Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
Driving and Operating 9-31
To turn the system off, press the
TCS/StabiliTrak button on the center
stack.
{Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To turn off only TCS, press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button.
The traction off light
idisplays in
the instrument cluster.
To turn TCS on again, press and
release the TCS/StabiliTrak button.
The traction off light
idisplayed in
the instrument cluster will turn off.
If TCS is limiting wheel spin when
the TCS/StabiliTrak button is
pressed, the system will not turn off
until the wheels stop spinning.
To turn off both TCS and StabiliTrak,
press and hold the TCS/StabiliTrak
button until the traction off light
i
and StabiliTrak OFF Lightgcome
on and stay on in the instrument
cluster.
To turn TCS and StabiliTrak on
again, press and release the TCS/
StabiliTrak button. The traction off
light
iand StabiliTrak OFF Lightg
in the instrument cluster turn off.
Adding accessories can affect the
vehicle performance. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10-3.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. Do not use the
cruise control on winding roads or
in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
With the Traction Control System
(TCS) or StabiliTrak system, the
system may begin to limit wheel
spin while you are using cruise
Black plate (34,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
9-34 Driving and Operating
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to end cruise
control:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Press*.
.Shift the transmission to
N (Neutral).
.To turn off the cruise control,
press
1.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed is
erased from memory if
1is pressed
or if the vehicle is turned off.
Driver Assistance
Systems
Forward Collision Alert
(FCA) System
If equipped, the FCA system may
help to avoid or reduce the harm
caused by front-end crashes. When
approaching a vehicle ahead too
quickly, FCA provides a flashing red
alert on the windshield, and rapidly
beeps. FCA also lights an amber
visual alert if following another
vehicle much too closely.
FCA detects vehicles within a
distance of approximately 60 m
(197 ft) and operates at speeds
above 40 km/h (25 mph).
{Warning
FCA is a warning system and
does not apply the brakes. When
approaching a slower-moving or
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
stopped vehicle ahead too rapidly,
or when following a vehicle too
closely, FCA may not provide a
warning with enough time to help
avoid a crash. FCA does not warn
of pedestrians, animals, signs,
guardrails, bridges, construction
barrels, or other objects. Be ready
to take action and apply the
brakes. For more information, see
Defensive Driving on page 9-3.
FCA can be disabled with the FCA
steering wheel control.
Detecting the Vehicle Ahead
Black plate (35,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
Driving and Operating 9-35
FCA warnings will not occur unless
the FCA system detects a vehicle
ahead. When a vehicle is detected,
the vehicle ahead indicator will
display green. Vehicles may not be
detected on curves, highway exit
ramps, or hills; or due to poor
visibility. FCA will not detect another
vehicle ahead until it is completely
in the driving lane.
{Warning
FCA does not provide a warning
to help avoid a crash, unless it
detects a vehicle. FCA may not
detect a vehicle ahead if the FCA
sensor is blocked by dirt, snow,
or ice, or if the windshield is
damaged. It may also not detect a
vehicle on winding or hilly roads,
or in conditions that can limit
visibility such as fog, rain,
or snow, or if the headlamps or
windshield are not cleaned or in(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
proper condition. Keep the
windshield, headlamps, and FCA
sensors clean and in good repair.
Collision Alert
When your vehicle approaches
another detected vehicle too rapidly,
the red FCA display will flash on the
windshield. Also, eight rapid
high-pitched beeps will sound from
the front. When this Collision Alert
occurs, the brake system may
prepare for driver braking to occur
more rapidly which can cause a
brief, mild deceleration. Continue to
apply the brake pedal as the driving
situation dictates. Tailgating Alert
The vehicle ahead indicator will
display amber when you are
following a detected vehicle ahead
much too closely.
Selecting the Alert Timing
The Collision Alert control is on the
steering wheel. Press
[to set the
FCA timing to far, medium, near,
or off. The first button press shows
the current control setting on the
DIC. Additional button presses will
change this setting. The chosen
setting will remain until it is changed
and will affect the timing of both the
Collision Alert and the Tailgating
Alert features. The timing of both
alerts will vary based on vehicle
speed. The faster the vehicle speed,
the farther away the alert will occur.
Black plate (49,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
Driving and Operating 9-49
{Warning
When towing a trailer, exhaust
gases may collect at the rear of
the vehicle and enter if the
liftgate, trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window is open.
When towing a trailer:
.Do not drive with the liftgate,
trunk/hatch, or rear-most
window open.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Also adjust the Climate
Control system to a setting
that brings in only outside air.
See“Climate Control
Systems” in the Index.
For more information about
Carbon Monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9-24. Towing a trailer requires a certain
amount of experience. The
combination you are driving is
longer and not as responsive as the
vehicle itself. Get acquainted with
the handling and braking of the rig
before setting out for the open road.
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirrors. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then apply
the trailer brake controller by hand
to be sure the brakes work.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure
and the lamps and any trailer
brakes still work.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the sound of the
stability control system might be
heard. The system is reacting to the
vehicle movement caused by the trailer, which mainly occurs during
cornering. This is normal when
towing heavier trailers.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
farther beyond the passed vehicle
before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. To move the
trailer to the left, move your hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Black plate (51,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
Driving and Operating 9-51
If parking the rig on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but donot shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if facing
downhill or into traffic if facing
uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal while you:
.Start the engine.
.Shift into a gear.
.Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal. 3. Drive slowly until the trailer is
clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See the
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-2. Things that are
especially important in trailer
operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 10-17.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, three
important considerations have to do
with weight:
.Weight of the trailer.
.Weight of the trailer tongue.
.Total weight on your vehicle's
tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lb). But even that can
be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature, and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See “Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section.
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-8
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-10
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-11
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-11
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-17
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-18
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-19
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20 Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-21
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-22
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-23
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-24
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
High Intensity Discharge(HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps (LS and LT) . . . . . . . . 10-29 Taillamps, Turn Signal,
Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps (LTZ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-32
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-32
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-34
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-40
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-41
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-44
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-49
Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
10-2 Vehicle Care
Tire Pressure MonitorSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-50
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-54
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-56
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-58
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-60
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . 10-60
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . 10-61
Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-63
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . 10-75
Jump Starting
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-79
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-82
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-86
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-90
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
7575972) - 2015 - crc - 4/1/14
Vehicle Care 10-11
When the system has calculated
that oil life has been diminished, it
indicates that an oil change is
necessary. A CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message comes on. See
Engine Oil Messages on page 5-26.
Change the oil as soon as possible
within the next 1 000 km (600 mi).
It is possible that, if driving under
the best conditions, the oil life
system might indicate that an oil
change is not necessary for up to a
year. The engine oil and filter must
be changed at least once a year
and, at this time, the system must
be reset. Your dealer has trained
service people who will perform this
work and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly
over the course of an oil drain
interval and keep it at the proper
level.
If the system is ever reset
accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 5 000 km (3,000 mi)
since the last oil change.
Remember to reset the oil life
system whenever the oil is changed.How to Reset the Engine Oil
Life System
Reset the system whenever the
engine oil is changed so that the
system can calculate the next
engine oil change. To reset the
system:
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN withthe engine off.
2. Press the DIC MENU button on the turn signal lever to enter the
Vehicle Information Menu. Use
the thumbwheel to scroll through
the menu items until you reach
REMAINING OIL LIFE.
3. Press the SET/CLR button to reset the oil life at 100%.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
The system is reset when the
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message is off and the REMAINING
OIL LIFE 100% message is
displayed. If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message comes back on when the
vehicle is started, the engine oil life
system has not been reset. Repeat
the procedure.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
It is not necessary to check the
transmission fluid level.
A transmission fluid leak is the only
reason for fluid loss. If a leak
occurs, take the vehicle to your
dealer and have it repaired as soon
as possible.
Change the fluid at the intervals
listed in
Maintenance Schedule on
page 11-2, and be sure to use the
fluid listed in Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11-11.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/filter is in the
engine compartment on the
passenger side of the vehicle. See
Engine Compartment Overview on
page 10-5.