with my car. Driver seat is electrical and the seat has been stuck in one position. The siding of the seat where the buttons are broke. The seatbelt gets stuck from the plastic being broken. I’ve had the car for a year and within 3 months of purchase I had to change brakes and it needs brakes again.

NHTSA ODI 11611964

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.

NHTSA ODI 11607041

When Stopping/Coming To A Stop. The Auto Start Feature Kicks In And Causes My Locks To Unlock And Lock Back And The Car To Stall For A Second Or So

NHTSA ODI 11597797

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shuddering. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.

NHTSA ODI 11596929

When coming to a complete stop, the auto stop feature kicks on and then stalls the car and won’t restart. Have seen in many online forms that this is a very common problem with these cars

NHTSA ODI 11593322

When the Auto Start/Stop engages at a stop sign or light it causes the car to turn off. I have trouble turning it back over. Sometimes it starts. Other times it does not. I have changed the mass airflow sensor, mass air pressure sensor, vvt solenoid. It has been in and out of a couple shops without an answer of why it is doing this. It is readily available for an inspection. There were not any warning lights or messages produced on the dash. This started happening about 3 months ago. My child and myself is in danger every time it dies at a stop light.

NHTSA ODI 11593179

When I come to a stop at a red light & the car is idling the car turns off & I have to put the car in park and turn the car on so over again. This happens in busy intersections

NHTSA ODI 11592498

my car which i own shuts down while driving its showing po6dc on code reader

NHTSA ODI 11590440

Reduced power and coolant system My safety was put a risk when my car stop on me in the middle of traffic

NHTSA ODI 11587087

While driving 60 MPH on the highway my car started stuttering then lost all power. It threw 3 codes P0131, P2097 and P0171. I have spent over $1,000.00 and a month later they tell me it was my intake bolts that were loose. They replaced every part PCV valve, MAF sensor, O2 sensor and car still wouldn't run right. PLEASE address this issue as that is UNSAFE for a car to just stop on the highway.

NHTSA ODI 11581909

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.

NHTSA ODI 11576265

my vehicle had just fixed by chevy dealership they changed both battery. i drove and pick it up,but its having the same problem it stalled or stops in red lights when i push brake it engaged the autop stop and have to restart the car again. almost got into an accident because i was stucked in the traffic with green lights and im in the middle of the road and my gas pedal wont work/accelerate. i paid 700$ for both battery i need my refund too.

NHTSA ODI 11574370

I bought the car back in 2022 and since then the stop/start started malfunctioning. At first it would stop then be hesitant to start back up then 6 months later it completely would stall at lights and stop signs. Now the aux battery is draining my main battery and I’ve had to tow my car 3 times because I’ve been left stranded. I’m now in that same predicament and it’s 2/26/24

NHTSA ODI 11574067

I have a 2014 Malibu with 87,450 miles. It has worked perfectly up until 6 months ago. It started stalling in traffic intersections and at stop signs, which is a dangerous safety issue. The Auto Stop would engage and then when I put my foot on the accelerator, it stalled out. I would turn the vehicle off and restart it. I took it to countless mechanics who could not figure out what was causing the problem because the Check Engine light did not come on and no codes were triggered. The problem became worse over time and once the vehicle stalled, it would not immediately restart. I took it to my Chevy Dealer and they were baffled as well. They uploaded new software which included the Auto Stop feature, but it continued to stall. They replaced the front battery and checked the one in the trunk. It still stalled. The Dealer said that since the Check Engine light did not come on, they were shooting in the dark. I asked them to disconnect the Auto Stop function, but they said that they couldn't. Unlike other models, there was no disconnection method. I have looked at many on-line chats on the 2014 Chevy Malibu and this defect in the Auto Stop function seems pretty prevalent. No one has come up with a workable solution. I filed a Notice of Claim with Chevrolet corporate and asked them to provide a fix. Does anyone have any ideas of either how to fix the Auto Stop or to disable it? Right now I am shifting into neutral at all traffic signals and stop signs, so that the Auto Stop function does not engage, but that seems like a poor fix to the problem.

NHTSA ODI 11572302

The car tries to start in its own. Even if the key is on the off-position. The car struts and shocks aren’t the best it won’t take a bump without moving the car

NHTSA ODI 11571900

The defrost control does not engage properly causing very poor visual conditions. Has been this way for a long time now and have not been able to get it fixed. If this problem does not get fixed soon I feel it will cause an accident. Thank you for your time.

NHTSA ODI 11568411

6 months ago our car’s auto stop/start feature started to malfunction. The car will stall and sputter on the start after coming to a stop. This is very dangerous! On multiple occasions, the car would not accelerate through a turn on a light stalling out in the intersection. we have also been nearly rear-ended at red lights because the vehicle will not accelerate on a green light. This issue is well discussed on the Internet with many owners reporting the same issue. Chevrolet should be held accountable for this repair. This is not an isolated event with my vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11562822

Variable valve timing system Rocker arm oil control valve solenoid Need help asap! My car is unsafe!

NHTSA ODI 11556157

No incident has occurred, thankfully. Car was purchased used in January 2018. It is now approximately about 9 years old. This issue happens intermittently but the electrical systems seem to be misfiring. Basically, it gives false negatives/positives. (1) The check engine comes on and off all the time even after servicing the vehicle with the mechanic. (2) The passenger seat has front airbags that get activated when someone sits in the seat. Lately, the seatbelt alert goes off while nothing heavy is in the seat. I have to latch the seatbelt to get that alert to stop. (3) The automatic lights that come on when you open the door sometimes don't turn on and the auto lights indicator is on. (4) Lately, when I have turned off the engine and opened the door, the radio won't turn off even after I have removed the keys. Electrical malfunctions could be happening due to the wrong wires being installed or something and may cause the car not to work any longer. I'm not sure but I don't want to encounter issues while I'm driving.

NHTSA ODI 11555405

See attached document from complainant

NHTSA ODI 11551610