2009 CHEVROLET MALIBU seats

Seats and Restraint System............................. 1-1
Head Restraints
......................................... 1-2
Front Seats
............................................... 1-3
Rear Seats
..............................................1-10
Safety Belts
.............................................1-12
Child Restraints
.......................................1-32
Airbag System
.........................................1-58
Restraint System Check
............................1-73
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
...........2-21
Mirrors
....................................................2-37
OnStar
®System
......................................2-40
Universal Home Remote System
................2-43
Storage Areas
.........................................2-50
Sunroof
..................................................2-51
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-28
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-43
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-56Driving 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
...............5-14
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-47
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-47
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-50
Tires
......................................................5-51
Appearance Care
.....................................5-90
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
...........7-17
Index................................................................ 1
2009 Chevrolet Malibu Owner ManualM

Head Restraints...............................................1-2
Front Seats......................................................1-3
Manual Seats................................................1-3
Power Seats..................................................1-4
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-4
Heated Seats.................................................1-5
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-6
Seatback Latches...........................................1-8
Power Lift Seat..............................................1-9
Rear Seats.....................................................1-10
Split Folding Rear Seat.................................1-10
Safety Belts...................................................1-12
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-12
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-17
Lap-Shoulder Belt.........................................1-26
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-31
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-32
Child Restraints.............................................1-32
Older Children..............................................1-32
Infants and Young Children............................1-35
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-39Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-42
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children
(LATCH)..................................................1-44
Securing a Child Restraint in a
Rear Seat Position....................................1-52
Securing a Child Restraint in the
Right Front Seat Position............................1-54
Airbag System...............................................1-58
Where Are the Airbags?................................1-60
When Should an Airbag Inate?.....................1-63
What Makes an Airbag Inate?.......................1-64
How Does an Airbag Restrain?.......................1-64
What Will You See After an Airbag Inates?.....1-64
Passenger Sensing System............................1-66
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle..........
.1-71
Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle....................................................1-72
Restraint System Check..................................1-73
Checking the Restraint Systems......................1-73
Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash............................................1-74
Section 1 Seats and Restraint System
1-1

Head Restraints
The vehicle’s front seats have adjustable head restraints
in the outboard seating positions.
{CAUTION:
With head restraints that are not installed and
adjusted properly, there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/spinal injury in a
crash. Do not drive until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and adjusted properly.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of the restraint is
at the same height as the top of the occupant’s head.
This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in
a crash.
1-2

Pull the head restraint up to
raise it. To lower the head
restraint, press the button,
located on the top of the
seatback, and push the
restraint down.
Push down on the head restraint after the button is
released to make sure that it is locked in place.
The head restraints are not designed to be removed.
Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
If the vehicle has a manual seat, it can be moved
forward or rearward.
1. Lift the bar to unlock
the seat.
2. Slide the seat to the
desired position and
release the bar.
Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat
is locked in place.
1-3

Power Seats
If the vehicle has power seats, the controls used to
operate them are located on the outboard side of
the seats.
To adjust the seat:
Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control forward or rearward.
Raise or lower the front part of the seat cushion by
moving the front of the control up or down.
Raise or lower the rear part of the seat cushion by
moving the rear of the control up or down.
Manual Lumbar
On vehicles with this
feature, the handle is
located on the outboard
side of the seat.
Move the handle up or down repeatedly to decrease or
increase lumbar support.
1-4

Heated Seats
On vehicles with heated
front seats, the buttons are
located on the outboard
side of the driver’s and front
passenger seats.
Press the top of the switch to turn the feature on.
The seat will heat to the high setting. The indicator light
above the switch will be lit next to the number 2.Press the top of the switch again to go to the low heat
setting. The indicator light will be lit next to the number 1.
Press the bottom of the switch to turn the feature off.
The heated seat feature will turn off when the ignition is
turned off.
1-5

Reclining Seatbacks
Manual Reclining Seatbacks
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
{CAUTION:
If either 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 seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.On seats with manual reclining seatbacks, the lever
used to operate them is located on the outboard side
of the seat.
To recline the seatback:
1. Lift the recline lever.
2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then
release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is
locked.
1-6

Seatback Latches
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
If your vehicle is a coupe or retractable hardtop model,
it has a seatback latch as part of the manual recline
lever. This feature provides easy access to the
rear seats. To operate the seatback latch, pull up on the
manual recline lever. The seatback will automatically
spring forward. To operate the latch from the rear seat,
pull back on the top of the manual recline lever.
1-8