Yes, you absolutely must recover the refrigerant (Freon) from the AC system before disconnecting the hoses from the compressor on a 2001 Malibu 3.1 (or any vehicle with an AC system). Releasing refrigerant into the atmosphere is illegal and harmful to the environment. It's also expensive to replace.
You need to use an AC recovery machine to safely capture the refrigerant before disconnecting anything. Attempting to disconnect the lines without recovering the refrigerant will result in a significant release of the refrigerant, potentially causing damage to the compressor and the environment.
