2016 CHEVROLET MALIBU LIMITED automatic transmission

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
In Brief 7
1.Air Vents 0173.
2. Turn Signal Lever. See Turn
and Lane-Change Signals
0 134.
Driver Information Center
Buttons. See Driver Information
Center (DIC) 0112.
3. Instrument Cluster 0101.
Driver Information Center (DIC)
0 112.
4. Windshield Wiper/Washer 097.
5. Storage Area (If Equipped). See Instrument Panel Storage
0 93.
6. Light Sensor. See Automatic
Headlamp System 0133.
7. Infotainment 0139.
8. CD Player 0150.
9. Climate Control Systems
0167.
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0170.
10. Heated Front Seats 053 (If
Equipped). 11.
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control 0202.
Lane Departure Warning
(LDW) 0213 (If Equipped).
12. Power Outlets 099.
13. Parking Brake 0200.
14. Shift Lever. See Automatic
Transmission 0197.
15. Hazard Warning Flashers
0134.
16. Ignition Positions (Keyless
Access) 0187 orIgnition
Positions (Key Access) 0189.
17. Steering Wheel Controls 096.
18. Horn 097.
19. Steering Wheel Adjustment
096.
20. Cruise Control 0204.
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System 0210 (If Equipped).
21. Hood Release. See Hood
0 227. 22. Data Link Connector (Out of
View). See Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0106.
23. Storage Compartment. See Instrument Panel Storage 093.
24. Exterior Lamp Controls 0132.
Fog Lamps 0135 (If
Equipped).
Instrument Panel Illumination
Control 0135.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
In Brief 17
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
1. Driver and Passenger Temperature Controls
2. Air Conditioning or Comfort/ Eco Air Conditioning
3. Air Delivery Modes
4. Defrost
5. SYNC
6. Heated Seats (If Equipped) 7. Rear Window Defogger
8. Fan Control
9. Recirculation
10. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
See Climate Control Systems 0167
or Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0170 (If Equipped).
Transmission
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
DSC allows you to change gears
similar to a manual transmission. To
use this feature:
1. Move the shift lever from D (Drive) rearward to
M (Manual).
2. Press the + (plus) end of the button on the top of the shift
lever to upshift, or press the −
(minus) end of the button to
downshift.
See Manual Mode 0199.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/31/15
36 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Delayed locking can be
programmed through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Vehicle Personalization0122.
Automatic Door Locks
The doors will lock automatically
when all doors are closed, the
ignition is on, and the shift lever is
moved out of P (Park).
To unlock the doors:
.
Press
Kon a door.
. Shift the transmission into
P (Park).
Automatic door unlocking can be
programmed through the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Vehicle Personalization 0122.
Lockout Protection
Keyed Ignition : When locking is
requested with the driver door open
and the key in the ignition, all the
doors will lock and then the driver
door will unlock. This can be manually overridden by
pressing and holding
Qon the
power door lock switch.
Pushbutton Start : When locking
is requested with the driver door
open and the vehicle is in ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN/START,
all the doors will lock and then the
driver door will unlock.
If the vehicle is off and locking is
requested while a door is open,
when all doors are closed the
vehicle will check for RKE
transmitters inside. If an RKE
transmitter is detected and the
number of RKE transmitters inside
has not reduced, the driver door will
unlock.
This can be manually overridden by
pressing and holding
Qon the
power door lock switch.
Open/Unlocked Door Anti Lockout
If equipped with Keyless Access,
Open/Unlocked Door Anti Lockout,
when on, will unlock the driver door
if locking is requested while the
driver door is open. This feature can be turned on or off using the vehicle
personalization menus. See
Vehicle
Personalization 0122.
Safety Locks
The rear door safety locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from inside the vehicle.
Manual Safety Locks
If equipped, the safety lock is
located on the inside edge of the
rear doors. To use the safety lock:
1. Insert the key into the safety lock slot and turn it so the slot
is in the horizontal position.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Instruments and Controls 121
SeeTires 0260, Vehicle Load
Limits 0183, and Tire Pressure
0 267.
More than one tire pressure
message can be received at a time.
The DIC also shows the tire
pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) 0112.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays if there is a
problem with the transmission. See
your dealer.
SHIFT DENIED
This message displays when
attempting to use the automatic
transmission manual mode to shift
to too low or too high of a gear. See
Manual Mode 0199.
SHIFT TO PARK
This message displays when the
transmission needs to be shifted to
P (Park). This may appear when
turning the ignition off or removing
the key from the vehicle if the
vehicle is not in P (Park).
TRANSMISSION HOT —IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays and a chime
sounds if the transmission fluid in
the vehicle gets hot. Driving with the
transmission fluid temperature high
can cause damage to the vehicle.
Stop the vehicle and let it idle to
allow the transmission to cool. This
message clears when the fluid
temperature reaches a safe level.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message displays when ice
conditions are possible.
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
windshield washer fluid is low. Fill
the windshield washer reservoir as
soon as possible. See Engine
Compartment Overview 0229 for the location of the windshield
washer reservoir. Also, see
Washer
Fluid 0239 for more information.
Window Messages
OPEN, THEN CLOSE DRIVER/
PASSENGER WINDOW
This message is displayed when the
window needs to be reprogrammed.
If the vehicle's battery has been
recharged or disconnected, you will
need to program each front window
for the express-up feature to work.
See Power Windows 044.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
176 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 180
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 181
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 183
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 187
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 197
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 201
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Driver Assistance Systems
Rear Vision Camera (RVC) . . . 206
Parking Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 216
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
188 Driving and Operating
When the vehicle is shifted into
P (Park), the ignition system will
switch to OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition to OFF. On vehicles
with an automatic transmission,
the shift lever must be in
P (Park) to turn the ignition
switch to the OFF position. 4. Set the parking brake. See
Parking Brake 0200.
{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,
press and hold the ENGINE START/
STOP button for longer than
two seconds, or press twice in
five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (Amber
Indicator Light) : This mode allows
you to use some electrical
accessories when the engine is off.
With the ignition off, pressing the
button one time without the brake
pedal applied will place the ignition
system in ACC/ACCESSORY. The ignition will switch from ACC/
ACCESSORY to OFF after
five minutes to prevent battery
run down.
ON/RUN/START (Green Indicator
Light) :
This mode is for driving and
starting. With the ignition off, and
the brake pedal applied, pressing
the button once will place the
ignition system in ON/RUN/START.
Once engine cranking begins,
release the button. Engine cranking
will continue until the engine starts.
See Starting the Engine 0191. The
ignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available for
service and diagnostics, and to
verify the proper operation of the
malfunction indicator lamp as may
be required for emission inspection
purposes. With the vehicle off, and
the brake pedal not applied,
pressing and holding the button for
more than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.
The instruments and audio systems
will operate as they do in ON/RUN,
but the vehicle will not be able to be

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Driving and Operating 189
driven. The engine will not start in
Service Only Mode. Push the button
again to turn the vehicle off.
Ignition Positions (Key
Access)
The ignition switch has four different
positions.
Caution
Using a tool to force the key to
turn in the ignition could cause
damage to the switch or break the(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
key. Use the correct key, make
sure it is all the way in, and turn it
only with your hand. If the key
cannot be turned by hand, see
your dealer.
The key must be fully extended to
start the vehicle.
To shift out of P (Park), turn the
ignition to ON/RUN and apply the
brake pedal.
0 (STOPPING THE ENGINE/LOCK/
OFF) : When the vehicle is stopped,
turn the ignition switch to LOCK/
OFF to turn the engine off. Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) will remain
active. See Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) 0194.
This is the only position from which
the key can be removed. This locks
the ignition and automatic
transmission. Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems, and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to
a safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF. On
vehicles with an automatic
transmission, the shift lever
must be in P (Park) to turn the
ignition switch to the LOCK/
OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake 0200.

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