2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU child seat

{CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be
seriously injured or killed if the right front
passenger’s airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child restraint
would be very close to the inating airbag.
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no one
can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the airbag is off.The passenger sensing system is designed to turn off
the right front passenger’s frontal airbag if:
the right front passenger seat is unoccupied
the system determines that an infant is present in a
rear-facing infant seat
the system determines that a small child is present
in a forward-facing child restraint
the system determines that a small child is present
in a booster seat
a right front passenger takes his/her weight off of
the seat for a period of time
the right front passenger seat is occupied by a
smaller person, such as a child who has outgrown
child restraints
or if there is a critical problem with the airbag
system or the passenger sensing system.
When the passenger sensing system has turned off the
right front passenger’s frontal airbag, the off indicator
on the instrument panel will light and stay lit to remind
you that the airbag is off.
If a child restraint has been installed and the on
indicator is lit, turn the vehicle off. Remove the child
restraint from the vehicle and reinstall the child restraint
following the child restraint manufacturer’s directions
and refer toSecuring a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position on page 1-56.
1-71

If after reinstalling the child restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the on indicator is still lit, check to make
sure that the vehicle’s seatback is not pressing the child
restraint into the seat cushion. If this happens, slightly
recline the vehicle’s seatback and adjust the seat
cushion if possible. Also make sure the child restraint is
not trapped under the vehicle head restraint. If this
happens, adjust the head restraint.
If the on indicator is still lit, secure the child in the child
restraint in a rear seat position in the vehicle and
check with your dealer.
The passenger sensing system is designed to enable
(may inate) the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag anytime the system senses that a person of adult
size is sitting properly in the right front passenger’s
seat. When the passenger sensing system has allowed
the airbag to be enabled, the on indicator will light
and stay lit to remind you that the airbag is active.
For some children who have outgrown child restraints
and for very small adults, the passenger sensing system
may or may not turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag, depending upon the person’s seating
posture and body build. Everyone in your vehicle who
has outgrown child restraints should wear a safety
belt properly — whether or not there is an airbag for that
person.If a person of adult-size is sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat, but the off indicator is lit, it could be
because that person is not sitting properly in the seat. If
this happens, turn the vehicle off and ask the person
to place the seatback in the fully upright position, then sit
upright in the seat, centered on the seat cushion, with
the person’s legs comfortably extended. Restart the
vehicle and have the person remain in this position for
about two minutes. This will allow the system to
detect that person and then enable the passenger’s
airbag.
1-72

{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on, it
means that something may be wrong with the
airbag system. If this ever happens, have the
vehicle serviced promptly, because an
adult-size person sitting in the right front
passenger’s seat may not have the protection
of the frontal airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 3-34for more on this, including
important safety information.
A thick layer of additional material such as a blanket, or
aftermarket equipment such as seat covers, seat
heaters, and seat massagers, can affect how well the
passenger sensing system operates. Remove any
additional material from the seat cushion before
reinstalling or securing the child restraint or small
occupant. You may want to consider not using seat
covers or other aftermarket equipment if your vehicle
has the passenger sensing system. SeeAdding
Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 1-74for more information about modications that
can affect how the system operates.The passenger sensing system may suppress the
airbag deployment when liquid is soaked into the seat. If
this happens, the off indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator and the airbag readiness light on
the instrument panel will be lit. The system should
resume normal operation after the seat is allowed to dry.
If the system operates incorrectly after the seat has
dried, have your dealer check the system.
{CAUTION:
Stowing of articles under the passenger’s seat
or between the passenger’s seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the proper
operation of the passenger sensing system.
1-73

If the word ON or the on symbol is lit on the passenger
airbag status indicator, it means that the right front
passenger’s frontal airbag is enabled (may inate).
{CAUTION:
If the on indicator comes on when you have
a rear-facing child restraint installed in the
right front passenger’s seat, it means that the
passenger sensing system has not turned off
the passenger’s frontal airbag. A child in a
rear-facing child restraint can be seriously
injured or killed if the right front passenger’s
airbag inates. This is because the back of the
rear-facing child restraint would be very close
to the inating airbag. Do not use a rear-facing
child restraint in the right front passenger’s
seat if the airbag is turned on.Your vehicle has a rear seat that will accommodate a
rear-facing child restraint. A label on your sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat in the front.” This
is because the risk to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
3-38

{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing system
is designed to turn off the passenger’s frontal
airbag if the system detects a rear-facing child
restraint, no system is failsafe, and no one can
guarantee that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even though it
is turned off. We recommend that rear-facing
child restraints be secured in the rear seat,
even if the airbag is off.
If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the airbag
status indicator, it means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front passenger’s frontal
airbag. SeePassenger Sensing System on page 1-70
for more on this, including important safety information.If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there may be
a problem with the lights or the passenger sensing
system. See your dealer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the off indicator and the airbag readiness
light ever come on together, it means that
something may be wrong with the airbag
system. If this ever happens, have the vehicle
serviced promptly, because an adult-size
person sitting in the right front passenger seat
may not have the protection of the frontal
airbag. SeeAirbag Readiness Light on
page 3-36.
3-39

If you put things inside your vehicle — like suitcases,
tools, packages, or anything else — they will go as fast
as the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn
quickly, or if there is a crash, they will keep going.
{CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or
in a crash.
Put things in the trunk or rear area of your
vehicle. In a trunk, put them as far forward
as you can. Try to spread the weight
evenly. If you have fold-down rear seats,
you will nd four anchors on the back wall
of your trunk. You can use these anchors
to tie down lighter loads. They are not
strong enough for heavy things, however,
so put them as far forward as you can in
the trunk or rear area.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that some of them
are above the tops of the seats.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Do not leave an unsecured child restraint
in your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure it whenever you can.
Do not leave a seat folded down unless
you need to.
Towing
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your disabled vehicle towed. See
Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6.
If you want to tow your vehicle behind another vehicle
for recreational purposes (such as behind a motorhome),
see “Recreational Vehicle Towing” following.
4-34

C
California Fuel.................................................. 5-6
Canadian Owners................................................ ii
Capacities and Specications............................5-91
Carbon Monoxide...........2-14, 2-15, 2-32, 4-24, 4-38
Care of
Safety Belts................................................5-77
Your Cassette Tape Player..........................3-120
Your CD and DVD Player...........................3-121
Your CDs and DVDs ..................................3-121
Cargo Lamp...................................................3-19
Center Console Storage Area...........................2-44
Chains, Tire...................................................5-60
Charging System Light....................................3-37
Check
Engine Light...............................................3-41
Checking Things Under the Hood......................5-10
Chemical Paint Spotting...................................5-80
Child Restraints
Child Restraint Systems...............................1-39
Infants and Young Children...........................1-35
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers for
Children (LATCH System)..........................1-45
Older Children.............................................1-33
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position..................................................1-53Child Restraints (cont.)
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position...........................................1-56
Where to Put the Restraint...........................1-42
Cleaning
Aluminum Wheels........................................5-79
Exterior Lamps/Lenses.................................5-78
Fabric/Carpet..............................................5-74
Finish Care.................................................5-78
Glass Surfaces............................................5-77
Instrument Panel.........................................5-76
Interior Plastic Components...........................5-76
Leather......................................................5-76
Tires..........................................................5-79
Ultra Lux Suede..........................................5-76
Underbody Maintenance...............................5-80
Vinyl..........................................................5-75
Washing Your Vehicle...................................5-77
Weatherstrips..............................................5-77
Windshield and Wiper Blades........................5-78
Climate Control System...................................3-21
Automatic...................................................3-25
Outlet Adjustment........................................3-29
Comfort Guides, Rear Safety Belt.....................1-28
Compact Spare Tire........................................5-73
Content Theft-Deterrent....................................2-18
Control of a Vehicle.......................................... 4-5
3

S
Safety Belt
Passenger Reminder Light............................3-33
Pretensioners..............................................1-32
Reminder Light............................................3-33
Safety Belts
Care of ......................................................5-77
Driver Position............................................1-16
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly................1-16
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts.....1-15
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides...................1-28
Rear Seat Passengers.................................1-25
Right Front Passenger Position......................1-24
Safety Belt Extender....................................1-32
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy.................1-24
Safety Belts Are for Everyone.......................1-10
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster........................1-23
Safety Warnings and Symbols.............................. iii
Scheduled Maintenance..................................... 6-4
Seatback, Folding Passenger............................. 1-6
Seats
Head Restraints............................................ 1-6
Heated Seats............................................... 1-4
Manual........................................................ 1-2
Manual Lumbar............................................. 1-3
Passenger Folding Seatback........................... 1-6
Rear Seat Operation...................................... 1-8Seats (cont.)
Reclining Seatbacks...................................... 1-4
Six-Way Power Driver.................................... 1-3
Securing a Child Restraint
Rear Seat Position......................................1-53
Right Front Seat Position..............................1-56
Security Light.................................................3-44
Service........................................................... 5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle.............................................. 5-5
Doing Your Own Work................................... 5-4
Engine Soon Light.......................................3-41
Publications Ordering Information...................7-11
Vehicle Soon Light.......................................3-45
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..............1-74
Setting the Time
Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS).........3-55
Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS).....3-54
Sheet Metal Damage.......................................5-80
Shifting Into Park (P).......................................2-29
Shifting Out of Park (P)...................................2-31
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster...........................1-23
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change.......................... 3-8
Spare Tire
Compact....................................................5-73
Installing....................................................5-65
Removing...................................................5-63
Storing.......................................................5-70
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