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What 361 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu

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)

7 of 361 complaints match · Engine · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Sep 8, 2022Transmission & drivetrainEngineCrash

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the battery. However, the battery was not replaced. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle would not properly shift into gear, decelerated independently, and stopped. The contact was able to restart the vehicle however, upon moving the gear shifter into drive(D), the vehicle failed to respond. The contact then moved the gear shifter to park(P) however, the vehicle rolled away and struck a tree. The air bags did not deploy. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11483580

Dec 16, 2021EngineFire

The contact owned a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that after he replaced his radiator, his vehicle caught fire. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed and no injuries were reported. The contact was not certain if a police/fire report was filed. The vehicle had yet to be towed and remained in the possession of the contact. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

NHTSA ODI 11443979

Jun 16, 2021Electrical systemBody & structureEngineFire

GOV vehicle was traveling north on the Baltimore Washington Parkway near Interstate 695. The steering and brakes failed, and the driver moved the vehicle safely to the shoulder and exited the vehicle. The vehicle began to smoke and caught fire. The Traction control , steering, brake and ABS warning lamps appeared.

NHTSA ODI 11421170

Apr 27, 2021Electrical systemEngineFire

BATTERY OR ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. SEE ATTACHMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11414087

Jan 29, 2020EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, WHEN "POWER THE VEHICLE DOWN" WARNING MESSAGE WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE SPEED AND STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BLOSSOM CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 1850 SHADELAND AVE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46219, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PENSKE CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 3210 E 96TH ST, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46240, WHERE THEY NOTICED THE SPARK PLUG WERE COVERED IN OIL AND NEEDING TO BE CLEANED AND REPLACED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE PLUGS BUT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE STARTED TO SMOKE AND WAS UNABLE TO START THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CYLINDER NUMBER 3 AND ENGINE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,500.

NHTSA ODI 11302775

Dec 3, 2019Electrical systemEngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, FLAMES WERE PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. CANNON MOTORS (69900 HIGHWAY 82 WEST, GREENWOOD, MS) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ODI 11286689

Aug 21, 2014EngineFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 CHEVROLET MALIBU. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE PARKED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY ENGULFED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

NHTSA ODI 10627275

Working with the data? Download all 361 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 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 verdict →