2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU LIMITED airbag

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Introduction 3
{Warning
Warning indicates a hazard that
could result in injury or death.
Caution
Caution indicates a hazard that
could result in property or vehicle
damage.
A circle with a slash through it is a
safety symbol which means“Do
Not,” “Do not do this,” or“Do not let
this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and
labels that use symbols instead of
text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or
information relating to a specific
component, control, message,
gauge, or indicator.
M: Shown when the owner
manual has additional instructions
or information.
*: Shown when the service
manual has additional instructions
or information.
0: Shown when there is more
information on another page —
“see page.”
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
`:Do Not Puncture
^:Do Not Service
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
g: First Responder
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gauge
+: Fuses
3:Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
Q:OnStar
O:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
In Brief 13
Safety Belts
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly:
.Safety Belts 056.
. How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly 057.
. Lap-Shoulder Belt 058.
. Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) 081.
Passenger Sensing
System
United States
Canada
The passenger sensing system
turns off the front outboard
passenger frontal airbag and knee
airbag under certain conditions. No
other airbag is affected by the
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System 068. The passenger airbag status
indicator will light on the overhead
console when the vehicle is started.
See
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator 0104.
Mirror Adjustment
Interior Mirror
Adjust the rearview mirror for a clear
view of the area behind your
vehicle.
Manual Rearview Mirror
If equipped, push the tab forward for
daytime use and pull it rearward for
nighttime use to avoid glare of the
headlamps from behind.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror
If equipped, the mirror will
automatically reduce the glare of the
headlamps from behind. The
dimming feature comes on when the
vehicle is started.
See Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror 043.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
26 Keys, Doors, and Windows
{Warning
If the key is unintentionally
rotated while the vehicle is
running, the ignition could be
moved out of the RUN position.
This could be caused by heavy
items hanging from the key ring,
or by large or long items attached
to the key ring that could be
contacted by the driver or
steering wheel. If the ignition
moves out of the RUN position,
the engine will shut off, braking
and steering power assist may be(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
impacted, and airbags may not
deploy. To reduce the risk of
unintentional rotation of the
ignition key, do not change the
way the ignition key and Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter,
if equipped, are connected to the
provided key rings.
If the vehicle is equipped with a
keyed ignition, the ignition key, key
rings, and RKE transmitter,
if equipped, are designed to work
together. As a system, it reduces
the risk of unintentionally moving
the key out of the RUN position.
If replacements or additions are
required, see your dealer. Limit
added items to a few essential keys
or small, light items no larger than
an RKE transmitter.
Interference from radio-frequency
identification (RFID) tags may
prevent the key from starting the
vehicle. Keep RFID tags away from
the key when starting the vehicle.
The key that is part of the RKE
transmitter can be used for the
ignition and all locks if the vehicle is
a Key Access vehicle. If the vehicle
has the keyless ignition, the key can
be used for the locks.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Seats and Restraints 47
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . 50
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Safety Belts
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . 61
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . 64
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
What Will You See after an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Passenger Sensing System . . . 68
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . 73
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . 73
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Infants and Young Children . . . . 76
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . 78
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . 80
Lower Anchors and Tethers forChildren (LATCH System) . . . . 81 Replacing LATCH System Parts
After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Securing Child Restraints (Front
Passenger Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Seats and Restraints 57
When riding in a vehicle, you travel
as fast as the vehicle does. If the
vehicle stops suddenly, you keep
going until something stops you.
It could be the windshield, the
instrument panel, or the safety belts!
When you wear a safety belt, you
and the vehicle slow down together.
There is more time to stop because
you stop over a longer distance and,
when worn properly, your strongest
bones take the forces from the
safety belts. That is why wearing
safety belts makes such good
sense.
Questions and Answers About
Safety Belts
Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicleafter a crash if I am wearing a
safety belt?
A: You could be—whether you are
wearing a safety belt or not.
Your chance of being conscious
during and after a crash, so you
can unbuckle and get out, is
much greater if you are belted. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why
should I have to wear safety
belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with
safety belts —not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection.
Also, in nearly all states and in
all Canadian provinces, the law
requires wearing safety belts.
How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
There are special things to know
about safety belts and children. And
there are different rules for smaller
children and infants. If a child will be
riding in the vehicle, see Older
Children 074 orInfants and Young
Children 076. Follow those rules for
everyone's protection. It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
There are important things to know
about wearing a safety belt properly.
.
Sit up straight and always keep
your feet on the floor in front
of you.
. Always use the correct buckle
for your seating position.
. Wear the lap part of the belt low
and snug on the hips, just
touching the thighs. In a crash,
this applies force to the strong

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
62 Seats and Restraints
Replacing Safety Belt
System Parts after a
Crash
{Warning
A crash can damage the safety
belt system in the vehicle.
A damaged safety belt system
may not properly protect the
person using it, resulting in
serious injury or even death in a
crash. To help make sure the
safety belt systems are working
properly after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
After a minor crash, replacement of
safety belts may not be necessary.
But the safety belt assemblies that
were used during any crash may
have been stressed or damaged.
See your dealer to have the safety
belt assemblies inspected or
replaced. New parts and repairs may be
necessary even if the safety belt
system was not being used at the
time of the crash.
Have the safety belt pretensioners
checked if the vehicle has been in a
crash, or if the airbag readiness light
stays on after you start the vehicle
or while you are driving. See
Airbag
Readiness Light 0104.
Airbag System
The vehicle has the following
airbags:
.
A frontal airbag for the driver.
. A frontal airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A knee airbag for the driver.
. A knee airbag for the front
outboard passenger.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the driver.
. A seat-mounted side impact
airbag for the front outboard
passenger.
. Seat-mounted side impact
airbags for the second row
outboard passengers.
. A roof-rail airbag for the driver
and the passenger seated
directly behind the driver.
. A roof-rail airbag for the front
outboard passenger and the
passenger seated directly
behind the front outboard
passenger.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Seats and Restraints 63
All vehicle airbags have the word
AIRBAG on the trim or on a label
near the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the center of the
steering wheel for the driver and on
the instrument panel for the front
outboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAG
is on the lower part of the
instrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impact
airbags, the word AIRBAG is on the
side of the seatback closest to
the door.
For roof-rail airbags, the word
AIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplement
the protection provided by safety
belts. Even though today's airbags
are also designed to help reduce
the risk of injury from the force of an
inflating bag, all airbags must inflate
very quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important things
to know about the airbag system:{Warning
You can be severely injured or
killed in a crash if you are not
wearing your safety belt, even
with airbags. Airbags are
designed to work with safety
belts, not replace them. Also,
airbags are not designed to inflate
in every crash. In some crashes
safety belts are the only restraint.
SeeWhen Should an Airbag
Inflate? 065.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce the chance of
hitting things inside the vehicle or
being ejected from it. Airbags are
“supplemental restraints” to the
safety belts. Everyone in the
vehicle should wear a safety belt
properly, whether or not there is
an airbag for that person.
{Warning
Because airbags inflate with great
force and faster than the blink of
an eye, anyone who is up
against, or very close to any
airbag when it inflates can be
seriously injured or killed. Do not
sit unnecessarily close to any
airbag, as you would be if sitting
on the edge of the seat or leaning
forward. Safety belts help keep
you in position before and during
a crash. Always wear a safety
belt, even with airbags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible
while still maintaining control of
the vehicle. The safety belts and
the front outboard passenger
airbags are most effective when
you are sitting well back and
upright in the seat with both feet
on the floor.
Occupants should not lean on or
sleep against the door or side
windows in seating positions with
seat-mounted side impact airbags
and/or roof-rail airbags.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
64 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
Children who are up against,
or very close to, any airbag when
it inflates can be seriously injured
or killed. Always secure children
properly in the vehicle. To read
how, seeOlder Children 074 or
Infants and Young Children 076.
There is an airbag readiness light
on the instrument cluster, which
shows the airbag symbol. The
system checks the airbag electrical
system for malfunctions. The light
tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See Airbag Readiness
Light 0104 for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in the
center of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passenger
frontal airbag is in the passenger
side instrument panel.
The driver knee airbag is below the
steering column. The front outboard
passenger knee airbag is below the
glove box.