2021 CHEVROLET MALIBU ECO

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Instruments and Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Service and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Customer Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
Introduction
The names, logos, emblems, slogans, vehicle
model names, and vehicle body designs
appearing in this manual including, but not
limited to, GM, the GM logo, CHEVROLET,
the CHEVROLET Emblem, MALIBU, and the
MALIBU Emblem are trademarks and/or
service marks of General Motors LLC, its
subsidiaries, affiliates, or licensors.
For vehicles first sold in Canada, substitute
the name“General Motors of Canada
Company” for Chevrolet Motor Division
wherever it appears in this manual.
This manual describes features that may or
may not be on the vehicle because of
optional equipment that was not purchased
on the vehicle, model variants, country
specifications, features/applications that may not be available in your region, or changes
subsequent to the printing of this owner’s
manual.
Refer to the purchase documentation
relating to your specific vehicle to confirm
the features.
Keep this manual in the vehicle for quick
reference.Canadian Vehicle Owners
A French language manual can be obtained
from your dealer, at www.helminc.com,
or from:
Propriétaires Canadiens
On peut obtenir un exemplaire de ce guide
en français auprès du concessionnaire ou à
l'adresse suivante:
Helm, Incorporated
Attention: Customer Service
47911 Halyard Drive
Plymouth, MI 48170
USA
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 84523389 B Second Printing©2020 General Motors LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
Keys, Doors, and Windows 7
The key that is part of the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter can be used for all
locks.
To remove the key, press the button near
the bottom of the transmitter, and pull the
key out. Never pull the key out without
pressing the button.
If it becomes difficult to turn the key,
inspect the key blade for debris.
See your dealer if a new key is needed.
If locked out of the vehicle, seeRoadside
Assistance Program 0323.
With an active OnStar or connected service
plan, an OnStar Advisor may remotely
unlock the vehicle. See OnStar Overview
0 331.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System
See Radio Frequency Statement 0328.
If there is a decrease in the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) operating range:
.Check the distance. The transmitter may
be too far from the vehicle.
.Check the location. Other vehicles or
objects may be blocking the signal.
.Check the transmitter's battery. See
“Battery Replacement” later in this
section.
.If the transmitter is still not working
correctly, see your dealer or a qualified
technician for service.
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation
The Keyless Access system allows for vehicle
entry when the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft). See “Keyless
Access Operation” following.
The transmitter functions may work up to
60 m (197 ft) away from the vehicle.
Other conditions can impact the
performance of the transmitter. See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System 07.
With Remote Start Shown

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
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
0 100.
If the driver door is open when
Qis pressed
and Open Door Anti-Lockout is enabled, all
doors will lock and then the driver door will
immediately unlock. See Vehicle
Personalization 0100.
If the passenger door is open when
Qis
pressed, all doors lock.
Pressing
Qmay also arm the alarm system.
See Vehicle Alarm System 019.
K:Press to unlock the driver door. Press
again within five seconds to unlock all
doors. The RKE transmitter can be
programmed to unlock all doors on the first
button press. See Vehicle Personalization
0 100.
The turn signal indicators may flash to
indicate unlocking. See Vehicle
Personalization 0100.
Pressing
Kwill disarm the alarm system.
See Vehicle Alarm System 019.
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.
/: If equipped, pressQand 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 013.
Keyless Access Operation
The Keyless Access system lets you lock and
unlock the doors and access the trunk
without removing the RKE transmitter from
your pocket, purse, briefcase, etc. The RKE
transmitter should be within 1 m (3 ft) of the
trunk or door being opened. If equipped,
there will be buttons on the outside door
handles. Keyless Access can be programmed to
unlock all doors on the first unlock/lock
button press from the driver door. See
Vehicle Personalization
0100.
If equipped with memory seats, RKE
transmitters 1 and 2 are linked to seating
positions of memory 1 or 2. See Memory
Seats 032.
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 door handle will unlock the
driver door. If the lock/unlock button is
pressed again within five seconds, all
passenger doors will unlock. Pull the door
handle to unlatch the door.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Keys, Doors, and Windows 9
Driver Side Shown, Passenger Similar
Pressing the lock/unlock button will cause
all doors to lock if any of the following
occur:
.It has been no more than five seconds
since the first lock/unlock button press.
.Two lock/unlock button presses were
used to unlock all doors.
.Any vehicle door has opened and all
doors are now closed.
Keyless Unlocking/Locking from Passenger
Door(s)
When the doors are locked and the RKE
transmitter is within 1 m (3 ft) of the door
handle, pressing the lock/unlock button on that door handle will unlock the front doors
or all doors. See
“Passive Door Unlock” in
Vehicle Personalization 0100.
Pressing the lock/unlock button will cause
the front doors or all doors to lock if any of
the following occur:
.The lock/unlock button was used to
unlock all doors.
.Any vehicle door has opened and all
doors are now closed.
Disable/Enable Keyless Unlocking of Exterior
Door Handles and Trunk
If equipped, keyless unlocking of the exterior
door handles and trunk can be disabled and
enabled.
Disabling Keyless Unlocking:
With the vehicle off, press and hold
Qand
Kon the RKE transmitter at the same time
for approximately three seconds. The turn
signal lamps will flash four times quickly to
indicate access is disabled. Using any
exterior handle to unlock the doors or open
the trunk will cause the turn signal lamps to
flash four times quickly, indicating access is
disabled. If disabled, disarm the alarm
system before starting the vehicle. Enabling Keyless Unlocking:
With the vehicle off, press and hold
Qand
Kon the RKE transmitter at the same time
for approximately three seconds. The turn
signal lamps will flash twice quickly to
indicate access is enabled.
Passive Locking
This feature will lock the vehicle several
seconds after all doors are closed, if the
vehicle is off and at least one RKE
transmitter has been removed from the
interior or none remain in the interior.
If other electronic devices interfere with the
RKE transmitter signal, the vehicle may not
detect the RKE transmitter inside the vehicle.
If passive locking is enabled, the doors may
lock with the RKE transmitter inside the
vehicle. Do not leave the RKE transmitter in
an unattended vehicle.
To customize the doors to automatically lock
when exiting the vehicle, see Vehicle
Personalization 0100.
Temporary Disable of Passive Locking
Temporarily disable passive locking by
pressing and holding
Kon the interior door
switch with a door open for at least
four seconds, or until three chimes are

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
heard. Passive locking will then remain
disabled until
Qon the interior door is
pressed, or until the vehicle is turned on.
Remote Left In Vehicle Alert
When the vehicle is turned off and an RKE
transmitter is left in the vehicle, the horn
will chirp three times after all doors are
closed. To turn on or off see Vehicle
Personalization 0100.
Remote No Longer In Vehicle Alert
If the vehicle is on with a door open, and
then all doors are closed, the vehicle will
check for an RKE transmitter inside. If an
RKE transmitter is not detected, the Driver
Information Center (DIC) will display NO
REMOTE DETECTED and the horn will chirp
three times.
This occurs only once each time the vehicle
is driven. See Vehicle Personalization 0100.
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.
Key Access
To access a vehicle with a weak transmitter
battery, see Door Locks014.
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 Recognized Transmitters
A new transmitter can be programmed to
the vehicle when there are two recognized
transmitters. To program, the vehicle must
be off and all of the transmitters, both
currently recognized and new, must be
with you.
1. Place the two recognized transmitters in the cupholder.
2. Remove the key lock cylinder cap on the driver door handle. See Door Locks014.
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 DIC displays READY FOR REMOTE #2,
3, 4 or 5.
3. Place the first new transmitter into the transmitter pocket with the buttons
facing the rear of the vehicle. The
transmitter pocket is inside the center
console storage area.
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 for each new
transmitter.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Keys, Doors, and Windows 11
When all additional transmitters are
programmed, press and hold ENGINE
START/STOP for 12 seconds to exit
programming mode.
6. Put the key back into the transmitter.
7. Replace the key lock cylinder cap. See Door Locks 014.
Programming without Recognized
Transmitters
If two currently recognized transmitters are
not available, follow this procedure to
program up to eight transmitters. This
feature is not available in Canada. This
procedure will take approximately
30 minutes to complete. The vehicle must
be off and all of the transmitters to be
programmed must be with you. 1. Remove the key lock cylinder cap on the driver door handle. See Door Locks014.
Insert the vehicle key of the transmitter
into the key lock cylinder on the outside
of the driver door and turn the key
counterclockwise five times within
10 seconds.
The DIC displays REMOTE LEARN
PENDING, PLEASE WAIT. 2. Wait for 10 minutes until the DIC
displays PRESS ENGINE START BUTTON TO
LEARN and then press ENGINE
START/STOP.
The DIC will again display REMOTE LEARN
PENDING, PLEASE WAIT.
3. Repeat Step 2 two additional times. After the third time, all previously known
transmitters will no longer work with the
vehicle. Remaining transmitters can be
relearned during the next steps.
The DIC should now display READY FOR
REMOTE # 1.4. Place the new transmitter into thetransmitter pocket with the buttons
facing toward the rear of the vehicle.
The transmitter pocket is inside the
center console storage area.
5. Press ENGINE START/STOP. When the transmitter is learned, the DIC will show
that it is ready to program the next
transmitter.
6. Remove the transmitter from the transmitter pocket and press
KorQ.
To program additional transmitters,
repeat Steps 4–6.
When all additional transmitters are
programmed, press and hold ENGINE
START/STOP for 12 seconds to exit
programming mode.
7. Return the key back into the transmitter.
8. Replace the key lock cylinder cap. See Door Locks 014.
Starting the Vehicle with a Low
Transmitter Battery
While trying to start the vehicle, if the
transmitter battery is weak or if there is
interference with the signal, the DIC may
display NO REMOTE DETECTED or NO
REMOTE KEY WAS DETECTED PLACE KEY IN

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Keys, Doors, and Windows 13
2. Separate the two halves of thetransmitter using a flat tool inserted into
the bottom center of the transmitter. Do
not use the key slot.
3. Remove the battery by pushing on thebattery and sliding it toward the bottom
of the transmitter. Do not use a metal
object.
4. Insert the new battery, positive side facing the back cover. Push the battery
down until it is held in place. Replace
with a CR2032 or equivalent battery.
5. Snap the battery cover back on to the transmitter.
6. Reinsert the key.
Remote Vehicle Start
If equipped, this feature allows the engine
to be started from outside the vehicle.
/: This button will be on the RKE
transmitter if the vehicle has remote start.
The climate control system will determine
the best mode and temperature setting for
operation during the remote start. 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.
The rear window defogger may come on
during a remote start based on cold ambient
conditions. The rear defog indicator light
does not come on during a remote start. If the vehicle has heated seats, they may
come on during a remote start. See
Heated
and Ventilated Front Seats 034.
Laws in some local communities may restrict
the use of remote starters. For example,
some laws require a person using remote
start to have the vehicle in view. Check local
regulations for any requirements.
Other conditions can affect the performance
of the transmitter. See Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System 07.
If your vehicle is low on fuel, do not use the
remote start feature. The vehicle may run
out of fuel.
Starting the Engine Using Remote Start
To start the engine using the remote start
feature:
1. Press and release
Q.
2. Immediately after completing Step 1, press and hold
/for at least
four seconds or until the turn signal
lamps flash. The turn signal lamps
flashing confirms the request to remote
start the vehicle has been received.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
When the engine starts, the parking lamps
will turn on and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The doors will be locked
and the climate control system may
come on.
The engine will continue to run for
15 minutes. After 30 seconds, repeat the
steps if a 15-minute extension is desired.
Remote start can be extended only once.
Start the vehicle before driving.
Extending Engine Run Time
The engine run time can be extended by
another 15 minutes, if during the first
15 minutes Steps 1 and 2 are repeated while
the engine is still running. An extension can
be requested 30 seconds after starting.
When the remote start is extended, the
second 15-minute period is added on to the
first 15 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.
The remote start can only be extended once.
A maximum of two remote starts, or a
single start with an extension, is allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be turned on and
then back off before the remote start
procedure can be used again.Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of the
following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle
and press and hold
/until the parking
lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start Will
Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will not
operate if:
.A transmitter is in the vehicle.
.The hood is not closed.
.The vehicle is on.
.The hazard warning flashers are on.
.The malfunction indicator lamp is on.
.The engine coolant temperature is
too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a single
remote start with an extension, have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
.Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. The doors can be
unlocked and opened while the vehicle
is 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.