Home · 2014 Chevrolet Malibu Hev · Complaints

What 361 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu Hev

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (361)Crash / fire / injury (28)Engine (127)Electrical system (88)Transmission & drivetrain (53)Brakes (49)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (36)Fuel system (26)Steering (25)Visibility & wipers (21)Wheels (19)Speed control (17)

Newest first · 361 complaints · page 15 of 15

May 24, 2014Brakes

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AN ANIMAL BEGAN ENTERING MY PATH. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE ANIMAL I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED THE BRAKES HARD. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY JERKED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT AND THEN EVEN HARDER TO THE RIGHT. HAD I NOT HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL, IT IS HIGHLY PROBABLE THAT CONTROL OF THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST WHEN IT JERKED TO THE RIGHT. AS IT WAS, I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR BUT THIS WAS A SCARY EMERGENCY STOP EVENT. I DID NOT HAVE TO STOP THE CAR AND DID GET SLOWED ENOUGH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT -- IT WAS THE REACTION OF THE CAR JERKING LEFT AND MORE POWERFULLY TO THE RIGHT THAT WAS SCARY AND WAS DEFINITELY NOT EXPECTED. THE CAR HAS DISC BRAKES ALL AROUND. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10593832

May 22, 2014Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE GEAR LEVER WAS SHIFTED FROM ANY SELECTED GEAR, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO JERK WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2.

NHTSA ODI 10593330

May 19, 2014BrakesCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V252000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

NHTSA ODI 10592455

May 13, 2014Brakes

THE BRAKES FELT LOW AND THEN THE LOW BRAKE FLUID WARNING LIGHT AND ALSO STABILITY TRACK ALARM AND THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE LIT UP. I DROVE A FEW MILES MORE AND THE ALARMS WOULD SOUND EVERY TIME I HIT THE BRAKES. THE CAR HAD TO BE FLAT BEDDED BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TRUCK DRIVER LOOKED FOR BRAKE FLUID LEVEL, THERE WAS NO BRAKE FLUID AT ALL. I WAS INFORMED LATER THAT THE BRAKE FLUID HAD ALL LEAKED OUT THE REAR CALIPER. THIS HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED, CAR IS STILL AT DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10588106

Apr 27, 2014Engine

THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I DO BELIEVE THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THIS SAME ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10585129

Apr 27, 2014Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

I JUST PURCHASED A 2014 MALIBU ON 04- 22 FOR MY DAUGHTER. DUE TO MY DAUGHTER TELLING ME THAT THE BRAKES FELT MUSHY IN HER CAR I DECIDED TO TEST DRIVE IT MYSELF. WHILE DRIVING DOWN MY STREET AT APPROX. 25MPH WITH THE BRAKE SLIGHTLY DEPRESSED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED UNEXPECTEDLY AND THE ENGINE SEEM TO REV UP. THIS MADE THE VEHICLE THAT MUCH HARDER TO CONTROL AND STOP. THIS HAS TO BE LOOKED INTO A.S.A.P. I DO NOT WANT MY DAUGHTER TO CONTINUE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE UNTIL THERE IS A SOLUTION. GOING TO TAKE THIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FIRST THING MONDAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10585127

Apr 3, 2014Body & structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THE TOP CHROME TRIM ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SEPARATED WHILE HE DROVE 70 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW TRIM; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT ADVISED IF THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE SEAL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 4,700. UPDATED 06/24/14*LJ UPDATED 06/30/2014 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10577085

Mar 31, 2014Engine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE BRAKING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE ENGAGED INTO SLEEP MODE. ONCE THE CONTACT RELEASED THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOWLY REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO FUNCTION IN THE MANNER IT DID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 10575953

Mar 23, 2014Engine

AS I WAS DRIVING AND COME TO A STOP LIGHT, MY VEHICLE CUT OFF AND ONCE I LET OFF THE BRAKE, TO GO, THE CAR STARTED BACK WITHOUT ME DOING ANYTHING. WHEN I WAS AT THE DRIVE THRU WINDOW, MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AND I WAS STILL IN DRIVE MODE, THE CAR CUT OFF, AND WHEN I LET OF THE BRAKE SLIGHTLY THE VEHICLE STARTED ALL BY ITSELF. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED A WEEK APART. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10574229

Mar 20, 2014Transmission & drivetrainBrakes

1ST INCIDENT WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE WOULD DO A EXTREME PULL TO THE RIGHT. 2ND INCIDENT 2/24/14 MILE 2940 - TRANSMISSION SHUTS DOWN AFTER EXITING HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10573721

Jan 17, 2014Steering

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (65-70 MPH) ON STRAIGHT AND LEVEL HIGHWAY, STEERING WOULD DEVELOP A "STICKY, OR DEAD SPOT" ON CENTER. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A SLIGHT CORRECTION, IT REQUIRED INCREASED EFFORT TO OVERCOME THE "STICKY" SPOT; I COULD FEEL THE INCREASED RESISTANCE, AND THEN SUDDENLY THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD MOVE. IT TOOK EFFORT TO KEEP THE CAR FROM JERKING. INITIALLY THIS WOULD OCCUR ONLY WHEN TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW APPROXIMATELY 50 DEGREES (WE WERE ON CHRISTMAS BREAK IN UTAH). HOWEVER, UPON RETURNING TO TEXAS AND WARMER WEATHER, THE CONDITION HAS PERSISTED, ALBEIT INTERMITTENTLY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 15 JAN; HOWEVER THEY WERE "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE". THIS AFTERNOON I OBSERVED THE SAME "STICKINESS" WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO WORK THROUGH CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES ON-LINE, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET ANYONE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT A ""PROBLEM" EXISTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10560441

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Working with the data? Download all 361 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 22, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2014 Chevrolet Malibu Hev verdict →