2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU Owners Manual

The main components of your instrument panel are
the following:
A. Side Window Outlets. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-21.
B. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
C. Steering Wheel Controls and Cruise Controls.
SeeAudio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-115
and “Cruise Control” underTurn Signal/Multifunction
Lever on page 3-8.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-32.
E. Windshield Wiper/Washer Lever. See “Windshield
Wipers” underTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-8.
F. Ignition Switch. SeeIgnition Positions on page 2-22.
G. Hazard Warning Flasher. SeeHazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-6.
H. Center Air Outlets. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-21.
I. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-52.
J. Climate Control System. SeeClimate Control
System on page 3-21.K. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-44.
L. Side Air Outlets. SeeClimate Control System
on page 3-21.
M. Adjustable Pedal Buttons. SeeAdjustable Throttle
and Brake Pedal on page 2-24.
N. Instrument Panel Brightness Control. See “Instrument
Panel Brightness” underInterior Lamps on page 3-19.
O. Storage Compartment
P. Fog Lamps. SeeExterior Lamps on page 3-14.
Q. Hood Release. SeeHood Release on page 5-12.
R. Parking Brake. SeeParking Brake on page 2-29.
S. Horn. SeeHorn on page 3-7.
T. Accessory Power Outlet. SeeAccessory Power
Outlets on page 3-20.
U. Shift Lever. SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 2-30.
V. Center Console Storage Compartment. See
Center Console Storage Area on page 2-45.
W. Traction Control Button (If Equipped). SeeEnhanced
Traction System (ETS) on page 4-9.
3-5

Hazard Warning Flashers
Your hazard warning ashers let you warn others. They
also let police know you have a problem. Your front and
rear turn signal lamps will ash on and off.The hazard warning
asher is located
near the center of
the instrument panel.
Your hazard warning ashers work no matter what
position your key is in, and even if the key isn’t in.
Press the button to make the front and rear turn signal
lamps ash on and off. Press the button again to
turn the ashers off.
When the hazard warning ashers are on, your turn
signals won’t work.
3-6

Other Warning Devices
If you carry reective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Horn
You can sound the horn by pressing in the area of the
horn symbol on your steering wheel.
Tilt Wheel
A tilt wheel allows you to adjust the steering wheel
before you drive. You can raise the steering wheel to
the highest level to give your legs more room when you
enter and exit the vehicle.
The lever that allows you to tilt and telescope the steering
wheel is located on the left side of the steering column.To tilt and telescope the wheel, pull down the lever.
Then move the wheel to a comfortable position, pull up
the lever to lock the wheel in place. The wheel can be
adjusted up and down as well as forward and backward.
3-7

Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
The lever on the left side of the steering column
includes the following:
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
Flash-to-Pass
Exterior Light Control
For information on the exterior light control, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-14later in this section.
Turn and Lane-Change Signals
The turn signal has two upward (for right) and two
downward (for left) positions. These positions allow
you to signal a turn or a lane change.To signal a turn, move the lever all the way up or down
to the latched position. When the turn is nished, the
lever will return automatically.
An arrow on the
instrument panel cluster
will ash in the direction
of the turn or lane change.
To signal a lane change, just raise or lower the lever
until the arrow starts to ash. Hold it there until you
complete your lane change. The lever will return by itself
when you release it.
A warning chime signal will come on if you have left
your turn signal on for more than 2/3 mile (1 km).
As you signal a turn or a lane change, if the arrows
ash rapidly, a signal bulb may be burned out and other
drivers won’t see your turn signal.
If a bulb is burned out, replace it to help avoid an
accident. If the arrows don’t go on at all when you signal
a turn, check for burned-out bulbs and then check the
fuse. SeeFuses on page 5-88.
3-8

Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
To change the headlamps from low beam to high beam,
push the turn signal/multifunction lever away from you.
When the high beams
are on, a light on the
instrument panel cluster
also will be on if the
ignition is in ON.
To change the headlamps from high beam to low beam,
pull the turn signal lever toward you.
Headlamps On Reminder
If you open the driver’s door and turn off the ignition while
leaving the lamps on, you will hear a warning chime.
Flash-to-Pass Feature
This feature lets you use your high-beam headlamps
momentarily to signal a driver in front of you that
you want to pass.
To use it, pull the turn signal/multifunction lever toward
you until the high-beam headlamps come on, then
release the lever to turn them off.
Windshield Wipers
Use this lever located on the right side of the steering
wheel to operate the windshield wipers.
9(Off):Move the lever to this position to turn off the
windshield wipers.
&(Intermittent):Move the lever to this position to
choose a delayed wiping cycle. Turn the intermittent
adjust band down for a longer delay or up for a shorter
delay. The wiper speed can only be manually adjusted
when the lever is in this position.
&(Speed Sensitive Wipers):Move the lever to
this position for speed sensitive operation. When you
select this position, the delay will change with your
vehicle’s speed. The delay will decrease as you
go faster and increase as you go slower.
3-9

6(Low Speed):Move the lever up to the rst
setting past intermittent, for steady wiping at low speed.
1(High Speed):Move the lever up to the second
setting past intermittent, for wiping at high speed.
8(Mist):Move the lever all the way down to this
position for a single wiping cycle. Hold it there until the
windshield wipers start; then let go. The windshield
wipers will stop after one wipe. If you want more wipes,
hold the lever down longer.
Remember that damaged wiper blades may prevent
you from seeing well enough to drive safely. To avoid
damage, be sure to clear ice and snow from the
wiper blades before using them.
If they’re frozen to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. If your blades do become damaged, get new
blades or blade inserts.
Heavy snow or ice can overload your wiper motor.
A circuit breaker will stop the motor until it cools.
Clear away snow or ice to prevent an overload.
If the motor gets stuck turn the wipers off, clear away
the snow or ice, and then turn the wipers back on.
As an added safety feature, if the wipers are on for more
than thirty seconds, the vehicle’s headlamps will turn
on automatically. They will turn off when the wipers are
turned off.
Windshield Washer
To wash your windshield, push in the button at the end
of the stalk until the washers begin.
{CAUTION:
In freezing weather, do not use your washer
until the windshield is warmed. Otherwise the
washer uid can form ice on the windshield,
blocking your vision.
When you release the button, the washers will stop,
but the wipers will continue to wipe for about three
cycles and will either stop or will resume the speed
you were using before.
Cruise Control
If your vehicle has cruise control, you can maintain a
speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or more without
keeping your foot on the accelerator. This can really
help on long trips. Cruise control does not work at
speeds below 25 mph (40 km/h).
3-10

{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you can
not drive safely at a steady speed. So, do not
use your cruise control on winding roads or in
heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.The cruise control buttons are located on the steering
wheel for your convenience.
J(On/Off):Press this button to turn the cruise
control system on and off.
+RES (Resume):Press this button to resume a set
speed and to accelerate the speed.
−SET (Set):Press this button to set a speed and to
decrease the speed.
3-11

To set a speed do the following:
1. Press the On/Off button to turn cruise control on.
The indicator light on the button will come on.
2. Get to the speed you want.
3. Press the−SET part of the control button and release
it. The cruise symbol will display in the instrument
panel cluster to show the system is engaged.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
Resuming a Set Speed
Suppose you set your cruise control at a desired
speed and then you apply the brake. This, of course,
disengages the cruise control. The cruise symbol in the
instrument panel cluster will also go out indicating cruise
is no longer engaged. To return to your previously set
speed, you do not need to go through the set process
again. Once you’re going about 25 mph (40 km/h) or
more, you can press the +RES button briey.
This will take you back up to your previously chosen
speed and stay there.
Increasing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
There are two ways to go to a higher speed.
Disengage the cruise control but do not turn it off.
If the cruise control system is already engaged,
press the +RES button. Hold it there until you
get up to the speed you want, and then release
the button. To increase your speed in very
small amounts, press the +RES button briey
and then release it. Each time you do this, your
vehicle will go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) faster.
Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control
If the cruise control system is already engaged,
Push and hold the−SET button until you reach
the lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, push the
−SET button briey. Each time you do this, you’ll
go about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
3-12