Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
60 Seats and Restraints
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. SeeHow
to Wear Safety Belts Properly 057.
Press the release button and move
the height adjuster to the desired
position. The adjuster can be moved
up by pushing the slide/trim up.
After the adjuster is set to the
desired position, try to move it down
without pushing the release button
to make sure it has locked into
position.
Safety Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has safety belt
pretensioners for front outboard
occupants. Although the safety belt
pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the safety belt assembly.
They can help tighten the safety
belts during the early stages of a
moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner
activation are met. Safety belt
pretensioners can also help tighten
the safety belts in a side crash or a
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash,
the pretensioners and probably
other parts of the vehicle's safety
belt system will need to be replaced.
See Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash 062.
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
Rear safety belt comfort guides may
provide added safety belt comfort
for older children who have
outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a
shoulder belt, the comfort guide
positions the belt away from the
neck and head.
Comfort guides are available
through your dealer for the rear
outboard seating positions.
Instructions are included with the
comfort guide.
Safety Belt Use During
Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone,
including pregnant women. Like all
occupants, they are more likely to
be seriously injured if they do not
wear safety belts.
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 87
be no more than 2.5 cm (1 in)
of movement for proper
installation.
Head Restraint Removal and
Reinstallation
The rear outboard head restraints
can be removed if they interfere with
the proper installation of the child
restraint.
To remove the head restraint:1. Partially fold the seatback forward. See Rear Seats054
for additional information.
2. Press both buttons on the head restraint posts at the same
time, and pull up on the head
restraint.
3. Store the head restraint in the trunk of the vehicle.
4. When the child restraint is removed, reinstall the head
restraint before the seating
position is used.
{Warning
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly,
there is a greater chance that
occupants will suffer a neck/
spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for
all occupants are installed and
adjusted properly.
To reinstall the head restraint:
1. Insert the head restraint posts into the holes in the top of the
seatback. The notches on the
posts must face the driver side
of the vehicle.
2. Push the head restraint down.
If necessary, press the height
adjustment release button to
further lower the head restraint.
See Head Restraints 048.
3. Try to move the head restraint to make sure that it is locked in
place.
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
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222 Driving and Operating
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”
following.
Maximum trailer weight is calculated
assuming the tow vehicle has the
driver, a front seat passenger and
all the required tow equipment. and
it has all the required trailering
equipment. The weight of additional
optional equipment, passengers,
and cargo in the tow vehicle must
be subtracted from the maximum
trailer weight.
Ask your dealer for trailering
information or advice, or write us at
our Customer Assistance Offices.
See Customer Assistance Offices
0 327.
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (1) of any trailer is
an important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
weight of the vehicle. The Gross
Vehicle Weight (GVW) includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo carried in it, and the people
who will be riding in the vehicle.
If there are a lot of options,
equipment, passengers, or cargo in
the vehicle, it will reduce the tongue
weight the vehicle can carry, which
will also reduce the trailer weight the
vehicle can tow. If towing a trailer,
the tongue load must be added to
the GVW because the vehicle will
be carrying that weight, too. See
Vehicle Load Limits
0183.The trailer tongue (1) should weigh
10 % of the total loaded trailer
weight (2). After loading the trailer, weigh the
trailer and then the tongue,
separately, to see if the weights are
proper. If they are not, adjustments
might be made by moving some
items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle's
Tires
Be sure the vehicle's tires are
inflated to the upper limit for cold
tires. These numbers can be found
on the Tire and Loading Information
label. See
Vehicle Load Limits
0 183. Make sure not to go over the
GVW limit for the vehicle, including
the weight of the trailer tongue.
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Use the correct hitch equipment.
See your dealer or a hitch dealer for
assistance.
. The rear bumper on the vehicle
is not intended for hitches. Do
not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to it. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
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Index 349
IndexA
Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Accessory Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . 223
Additional Information OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Additional Maintenance and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Adjustments
Lumbar, Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine . . . . . . . 233
Air Filter, Passenger Compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 173
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
How Does an AirbagRestrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Passenger Sensing System . . . . 68
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . 64 Airbags
Adding Equipment to the
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Passenger Status Indicator . . . 104
Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Servicing Airbag-Equipped Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Alarm Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Alert
Side Blind Zone (SBZA) . . . . . . .211
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
AM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Antenna Backglass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Multi-band . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Antilock Brake System (ABS) . . . 200 Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Appearance Care Exterior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
Armrest Rear Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Assistance Program,
Roadside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Audio Theft-Deterrent Feature . . . . . . . 140
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352 Index
Driving (cont'd)Defensive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Drunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
For Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . 23
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 181
If the Vehicle is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 183
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Track Events and
Competitive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Dual Automatic Climate
Control System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
E
Electrical Equipment,Add-On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Electrical System Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Emergency OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340 Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Check and Service Engine
Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Compartment Overview . . . . . . . 229
Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Cooling System Messages . . . .117
Drive Belt Routing . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Oil Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .117
Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Running While Parked . . . . . . . . 197
Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Equipment, Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Event Data Recorders . . . . . . . . . . 337
Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Extender, Safety Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . . . 132
Exterior Lamps Off Reminder . . . 132
F
Features
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Filter, Engine Air Cleaner . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Flashers, Hazard Warning . . . . . . 134
Flat Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280 Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Fluid
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 233
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fog Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 135, 248
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Frequency Statement
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Front Seats Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215 Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Economy Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
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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-
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356 Index
OutletsPower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
P
Park Shifting Into . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Shifting Out of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brake and P (Park)Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 243
Over Things That Burn . . . . . . . 196
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Passenger Compartment Air Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . 68
Perchlorate Materials Requirements, California . . . . . . 226
Personalization Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Phone Bluetooth . . . . . . . . . . . 156, 157, 161
Power Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Power (cont'd)
Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
Retained Accessory (RAP) . . . 194
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Pregnancy, Using Safety Belts . . . 60
Privacy Vehicle Data Recording . . . . . . . 336
Program
Courtesy Transportation . . . . . . 331
Proposition 65 Warning,
California . . . . . . . . . . . .226, 241, 293
R
Radio Frequency Statement . . . . 335
Radio Reception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
RadiosAM-FM Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Satellite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . . . 206
Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Automatic Dimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319 Records
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 321
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . 296
Reimbursement Program, GM Mobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Replacement Parts Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
Replacing Airbag System . . . . . . . . 74
Replacing LATCH System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 336
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Restraints Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Ride Control Systems Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
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Index 357
RoadsDriving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
Roof Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . 324
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
S
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 62
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . 60
Safety Defects Reporting Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 336
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . 331 Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Heated Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 50
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . 50
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Securing Child Restraints . . . . 88, 90
Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175 Accessories andModifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 167
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 227
Engine Soon Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 321
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 322 Service (cont'd)
Publications Ordering
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 331
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Services Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Shift Lock Control Function Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 211
Signals, Turn and Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Spare Tire
Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Special Application Services . . . . 315
Specifications and Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Start Assist, Hills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 243