
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.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Storage 93
Storage
Storage Compartments
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 93
Instrument Panel Storage . . . . . . 93
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Center Console Storage . . . . . . . 94
Additional Storage Features
Cargo Tie-Downs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Storage
Compartments
{Warning
Do not store heavy or sharp
objects in storage compartments.
In a crash, these objects may
cause the cover to open and
could result in injury.
Instrument Panel Storage
Pull the door down to access.
Uplevel
The vehicle may have a storage
area behind the radio display. Slide
the button to the right and release;
the door automatically opens.
Keep the storage area closed when
not in use.
Push the door down to close.
Glove Box
Pull the handle up to open.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
174 Climate Controls
Side Air Vents
Use the thumbwheels to change the
direction of the airflow.
Move the vertical thumbwheels up
or down to open or close off the
airflow.Operation Tips
.
Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
. Keep the paths under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent louvers. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, and
other airborne irritants from outside
air that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as part
of routine scheduled maintenance;
see Maintenance Schedule 0309.
To find out what type of filter to use,
see Maintenance Replacement
Parts 0320.
1. Open the glove box completely.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Climate Controls 175
2. Disconnect the glove box doordampener string from the glove
box door assembly. A pen or
pencil may be inserted through
the end of the dampener string
to prevent the string from
slipping inside the door
assembly.
3. Squeeze both sides of the glove box door to open beyond
the stops.
4. Release the retainer clips (1)holding the service door. Open
the service door and remove
the old filter (2).
5. Install the new air filter. 6. Close the service door and
retainer clips.
7. Reverse the steps to reinstall the glove box.
See your dealer if additional
assistance is needed.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
322 Technical Data
Technical Data
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle IdentificationNumber (VIN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Service Parts Identification Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
Vehicle Data
Capacities andSpecifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323
Engine Drive Belt Routing . . . . 324
Vehicle Identification
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN)
This legal identifier is in the front
corner of the instrument panel, on
the left side of the vehicle. It can be
seen through the windshield from
outside. The VIN also appears on
the Vehicle Certification and Service
Parts labels and certificates of title
and registration.
Engine Identification
The eighth character in the VIN is
the engine code. This code
identifies the vehicle's engine,
specifications, and replacement
parts. See “Engine Specifications”
under Capacities and Specifications
0 323 for the vehicle's engine code.
Service Parts
Identification Label
This label, in either the glove box or
the trunk area, has the following
information:
.
Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN).
. Model designation.
. Paint information.
. Production options and special
equipment.
Do not remove this label from the
vehicle.

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
Index 353
Fuel (cont'd)Filling a Portable Fuel
Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Foreign Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . 111
Requirements, California . . . . . 216
System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253 Engine Compartment FuseBlock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
G
Garage Door Opener . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Gauges
Engine CoolantTemperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Warning Lights and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 General Information
Service and Maintenance . . . . . 308
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
H
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . . . 134
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Headlamps
Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and
Parking Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . 111
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 132
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . .112
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Heated Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Heater
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Heating and Air Conditioning . . . 167
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . 268
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . . . 181
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . . . 201
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . 187, 189
Ignition Transmission LockCheck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Indicator Vehicle Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Infants and Young Children, Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Instrument Panel Storage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . 6

Chevrolet Malibu Limited Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S/Canada-
9086425) - 2016 - crc - 7/30/15
358 Index
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 249, 250
Storage Areas
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . . 93
Storing the Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
System Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139, 338
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Taillamps Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 249, 250 Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . 328
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . 40, 41
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260 All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Pressure Monitor Operation . . 270
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . 269
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Sealant andCompressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
Sealant and Compressor Kit, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Terminology and Definitions . . 264
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277 Tires (cont'd)
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 278
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Towing Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 218
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 218
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 296
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Track Events and Competitive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Trailer
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Transmission Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121