2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU instrument panel

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Malibu Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-31
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-23 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-17
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-25
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-30
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-48
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-78
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-83
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-85

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . 1-8
Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
Sensing System for Passenger Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9 Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-11
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Portable Audio Devices (Auxiliary Input or
USB Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-16
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-19
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-19
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-20
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
1-2 In Brief
Instrument Panel

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-3
A.Air Vents on page 8‑9.
B. Turn and Lane‐Change Lever. See Turn and Lane-Change
Signals on page 6‑4.
C. Instrument Cluster
on
page 5‑10.
D. Windshield Wiper/Washer
on
page 5‑4.
E. Instrument Panel Storage
on
page 4‑1.
F. AM-FM Radio on page 7‑6.
G. Instrument Panel Illumination
Control
on page 6‑5.
H. Driver Compartment Storage. See Front Storage
on
page 4‑2. I. Hood Release. See
Hood
on
page 10‑5.
J. Cruise Control
on page 9‑34.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑23.
K. Data Link Connector (DLC). See Malfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 5‑16.
L. Steering Wheel Adjustment
on
page 5‑2.
M. Horn on page 5‑3.
N. Steering Wheel Controls
on
page 5‑2(If Equipped).
O. Ignition Positions on page 9‑18. P.
Climate Control Systems
on
page 8‑1(If Equipped).
Automatic Climate Control
System
on page 8‑5(If Equipped) .
Q. Hazard Warning Flashers
on
page 6‑4.
R. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission
on page 9‑25.
S. Front Storage
on page 4‑2.
Power Outlets on page 5‑7.
T. Passenger Sensing System
on
page 3‑31.
U. Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑30.
V. Glove Box on page 4‑1.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-9
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags are
not affected by this.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle
is started.
United States
Canada and Mexico
See Passenger Sensing System
on
page 3‑31for important information.
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Controls for the outside power
mirrors are located on the
driver door.
1. Move the selector switch located below the four-way control pad
to the left or right to choose
either the driver side or
passenger side mirror.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
1-10 In Brief
2. Press one of the four arrowslocated on the control pad to
move the mirror to the desired
direction.
Keep the selector switch in the
center position when not adjusting
either outside mirror.
See Power Mirrors on page 2‑15.
Interior Mirror
Vehicles with an automatic dimming
rearview mirror will automatically
reduce the glare from the
headlamps of the vehicle behind.
The dimming feature comes on and
the indicator light illuminates each
time the ignition is turned to start.
SeeManual Rearview Mirror
on
page 2‑15.
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
The lever is located on the left side
of the steering wheel column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Pull the lever down.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down. 3. Pull or push the steering wheel
closer or away from you.
4. Pull the lever up to lock the steering wheel in place.
Do not adjust the steering wheel
while driving.
Interior Lighting
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps come on when any
door is opened. They turn off after
all the doors are closed.
To turn the dome lamps on
manually, turn the instrument panel
brightness knob, located on the
instrument panel to the left of the
steering column, clockwise to the
farthest position. The dome lamps
will remain on whether a door is
opened or closed.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-11
Reading Lamps
The front reading lamps are located
in the front overhead console. The
rear reading lamps are near the
dome lamp overhead near the rear
passenger seats.
For vehicles with front and/or rear
reading lamps, press the lens to
turn the lamp on and off, while the
doors are closed. These lamps
come on automatically when any
door is opened.
For more information on interior
lighting, see:
.Instrument Panel Illumination
Control on page 6‑5.
.Entry/Exit Lighting on page 6‑6.
.Parade Dimming on page 6‑6.
Exterior Lighting
P:Briefly turn to this position to
manually turn the automatic lamp
control off or on.
In Canada, this position only works
when a vehicle is in the P (Park)
position. When the vehicle is put
into D (Drive) the lights come on.
AUTO: Automatically turns on the
Daytime Running Lamps during
daytime, and the headlamps,
parking lamps, and taillamps at
night.
;: Manual operation of the parking
lamps and taillamps.
2: Manual operation of the
headlamps, parking lamps, and
taillamps. For more information, see:
.Exterior Lamp Controlson
page 6‑1.
.Delayed Headlampson
page 6‑4.
.Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)on page 6‑3.
.Automatic Headlamp Systemon
page 6‑3.
.Fog Lamps on page 6‑5.
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is
located on the right side of the
steering column.
9: Turns the wipers off.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-17
J:Press to turn the cruise control
system on and off.
RES+: Press briefly to make the
vehicle resume a previously set
speed or press and hold to
accelerate.
SET−: Press to set the speed and
activate cruise control or make the
vehicle decelerate.
For more information, see Cruise
Control on page 9‑34.
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
The DIC display is located at the
bottom of the instrument panel
cluster. It shows the status of
many vehicle systems and enables
access to the personalization menu.
The DIC buttons are located on the
left side of the steering wheel.
INFO: Press to scroll through the
vehicle information displays.
r: Press to reset some
vehicle information displays,
select a personalization setting,
or acknowledge a warning
message.
For more information, see Driver
Information Center (DIC)
on
page 5‑23.
Vehicle Personalization
Some vehicle features can be
programmed by using the DIC
buttons on the left side of the
steering wheel. These features
include:
.Oil Life Reset
.Units
.RKE Lock and Unlock Feedback
.Door Lock and Unlock Settings
.Language
See Vehicle Personalization
on
page 5‑31.