2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU cruise control

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
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 9‑29 for more
information.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE ENGAGED
This message displays when the
cruise control system is active.
See Cruise Control on page 9‑33 for
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 2‑9
for 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 Oil
on page 10‑10, and Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑2 for 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.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-8
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-24
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-33
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Gasoline Specifications(U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . 9-37
California Fuel
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-37
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-39
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-47
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-7
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous.
Water can build up under the
vehicle's tires so they actually ride
on the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you are
going fast enough. When the
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little
or no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer
fluid reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑42.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving —scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-9
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑28 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program (U.S. and
Canada) on page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance Program (Mexico) on
page 13‑10. To get help and keep
everyone in the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
carbon monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.
.Fully open the air outlets
on or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan
speed to the highest setting.
See“Climate Control System”
in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑23.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
9-30 Driving and Operating
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The vehicle may have a Traction
Control System (TCS) that limits
wheel spin. This is especially
useful in slippery road conditions.
The system operates only if it
senses that the front wheels are
spinning too much or are beginning
to lose traction. When this happens,
the system works the front brakes
and reduces engine power by
closing the throttle and managing
engine spark to limit wheel spin.
This light will flash when the traction
control system is limiting wheel spin.The system may be heard or felt
while it is working, but this is
normal.
If the vehicle is in cruise control
when TCS begins to limit wheel
spin, the cruise control will
automatically disengage. The cruise
control may be re-engaged when
road conditions allow. See
Cruise
Control on page 9‑33.
When this light is on solid and
either the SERVICE TRACTION or
TRACTION OFF message is
displayed, the system will not limit
wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑28 for more information. The Traction Control System is
automatically enabled whenever the
vehicle is started. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, always leave the system
enabled. TCS can be turned off if
needed.
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to
“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑10.
To turn the system off or on, press
and release this button located on
the center console.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-31
The traction off light comes on and
the DIC will display the appropriate
message as described previously
when the button is pressed.
Traction Control Operation
Traction control limits wheel spin by
reducing engine power to the
wheels (engine speed management)
and by applying brakes to each
individual wheel (brake-traction
control) as necessary.
The traction control system is
enabled automatically when the
vehicle is started, and it will activate
and flash the ESC/TCS light and
display the LOW TRACTION
message if it senses either of the
front wheels are spinning or
beginning to lose traction while
driving. For more information on theLOW TRACTION message, see
Ride Control System Messages on
page 5‑28.
Notice:
If the wheel(s) of one axle
are allowed to spin excessively
while the ESC/TCS, ABS and
Brake warning lights and the
SERVICE ESC and/or SERVICE
TRACTION messages are
displayed, the differential could
be damaged. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Reduce engine power
and do not spin the wheel(s)
excessively while these lights and
this message are displayed.
Notice: When traction control is
turned off, it is possible to lose
traction. If you attempt to shift
with the front wheels spinning
with a loss of traction, it is
possible to cause damage to the
transmission. Do not attempt to
shift when the front wheels do not
have traction. Damage caused by
misuse of the vehicle is not
covered. See your warranty book
for additional information. The traction control system may
activate on dry or rough roads or
under conditions such as heavy
acceleration while turning or
abrupt upshifts/downshifts of the
transmission. When this happens,
a reduction in acceleration may be
noticed, or a noise or vibration may
be heard. This is normal.
If the vehicle is in cruise control
when the system activates, the
ESC/TCS light will flash and the
cruise control will automatically
disengage. The cruise control
may be re-engaged when road
conditions allow. See
Cruise Control
on page 9‑33.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3 for more information.

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
9-32 Driving and Operating
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
The vehicle has an Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system
which combines antilock brake,
traction and stability control systems
and helps the driver maintain
directional control of the vehicle in
most driving conditions.
When you first start the vehicle and
begin to drive away, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to ensure there are no problems.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working. This is normal
and does not mean there is a
problem with the vehicle. The
system should initialize before the
vehicle reaches 32 km/h (20 mph).
If the system fails to turn on or
activate, the ESC/TCS light will be
on solid, and the ESC OFF or
SERVICE ESC message will be
displayed.For more information, see
Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑28.
This light will flash on the instrument
panel cluster when the ESC system
is both on and activated.
The system may be heard or felt
while it is working; this is normal.
When the light is on solid and either
the SERVICE ESC or ESC OFF
message is displayed, the system
will not assist the driver in
maintaining directional control of the
vehicle. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑28.
The Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) system is automatically
enabled whenever the vehicle is
started. To assist the driver with vehicle directional control,
especially in slippery road
conditions, the system should
always be left on. But, ESC can be
turned off if needed.
If the vehicle is in cruise control
when the system begins to assist
the driver maintain directional
control of the vehicle, the ESC/TCS
light will flash and the cruise
control will automatically disengage.
The cruise control system may be
re-engaged when road conditions
allow. See
Cruise Control on
page 9‑33.
The ESC/TCS button is located on
the instrument panel.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-33
The traction control system can be
turned off or back on by pressing
the ESC/TCS button. To disable
both traction control and ESC,
press and hold the button briefly.
When the ESC system is turned off,
the traction off light and the ESC off
light will be on to warn the driver
that both traction control and ESC
are disabled. The TRACTION OFF
and ESC OFF messages will appear
on the DIC,It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary
to turn the system off if the vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow,
and you want to
“rock”the vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle Is Stuck
on page 9‑10.
ESC may also turn off automatically
if it determines that a problem exists
with the system. The ESC OFF and
SERVICE ESC messages and the
ESC/TCS light will be on solid to
warn the driver that ESC is disabled
and requires service. If the problem
does not clear after restarting the
vehicle, see your dealer for service.
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑28 for more information.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3 for more information.
Cruise Control
Cruise control lets a speed of about
40 km/h (25 mph) or more be
maintained without keeping your
foot on the accelerator. This can
really help on long trips. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
When the brakes are applied,
the cruise control shuts off.
If the vehicle is in cruise control and
the Traction Control System (TCS)
or Enhanced Traction System (ETS)
begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise
control automatically disengages.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑30 andElectronic
Stability Control (ESC) on
page 9‑32. When road conditions
allow, the cruise control can be
used again.