CHEVROLET MALIBU 2021 Owner's Guide

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
14584249) - 2021 - CRC - 11/9/20
30 Seats and Restraints
Manual Seat Height Adjuster
Move the lever on the outboard side of the
seat up or down to manually adjust the seat
height.
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 030.
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.
(Continued)

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Seats and Restraints 31
Warning (Continued)
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.
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.
Power Reclining Seatbacks
To adjust a power seatback, if available:

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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32 Seats and Restraints
.Tilt the top of the control rearward to
recline.
.Tilt the top of the control forward to
raise.
Memory Seats
If equipped, memory seats allow two drivers
to save and recall their unique seat positions
for driving the vehicle, and a shared exit
position for getting out of the vehicle. Other
feature positions may also be saved, such as
power mirrors and power steering wheel,
if equipped. Memory positions are linked to
RKE transmitter 1 or 2 for automatic
memory recalls.Before saving, adjust all available memory
feature positions. Turn the vehicle on and
then press and release SET; a beep will
sound. Then immediately press and hold 1,
2, or
B(Exit) until two beeps sound. To
manually recall these positions, press and
hold 1, 2, or
Buntil the saved position is
reached. Follow the instructions under
“Saving Memory Positions.”
The vehicle identifies the current driver’s RKE
transmitter number (1–8). See Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System Operation 07.
Only RKE transmitters 1 and 2 can be used
for automatic memory recalls. A Driver
Information Center (DIC) welcome message
indicating the transmitter number may
display for the first few ignition cycles
following a transmitter change. For Seat
Entry Memory to work properly, save the
positions to the memory button (1 or 2)
matching the RKE transmitter number
displayed in the DIC welcome message.
Carry the linked RKE transmitter when
entering the vehicle.
Vehicle Personalization Settings
.To have the Seat Entry Memory
movement begin when the vehicle is
started, select the Settings menu, then Vehicle, then Seating Position, and then
Seat Entry Memory. Select On or Off. See
“Seat Entry Memory”
later in this section.
.To begin Seat Exit Memory movement
when the vehicle is turned off and the
driver door is opened, or when the vehicle
is turned off with the driver door already
opened, select the Settings menu, then
Vehicle, then Seating Position, and then
Seat Exit Memory. Select On or Off. See
“Seat Exit Memory”later in this section.
.SeeVehicle Personalization 0100 for
additional setting information.
Identifying Driver Number
To identify the driver number: 1. Move your RKE transmitter away from the vehicle.
2. Start the vehicle with another key or RKE transmitter. The DIC should display the
driver number for the other RKE
transmitter. Turn the vehicle off and
remove the key or RKE transmitter from
the vehicle.
3. Start the vehicle with the initial key or RKE transmitter. The DIC should display
the driver number of your RKE
transmitter.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 33
Saving Memory Positions
Read these instructions completely before
saving memory positions.
To save preferred driving positions 1 and 2:1. Turn the vehicle on or to ACC/ ACCESSORY.
A DIC welcome message may indicate
driver number 1 or 2.
2. Adjust all available memory features to the desired driving position.
3. Press and release SET; a beep will sound.
4. Immediately press and hold the 1 or 2 memory button matching the above
DIC welcome message until two beeps
sound.
If too much time passes between
releasing SET and pressing 1, the
memory position will not be saved and
two beeps will not sound. Repeat
Steps 3 and 4.
1 or 2 corresponds to the driver number.
See “Identifying Driver Number”
previously in this section.
5. Repeat Steps 1–4 for a second driver using 1 or 2. To save the position forBand Seat Exit
Memory features, repeat Steps 1–4 using
B. This saves the position for getting out
of the vehicle.
Save preferred memory feature positions to
both 1 and 2 if you are the only driver.
Manually Recalling Memory Positions
Press and hold 1, 2, or
Bto recall the
previously saved memory positions if you
are driver 1 or 2 identified in the DIC
welcome message.
To stop Manual Memory recall movement,
release 1, 2, or
Bor press any of the
following controls:
.Power seat
.Memory SET
.Power mirror, with the driver or
passenger side mirror selected
.Power steering wheel, if equipped
Manual Memory recall movement for 1, 2,
or
Bbuttons may be initiated and may
complete to the saved memory position if
the vehicle is in or out of P (Park). Seat Entry Memory
The vehicle identifies the number of the
current driver’s RKE transmitter (1–8). See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation
07. If the RKE transmitter is 1 or
2, and Seat Entry Memory is enabled in
vehicle personalization, the positions saved
to the same memory button number 1 or 2
are automatically recalled when the vehicle
is turned on, or turned from off to ACC/
ACCESSORY. RKE transmitters 3–8 will not
provide automatic memory recalls.
To turn Seat Entry Memory on or off, see
“Vehicle Personalization Settings” previously
in this section and Vehicle Personalization
0 100.
The shift lever must be in P (Park) to start
Seat Entry Memory. Seat Entry Memory
recall will complete if the vehicle is shifted
out of P (Park) prior to reaching the saved
memory position.
To stop Seat Entry Memory recall
movement, turn the vehicle off or press any
of the following controls:
.Power seat
.Memory SET, 1, 2, orB
.Power mirror, with the driver or
passenger side mirror selected

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34 Seats and Restraints
.Power steering wheel, if equipped
If the saved memory seat position does not
automatically recall or recalls to the wrong
positions, the driver’s RKE transmitter
number (1 or 2) may not match the memory
button number that positions were saved to.
Try storing the position to the other
memory button or try the other RKE
transmitter.
Seat Exit Memory
Seat Exit Memory is not linked to an RKE
transmitter. The position saved to
Bis
used for all drivers. To turn Seat Exit
Memory on or off, see "Vehicle
Personalization Settings" previously in this
section and Vehicle Personalization 0100.
If turned on, the position saved to
Bis
automatically recalled when one of the
following occurs:
.The vehicle is turned off and the driver
door is opened within a short time.
.The vehicle is turned off with the driver
door open.
To stop Seat Exit Memory movement, press
any of the following memory controls:
.Power seat
.Memory SET, 1, 2, orB
.Power mirror, with the driver or
passenger side mirror selected
.Power steering wheel, if equipped
Obstructions
If something has blocked the driver seat
while recalling a memory position, the recall
may stop. Remove the obstruction and try
the recall again. If the memory position still
does not recall, see your dealer.
Heated and Ventilated Front
Seats
{Warning
If temperature change or pain to the skin
cannot be felt, the seat heater may cause
burns. To reduce the risk of burns, use
care when using the seat heater,
especially for long periods of time. Do
not place anything on the seat that
insulates against heat, such as a blanket,
cushion, cover, or similar item. This may
cause the seat heater to overheat. An
overheated seat heater may cause a burn
or may damage the seat.
If available, the buttons are on the climate
control panel. To operate, the engine must
be running.
Press
LorMto heat the driver or
passenger seat cushion and seatback.
Indicator lights on the button show the
current setting.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button, the
heated seat will change to the next lower
setting, and then to the off setting. The
lights indicate three for the highest setting
and one for the lowest.
The passenger seat may take longer to
heat up.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 35
Press{orCto ventilate the driver or
passenger seat. Indicator lights on the
button show the current setting.
Press the button once for the highest
setting. With each press of the button, the
ventilated seat will change to the next lower
setting, and then to the off setting. The
lights indicate three for the highest setting
and one for the lowest.
Auto Heated Seats
When the vehicle is on, this feature will
automatically activate the heated seats at
the level required by the vehicle’s interior
temperature.
The active high, medium, low, or off heated
seat level will be indicated by the manual
heated seat buttons on the center stack. Use
the manual heated seat buttons on the
center stack to turn auto heated seats off.
If the passenger seat is unoccupied, the auto
heated seats feature will not activate that
seat. The auto heated seats feature can be
programmed to always be enabled when
the vehicle is on.
See Vehicle Personalization 0100. Remote Start Auto Heated and Ventilated
Seats
During a remote start, the heated or
ventilated seats, if equipped, can be turned
on automatically. When it is cold outside,
the heated seats turn on, and when it is hot
outside the ventilated seats turn on. The
heated or ventilated seats may be canceled
when the ignition is turned on. Press the
button to use the heated or ventilated seats
after the vehicle is started.
The heated or ventilated seat indicator lights
on the button may not turn on during a
remote start.
The heated seat temperature performance of
an unoccupied seat may be reduced. This is
normal.
The heated or ventilated seats will not turn
on during a remote start unless they are
enabled in the vehicle personalization menu.
See
Remote Vehicle Start 013 and
Vehicle Personalization 0100.Rear Seats
Rear Seat Reminder
If equipped, the message REAR SEAT
REMINDER LOOK IN REAR SEAT displays
under certain conditions indicating there
may be an item or passenger in the rear
seat. Check before exiting the vehicle.
This feature will activate when a second row
door is opened while the vehicle is on or up
to 10 minutes before the vehicle is turned
on. There will be an alert when the vehicle
is turned off. The alert does not directly
detect objects in the rear seat; instead,
under certain conditions, it detects when a
rear door is opened and closed, indicating
that there may be something in the
rear seat.
The feature is active only once each time
the vehicle is turned on and off, and will
require reactivation by opening and closing
the second row doors. There may be an
alert even when there is nothing in the rear
seat; for example, if a child entered the
vehicle through the rear door and left the
vehicle without the vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off. See
Vehicle Personalization 0100.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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36 Seats and Restraints
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 Restraints027.
2. Lift the rear seat armrest and place it in the folded position, if necessary. See
Rear Seat Armrest 037.
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 the seatbackrelease lever to fold the rear seat.
5. Fold the seatback forward.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 37
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 belt mini-latch tothe 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.
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 under Heated
and Ventilated Front Seats 034.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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38 Seats and Restraints
With the engine running, pressLto heat
the left or right outboard seat cushion. An
indicator light on the button will turn on
when the heated seat is on. Press the
button again to turn this feature off. The
indicator will turn off.
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
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
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 passengers
to ride in any area of the vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and seat belts.
Always wear a seat belt, and check that
all passenger(s) are restrained
properly too.
This vehicle has indicators as a reminder to
buckle the seat belts. See Seat Belt
Reminders 085.
Why Seat Belts Work
When riding in a vehicle, you travel as fast
as the vehicle does. If the vehicle stops
suddenly, you keep going until something
stops you. It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the seat belts!
When you wear a seat belt, you and the
vehicle slow down together. There is more
time to stop because you stop over a longer
distance and, when worn properly, your
strongest bones take the forces from the
seat belts. That is why wearing seat belts
makes such good sense.

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Seats and Restraints 39
Questions and Answers About Seat Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after acrash if I am wearing a seat belt?
A: You could be— whether you are
wearing a seat belt or not. Your chance
of being conscious during and after a
crash, so you canunbuckle and get out,
is much greater if you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear seat belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental systems only.
They work withseat belts —not instead
of them. Whether or not an airbag is
provided, all occupants still have to
buckle up to get the most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in all
Canadian provinces, the law requires
wearing seat belts.
Buckle To Drive
If equipped, this feature prevents the vehicle
from shifting out of P (Park) when the driver
seat belt is not buckled. The Buckle to Drive
feature must be turned ON in the
infotainment system to work. See Vehicle
Personalization 0100 and if equipped, Teen
Driver 0153. If the engine is running, the
driver seat belt is not buckled, and the brake pedal is pressed with the vehicle in P (Park),
a message displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC). Buckle the driver seat belt to
shift out of P (Park). Shifting from P (Park)
will be prevented once for each ignition
cycle.
For some fleet vehicles, the feature is
always ON and it cannot be turned OFF in
the infotainment system. Shifting from
P (Park) will be prevented each time the
above conditions exist.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
prevent shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger is unbuckled under similar
conditions. A message displays in the DIC.
Buckle the front passenger seat belt to shift
out of P (Park). This feature may not allow
the vehicle to shift out of P (Park) if an
object, such as a briefcase, handbag, grocery
bag, laptop, or other electronic device, is on
the front passenger seat. If this happens,
remove the object from the seat or buckle
the seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver, or on some vehicles, the
present front passenger remains unbuckled,
the DIC message will turn off after several
seconds and the vehicle can be shifted out
of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”and“Child Restraints”
in the Index for information
about the importance of proper
restraint use.
If the driver seat belt, and in some vehicles
the front passenger seat belt, is unbuckled
when driving, the seat belt reminder chime
and light(s) will come on. See Seat Belt
Reminders 085. This feature may not
function properly if the airbag readiness
light is on. See Airbag Readiness Light 085.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see Older Children055 or
Infants and Young Children 056. Review
and follow the rules for children in addition
to the following rules.
It is very important for all occupants to
buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted
people are hurt more often in crashes than
those who are wearing seat belts.
There are important things to know about
wearing a seat belt properly.