
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
190 Driving and Operating
{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.
1 (ACC/ACCESSORY) : This
position provides power to some of
the electrical accessories. It unlocks
the ignition. To move the key from
ACC/ACCESSORY to LOCK/OFF,
the shift lever must be in P (Park).
2 (ON/RUN) : The ignition switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories, including the
ventilation fan and 12-volt power
outlets, as well as to display some
warning and indicator lights. This
position can also be used for service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. The transmission is also
unlocked in this position.
The battery could be drained if the
key is left in the ACC/ACCESSORY
or ON/RUN position with the engine
off. The vehicle might not restart if
the battery is allowed to drain for an
extended period of time.
3 (START) :
This position starts the
engine. When the engine starts,
release the key. The ignition switch
will return to ON/RUN for normal
driving.
A warning tone sounds when the
driver door is opened when the
ignition is still in ACC/ACCESSORY
and the key is in the ignition. If the
ignition becomes difficult to turn,
see Keys 025.
Key Lock Release
Vehicles with an automatic
transmission are equipped with an
electronic key lock release system.
This system is to prevent ignition
key removal unless the shift lever is
in P (Park).
The key lock release will not work if
the battery is charged less than
9 volts, or uncharged. Try charging
or jump starting the battery. See
Jump Starting - North America
0293.
If charging or jump starting the
battery does not work, there is a
manual key lock release. Locate the

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Driving and Operating 195
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in
P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly, then it is difficult to
shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see Driving
Characteristics and Towing Tips
0 218.
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.
Prevent ignition key removal (if
equipped) unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting - North
America 0293.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Place the ignition in ON/RUN.
3. Press the shift lever button. 4. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If still unable to shift out of P (Park): 1. Fully release the shift lever button.
2. Hold the brake pedal down and press the shift lever button
again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you are still having a problem
shifting, see your dealer.
Shift Lock Manual Release
If jump starting the vehicle did not
work, the shift lock manual release
must be used.
To access the shift lock manual
release: 1. Apply the parking brake.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
350 Index
Audio PlayersCD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Automatic Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Headlamp System . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Automatic Transmission Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Shift Lock Control FunctionCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Auxiliary Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
B
Backglass Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
BatteryLoad Management . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Battery - North America . . . . 241, 293
Blade Replacement, Wiper . . . . . 244
Bluetooth
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . 156, 157, 161
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . 107
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Antilock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201 Brakes (cont'd)
Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Break-In, New Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 187
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252 Fog Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135, 248
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Headlamps, Front TurnSignal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
License Plate Lamps . . . . . . . . . 251
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and
Back-up Lamps . . . . . . . . 249, 250
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
C
Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . 216 California (cont'd)
Perchlorate Materials
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
California
Proposition
65 Warning . . . . . . . . . .226, 241, 293
Camera Rear Vision (RVC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Canadian Vehicle Owners . . . . . . . . 2
Capacities and
Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Carbon Monoxide Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Caution, Danger, and Warning . . . . 2
CD Player . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . . . 94
Center Stack Display . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Chains, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . 105
Check
Ignition Transmission Lock . . . 243
Malfunction IndicatorEngine Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
354 Index
Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . 43
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
J
Jump Starting - NorthAmerica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
K
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . . . . 118
Keyless EntryRemote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . 27
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . 262
Lamps Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . 133
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Malfunction Indicator . . . . . . . . . 106
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112 Lamps (cont'd)
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Lane Departure Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
LATCH System Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
LATCH, Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lighting Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . 135
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108 Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Antilock Brake System(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 107
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .112
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . .110
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133 Lights (cont'd)
Front Fog Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 132
Lane Departure Warning . . . . . . 108
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . 103
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
StabiliTrak
®OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®. . . . . . . . . . 109
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 111
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Index 355
M
MaintenanceRecords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Maintenance and Care Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . 309 Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . 106
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Messages Battery Voltage and
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Brake System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116
Engine Cooling System . . . . . . . .117
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Fuel System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Key and Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Object Detection System . . . . . .119
Ride Control System . . . . . . . . . . 120
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Service Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Messages (cont'd)
Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115
Vehicle Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Mirrors Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Mirrors, Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . 43
Monitor System, Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Multi-band Antenna . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
N
Navigation OnStar®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 187
O
Object Detection System
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Oil Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 232
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 74
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 328
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
OnStar
®Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
OnStar
®Connections . . . . . . . . . . . 341
OnStar®Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
OnStar®Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
OnStar®Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
OnStar®Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
OnStar®Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Operation
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . 142
Ordering Service Publications . . . . . . . . . . 334