Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
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.
Stop/Start System
The vehicle may have a fuel saving
stop/start system to shut off the
engine and help conserve fuel.
When the brakes are applied and
the vehicle is at a complete stop,
the engine may turn off. When the
brake pedal is released or the
accelerator pedal pushed, the
engine will restart.
SeeStarting the Engine 0228
ii.
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
K:Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors.
Q: Press to lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized.
X: Press twice quickly 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 030
iiand Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation
0 31
ii.
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.
For the hybrid vehicle, the engine
will only start if needed for warming
functions or high voltage battery
charging.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
30 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Keys, Doors, and
Windows
Keys and Locks
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . 37
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . 41
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Doors
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Vehicle Security
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Vehicle Alarm System . . . . . . . . . 44
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Immobilizer Operation . . . . . . . . . 45
Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Power Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Folding Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Interior Mirrors
Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . 48
Manual Rearview Mirror . . . . . . . . 48
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Windows
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Power Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Keys and Locks
Keys
{Warning
Leaving children in a vehicle with
a Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter is dangerous and
children or others could be
seriously injured or killed. They
could operate the power windows
or other controls or make the
vehicle move. The windows will
function 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 an RKE
transmitter.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
32 Keys, Doors, and Windows
With Remote Start Shown
Q:Press to lock all doors.
The turn signal indicators may flash
and/or the horn may sound on the
second press to indicate locking.
See Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
If the driver door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors will lock and then
the driver door will immediately
unlock, if enabled through vehicle
personalization. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
If the passenger door is open
when
Qis pressed, all doors lock. Pressing
Qmay also arm the alarm
system. See Vehicle Alarm System
0 44
ii.
K:Press to unlock the driver door
or all doors. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
The turn signal indicators may flash
to indicate unlocking. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
Pressing
Kwill disarm the alarm
system. See Vehicle Alarm System
0 44
ii.
X:Press twice quickly to release
the trunk.
7: 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.
/: For vehicles with this feature,
press
Qand 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 037
ii.
Keyless Access Operation
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 each door handle.
The Keyless Access can be
programmed to unlock all doors on
the first unlock/lock button press
from the driver door. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
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
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
34 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Keyless Trunk Opening
Press the touch pad on the rear of
the trunk to open it if the RKE
transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft) of the
trunk.
Keyed Access
To access a vehicle with a dead
transmitter battery, seeDoor Locks
0 38
ii.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to the vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
The vehicle can be reprogrammed
so that lost or stolen transmitters no
longer work. Any remaining
transmitters will need to be
reprogrammed. Each vehicle can
have up to eight transmitters
matched to it. Programming with a Recognized
Transmitter
A new transmitter can be
programmed to the vehicle when
there is one recognized transmitter.
To program, the vehicle must be off
and all of the transmitters, both
currently recognized and new, must
be with you.
1. Place the recognized transmitter(s) in the transmitter
pocket with the buttons facing
the rear of the vehicle. The
transmitter pocket is inside the
center console storage area.
2. Remove the key lock cylinder cap on the driver door handle.
See Door Locks 038
ii. Insert
the vehicle key of the new
transmitter into the key lock
cylinder on the outside of the
driver door and turn the key
counterclockwise five times
within 10 seconds.
The Driver Information Center
(DIC) displays READY FOR
REMOTE #2, 3, 4 or 5.
3. Place the new transmitter into the transmitter pocket with the
buttons facing the rear of the
vehicle.
4. Press ENGINE START/STOP. When the transmitter is
learned, the DIC will show that
it is ready to program the next
transmitter.
5. Remove the transmitter from the transmitter pocket and
press
KorQ.
To program additional
transmitters, repeat Steps 3–5.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
40 Keys, Doors, and Windows
To replace the cap:1. Pull the door handle to the open position.
2. Insert the two tabs (6) at the back of the cap (7) between
the seal (4) and the metal
base (5).
3. Move the cap forward andpress to snap the cap in place.
4. Release the door handle.
Power Door Locks
Q: Press to lock the doors.
K:Press to unlock the doors.
The indicator light in the switch will
illuminate when the door is locked.
Locking or unlocking the doors will
also lock or unlock the trunk. See
Trunk 042
ii.
Delayed Locking
This feature delays the actual
locking of the doors until
five seconds after all doors are
closed.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
42 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock is
located on the inside edge of the
rear doors. To use the safety lock:1. Move the lever forward to the lock position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
To open a rear door when the safety
lock is on: 1. Unlock the door by activating
the inside handle, using the
power door lock switch, or the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
2. Open the door from the outside.
When the safety lock is enabled,
adults and older children will not be
able to open the rear door from the
inside. Cancel the safety locks to
enable the doors to open from the
inside.
To cancel the safety lock: 1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Move the lever rearward to unlock. Do the same for the
other door.
Doors
Trunk
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, hatch/trunk open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
hatch/trunk or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or hatch/trunk open:
. Close all of the windows.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
and set the fan speed to the
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 43
Warning (Continued)
highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”
in the Index.
. If the vehicle is equipped
with a power liftgate, disable
the power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0233
ii.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk the vehicle must
be off or the shift lever must be in
P (Park).
.
Press
Xtwice quickly on the
RKE transmitter.
. Press the touch pad on the rear
of the trunk after unlocking all
doors.
If equipped with Keyless Access,
the trunk may be opened while the
vehicle is locked by pressing the
touch pad on the rear of the trunk
while the RKE transmitter is within
1 m (3 ft) of the rear of the vehicle.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 031
ii.
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle
Caution
Do not use the emergency trunk
release handle as a tie-down or
anchor point when securing items
in the trunk as it could damage
the handle.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
44 Keys, Doors, and Windows
There is a glow-in-the-dark
emergency trunk release handle on
the trunk lid. This handle glows
following exposure to light. Pull the
release handle to open the trunk
from the inside.
After use, return to the stored
position.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 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