2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU ignition

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-12 Instruments and Controls
Metric
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge shows how much fuel is left
in the fuel tank. When the indicator
nears empty, a message in the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays. See Fuel System
Messages
on page 5‑28for more
information. The vehicle still has a
little fuel left, but the vehicle should
be fueled soon. An arrow on the fuel
gauge indicates the side of the
vehicle the fuel door is on. Here are four things that some
owners ask about. These are
normal and do not indicate a
problem with the fuel gauge:
.At the service station, the gas
pump shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
fuel tank was half full, but it
actually took a little more or less
than half the fuel tank's capacity
to fill it.
.The indicator moves a little while
turning a corner or speeding up.
.The gauge goes back to empty
when the ignition is turned off.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the pointer
moves towards the H (United
States) or to the shaded thermostat
symbol area (Canada), the engine is
too hot.
A temperature indicator light turns
on and a chime sounds.

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-15
as a system check. If you are using
remote start to start the vehicle from
a distance, if equipped, you may not
see the system check. Then, after
several more seconds, the status
indicator will light either ON or OFF,
or either the on or off symbol to let
you know the status of the right front
passenger frontal and seat-mounted
side impact airbags.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
are enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has
turned off the right front passenger
frontal and seat-mounted side
impact airbag.If, after several seconds, both 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.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light
on page 5‑14for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to START, but
the engine is not running, as a
check to show it is working.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. This light could
indicate that there are problems with
a generator drive belt, or that there
is an electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. If the vehicle
must be driven a short distance with
the light on, turn off accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-16 Instruments and Controls
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission
control systems. It ensures that
emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to
produce a cleaner environment.
This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, after a while, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Notice:
Modifications made to
the engine, transmission,
exhaust, intake, or fuel system
of the vehicle or the replacement
of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this
light to come on. Modifications
to these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications
on
page 10‑3.
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-18 Instruments and Controls
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local
governments may have programs
to inspect the on-vehicle emission
control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected to the
vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed.The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
.The critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the
system. This can happen if the
battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has run
down. The diagnostic system
evaluates critical emission
control systems during normal
driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection, your dealer can
prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to ON/RUN.
If it does not come on then, have it
fixed so it will be ready to warn if
there is a problem.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-19
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays
on after the parking brake is fully
released, it means there is a brake
problem.
The Driver Information Center (DIC)
may display a BRAKE FLUID
message. SeeBrake System
Messages
on page 5‑27for more
information.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and carefully stop.
The brake pedal may be harder to
push or the pedal may go closer to
the floor. It may take longer to stop.
Try turning off and restarting the
vehicle one or two times, if the light
is still on, have the vehicle towed for
service. See Towing the Vehicle
on
page 10‑83
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
For vehicles with the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started. If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light
on page 5‑18.
For vehicles with a Driver
Information Center (DIC), see Brake
System Messages
on page 5‑27for all brake related DIC messages.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-21
Notice:Driving with the engine
coolant temperature warning light
on could cause the vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑19. The vehicle's
engine could be damaged, and it
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature
warning light on.
The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens pull over and turn off
the engine as soon as possible. See
Engine Overheating
on page 10‑19for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a Tire Pressure
Monitor System, this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
It provides information about tire
pressures and the Tire Pressure
Monitor System.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. See Tire
Messages
on page 5‑30for
more information. Stop as soon as possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information Label. See
Tire Pressure
on page 10‑45for
more information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation
on page 10‑48for more
information.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-24 Instruments and Controls
The DIC buttons are located on the
left side of the steering wheel.
INFO (Information):Press this
button to scroll through the vehicle
information mode displays.
r(Reset): Press this button to
reset some vehicle information
mode displays, select a
personalization menu mode setting,
or acknowledge a warning
message.
Press and hold the information and
reset buttons at the same time for
one second, then release the buttons to enter the personalization
menu. See
Vehicle Personalization
on page 5‑31for more information.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. The DIC has different modes
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons. The button
functions are detailed in the
following.
Information Modes
INFO (Information): Press this
button to scroll through the following
vehicle information modes:
Outside Air Temperature
The outside air temperature will be
displayed at the same time as the
Odometer and the Trip Odometer.
The temperature outside of the
vehicle will be displayed in either
degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees
Fahrenheit (°F). The outside air
temperature appears on the left
side of the DIC display and the
odometer, or trip odometer, appears
on the right side of the display. Odometer
Press the information button until
the outside air temperature and the
odometer displays. This mode
shows the total distance the vehicle
has been driven in either
kilometers (km) or miles (mi).
To change the DIC display to
English or metric units, see
“UNITS”
under Vehicle Personalization
on
page 5‑31.
Trip Odometer
Press the information button until
the outside air temperature along
with A or B displays. These modes
show the current distance traveled
since the last reset for each trip
odometer in either kilometers (km)
or miles (mi). Both odometers can
be used at the same time.
To reset the trip odometer to zero,
press and hold the reset button for a
few seconds while the desired trip
odometer is displayed.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID
This message displays, while the
ignition is on, when the brake fluid
level is low. The brake system
warning light on the instrument
panel cluster also comes on. See
Brake System Warning Light
on
page 5‑18for more information.
Have the brake system serviced by
your dealer as soon as possible.
PUSH PARK PEDAL
This message displays if the parking
brake is left engaged. See Parking
Brake
on page 9‑29for more
information.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE ENGAGED
This message displays when the
cruise control system is active. See
Cruise Control
on page 9‑34for
more information.
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR AJAR
This message displays if one or
more of the vehicle's doors are not
closed properly. Make sure that the
door(s) are closed completely.
TRUNK AJAR
This message displays when the
trunk is not closed completely.
Make sure that the trunk is closed
completely. See Trunk
on
page 2‑10for more information.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when the life
of the engine oil has expired and it
should be changed.
When this message is
acknowledged and cleared
from the display, the engine
oil life system must still be reset separately. See
Engine Oil Life
System
on page 10‑12, Engine Oilon page 10‑9, and Scheduled
Maintenanceon page 11‑2for
more information.
Engine Power Messages
ENG (Engine) PWR
(Power) REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.