CarPlay Screen for Chevrolet Malibu (2011-2016): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

This generation of the Chevrolet Malibu is a big, comfortable saloon with a level of equipment that back in the day sat well above its price. The problem is timing: it reached the market just before CarPlay and Android Auto became the standard, and shortly afterwards Chevrolet stopped selling passenger cars in Europe. The result: a great car with a radio that has fallen years behind and barely any official support to modernise it.

If you own a Malibu, this will sound familiar: navigating with your phone clipped to a vent, Bluetooth that only handles calls and a MyLink system that no longer gets updates. The good news is that there is a direct solution: a 9-inch screen made specifically for the Malibu that replaces the original unit and brings back wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Does the Chevrolet Malibu have CarPlay as standard?

No, no unit from this period has it. Between 2011 and 2016 the Malibu was offered with two main audio configurations:

• Basic monochrome radio: small text display, radio, CD and basic Bluetooth for calls on entry trims.
• Chevrolet MyLink: colour touchscreen with Bluetooth, USB and, depending on version, navigation. It was the most advanced system of its time, but it is a closed system that predates CarPlay and doesn't support Android Auto.

There is no hidden option to enable here and no firmware update to install: the module needed for CarPlay isn't in the car. And unlike other brands, Chevrolet no longer has a passenger car network in Spain, so there isn't even a reasonable official route to retrofit it.

That is precisely why swapping the screen makes so much sense on this model: it is the only realistic way to bring the dashboard up to date.

The solution: Android radio for the Chevrolet Malibu

The unit we fit is a 9-inch HD touchscreen made specifically for the 2011-2016 Malibu. It replaces both the monochrome radio and the original MyLink, and fits the factory opening with its own frame.

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: start the car and your phone connects on its own, no cables and no menus.
• Android system with Play Store: unlimited apps, WiFi and media playback independent of your phone.
• Built-in GPS with maps of Spain and Europe, so you can keep navigating without mobile data.
• Keeps the steering wheel controls and the car information thanks to the Chevrolet-specific CAN Bus.
• Bluetooth hands-free, 2 USB ports and built-in DSP to get more out of the factory speakers.
• Compatible with the car's original reversing camera, and with a new camera included free if yours doesn't have one.
• OTA updates: the unit ships with the latest Android version and keeps updating.

Chevrolet Malibu compatibility: supported versions

This unit is prepared for the eighth-generation Malibu, with these production years:

• Chevrolet Malibu — 2011
• Chevrolet Malibu — 2012
• Chevrolet Malibu — 2013
• Chevrolet Malibu — 2014
• Chevrolet Malibu — 2015
• Chevrolet Malibu — 2016

It is compatible with the LS, LT and LTZ trims of that same period, both on units with the monochrome radio and on those with the factory MyLink touchscreen.

If you're not sure which system yours has, send us a photo of your current radio on WhatsApp and we'll confirm compatibility free of charge within minutes, before you buy anything.

What is the installation like?

It is a plug & play installation: the harness and frame are Malibu-specific, so there is no cutting of cables and no universal adapters. An installer will handle it in 30-60 minutes.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. That's always the first step.
2. Remove the centre console trim with a plastic pry tool, starting from the bottom and without levering with metal tools.
3. Undo the screws of the original unit and pull it out carefully, straight out so you don't stress the mounts.
4. Unplug the rear connectors: power, speakers, aerial and, if your car has one, the camera cable.
5. Connect the specific harness and the CAN Bus module. That module translates the car's signals and is what keeps the steering wheel controls, parking sensors and factory camera alive.
6. Fit the screen into its frame and check the fit against the dashboard before tightening.
7. Reconnect the battery and start the car. Pair your phone over Bluetooth the first time; after that, CarPlay or Android Auto connect on their own when you get in.

At Pantallas Premium, the 9" CarPlay and Android Auto screen for the Malibu starts at , with a free reversing camera, free shipping throughout Europe and warranty included. The price rises with the memory configuration you choose, and it is broken down on the product page.

The comparison with the official route is simple in this case: there isn't one. Chevrolet hasn't sold passenger cars in Spain for years, there is no CarPlay retrofit for this generation of MyLink, and getting a genuine replacement unit means importing it — with the cost of the part, shipping and labour — only to end up with a system that still doesn't support CarPlay.

Frequently asked questions

My Malibu has MyLink, do I lose it when I fit the screen?
You replace MyLink with a more modern system. You keep the functions you use daily —radio, hands-free, camera, steering wheel controls— and gain CarPlay, Android Auto and up-to-date navigation.

Does my original reversing camera still work?
Yes, the screen is compatible with the factory camera. And if your Malibu doesn't have one, your order includes a free camera.

Do I keep the steering wheel controls?
Yes. The Chevrolet-specific CAN Bus module keeps volume, track skip and calls working from the steering wheel.

Do I need mobile data for navigation?
No. The screen includes built-in GPS with maps of Spain and Europe, and through CarPlay or Android Auto you can use Google Maps or Waze with downloaded maps.

Can I find spares and support for this car in Spain?
For the screen, yes: the unit is sold and warranted here, with after-sales support. That's one of the advantages over importing an original unit from the United States.

See the CarPlay screen for the Chevrolet Malibu

You can see all the photos, the compatibility details and the available options on the product page for the CarPlay + Android Auto screen for the Chevrolet Malibu (2011-2016), from with a free reversing camera and free shipping.