Before the actual welding begins it is required to turn off the cable from the negative terminal of the battery. The door latch procedure is as follows: it is applicable to a 2016 and later Malibu, and for a 2015 and earlier, there would be similar steps. First, you have to take of the door trim panel as well as the watershield. Next, remove the door window glass and the door window glass regulator; for 2015 and the earlier model, you have only removed the left side bolts of the window regulator. Move on to the removal of the window guide rear track having first unscrewed the lower bolt together with disconnecting wiring harness clips. Turn the outside handle clockwise and anti-clockwise to unlock and take it off, followed by removing the handle inner bracket; disconnect the electrical connector, take out the latch mounting fasteners, and then pull the latch assembly through the door opening. If needed, remove the rod and cables from the latch assembly, paying attention to the position of the lock rod and place all these components to the new latch assembly. In the process of installation, all the functions are reversed and then tested before reinstalling the door trim panel. If the model incorporates smart key entry system, then pull off the door trim panel along with the watershield, run the regulator to bring the glass into the upper most position. To disarm the outside handle, using the fingers, one has to twist off the layer made of hard plastic from the lock cylinder metal covering, undo the holding bolt and then finally pull up the handle towards the back of the car and rotate it further clockwise. If the vehicle is fitted with the smart key system, pull the handle electrical connector on the inside. The removal sequence is as follows; the consequent step will make the door trim panel function well before it is reattached. For the outside handle inner bracket: first, take out the window regulator assembly and also the window guide rear track, after which take out the outside handle. To release the inner bracket, there is a bolt to undo, the retaining tabs have to be pressed and the inner bracket has to be pulled towards the front of the car while the latch rod and cable are being detached. The procedure of its removal is vice versa, before removing, the door check must be tested for proper functioning, as well as the door trim panel is reinstalled back. For the lock cylinder, to open, the user has to take off the outside handle inner bracket and then press on tabs and the lock cylinder would be pulled out. The disassembly goes in a backward manner done to ensure all functions are checked before reinstalling the door trim panel. For 2015 and earlier models, if the vehicle has a smart key entry system, then the door trim panel and its related watershield must be removed, pass the relevant window motor constantly to shut the glass in its highest positions, and demate the outside handle electrical connector then. Should the lock cylinder has become stiff, more turn are likely to be necessary, but do not turn past two and half after the initial turn. Take off the small cover of the door and with the outside door handle pulled out, while at the same time rotating the lock cylinder screw in an anti clock wise direction, while sliding the handle backwards and rotating it anti-clockwise. The process is the opposite of the removal of the MPP, and all the connections are proved before the door trim panel is reattached. For the outside handle inner bracket, you will have to take off the door trim panel and the watershield, and then using the window motor to bring the glass up and then take off the window guide rear track. Remove the outside handle and lock cylinder, unscrew the bracket screw, depush safety clips which are made of plastic, detach the rods and, if any, electrical contacts. Carefully pull out the handle inner bracket and what is needed to be transferred to the new bracket and the installation is done in a reverse manner after cross-checking the functionalities before putting back the door trim panel.
Posted by GMPartsGiant Specialist 
