
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
128 Lighting
The DRL turn off when the
headlamps are turned to
Oor(,
or when the ignition is off. For
vehicles first sold in Canada, the
DRL can only be turned off when
the vehicle is parked.
Automatic Headlamp
System
The headlamps come on
automatically when the exterior
lamp control is set to AUTO and it is
dark enough outside.
There is a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Do not cover the
sensor, otherwise the headlamps
will come on when they are not
needed.
The system may also turn on the
headlamps when driving through a
parking garage or tunnel.
When it is bright enough outside,
the headlamps will turn off or may
change to Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL).
The automatic headlamp system
turns off when the exterior lamp
control is turned to
Oor the ignition
is off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers are
activated in daylight with the engine
on, and the exterior lamp control is
in AUTO, the headlamps, parking
lamps, and other exterior lamps
come on. The transition time for the
lamps coming on varies based on
wiper speed. When the wipers are not operating, these lamps turn off.
Move the exterior lamp control to
O
or;to disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
With Stop/Start Disable Button
Shown, Without Similar
|:Press this button to make the
front and rear turn signal lamps
flash on and off. Press again to turn
the flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers turn on
automatically if the airbags deploy.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Climate Controls 139
^:Press the large fan symbol to
increase the fan speed. Press the
small fan symbol to decrease the
fan speed. The fan speed setting
appears on the main display. When
the fan speed is decreased
completely, the fan turns off.
Pressing either button cancels
automatic fan control and the fan is
controlled manually. Press AUTO to
return to automatic operation.
Air Delivery Mode Controls :
Press
X,Y, or[to change the
direction of the airflow. Any
combination of the three buttons
can be selected. The indicator light
in the button will turn on. The
current mode appears in the display
screen. Pressing any button cancels
automatic air delivery control and
the direction of the airflow is
controlled manually. Press AUTO to
return to automatic operation.
To change the current mode, select
one or more of the following modes:
X: Air is directed to the windshield.
Y: Air is directed to the instrument
panel outlets.
[: Air is directed to the floor
outlets.
0MAX : Air is directed to the
windshield, the fan runs at a higher
speed, and the temperature of the
air is increased if not already at
maximum. This mode overrides the
previous mode selected and clears
fog or frost from the windshield
more quickly. When the button is
pressed again, the system returns
to the previous mode setting and
fan speed.
For best results, clear all snow and
ice from the windshield before
defrosting.
A/C : Press to turn the air
conditioning system on or off. If the
fan control is turned off or the
outside temperature falls below
freezing, the air conditioner will
not run.
Pressing this button cancels
automatic air conditioning and turns
off the air conditioner. Press AUTO
to return to automatic operation and the air conditioner runs
automatically as needed. When the
indicator light is on, the air
conditioner runs automatically to
cool the air inside the vehicle or to
dry the air needed to defog the
windshield faster.
M:
Press to turn on recirculation.
An indicator light comes on. Air is
recirculated to quickly cool the
inside of the vehicle or to reduce the
entry of outside air and odors.
If selected during cool or cold
weather, the windshield and
windows may fog. Turn off
recirculation to help clear the
windshield and windows.
Auto Defog : The climate control
system may have a sensor to
automatically detect high humidity
inside the vehicle. When high
humidity is detected, the climate
control system may adjust to
outside air supply and turn on the
air conditioner. The fan speed may
slightly increase to help prevent
fogging. If the climate control

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
140 Climate Controls
system does not detect possible
window fogging, it returns to normal
operation.
To turn Auto Defog off or on, see
“Climate and Air Quality”under
Vehicle Personalization 0120.
Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on. The
rear window defogger only works
when the ignition is on. The
defogger turns off when the ignition
is turned off or to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
The upper lines on the rear window
are antenna grids and are not
intended to defrost the glass.
The rear window defogger can be
set to automatic operation. See
“Climate and Air Quality” under
Vehicle Personalization 0120.
When Auto Rear Defog is selected,
the rear window defogger turns on
automatically when the interior
temperature is cold and the outside temperature is about 7 °C (45 °F)
and below. The auto rear defogger
turns off automatically.
If equipped with heated outside
mirrors, they turn on when the rear
window defogger button is on and
help to clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirror. See
Heated
Mirrors 027.
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything
else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Driver and Passenger Heated and
Ventilated Seats : If equipped,
press
LorMto heat the driver or
passenger seat. If equipped, press
{orCto
ventilate the driver or passenger
seat. See Heated and Ventilated
Front Seats 041.
Remote Start Climate Control
Operation : If equipped with remote
start, the climate control system
may run when the vehicle is started
remotely. The system will determine
the best mode and temperature
setting for operation. Once the
vehicle is started with the Engine
Start/Stop button, the climate control
system will begin to operate at the
last customer selected operating
mode and temperature. If equipped
with heated or ventilated seats, they
may come on during a remote start.
See Remote Vehicle Start 016 and
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
0 41.
Sensor
The solar sensor, on top of the
instrument panel near the
windshield, monitors the solar heat.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Climate Controls 141
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode
for best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor; otherwise
the automatic climate control system
may not work properly.Air Vents
Use the louvers on the air vents to
change the direction of the airflow.
On the center air vents, move the
sliding knob down to close off
airflow.
On the side air vents, move the
sliding knob to the outboard side of
the vehicle to close off the airflow.
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance. .
Keep the path under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
. Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle, which may improve
long term system performance.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent slats; this restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
174 Driving and Operating
.To slow down in small
increments, briefly press -SET.
For each press, the vehicle goes
about 1 km/h (1 mph) slower.
The speedometer reading can be
displayed in either English or metric
units. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level) 0113 or
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) 0116. The increment
value used depends on the units
displayed.
Passing Another Vehicle While
Using Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to
increase the vehicle speed. When
you take your foot off the pedal, the
vehicle will slow down to the
previous set cruise speed. While
pressing the accelerator pedal or
shortly following the release to
override cruise control, briefly
pressing -SET will result in cruise
control set to the current vehicle
speed. Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well the cruise control works
on hills depends upon the vehicle
speed, load, and the steepness of
the hills. When going up steep hills,
you might have to step on the
accelerator pedal to maintain the
vehicle speed. When going
downhill, you might have to brake or
shift to a lower gear to keep your
speed down. If the brake pedal is
applied, cruise control will
disengage.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
. Press
5to turn cruise control
system off completely. Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the vehicle is turned off.
Adaptive Cruise Control
If equipped with Adaptive Cruise
Control (ACC), it allows you to
select the cruise control set speed
and following gap. Read this entire
section before using this system.
The following gap is the following
time between your vehicle and a
vehicle detected directly ahead in
your path moving in the same
direction. If no vehicle is detected in
your path, ACC works like regular
cruise control. ACC uses camera
and radar sensors. See Radio
Frequency Statement 0329.
If a vehicle is detected in your path,
ACC can apply acceleration or
limited, moderate braking to
maintain the selected following gap.
To disengage ACC, apply the brake.
If ACC is controlling your vehicle
speed when the Traction Control
System (TCS) or StabiliTrak/

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Driving and Operating 175
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system activates, the ACC may
automatically disengage. See
Traction Control/Electronic Stability
Control0170. When road
conditions allow ACC to be safely
used, the ACC can be turned
back on.
ACC will not engage if the TCS or
StabiliTrak/ESC system is disabled.
{Warning
ACC has limited braking ability
and may not have time to slow
the vehicle down enough to avoid
a collision with another vehicle
you are following. This can occur
when vehicles suddenly slow or
stop ahead, or enter your lane.
Also see “Alerting the Driver” in
this section. Complete attention is
always required while driving and
you should be ready to take
action and apply the brakes. See
Defensive Driving 0145.
{Warning
ACC will not detect or brake for
children, pedestrians, animals,
or other objects.
Do not use ACC when:
. On winding and hilly roads
or when the sensors are
blocked by snow, ice, or dirt.
The system may not detect
a vehicle ahead. Keep the
entire front of the vehicle
clean.
. Visibility is low, such as in
fog, rain, or snow
conditions. ACC
performance is limited under
these conditions.
. On slippery roads where
fast changes in tire traction
can cause excessive
wheel slip.
5:Press to turn the system on or
off. A white cruise control indicator
comes on in the instrument cluster.
+RES : If there is a set speed in
memory, press to resume that
speed or press and hold to
accelerate. If ACC is already active,
use to increase vehicle speed.
−SET : Press briefly to set the
speed and activate ACC. If ACC is
already active, use to decrease
vehicle speed.
*: Press to disengage ACC
without erasing the set speed from
memory.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Driving and Operating 179
Warning (Continued)
system may not brake for a
vehicle it has never detected
moving. This can occur in
stop-and-go traffic or when a
vehicle suddenly appears due to
a vehicle ahead changing lanes.
Your vehicle may not stop and
could cause a crash. Use caution
when using ACC. Your complete
attention is always required while
driving and you should be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes.
ACC Automatically Disengages
ACC may automatically disengage
and the driver will need to manually
apply the brakes to slow the
vehicle if:
. The sensors are blocked.
. The Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak/ESC system
has activated or been disabled.
. There is a fault in the system. .
The radar falsely reports
blockage when driving in a
desert or remote area with no
other vehicles or roadside
objects. A DIC message may
display to indicate that ACC is
temporarily unavailable.
The ACC indicator will turn white
when ACC is no longer active.
Notification to Resume ACC
ACC will maintain a following gap
behind a detected vehicle and slow
your vehicle to a stop behind that
vehicle.
If the stopped vehicle ahead has
driven away and ACC has not
resumed, the vehicle ahead
indicator will flash as a reminder to
check traffic before proceeding. In
addition, three beeps will sound.
See “Adaptive Cruise Go Notifier” in
“Collision/Detection Systems” under
Vehicle Personalization 0120.
When the vehicle ahead drives
away, press +RES or the
accelerator pedal to resume ACC.
If stopped for more than
two minutes or if the driver door is opened and the driver seat belt is
unbuckled, the ACC automatically
applies the Electric Parking Brake
(EPB) to hold the vehicle. The EPB
status light will turn on. See
Electric
Parking Brake 0168. To release the
EPB, press the accelerator pedal.
A DIC warning message may
display indicating to shift to P (Park)
before exiting the vehicle. See
Vehicle Messages 0119.
{Warning
If ACC has stopped the vehicle,
and if ACC is disengaged, turned
off, or canceled, the vehicle will
no longer be held at a stop. The
vehicle can move. When ACC is
holding the vehicle at a stop,
always be prepared to manually
apply the brakes.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Driving and Operating 181
ACC may detect a vehicle that is
not in your lane and apply the
brakes.
ACC may occasionally provide an
alert and/or braking that is
considered unnecessary. It could
respond to vehicles in different
lanes, signs, guardrails, and other
stationary objects when entering or
exiting a curve. This is normal
operation. The vehicle does not
need service.Other Vehicle Lane Changes
ACC will not detect a vehicle ahead
until it is completely in the lane. The
brake may need to be manually
applied.
Do Not Use ACC on Hills and
When Towing a Trailer
Do not use ACC when driving on
steep hills or when towing a trailer.
ACC will not detect a vehicle in the
lane while driving on steep hills. The
driver will often need to take over
acceleration and braking on steep
hills, especially when towing a
trailer. If the brakes are applied, the
ACC disengages.
Ending ACC
There are three ways to
disengage ACC:
.
Step lightly on the brake pedal.
. Press
*.
. Press
5.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
5is pressed
or if the ignition is turned off.
Cleaning the Sensing System
The camera sensor on the
windshield ahead of the rearview
mirror and the radar sensors on the
front of the vehicle can become