2008 CHEVROLET MALIBU warning

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-9
Safety Belts
.............................................1-11
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Airbag System
.........................................1-56
Restraint System Check
............................1-72
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-3
Doors and Locks
......................................2-10
Windows
.................................................2-15
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-18
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-22
Mirrors
....................................................2-39
OnStar
®System
......................................2-42
Universal Home Remote System
................2-45
Storage Areas
.........................................2-52
Sunroof
..................................................2-53
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-21
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-30
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-46
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-59Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and the Vehicle
....... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-26
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-12
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-48
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-48
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-51
Tires
......................................................5-52
Appearance Care
.....................................5-89
Vehicle Identication
.................................5-97
Electrical System
......................................5-98
Capacities and Specications
...................5-108
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance Information.................... 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-15
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy
...........7-18
Index................................................................ 1
2008 Chevrolet Malibu Owner ManualM

Using this Manual
Read this owner manual from beginning to end to learn
about the vehicle’s features and controls. Pictures
and words work together to explain things.
Index
To quickly locate information about the vehicle use the
Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical
list of what is in the manual and the page number where
it can be found.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
There are a number of safety cautions in this book. A
box with the word CAUTION is used to tell about things
that could hurt you or others if you were to ignore the
warning.
{CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
Cautions tell what the hazard is and what to do to avoid
or reduce the hazard. Read these cautions.
A circle with a slash
through it is a safety
symbol which means “Do
Not,” “Do Not do this”
or “Do Not let this happen.”
iii

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Notices are also used in this manual.
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage the
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by the vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. The
notice tells what to do to help avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION
and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different
words.
There are also warning labels on the vehicle which use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
iv

What Will You See After an Airbag
Inates?
After the frontal airbags and seat-mounted side impact
airbags inate, they quickly deate, so quickly that
some people may not even realize an airbag inated.
Roof-rail airbags may still be at least partially inated
for some time after they deploy. Some components
of the airbag module may be hot for several minutes.
For location of the airbag modules, seeWhat Makes
an Airbag Inflate? on page 1-63.
The parts of the airbag that come into contact with you
may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There may be
some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the
deated airbags. Airbag ination does not prevent the
driver from seeing out of the windshield or being able to
steer the vehicle, nor does it prevent people from leaving
the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an airbag inates, there may be dust in
the air. This dust could cause breathing
problems for people with a history of asthma or
other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone
in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing problems
but cannot get out of the vehicle after an airbag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a window
or a door. If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you should
seek medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that may automatically unlock
the doors, turn the interior lamps on, and turn the
hazard warning ashers on when the airbags inate.
You can lock the doors, turn the interior lamps off,
and turn the hazard warning ashers off by using the
controls for those features.
1-64

If enabled through the DIC, and it is dark enough
outside, the vehicle’s high-beam headlamps, parking
lamps, and back-up lamps turn on each time
Kon the
transmitter is pressed. These exterior lamps stay on
for 20 seconds, or until a door is opened. See
“EXT (Exterior) LIGHTS” underDIC Vehicle
Personalization on page 3-53for additional information.
Pressing
Kon the RKE transmitter disarms the
content theft-deterrent system. SeeContent
Theft-Deterrent on page 2-18.
V(Remote Trunk Release):Press and hold for
about one second to open the trunk. The trunk can be
opened with the transmitter when the vehicle speed
is less than 2 mph (3 km/h) or when the ignition is off.
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic Alarm):Press and release
to locate your vehicle. The horn sounds three times
and the headlamps and turn signals ash three times.
Press and hold
Lfor about three seconds to initiate the
panic alarm. The horn sounds and the headlamps
and turn signals ash for 30 seconds. Press
Lagain
to cancel the panic alarm.
Matching Transmitter(s) to Your
Vehicle
Each RKE transmitter is coded to prevent another
transmitter from unlocking your vehicle. If a transmitter
is lost or stolen, a replacement can be purchased
through your dealer/retailer. All transmitters need to be
re-coded to match the new transmitter. The lost
transmitter will no longer work after the new transmitters
are re-coded. Each vehicle can have a maximum of
four transmitters matched to it.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the KEY FOB BATT (Battery)
LOW message displays in the DIC. See “KEY FOB
BATT (Battery) LOW” underDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-48for additional information.
Notice:When replacing the battery, do not touch
any of the circuitry on the transmitter. Static
from your body could damage the transmitter.
2-6

/(Remote Start):This button will be on the RKE
transmitter if you have remote start.
To start the vehicle using the remote start feature:
1. Aim the transmitter at the vehicle.
2. Press and release the transmitter’s lock button,
then immediately press and hold the transmitter’s
remote start button for about four seconds or
until the vehicle’s turn signal lamps ash.
The doors will lock.
When the vehicle starts, the parking lamps turn on
and remain on while the engine is running.
The remote start feature provides two separate starts
per ignition cycle, each with 10 minutes of engine
running time, or one start with a time extension. The
rst start must expire or be canceled to get two separate
10 minute starts.
If it is the rst remote start since the vehicle has been
driven, repeat the previous steps, while the engine is still
running, to extend the engine running time by 10 minutes
from the time you repeat the steps for remote starting.
The remote start running time can be extended one time
and only after the rst remote start.After entering the vehicle during a remote start, insert
and turn the key to ON/RUN to drive the vehicle.
The engine will shut off automatically after 10 minutes,
unless a time extension has been done or the
vehicle’s key is inserted into the ignition switch and
turned to ON/RUN.
To manually shut off a remote start, do any of the
following.
Aim the RKE transmitter at the vehicle and press
and release the remote start button.
Turn on the hazard warning ashers.
Turn the ignition switch out of LOCK/OFF position
and then back to LOCK/OFF.
The parking lamps turn off to indicate the engine is off.
After the engine has been started two times, or one
time with a time extension, the vehicle’s ignition must be
turned to ON/RUN using the key before the remote
start procedure can be used again. SeeIgnition
Positions on page 2-22for information regarding the
ignition positions on your vehicle.
2-8

The remote vehicle start feature will not operate if any
of the follow occur:
The remote start system is disabled through
the DIC.
The vehicle’s key is in the ignition.
The vehicle’s hood is open.
The hazard warning ashers are on.
The check engine light is on. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 3-41.
The engine coolant temperature is too high.
The oil pressure is low.
Two remote vehicle starts, or one start with a time
extension, have already been provided for that
ignition cycle.Vehicles that have the remote vehicle start feature are
shipped from the factory with the remote start system
enabled. The system may be enabled or disabled
through the DIC. See “REMOTE START” underDIC
Vehicle Personalization on page 3-53for additional
information.
Remote Start Ready
If your vehicle does not have the remote vehicle start
feature, it may have the remote start ready feature.
This feature allows your dealer/retailer to add the
manufacturer’s remote vehicle start feature.
See your dealer/retailer if you would like to add the
manufacturer’s remote vehicle start feature to your
vehicle.
2-9

Power Door Locks
The power door lock switches are located on the
front doors.
K(Unlock):Press to unlock the doors.
Q(Lock):Remove the key from the ignition and
press to lock the doors.
Door Ajar Reminder
If one of the doors is not fully closed while the ignition is
on and the shift lever is moved out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) the following will occur:
A chime will sound.
The DOOR AJAR message will display through the
Driver Information Center (DIC) until the door is
closed. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on
page 3-48.
Delayed Locking
This feature will delay the actual locking of the doors
and arming of the theft-deterrent system for ve seconds
when the power door lock switch or remote keyless
entry transmitter is used to lock the vehicle.If any door is open when locking the vehicle,
three chimes will sound signaling that the delayed
locking feature is active. Five seconds after the
last door is closed, all of the doors will lock. To cancel
the delay and lock the doors immediately, press the lock
button on the remote keyless entry transmitter or the
power door lock switch a second time. The theft
deterrent system will arm after 30 seconds.
Programmable Automatic Door
Locks
Automatic Locking
All the doors automatically lock when the ignition is in
ON/RUN and the shift lever is moved out of PARK (P).
All doors must be closed. The automatic locking
feature cannot be disabled.
All doors will lock again when the brake pedal is
applied, a door is opened and then closed, and the
brake pedal is released.
2-11