
Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Driving and Operating 9-19
The key lock release will not work if
the battery is charged less than
9 volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting (On-board with
eAssist Only) on page 10-91or
Jump Starting (with or without
eAssist) on page 10-92.
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the
hole below the ignition lock. Insert a
tool or key into the opening. Locate
the lever, and press it toward the
driver while removing the key from
the ignition.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
engine when the vehicle is already
moving, use N (Neutral) only.
{Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
{Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
See Add-On Electrical Equipment
on page 9-58. Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator
pedal, turn the ignition to START.
When the engine starts, let go of
the ignition.
The idle speed will go down as
your engine gets warm. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
to allow the oil to warm up and
lubricate all moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the
engine begins cranking, the
engine will continue cranking for
a few seconds or until the
vehicle starts. If the engine does
not start and the ignition is held
in START for many seconds,
cranking will be stopped after
15 seconds to prevent cranking

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
9-20 Driving and Operating
motor damage. To prevent gear
damage, this system also
prevents cranking if the engine
is already running. Engine
cranking can be stopped by
turning the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF.
{Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start after five to 10 seconds, especially in
very cold weather (below −18°C
or 0°F), it could be flooded with
too much gasoline. Try pushing
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START, or press the ENGINE START/
STOP button, for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each
try, to allow the cranking motor
to cool down. When the engine
starts, let go of the key or button,
and the accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, do the same thing.
This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting
it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil
warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
eAssist Automatic Engine
Start/Stop
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
vehicle has the automatic engine
start/stop feature, the vehicle's
engine might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
eAssist vehicles have an automatic
engine start/stop feature. After the
engine is started and has reached
operating temperature, the auto stop
feature may cause the engine to
turn off when the brakes are applied
and the vehicle comes to a
complete stop. The vehicle may
remain in auto stop for up to
two minutes. When the brake is
released or the accelerator pedal
applied, the engine will restart. The
engine will continue to run until the
next auto stop.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
9-22 Driving and Operating
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the auto engine stop/
start feature, the vehicle's engine
might seem to be shut off;
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
If equipped with the 2.5L L4 Engine,
the vehicle has a fuel saving stop/
start system to shut off the engine to
help conserve fuel. Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When
stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See
Tachometer on
page 5-10. When the brake pedal is
released or the accelerator pedal
pushed, the engine will restart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
.A minimum vehicle speed is not
reached.
.The engine or transmission is
not at the required operating
temperature.
.The outside temperature is not
in the required operating range.
Typically below -10°C (14°F) or
above 50°C (122°F).
.The shift lever is in any gear
other than D (Drive).
.The battery charge is low.
.The interior comfort level has not
reached the required level for
the climate control system or
defog settings. Use the eco
(green indicator on) air
conditioning mode for better
efficiency. See Dual Automatic
Climate Control System on
page 8-4.
.The Auto Stop time is greater
than two minutes.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater,
if available, can help in cold weather
conditions at or below −18°C (0°F)
for easier starting and better fuel
economy during engine warm-up.
Plug in the coolant heater at least
four hours before starting the
vehicle. An internal thermostat in
the plug end of the cord will prevent
engine coolant heater operation at
temperatures above −18°C (0°F).

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Driving and Operating 9-23
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord.
The electrical cord is on the
passenger side of the engine
compartment, between the
fender and the air cleaner.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{Warning
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
.Audio System
.Power Windows
.Sunroof (if equipped)
These features continue to work up
to 10 minutes after the ignition is
turned to LOCK/OFF.
The power windows and sunroof will
work until any door is opened.
The radio continues to work until the
driver door is opened.
All these features operate when the
key is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake on page 9-31.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
9-24 Driving and Operating
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)by holding in the button on the
shift lever and pushing the shift
lever all the way toward the front
of the vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key (if equipped) and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the
ignition key in your hand, the
vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park on
page 9-23.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then,
see if you can move the shift lever
away from P (Park) without first
pushing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in
P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly, then it is difficult to
shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see “Shifting Into Park”
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips on
page 9-53.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Driving and Operating 9-25
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal (if
equipped) unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting
(On-board with eAssist Only) on
page 10-91 orJump Starting (with
or without eAssist) on page 10-92. To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Place the ignition in ON/RUN.
3. Press the shift lever button.
4. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, see your dealer.
Shift Lock Manual Release
If jump starting the vehicle did not
work, the shift lock manual release
must be used. To access the shift lock manual
release:
1. Apply the parking brake.
2. Release the shift lever trim from
the center console at the rear,
then fold upward and turn it to
the left.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
9-26 Driving and Operating
3. Insert a tool into the opening asfar as it will go and move the
shift lever out of P (Park).
If P (Park) is selected again, the
shift lever will be locked again.
Have the cause of the problem
fixed by your dealer.
4. Install the shift lever trim on the console.
Parking over Things
That Burn
{Warning
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.
Engine Exhaust
{Warning
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or tail pipes).
.The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
.The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged,
or improperly repaired.
(Continued)

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Driving and Operating 9-27
Warning (Continued)
.There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running.
If the vehicle is left with the engine
running, follow the proper steps to
be sure the vehicle will not move.
See Shifting Into Park on page 9-23
and Engine Exhaust on page 9-26.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9-53.
Automatic
Transmission
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.