Chevy Malibu 2009 2.4L

Even though the lights are coming on, the battery still might be too weak to turn the starter. If the battery is good, it could be the starter, starter relay, or the security system.

If you turn the key and nothing happens but the light's and everything else comes on I would start looking at the fuse box. Try swithing out the starter relay with another "like the fan relay, it's the same", if there's no dice there then it gets a little more complicated. First check the starter solenoid switch wire. Not the power wire, but the little wire that clips in. This is the wire that activate's the solenoid and makes the starter kick on. Just hook up a 12 volt meter to it or a test light from it to chassis ground, and turn the key to see if it's powering up the starter. It probably isn't in your case. I'm thinking your problem is the same as the one I'm having with my malibu. I'm pretty sure somewhere inside the fuse panel there's a break in one of the copper wires that are imbedded into the panel itself. Apparently this is something that happens to these cars quite often. I'm not sure how knowledgeable you are with checking electrical circuits but you should be able to check the pins where the starter relay plugs in. Make sure you have 12v power and ground, and of course check the switching circuit that powers up the relay when you turn the key to start the car. I'd almost bet that if you don't have any security system issues or simply a bad wire that your problem is in the internal circuits of the fuse panel itsself. If you're stumped, and have no idea how to check electrical circuits then Ebay has good used fuse panels for 40 to 60 bucks that you can buy and just replace yours with. Just make sure you know the part number on yours because I think there are two distinct panels that fit the malibu depending on installed options. Hope this helps rich, and good luck with your issue.