2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU wheel

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-11
Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction or
stability system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑87.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory‐installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certification label.{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-17
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
9 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF): When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑21.
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission.
The key can only be removed in
LOCK/OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags. If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑29.{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled
over, and must be shut off while
driving, turn the ignition to
ACC/ACCESSORY.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from right to left while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, the vehicle needs
service.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
9-24 Driving and Operating
Running the Vehicle
While Parked
It is better not to park with the
engine running. But if you ever have
to, here are some things to know.
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains Carbon Monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation.
For more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑23.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out
of the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑21.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑42.
Automatic
Transmission
The automatic transmission has a
shift lever located on the console
between the seats.
P (Park): This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
9-26 Driving and Operating
N (Neutral):In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Be sure
the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive):
This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than 56 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 56 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down.
M (Manual Mode): This position,
allows you to change gears similar
to a manual transmission. If the
vehicle has this feature, see Driver
Shift Control (DSC).
Manual Mode
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual).
While driving in manual mode,
the transmission will remain
in the driver selected gear.
When coming to a stop in the
manual position, the vehicle
will automatically shift into
2 (Second) gear.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
9-28 Driving and Operating
Brakes
Antilock Brake
System (ABS)
This vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced
electronic braking system that helps
prevent a braking skid.
When the engine is started and the
vehicle begins to drive away, ABS
checks itself. A momentary motor or
clicking noise might be heard while
this test is going on, and it might
even be noticed that the brake
pedal moves a little. This is normal.
If there is a problem with ABS, this
warning light stays on. SeeAntilock
Brake System (ABS) Warning Light
on page 5‑19. If driving safely on a wet road and it
becomes necessary to slam on the
brakes and continue braking to
avoid a sudden obstacle, a
computer senses that the wheels
are slowing down. If one of the
wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the
brakes at each wheel.
ABS can change the brake pressure
to each wheel, as required, faster
than any driver could. This can help
the driver steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As the brakes are applied, the
computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls
braking pressure accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change
the time needed to get a foot up to
the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you,
there will not be enough time to
apply the brakes if that vehicle
suddenly slows or stops. Always
leave enough room up ahead to
stop, even with ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold
the brake pedal down firmly and let
ABS work. You might hear the ABS
pump or motor operating and feel
the brake pedal pulsate, but this is
normal.
Braking in Emergencies
ABS allows the driver to steer and
brake at the same time. In many
emergencies, steering can help
more than even the very best
braking.

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 (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.