
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
In Brief 5
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . 6
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . . . 8
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Heated and Ventilated Seats . . . 12
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 12
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Passenger Sensing System . . . 13
Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . 14
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . 16
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Vehicle Features
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Portable Audio Devices . . . . . . . . 20
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . 21
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Front Automatic Braking (FAB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . 23
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . 23
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . 23
Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Automatic Parking Assist (APA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Universal Remote System . . . . . 24
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Hybrid Features
Hybrid Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
High Voltage Safety Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Regenerative Braking . . . . . . . . . . 26 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . . . 27
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . 28
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
In Brief 7
1.Air Vents 0212ii.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 164
ii.
3. Instrument Cluster (Base
Level) 0110
iior Instrument
Cluster (Uplevel) 0112ii.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) 0129
iior Driver
Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0132
ii.
4. Windshield Wiper/Washer
0104
ii.
5. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0163
ii.
6. Infotainment 0168
ii.
7. Climate Control Systems
0206
ii.
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0209
ii(If Equipped).
8. Hazard Warning Flashers
0164
ii.
9. Power Outlets 0107
ii.
10. Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0241
ii. Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing
0253
ii(If
Equipped).
11. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0234
ii.
12. Electric Parking Brake 0238
ii(If
Equipped).
13. USB Port 0181
ii.
14. ENGINE START/STOP Button. SeeIgnition Positions 0226
ii.
15. Steering Wheel Controls
0103
ii.
Driver Information Center
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Base Level)
0 129
iior Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Uplevel) 0132ii.
16. Horn 0104
ii.
17. Steering Wheel Adjustment
0103
ii.
18. Cruise Control 0243
ii.
Heated Steering Wheel 0104
ii(If Equipped).
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0257
ii(If Equipped). Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
0265
ii(If Equipped).
19. Hood Release. See Hood
0 282
ii.
20. Data Link Connector (Out of View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0120
ii.
21. Exterior Lamp Controls 0161
ii.
22. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0165
ii. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
18 In Brief
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
1. Driver and Passenger Ventilated Seats (If Equipped)
2. Driver and Passenger Temperature Controls
3. MAX Defrost
4. Fan Controls
5. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
6. A/C (Air Conditioning) or Max/ Eco Air Conditioning (Stop/
Start Only) 7. Driver and Passenger Heated
Seats (If Equipped)
8. SYNC
9. Recirculation
10. Power
11. Air Delivery Mode Controls
12. Rear Window Defogger
See Climate Control Systems 0206
iior Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0209ii(If Equipped).
Transmission
Electronic Range Select
(ERS) Mode
ERS mode allows you to choose the
top-gear limit of the transmission
and the vehicle's speed while
driving downhill or towing a trailer.
The vehicle has an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster. When using the
ERS mode a number will display
next to the L, indicating the current
gear that has been selected.
To use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever to L (Low).
2. Press + (Plus) or −(Minus) on
the shift lever to increase or
decrease the gear range
available.
See Manual Mode 0235
ii.
Hybrid Low Mode
When descending steep grades or
in stop-and-go traffic, L (Low Mode)
provides the ability to slow the
vehicle with regenerative braking
when lifting off the accelerator 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
In Brief 25
Sunroof
If equipped, the ignition must be in
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY,
or in Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) to operate the sunroof.
SeeIgnition Positions 0226
iiand
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
0 231
ii.
1. Sunroof Switch
2. Sunshade Switch
Vent/Open : Press the rear of
switch (1) to vent the sunroof. Press
again and release to express-open
the sunroof. Stop the movement at
any time by pressing the switch. Close :
Press the front of switch (1)
to close.
Sunshade : Press the rear or front
of switch (2) to express-open or
express-close the sunshade. Press
again at any time to stop the
movement.
See Sunroof 051
ii.
Hybrid Features
Hybrid Vehicle Operation
The hybrid vehicle combines
gasoline and electric propulsion to
drive the vehicle. The gas engine
will automatically start to provide
power. It will shut off to save fuel.
The engine may remain
running when:
.
There is aggressive acceleration
or climbing hills.
. Vehicle speed is greater than
88 km/h (55 mph).
. The high voltage battery is
charging.
. The passenger compartment is
warming.
The engine and transmission work
together to provide the required
power at the highest efficiency. This
may result in higher engine speeds.
See Driving for Better Fuel
Economy 028
ii. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Keys, Doors, and Windows 41
Delayed locking can only be turned
on when the Unlocked Door Anti
Lockout feature has been turned off.
When
Qis pressed on the power
door lock switch with the door open,
a chime will sound three times
indicating that delayed locking is
active.
The doors will then lock
automatically five seconds after all
doors are closed. If a door is
reopened before five seconds have
elapsed, the five-second timer will
reset once all the doors are closed
again.
Press
Qon the door lock switch
again, or press
Qon the RKE
transmitter, to override this feature
and lock the doors immediately.
Delayed locking can be
programmed through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
Automatic Door Locks
The doors will lock automatically
when all doors are closed, the
ignition is on, and the shift lever is
moved out of P (Park).
To unlock the doors:
.
Press
Kon the power door lock
switch.
. Shift the transmission into
P (Park).
Automatic door locking cannot be
disabled. Automatic door unlocking
can be programmed. See Vehicle
Personalization 0145
ii.
Lockout Protection
If the vehicle is in ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/START
and the power door lock switch is
pressed with the driver door open,
all the doors will lock and only the
driver door will unlock.
If the vehicle is off and locking is
requested while a door is open,
when all doors are closed the
vehicle will check for RKE
transmitters inside. If an RKE transmitter is detected and the
number of RKE transmitters inside
has not reduced, the driver door will
unlock and the horn will chirp three
times.
Lockout Protection can be manually
overridden with the driver door open
by pressing and holding
Qon the
power door lock switch.
Unlocked Door Anti-Lockout
If Unlocked Door Anti-Lockout is
turned on and the vehicle is off, the
driver door is open, and locking is
requested, all the doors will lock and
only the driver door will unlock. The
Unlocked Door Anti-Lockout feature
can be turned on or off using the
vehicle personalization menus. See
Vehicle Personalization 0145
ii.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
144 Instruments and Controls
Tire Messages
SERVICE TIRE MONITOR
SYSTEM
This message displays if there is a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS). SeeTire
Pressure Monitor Operation 0328
ii.
TIRE LEARNING ACTIVE
This message displays when the
system is learning new tires. See
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation
0328
ii.
TIRE PRESSURE LOW ADD
AIR TO TIRE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System (TPMS), this
message displays when the
pressure in one or more of the
vehicle's tires is low.
The low tire pressure warning light
will also come on. See Tire
Pressure Light 0125
ii.
If a tire pressure message displays,
inflate the tires until the tire pressure
is equal to the values shown on the
Tire and Loading Information label. See
Tires 0318
ii,Vehicle Load
Limits 0222ii, and Tire Pressure
0 325ii.
More than one tire pressure
message can be received at a time.
The DIC also shows the tire
pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) (Base
Level) 0129
iior Driver Information
Center (DIC) (Uplevel) 0132ii.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays if there is a
problem with the transmission. See
your dealer.
SHIFT DENIED
This message displays when
attempting to use the automatic
transmission manual mode to shift
to too low or too high of a gear. See
Manual Mode 0235
ii.
SHIFT FROM NEUTRAL
(Hybrid)
This message displays when the
vehicle should be shifted from
N (Neutral). If the vehicle is not shifted from N (Neutral) after some
time, the vehicle will shut off and
require a restart. While in
N (Neutral), the vehicle will not be
able to charge the high voltage
battery.
SHIFT TO PARK
This message displays when the
transmission needs to be shifted to
P (Park). This may appear when
turning the ignition off or removing
the key from the vehicle if the
vehicle is not in P (Park).
TRANSMISSION HOT
—IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the transmission fluid in
the vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Infotainment System 195
Settings
Teen Driver
If equipped, this allows multiple
keys to be registered for beginner
drivers, to encourage safe driving
habits. When the vehicle is started
with a Teen Driver key, it will
automatically activate certain safety
systems, allow setting of some
features, and limit the use of others.
The Report Card will record vehicle
data about driving behavior that can
be viewed later. When the vehicle is
started with a registered key, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays a message that Teen Driver
is active.
To activate:1. From the Home screen, touch the Settings menu, then touch
Teen Driver.
2. Create a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Touch Teen
Driver, then choose a four-digit
PIN. Re-enter the PIN to
confirm. To change the PIN,
select Change PIN. The PIN is required to:
.
Register or unregister keys.
. Change Teen Driver
settings.
. Change or clear the Teen
Driver PIN.
. Access or delete Report
Card data.
3. Register a key. Any key can be registered, up to a maximum of
eight keys. Label the key to tell
it apart from the other keys.
For a pushbutton start system:
1. Start the engine.
2. For automatic transmissions, the vehicle must be in P (Park).
For manual transmissions, the
vehicle must be stopped with
the parking brake set.
3. From the Settings menu, select Teen Driver.
4. Enter the PIN. 5. Place the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter key in
the transmitter pocket. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 031iifor
transmitter pocket location.
6. From the Teen Driver Menu, select Key Registration.
.If no transmitter key is
detected, place the key in
the transmitter pocket and
select Key Registration
again.
. If the transmitter key is in
the transmitter pocket, it will
identify whether the
transmitter key is registered
or unregistered.
‐If the transmitter key is
not registered, the
option to register
displays. Select
Register and a
confirmation message
displays.
‐ If the transmitter key is
already registered, the
option to unregister 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
196 Infotainment System
displays. If Unregister is
selected, the transmitter
key is no longer
registered and a
confirmation message
displays.
In vehicles with a pushbutton start
system, if a Teen Driver transmitter
key and a non-Teen Driver
transmitter key are both present at
start up, the vehicle will recognize
the non-Teen Driver transmitter key
to start the vehicle. The Teen Driver
settings will not be active.
For a keyed ignition system: 1. Start the engine.
2. For automatic transmissions, the vehicle must be in P (Park).
For manual transmissions, the
vehicle must be stopped with
the parking brake set.
3. From the Settings menu, select Teen Driver.
4. Enter the PIN. 5. Select Key Registration. The
system displays instructions for
registering or unregistering a
key. A confirmation message
displays.
Manage Settings
Use the PIN to change the following
settings:
Audio Volume Limit : Allows a
maximum radio volume to be set.
Teen Driver Speed Warning :
Allows for setting a visual and
audible warning when a certain
speed is exceeded. The speed
warning is selectable from 64 km/h
(40 mph) to 121 km/h (75 mph). The
speed warning does not limit the
speed of the vehicle.
When Teen Driver is Active:
. The radio will mute when the
driver safety belt is not fastened,
and in some vehicles, when the
right front passenger safety belt
is not fastened.
. Certain electronic devices
placed on the front passenger
seat could cause the passenger sensing system to falsely sense
an unbuckled front passenger
and mute the radio. See
Passenger Sensing System
0
75
ii.
. Some vehicle features, such as
Park Assist, if equipped, cannot
be turned off.
. The gap setting for the Forward
Collision Alert and Adaptive
Cruise Control, if equipped,
cannot be changed.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the
driver ’s consent to record certain
vehicle data when the vehicle is
driven with a registered Teen Driver
key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is not recorded when
Teen Driver is not active.
The Report Card data is collected
from the time Teen Driver is
activated or the last time the Report
Card was reset. The following items
may be recorded:
. Distance Driven –the total
distance driven.