
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
8 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter may work up to 60 m
(197 ft) away from the vehicle.
With Remote Start Shown
Press the button to extend the key.
The key can be used for all locks.
This key is also used for the
ignition, if the vehicle does not have
pushbutton start.
K: Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized.
Y: Press and hold to open the
trunk.
7: Press and release one time to
initiate vehicle locator. Press and
hold for at least three seconds to
sound the panic alarm. Press again
to cancel the panic alarm.
See Keys 025 and Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 027.
Remote Vehicle Start
If equipped, the engine can be
started from outside of the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Press and releaseQon the
RKE transmitter.
2. Immediately press and hold
/
for at least four seconds or until
the turn signal lamps flash.
3. Start the vehicle normally after entering.
When the vehicle starts, the parking
lamps will turn on.
Remote start can be extended.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 25
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . 33
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 36
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Doors
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . 39
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Immobilizer Operation (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Immobilizer Operation (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Interior Mirrors
Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . 43
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . 43
Automatic Dimming RearviewMirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Keys and Locks
Keys
{Warning
Leaving children in a vehicle with
an ignition key or Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter is
dangerous and children or others
could be seriously injured or
killed. They could operate the
power window or other controls or
make the vehicle move. The
windows will function with the key
in the ignition or with the RKE
transmitter in the vehicle, and
children or others could be caught
in the path of a closing window.
Do not leave children in a vehicle
with the ignition key or an RKE
transmitter.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
28 Keys, Doors, and Windows
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound on the
second press to indicate locking.
SeeVehicle Personalization 0122.
If the driver door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors lock except the
driver door, if enabled through
vehicle personalization. See Vehicle
Personalization 0122.
If the passenger door is open when
Qis pressed, all doors lock.
Pressing
Qmay also arm the alarm
system. See Vehicle Alarm System
0 39.
K(Unlock) : Press to unlock the
driver door or all doors. See Vehicle
Personalization 0122.
The turn signal indicators may flash
to indicate unlocking. See Vehicle
Personalization 0122.
Pressing
Kwill disarm the alarm
system. See Vehicle Alarm System
0 39.
Memory seat positions may be
recalled when unlocking the vehicle.
See Memory Seats 052 and
Vehicle Personalization 0122.
Y(Remote Trunk Release) :
Press and hold to open the trunk.
7(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm) : Press and release one
time to initiate vehicle locator. The
exterior lamps flash and the horn
chirps three times.
Press and hold
7for at least
three seconds to sound the panic
alarm. The horn sounds and the
turn signals flash for about
30 seconds until
7is pressed again
or the vehicle is started.
/(Remote Vehicle Start) : For
vehicles with this feature, press
Q
and release and then press and
hold
/for at least four seconds to
start the engine from outside the
vehicle using the RKE transmitter.
See Remote Vehicle Start 033.
The RKE transmitter buttons will not
operate when the key is in the
ignition.
Keyless Access Operation
If equipped, the Keyless Access
system allows the door and trunk to
be locked and unlocked without
pressing the RKE transmitter button.
The RKE transmitter must be within
1 m (3 ft) of the door being opened.
If the vehicle has this feature, there
will be a button on the outside front
door handles.
The Keyless Access can be
programmed to unlock all doors on
the first unlock/lock button press
from the driver door. See Vehicle
Personalization 0122.
Keyless Unlocking/Locking from
the Driver Door
When the doors are locked and the
RKE transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft)
of the driver door handle, pressing
the lock/unlock button on the driver
door handle will unlock the driver
door. If the lock/unlock button is
pressed again within five seconds,
all passenger doors will unlock. Pull
the door handle to unlatch the door.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 39
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
This vehicle has an anti-theft alarm
system.
The indicator light, on the
instrument panel near the
windshield, indicates the status of
the system:
Off :Alarm system is disarmed. On Solid :
Vehicle is secured
during the delay to arm the system.
Fast Flash : Vehicle is unsecured.
A door, the hood, or the trunk
is open.
Slow Flash : Alarm system is
armed.
Arming the Alarm System
1. Close the trunk and the hood. Turn off the vehicle.
2. Lock the vehicle in one of three ways:
.Use the RKE transmitter.
. Use the Keyless Access
system, if equipped.
. With a door open, press on
the inside
Q.
3. After 30 seconds the alarm system will arm, and the
indicator light will begin to
slowly flash indicating the
alarm system is operating.
Pressing
Qon the RKE
transmitter a second time will bypass the 30-second delay
and immediately arm the alarm
system.
The vehicle alarm system will not
arm if the doors are locked with
the key.
If the driver door is opened without
first unlocking with the RKE
transmitter, the horn will chirp and
the lights will flash to indicate
pre-alarm. If the vehicle is not
started, or the door is not unlocked
by pressing
Kon the RKE
transmitter during the 10-second
pre-alarm, the alarm will be
activated.
If a door, the hood, or the trunk is
opened without first disarming the
system, the turn signals will flash
and the horn will sound for about
30 seconds. The alarm system will
then re-arm to monitor for the next
unauthorized event.
Disarming the Alarm System
Do one of the following to disarm
the alarm system or turn off the
alarm if it has been activated:

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
40 Keys, Doors, and Windows
.PressKon the RKE transmitter.
. Unlock the vehicle using the
Keyless Access system,
if equipped.
. Start the vehicle.
To avoid setting off the alarm by
accident:
. Lock the vehicle after all
occupants have left the vehicle
and all doors are closed.
. Always unlock a door with the
RKE transmitter or use the
Keyless Access system,
if equipped.
Unlocking the driver door with the
key will not disarm the system or
turn off the alarm.
How to Detect a Tamper
Condition
IfKis pressed on the RKE
transmitter and the horn chirps and
the lights flash three times, an alarm
occurred previously while the alarm
system was armed. If the alarm has been activated, a
message will appear on the DIC.
See
Security Messages 0120.
Immobilizer
See Radio Frequency Statement
0 335.
Immobilizer Operation
(Key Access)
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the key is
removed from the ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the vehicle is
started with the correct key. The key
uses a transponder that matches an
immobilizer control unit in the
vehicle and automatically disarms
the system. Only the correct key
starts the vehicle. The vehicle may
not start if the key is damaged.
The security light in the instrument
cluster comes on if there is a
problem with arming or disarming
the theft-deterrent system.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.
If the engine does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
ignition off and try again.
If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged
or the light continues to stay on, try
another ignition key.
If the engine still does not start with
the other key, the vehicle needs
service. If the vehicle does start, the
first key may be damaged. See your
dealer who can service the
theft-deterrent system and have a
new key made.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Index 349
IndexA
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 223
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . 233
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Passenger Sensing System . . . . 68
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . 64 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 104
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Alert
Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . .211
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Antenna Backglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 200 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Armrest Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Audio Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 140

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Index 357
RoadsDriving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . 324
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 62
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . 60
Safety Defects Reporting Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 336
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . 331 Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 50
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . 50
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Securing Child Restraints . . . . 88, 90
Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 167
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 227
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 321
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 322 Service (cont'd)
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 331
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 211
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Spare Tire
Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Special Application Services . . . . 315
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Start Assist, Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
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Index 359
Transportation Program,Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Turn and Lane-Change Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Turn Signal
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 249, 250
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 277
Universal Remote System . . . . . . 128Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
V
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Identification Number (VIN) . . . 322
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . 121
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Vehicle (cont'd)
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . 109
Vehicle Care Storing the Tire Sealantand Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . 287
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . 253
W
Warning Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Caution and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Lane Departure (LDW) . . . . . . . 213
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Warnings Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Wheels Alignment and Tire Balance . . 278
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . 80
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Windshield
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . 244
Wiring, High Voltage Devices . . . 253