Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
4 Introduction
_:High Voltage
j: ISOFIX/LATCH System Child
Restraints
Q: Keep Fuse Block Covers
Properly Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7: Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>: Seat Belt Reminders
I:Side Blind Zone Alert
h:Stop/Start
7: Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak/
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
a: Under Pressure
V:Vehicle Ahead Indicator
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
18 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Warning (Continued)
moving. The chance of
being thrown out of the
vehicle in a crash is
increased if the doors are
not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
seat belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
. Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by
extreme heat and can suffer
permanent injuries or even
death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle
whenever leaving it.
. Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the
doors can help prevent this
from happening. To lock or unlock the doors from the
outside:
.
PressQorKon the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System Operation 08.
. In the case of a dead battery,
use the key in the driver door.
The key lock cylinder is covered
with a cap.
To lock or unlock the doors from the
inside:
. Press
QorKon the power door
lock switch.
. Pull the door handle once to
unlock the door. Pull the handle
again to unlatch it. Keyless AccessThe RKE transmitter must be within
1 m (3 ft) of the trunk or door being
opened. Press the button on the
door handle to open. See
“Keyless
Access Operation” inRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 08.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
32 Seats and Restraints
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . 36
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Heated and Ventilated FrontSeats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Heated Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
How to Wear Seat BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 52 Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Replacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 55
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Passenger Sensing System . . . 59
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 64
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 65
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Infants and Young Children . . . . 67
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 70
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 71
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) . . . . 72 Replacing LATCH System Parts
After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the
Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
36 Seats and Restraints
Power Seat Adjustment
{Warning
The power seats will work with
the ignition off. Children could
operate the power seats and be
injured. Never leave children
alone in the vehicle.
To adjust a power seat, if equipped:
.Move the seat forward or
rearward by sliding the control
forward or rearward. .
Raise or lower the front part of
the seat cushion by moving the
front of the control up or down.
. Raise or lower the entire seat by
moving the entire control up
or down.
. Raise or lower the rear part of
the seat cushion by moving the
back of the control up or down.
To adjust the seatback, see
Reclining Seatbacks 036.
Lumbar Adjustment
If equipped, press and hold the front
or rear of the control to increase or
decrease lumbar support.
Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
Sitting in a reclined position when
the vehicle is in motion can be
dangerous. Even when buckled
up, the seat belts cannot do
their job.
The shoulder belt will not be
against your body. Instead, it will
be in front of you. In a crash, you
could go into it, receiving neck or
other injuries.
The lap belt could go up over
your abdomen. The belt forces
would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious
internal injuries.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Seats and Restraints 37
Warning (Continued)
For proper protection when the
vehicle is in motion, have the
seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear the
seat belt properly.
Do not have a seatback reclined if
the vehicle is moving.
Manual Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
To recline a manual seatback:1. Lift the lever. 2. Move the seatback to the
desired position, and then
release the lever to lock the
seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
To return the seatback to the upright
position: 1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the
seatback, and the seatback will
return to the upright position.
2. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Seats and Restraints 43
the vehicle through the rear door
and left the vehicle without the
vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off.
SeeVehicle Personalization 0120.
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be
folded down for more cargo space.
Fold a seatback only when the
vehicle is not moving.
Caution
Folding a rear seat with the seat
belts still fastened may cause
damage to the seat or the seat
belts. Always unbuckle the seat
belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before
folding a rear seat.
The release levers for folding the
rear seatbacks are located in the
trunk. To fold the seatback down: 1. Lower the rear seat head restraints completely. See
Head Restraints 033. 2. Lift the rear seat armrest and
place it in the folded position,
if necessary. See Rear Seat
Armrest 045.
3. Disconnect the rear seat belt
mini-latch, using a key in the
slot on the mini-buckle.
Let the belt retract.
4. Open the trunk and pull theseatback release lever to fold
the rear seat.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
44 Seats and Restraints
5. Fold the seatback forward.Repeat the steps for the other
seatback, if desired.
Raising the Seatback
{Warning
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they are
locked.
{Warning
A seat belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash. The
person wearing the belt could be
seriously injured. After raising the
rear seatback, always check to be
sure that the seat belts are
properly routed and attached, and
are not twisted.
To raise a seatback: 1. Lift the seatback up and push it rearward to lock it in place.
Make sure the seat belt is not
twisted or caught in the
seatback.
The center rear seat belt may
lock when you raise the
seatback. If this happens, let
the belt go back all the way
and start again.
2. Push and pull the top of the seatback to be sure it is locked
into position.
3. Reconnect the rear seat beltmini-latch to the mini-buckle.
Do not let it twist.
4. Pull on the seat belt to be sure the mini-latch is secure.
5. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 for the other seatback, if necessary.
When the seat is not in use, it
should be kept in the upright, locked
position.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Seats and Restraints 45
Rear Seat Armrest
If equipped, the rear seat has an
armrest in the center of the
seatback. Lower the armrest to
access the two cupholders.
To fold, lift the armrest up and push
it rearward until it is flush with the
seatback.
Heated Rear Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to
the skin cannot be felt, the seat
heater may cause burns. See the
Warning underHeated and
Ventilated Front Seats 041.
PressLto heat the left outboard or
right outboard seat cushion.
Seat Belts
This section describes how to use
seat belts properly, and some things
not to do.
{Warning
Do not let anyone ride where a
seat belt cannot be worn properly.
In a crash, if you or your
passenger(s) are not wearing
seat belts, injuries can be much
worse than if you are wearing
seat belts. You can be seriously
injured or killed by hitting things
inside the vehicle harder or by
being ejected from the vehicle. In
addition, anyone who is not
buckled up can strike other
passengers in the vehicle.
It is extremely dangerous to ride
in a cargo area, inside or outside
of a vehicle. In a collision,
passengers riding in these areas
are more likely to be seriously
injured or killed. Do not allow
(Continued)