Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®(if equipped)
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
g:First Responder
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
O:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
5-6 Instruments and Controls
turning off the vehicle. SeeRetained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9-23.
Open the protective cover to use the
accessory power outlet.
Certain electrical accessories may
not be compatible with the
accessory power outlets and could
overload vehicle or adapter fuses.
If there is a problem, see your
dealer.
When adding electrical equipment,
be sure to follow the installation
instructions included with the
equipment. See Add-On Electrical
Equipment on page 9-58.
{Caution
Hanging heavy equipment from
the power outlet can cause
damage not covered by the
vehicle warranty. The power
outlets are designed for
accessory power plugs only, such
as cell phone charge cords.
Power Outlet 120 Volt
Alternating Current
If equipped with this power outlet it
can be used to plug in electrical
equipment that uses a maximum
limit of 150 watts.
The power outlet is on the rear of
the center console.
An indicator light on the outlet turns
on to show it is in use. The light
comes on when the ignition is in
ON/RUN and equipment requiring less than 150 watts is plugged into
the outlet, and no system fault is
detected.
The indicator light does not come on
if the ignition is in LOCK/OFF, no
equipment is plugged into the outlet,
or if the equipment is plugged, but
not fully seated in the outlet.
If equipment is connected using
more than 150 watts or a system
fault is detected, the equipment may
operate briefly then turn off.
A protection circuit shuts off the
power supply and the indicator light
turns off. To reset the circuit, unplug
the item and plug it back in or turn
the Retained Accessory Power
(RAP) off and then back on. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
on page 9-23. The power restarts
when equipment using 150 watts or
less is plugged into the outlet and a
system fault is not detected.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
6-4 Lighting
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals
Move the turn signal lever all the
way up or down to signal a turn.
An arrow on the instrument cluster
flashes in the direction of the turn or
lane change.
Raise or lower the lever until the
arrow starts to flash to signal a lane
change. Hold it there until the lane
change is completed. If the lever is
briefly pressed and released, the
turn signal flashes three times.
The turn signal can be turned off
manually by moving the lever back
to its original position.If after signaling a turn or lane
change, the arrow flashes rapidly or
does not come on, a signal bulb
may be burned out.
Have any burned out bulbs
replaced. If a bulb is not burned out,
check the fuse. See
Fuses on
page 10-38.
Fog Lamps
To turn on the fog lamps,
if equipped, the ignition and the
headlamps or parking lamps must
be on. If the fog lamps are turned on while
the exterior lamp control is in the
AUTO position, the headlamps
come on automatically.
#(Fog Lamps, If Equipped):
Press to turn on or off. An indicator
light on the instrument cluster
comes on when the fog lamps
are on.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-10
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-13
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-17
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-20
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-26
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-27
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps (LS and LT) . . . . . . . . 10-33 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps (LTZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-36
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-36
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-37
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-53
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
10-6 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-13.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10. 5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of
View). See Cooling System on
page 10-16.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10-22.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10-17. 8.
Battery on page 10-24.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-38.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10-21.
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
10-8 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-13.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10-16.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10.
5. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10. 6. High Voltage Cable (Orange
Color).
7. Transmission Fluid Cap (Out of View). See Automatic
Transmission Fluid on
page 10-13.
8. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10-22.
9. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery on page 10-24. 10. Coolant Surge Tank and
Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10-17.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-38.
12. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10-21.
Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
10-10 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10-13.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10-10.
5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10-16.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10-22.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10-17.
8. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery on page 10-24.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10-38.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on page 10-21.Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10-12.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10-5 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{Warning
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.
Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
6081487) - 2014 - CRC - 11/19/13
Vehicle Care 10-37
Exterior LampBulb
Number
Low-Beam
Headlamp (Base
and Uplevel) H11 LL
Stoplamp/Taillamp
(LS and LT) 7440
Rear Turn
Signal Lamp 7443 NA
For replacement bulbs not listed
here, contact your dealer.Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and
Wiring
{Warning
Exposure to high voltage can
cause shock, burns, and even
death. The high voltage
components in the vehicle can
only be serviced by technicians
with special training.
High voltage components are
identified by labels. Do not
remove, open, take apart,
or modify these components.
High voltage cable or wiring has
orange covering. Do not probe,
tamper with, cut, or modify high
voltage cable or wiring.
Electrical System
Overload
The vehicle has fuses and circuit
breakers to protect against an
electrical system overload.
When the current electrical load is
too heavy, the circuit breaker opens
and closes, protecting the circuit
until the current load returns to
normal or the problem is fixed. This
greatly reduces the chance of circuit
overload and fire caused by
electrical problems.
Fuses and circuit breakers protect
power devices in the vehicle.
Replace a bad fuse with a new one
of the identical size and rating.
If there is a problem on the road and
a fuse needs to be replaced, the
same amperage fuse can be
borrowed. Choose some feature of
the vehicle that is not needed to use
and replace it as soon as possible.