2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU airbag

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-14
Child Restraints
.......................................1-34
Airbag System
.........................................1-59
Restraint System Check
............................1-71
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-11
Windows
.................................................2-16
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-22
Mirrors
....................................................2-38
OnStar
®System
......................................2-44
Universal Home Remote System
................2-46
Storage Areas
.........................................2-50
Sunroof
..................................................2-53
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-22
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-32Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-47
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-54
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-39
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-47
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-52
Tires
......................................................5-54
Appearance Care
.....................................5-89
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-98
Electrical System
......................................5-98
Capacities and Specications
...................5-107
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-14
Index................................................................ 1
2006 Chevrolet Malibu Owner ManualM

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Six-Way Power Driver Seat..............................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-3
Heated Seats.................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-7
Passenger Folding Seatback............................1-8
Power Lift Seat............................................1-10
Rear Seats.....................................................1-10
Rear Seat Operation.....................................1-10
Safety Belts...................................................1-14
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-14
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-18
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-19
Driver Position..............................................1-19
Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment.....................1-26
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-27
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-27
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-27
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides....................1-30
Safety Belt Pretensioners...............................1-34
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-34Child Restraints.............................................1-34
Older Children..............................................1-34
Infants and Young Children............................1-36
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-40
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-44
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)..................................................1-45
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position....................................1-54
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-56
Airbag System...............................................1-59
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-62
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-65
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-67
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-67
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?.....1-68
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle...........1-69
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-70
Restraint System Check..................................1-71
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-71
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash...................................................1-72
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1

Passenger Folding Seatback
Your vehicle may have a passenger folding seatback.
This feature allows for more cargo space or allows
the seatback to be used as a temporary table while the
vehicle is stopped.
{CAUTION:
If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer
objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo
is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inating
airbag might force that object toward a person.
This could cause severe injury or even death.
Secure objects away from the area in which an
airbag would inate. For more information, see
Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-62and
Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33.
{CAUTION:
Things you put on this seatback can strike and
injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash. Remove or secure all items before
driving.
To fold the seatback forward, do the following:
1. Make sure the seatback is in the most upright
position and locked by using the reclining seatback
lever on the outboard side of the seat. SeeReclining
Seatbacks on page 1-4.
1-8

2. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat without
an airbag, press either lever located on the back of
the seatback and fold the seatback forward.
If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat with
an airbag, press the lever located on the back of the
seatback on the inboard side. Press the lever and
fold the seatback forward.To raise the seatback, do the following:
1. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat
without an airbag, press either lever located on
the back of the seatback. Pull the seatback up to
lock it into place. Make sure the safety belt is
not twisted or caught in the seatback.
If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat with
an airbag, press the lever located on the back
of the seatback on the inboard side. Pull the
seatback up to lock it into place. Make sure the
safety belt is not twisted or caught in the seatback.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
2. Push and pull the seatback to make sure it is
locked into place.
3. Use the reclining seatback lever to adjust the
seatback to a comfortable position. SeeReclining
Seatbacks on page 1-4. Seat without Side Impact Airbag shown,
Seat with Airbag similar
1-9

or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why
safety belts make such good sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q:Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident
if I am wearing a safety belt?
A:Youcouldbe — whether you are wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you are upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident,
so youcanunbuckle and get out, ismuchgreater if
you are belted.
Q:If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A:Airbags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they workwith
safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has
airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.
1-18

{CAUTION:
Children who are up against, or very close to,
any airbag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed. Airbags plus lap-shoulder
belts offer protection for adults and older
children, but not for young children and
infants. Neither the vehicle’s safety belt system
nor its airbag system is designed for them.
Young children and infants need the protection
that a child restraint system can provide.
Q:What are the different types of add-on child
restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the
vehicle’s owner, are available in four basic types.
Selection of a particular restraint should take
into consideration not only the child’s weight, height
and age but also whether or not the restraint will
be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will
be used.
1-38

Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they
are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat.
General Motors recommends that child restraints
be secured in a rear seat, including an infant riding in a
rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing
child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat.
Neverput a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger seat. Here is why:
{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.
Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a
rear seat.
If you need to secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat, always move
the front passenger seat as far back as it will
go. It is better to secure the child restraint in a
rear seat.If you need to secure more than one child restraint
in the rear seat, review the following illustrations.
Depending on where you place the child restraint, you
may not be able to access certain safety belt assemblies
or LATCH anchors for additional passengers or child
restraints.
Congurations for Use of
Child Restraints
A. Child restraint
using LATCH
B. Child restraint or
occupant using
safety belt
A. Occupant prohibited
B. Child restraint
using LATCH
1-44

Your vehicle has a right front passenger’s airbag.
Neverput a rear-facing child restraint in the right
front passenger seat. Here is why:
{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. Always
secure a rear-facing child restraint in a
rear seat.A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing
child restraint. If you need to secure a forward-facing
child restraint in the right front seat, you will be using the
lap-shoulder belt to secure the child restraint in this
position. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with
the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint
when and as the instructions say.
1. Because your vehicle has a right front passenger’s
frontal airbag, always move the seat as far back
as it will go before securing a forward-facing
child restraint in this seat. SeeManual Seats on
page 1-2.
2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
3. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder
portions of the vehicle’s safety belt through or
around the restraint. The child restraint instructions
will show you how.
1-57