CHEVROLET MALIBU 2020 Owner's Guide

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
20 Keys, Doors, and Windows
5. Check that the cap is secure.
Free-Turning Locks
The door key lock cylinder turns
freely when either the wrong key is
used, or the correct key is not fully
inserted. The free-turning door lock
feature prevents the lock from being
forced open. To reset the lock, turn
it to the vertical position with the
correct key fully inserted. Remove
the key and insert it again. If this
does not reset the lock, turn the key
halfway around in the cylinder and
repeat the reset procedure.Power Door Locks
Q: Press to lock the doors.
K:Press to unlock the doors.
The indicator light in the switch will
illuminate when the door is locked.
Locking or unlocking the doors will
also lock or unlock the trunk. See
Trunk 022.
Delayed Locking
This feature delays the actual
locking of the doors until
five seconds after all doors are
closed.
Delayed locking can only be turned
on when the Open 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.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 21
Delayed locking can be
programmed. SeeVehicle
Personalization 0120.
Automatic Door Locks
The doors will lock automatically
when all doors are closed, the
ignition is on, and the vehicle is
shifted out of P (Park).
If a vehicle door is unlocked, and
then opened and closed, the doors
will lock either when your foot is
removed from the brake or the
vehicle speed becomes faster than
13 km/h (8 mph).
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 0120.
Lockout Protection
If the ignition is on or in ACC/
ACCESSORY 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.
Open Door Anti-Lockout
If Open Door Anti-Lockout has been
turned on and the vehicle is off, the
driver door is open, and locking is
requested, all the doors will lock and
the driver door will remain open. Press the button again to lock the
driver door. The Open Door
Anti-Lockout feature can be turned
on or off. See
Vehicle
Personalization 0120.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock is on the
inside edge of the rear doors. To
use the safety lock:

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
22 Keys, Doors, and Windows
1. Move the lever forward to thelock position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.
To open a rear door when the safety
lock is on:
1. Unlock the door by activating the inside handle, by pressing
the power door lock switch,
or by using the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter.
2. Open the door from the outside.
When the safety lock is enabled,
adults and older children will not be
able to open the rear door from the
inside. Cancel the safety locks to
enable the doors to open from the
inside.
To cancel the safety lock: 1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside. 2. Move the lever rearward to
unlock. Do the same for the
other door.Doors
Trunk
{Warning
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, hatch/trunk open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
hatch/trunk or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate or hatch/trunk open:
. Close all of the windows.
. Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
. Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 23
Warning (Continued)
and set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems”
in the Index.
. If the vehicle is equipped
with a power liftgate, disable
the power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust 0163.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk the vehicle must
be off or the shift lever must be in
P (Park).
.
Press
Xtwice quickly on the
RKE transmitter.
. Press the touch pad on the rear
of the trunk after unlocking all
doors.
The trunk may be opened while the
vehicle is locked by pressing the
touch pad on the rear of the trunk
while the RKE transmitter is within
1 m (3 ft) of the rear of the vehicle.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 08.
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle
Caution
Do not use the emergency trunk
release handle as a tie-down or
anchor point when securing items
in the trunk as it could damage
the handle.
There is a glow-in-the-dark
emergency trunk release handle on
the trunk lid. This handle glows

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
24 Keys, Doors, and Windows
following exposure to light. Pull the
release handle to open the trunk
from the inside.
After pulling the emergency trunk
release handle, push the handle
back into the bezel.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
the vehicle impossible to steal.
Vehicle Alarm System
This vehicle has an anti-theft alarm
system.
The indicator light, on the
instrument panel near the
windshield, indicates the status of
the system:
Off :Alarm system is disarmed. On Solid :
Vehicle is secured
during the delay to arm the system.
Fast Flash : Vehicle is unsecured.
A door, the hood, or the trunk
is open.
Slow Flash : Alarm system is
armed.
Arming the Alarm System
1. Close the trunk and the hood. Turn off the vehicle.
2. Lock the vehicle in one of three ways:
.Use the RKE transmitter.
. Use the Keyless Access
system, if equipped.
. With a door open, press the
inside
Q.
3. After 30 seconds the alarm system will arm, and the
indicator light will begin to
slowly flash indicating the
alarm system is operating.
Pressing
Qon the RKE
transmitter a second time will

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 25
bypass the 30-second delay
and immediately arm the alarm
system.
The vehicle alarm system will not
arm if the doors are locked with
the key.
If the driver door is opened without
first unlocking with the RKE
transmitter, the horn will chirp and
the lights will flash to indicate
pre-alarm. If the vehicle is not
started, or the door is not unlocked
by pressing
Kon the RKE
transmitter during the 10-second
pre-alarm, the alarm will be
activated.
If a door, the hood, or the trunk is
opened without first disarming the
system, the turn signals will flash
and the horn will sound for about
30 seconds. The alarm system will
then re-arm to monitor for the next
unauthorized event.
Disarming the Alarm System
Do one of the following to disarm
the alarm system or turn off the
alarm if it has been activated: .
Press
Kon the RKE transmitter.
. Unlock the vehicle using the
Keyless Access system,
if equipped.
. Start the vehicle.
To avoid setting off the alarm by
accident:
. Lock the vehicle after all
occupants have left the vehicle
and all doors are closed.
. Always unlock a door with the
RKE transmitter or use the
Keyless Access system,
if equipped.
Unlocking the driver door with the
key will not disarm the system or
turn off the alarm.
How to Detect a Tamper
Condition
IfKis pressed on the RKE
transmitter and the horn chirps and
the lights flash three times, an alarm
occurred previously while the alarm
system was armed. If the alarm has been activated, a
message will appear on the Driver
Information Center (DIC).
Immobilizer
See
Radio Frequency Statement
0 329.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system does not have to be
manually armed or disarmed.
The vehicle is automatically
immobilized when the transmitter
leaves the vehicle.
The immobilization system is
disarmed when the ignition button is
pushed in and a valid transmitter is
in the vehicle.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
26 Keys, Doors, and Windows
The security light on the instrument
cluster comes on when there is a
problem with arming or disarming
the theft-deterrent system.
The system has one or more
transmitters matched to an
immobilizer control unit in the
vehicle. Only a correctly matched
transmitter will start the vehicle.
If the transmitter is ever damaged,
you may not be able to start your
vehicle.
When trying to start the vehicle, the
security light comes on briefly when
the ignition is turned on.
If the vehicle does not start and the
security light stays on, there is a
problem with the system. Turn the
vehicle off and try again.
If the RKE transmitter appears to be
undamaged, try another transmitter,
or place the transmitter in the
transmitter pocket. See“Starting the
Vehicle with a Low Transmitter
Battery” underRemote Keyless
Entry (RKE) System Operation 08. If the vehicle does not start with the
other transmitter or when the
transmitter is in the transmitter
pocket, the vehicle needs service.
See your dealer who can service
the theft-deterrent system and have
a new transmitter programmed to
the vehicle.
Do not leave the transmitter or
device that disarms or deactivates
the theft-deterrent system in the
vehicle.Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{Warning
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 27
Power Mirrors
To adjust the mirrors:1. Press
}or|to select the
driver or passenger side mirror.
The indicator light will
illuminate.
2. Press the arrows on the control pad to move the mirror in the
desired direction.
3. Adjust each outside mirror so that a little of the vehicle and
the area behind it can be seen.
4. Press
}or|again to
deselect the mirror. Memory Mirrors
The vehicle may have memory
mirrors. See
Memory Seats 038.
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)
The vehicle may have SBZA. See
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) 0193.
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
The vehicle may have LCA. See
Lane Change Alert (LCA) 0194.
Turn Signal Indicator
The vehicle may have a turn signal
indicator on the mirror housings.
The indicator will flash when a turn
signal or the hazard warning
flashers are used.
Folding Mirrors
Manual Folding Mirrors
The mirrors can be folded inward
toward the vehicle to prevent
damage when going through an
automatic car wash. Push the mirror
outward to return it to the original
position.
Heated Mirrors
If equipped with heated mirrors:
K: The rear window defogger also
heats the outside mirrors.
See Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0137.
Reverse Tilt Mirrors
If equipped with memory seats, the
passenger and/or driver mirror tilts
to a preselected position when the
vehicle is in R (Reverse). This
allows the curb to be seen when
parallel parking.
The mirror(s) return to the original
position when:
.
The vehicle is shifted out of
R (Reverse), or remains in
R (Reverse) for about
30 seconds.
. The ignition is turned off.
. The vehicle is driven in
R (Reverse) above a set speed.
To turn this feature on or off, see
Vehicle Personalization 0120.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
28 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Interior Mirrors
Interior Rearview Mirrors
Adjust the rearview mirror for a clear
view of the area behind the vehicle.
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Manual Rearview Mirror
If equipped, push the tab forward for
daytime use and pull it rearward for
nighttime use to avoid glare of the
headlamps from behind.
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
If equipped, automatic dimming
reduces the glare of headlamps
from behind. The dimming feature
comes on when the vehicle is
started.
Windows
{Warning
Never leave a child, a helpless
adult, or a pet alone in a vehicle,
especially with the windows
closed in warm or hot weather.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof, if equipped.
Power Windows
{Warning
Children could be seriously
injured or killed if caught in the
path of a closing window. Never
leave the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitter in a vehicle with
children. When there are children
in the rear seat, use the window
lockout switch to prevent
operation of the windows. See
Keys07.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
13555849) - 2020 - CRC - 8/16/19
Keys, Doors, and Windows 29
The power windows work when the
vehicle is on, in ACC/ACCESSORY,
or when Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) is active. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) 0160.
Using the window switch, press to
open or pull to close the window.
The windows may be temporarily
disabled if they are used repeatedly
within a short time.
Window Lockout
This feature stops the rear door
passenger window switches from
working.
Press
2to engage the rear
window lockout feature. The
indicator light is on when engaged.
Press
2again to disengage.
Window Express Movement
All windows can be opened without
holding the window switch. Press
the switch down fully and quickly
release to express-open the
window. If equipped, pull the window switch
up fully and quickly release to
express-close the window.
Briefly press or pull the window
switch in the same direction to stop
that window’s express movement.
Window Automatic Reversal
System
The express-close feature will
reverse window movement if it
comes in contact with an object.
Extreme cold or ice could cause the
window to auto-reverse. The
window will operate normally after
the object or condition is removed.
Automatic Reversal System
Override
{Warning
If automatic reversal system
override is active, the window will
not reverse automatically. You or
others could be injured and the
window could be damaged.
Before using automatic reversal
(Continued)