Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
184 Driving and Operating
Starting Procedure1. With the Keyless Access system, the RKE transmitter must be in the vehicle. Press
ENGINE START/STOP with the brake pedal
applied. When the engine begins
cranking, let go of the button.
The idle speed will go down as the
engine gets warm. Do not race the
engine immediately after starting it.
If the RKE transmitter is not in the
vehicle, if there is interference, or if the
RKE transmitter battery is low, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display a
message. See Driver Information Center
(DIC) (Base Level) 094 or
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel)
0 96 and
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation 07.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long periods of
time, by trying to start the engine
immediately after cranking has ended,
can overheat and damage the cranking
motor, and drain the battery. Wait at
least 15 seconds between each try, to let
the cranking motor cool down. 2. If the engine does not start after five to
10 seconds, especially in very cold
weather (below −18 °C or 0 °F), it could
be flooded with too much gasoline. Try
pushing the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there as you
hold ENGINE START/STOP, for up to a
maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least
15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down. When
the engine starts, let go of the button
and the accelerator. If the vehicle starts
briefly but then stops again, do the
same thing. This clears the extra gasoline
from the engine. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it. Operate
the engine and transmission gently until
the oil warms up and lubricates all
moving parts.
Stop/Start System
If equipped, the Stop/Start system will shut
off the engine to help conserve fuel. It has
components designed for the increased
number of starts.
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start feature
causes the engine to shut off while the
vehicle is still on. Do not exit the vehicle
before shifting to P (Park). The vehicle
may restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then turn
the ignition off before exiting the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the vehicle
is at a complete stop, the engine may turn
off. When stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See Tachometer083. When the
brake pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance, other
conditions may cause the engine to
automatically restart before the brake pedal
is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or auto
restarts may occur because:
.The climate control settings require the
engine to be running to cool or heat the
vehicle interior.
.The vehicle battery charge is low.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
228 Vehicle Care
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301General Information
For service and parts needs, visit your
dealer. You will receive genuine GM parts
and GM-trained and supported service
people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
California Proposition 65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this one,
as well as many of its service parts and
fluids, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to cause(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine exhaust, many
parts and systems, many fluids, and
some component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these chemicals. For
more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0244 and
Jump Starting - North America 0290 and
the back cover.
California Perchlorate Materials
Requirements
Certain types of automotive applications,
such as airbag initiators, seat belt
pretensioners, and lithium batteries
contained in electronic keys, may contain
perchlorate materials. Perchlorate Material –
special handling may apply. See
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
Vehicle Care 245
Stop/Start System
If equipped with the 1.5L L4 engine, the
vehicle has a Stop/Start system to shut off
the engine to help conserve fuel. SeeStop/
Start System 0184.
Vehicles with a 1.5L engine have an
Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) 12-volt battery.
Installation of a standard 12-volt battery will
result in reduced 12-volt battery life.
When using a 12-volt battery charger on the
12-volt AGM battery, some chargers have an
AGM battery setting on the charger.
If available, use the AGM setting on the
charger, to limit charge voltage to 14.8 volts.
{Warning
WARNING: Battery posts, terminals, and
related accessories contain lead and lead
compounds, chemicals known to the
State of California to cause cancer and
birth defects or other reproductive harm.
Batteries also contain other chemicals
known to the State of California to cause
cancer. WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING.
For more information go to
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle. See
California Proposition 65 Warning 0228
and the back cover.
Vehicle Storage
{Warning
Batteries have acid that can burn you and
gas that can explode. You can be badly
hurt if you are not careful. See Jump
Starting - North America 0290 for tips
on working around a battery without
getting hurt.
Infrequent Usage: Remove the 12-volt
battery black, negative (−) cable from the
battery to keep the battery from
running down.
Extended Storage: Remove the 12-volt
battery black, negative (−) cable from the
battery or use a battery trickle charger.
Remember to reconnect the battery when
ready to drive the vehicle.
Negative Battery Cable Disconnection
{Warning
Before disconnecting the negative battery
cable, turn off all features, turn the
ignition off, and remove the key,
if equipped, from the vehicle. If this is
not done, you or others could be injured,
and the vehicle could be damaged.
Caution
If the battery is disconnected with the
ignition on or the vehicle in Retained
Accessory Power (RAP), the OnStar
back-up battery will be permanently
discharged and will need to be replaced.
1. Make sure the lamps, features, and accessories are turned off.
2. Turn the ignition off and remove the key, if equipped.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
332 OnStar
.Receive a Diagnostic check of the vehicle's
key operating systems.
.Receive Roadside Assistance.
.Manage Wi-Fi Settings, if equipped.
Press
>to get a priority connection to an
OnStar Advisor available 24/7 to:
.Get help for an emergency.
.Be a Good Samaritan or respond to an
AMBER Alert.
.Get assistance in severe weather or other
crisis situations and find evacuation
routes.
OnStar Services
Emergency
Emergency Services require an active safety
and security plan. With Automatic Crash
Response, built-in sensors can automatically
alert a specially trained OnStar Advisor who
is immediately connected in to the vehicle
to help.
Press
>for a priority connection to an
OnStar Advisor who can contact emergency
service providers, direct them to your exact
location, and relay important information. With OnStar Crisis Assist, specially trained
Advisors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week, to provide a central point of
contact, assistance, and information during a
crisis.
With Roadside Assistance, Advisors can
locate a nearby service provider to help with
a flat tire, a battery jump, or an empty
gas tank.
Security
If equipped, OnStar provides these services:
.With Stolen Vehicle Assistance, OnStar
Advisors can use GPS to pinpoint the
vehicle and help authorities quickly
recover it.
.With Remote Ignition Block, if equipped,
OnStar can block the engine from being
restarted.
.With Stolen Vehicle Slowdown,
if equipped, OnStar can work with law
enforcement to gradually slow the
vehicle down.
Theft Alarm Notification
If equipped, if the doors are locked and the
vehicle alarm sounds, a notification by text,
e-mail, or phone call will be sent. If the
vehicle is stolen, an OnStar Advisor can work
with authorities to recover the vehicle.
OnStar Additional
Information
In-Vehicle Audio Messages
Audio messages may play important
information at the following times:
.Prior to vehicle purchase. PressQto set
up an account.
.After change in ownership and at
90 days.
Transferring Service
PressQto request account transfer
eligibility information. The Advisor can
cancel or change account information.
Selling/Transferring the Vehicle
Call 1-888-4ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827)
immediately to terminate your OnStar or
connected services if the vehicle is disposed
of, sold, transferred, or if the lease ends.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
344 Index
K
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . . . . . . . . 105
Exterior Lighting Battery Saver . . . . . . . . 109
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Malfunction Indicator (CheckEngine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .214
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Lane Keep Assist Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
LATCH System
Replacing Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 67
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249 Lighting
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 249
Lights Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Check Engine (Malfunction Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Lane Keep Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Service Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . 89
StabiliTrak OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Lights (cont'd)
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Locks Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Maintenance and Care Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
346 Index
PowerDoor Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Protection, Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Pregnancy, Using Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Problems with Route Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Program Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Proposition 65 Warning, California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .228, 244, 290, Back Cover
Publication Ordering Information . . . . . . . . 327
R
Radio HD Radio Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117
Radio Data System (RDS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Radios AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116 Radios (cont'd)
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Recognition Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . 312
Records Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . .7
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Replacement Parts
Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after
a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Restraints
Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . 186
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Roads Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . 188
S
Safety Defects Reporting
Canadian Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324