
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Instruments and Controls 143
SERVICE STABILITRAK
This message displays if there is a
problem with the StabiliTrak system.
If this message appears, try to reset
the system. Stop; turn off the engine
for at least 15 seconds; then start
the engine again. If this message
still comes on, it means there is a
problem. See your dealer for
service. The vehicle is safe to drive;
however, you do not have the
benefit of StabiliTrak, so reduce
your speed and drive accordingly.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIRBAG
This message displays if there is a
problem with the airbag system. See
your dealer for service.
Security Messages
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the vehicle
detects a tamper condition.
Service Vehicle Messages
SERVICE AC SYSTEM
This message displays if there is a
problem with the air conditioning
system. Take the vehicle to your
dealer for service.
SERVICE KEYLESS START
SYSTEM
This message is displayed if there is
a problem with the pushbutton start
system. Take the vehicle to your
dealer for service.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays if there is a
problem with the vehicle. Take the
vehicle to your dealer for service.
Steering System
Messages
SERVICE POWER STEERING
This message displays and a chime
may sound when there may be a
problem with the power steering
system. If this message displays
and a reduction in steeringperformance or loss of power
steering assistance is noticed, see
your dealer.
STEERING ASSIST IS
REDUCED DRIVE WITH CARE
This message can appear for
several reasons. Take the vehicle to
your dealer if the problem persists.
Starting the Vehicle
Messages
INITIALIZING
—WAIT TO
SHIFT
In extreme cold temperatures the
hybrid vehicle can take up to
30 seconds to start. Wait to shift
from P (Park) while the vehicle is
starting.
PRESS BRAKE TO START
This message displays when
attempting to start the vehicle
without first pressing the brake
pedal. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
152 Instruments and Controls
Select Low, Medium, or High.
Auto Defog
This allows the climate control
system to prevent fog on the inside
of the windows. See“Auto Defog”in
Dual Automatic Climate Control
System 0209
ii.
Select Off or On.
Auto Rear Defog
This allows the rear window
defogger to turn on automatically
when the interior temperature is cold
and the outside temperature is
about 7 °C (44 °F) and below. See
“Rear Window Defogger” inDual
Automatic Climate Control System
0 209
ii.
Select Off or On.
Collision/Detection Systems
Select and the following may
display:
. Auto Collision Preparation
. Front Pedestrian Detection
. Park Assist
. Rear Cross Traffic Alert .
Go Notifier
. Lane Change Alert
Auto Collision Preparation
This feature will turn on or off the
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) and
Front Automatic Braking (FAB). The
Off setting disables all FCA and
FAB functions. With the Alert and
Brake setting, both FCA and FAB
are available. The Alert setting
disables FAB, but if the vehicle has
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC),
some last-second automatic braking
capability is still provided, though
less likely to occur. See Front
Automatic Braking (FAB) System
0 259ii.
Select Off, Alert, or Alert and Brake.
Front Pedestrian Detection
This feature may help avoid or
reduce the harm caused by
front-end crashes with nearby
pedestrians.
See Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
System 0261
ii.
Select Off, Alert, or Alert and Brake. Park Assist
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See
Assistance Systems
for Parking or Backing 0253
ii.
Select Off or On.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See Assistance Systems
for Parking or Backing 0253
ii.
Select Off or On.
Go Notifier
This feature will give a reminder that
Adaptive Cruise Control provides
when it has brought the vehicle to a
complete stop behind another
stopping vehicle, and then that
vehicle drives on. See Adaptive
Cruise Control 0246
ii.
Select Off or On.
Lane Change Alert
This allows the feature to be turned
on or off. See Lane Change Alert
(LCA) 0263
ii.
Select Off or On. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Infotainment System 195
Settings
Teen Driver
If equipped, this allows multiple
keys to be registered for beginner
drivers, to encourage safe driving
habits. When the vehicle is started
with a Teen Driver key, it will
automatically activate certain safety
systems, allow setting of some
features, and limit the use of others.
The Report Card will record vehicle
data about driving behavior that can
be viewed later. When the vehicle is
started with a registered key, the
Driver Information Center (DIC)
displays a message that Teen Driver
is active.
To activate:1. From the Home screen, touch the Settings menu, then touch
Teen Driver.
2. Create a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Touch Teen
Driver, then choose a four-digit
PIN. Re-enter the PIN to
confirm. To change the PIN,
select Change PIN. The PIN is required to:
.
Register or unregister keys.
. Change Teen Driver
settings.
. Change or clear the Teen
Driver PIN.
. Access or delete Report
Card data.
3. Register a key. Any key can be registered, up to a maximum of
eight keys. Label the key to tell
it apart from the other keys.
For a pushbutton start system:
1. Start the engine.
2. For automatic transmissions, the vehicle must be in P (Park).
For manual transmissions, the
vehicle must be stopped with
the parking brake set.
3. From the Settings menu, select Teen Driver.
4. Enter the PIN. 5. Place the Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter key in
the transmitter pocket. See
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation 031iifor
transmitter pocket location.
6. From the Teen Driver Menu, select Key Registration.
.If no transmitter key is
detected, place the key in
the transmitter pocket and
select Key Registration
again.
. If the transmitter key is in
the transmitter pocket, it will
identify whether the
transmitter key is registered
or unregistered.
‐If the transmitter key is
not registered, the
option to register
displays. Select
Register and a
confirmation message
displays.
‐ If the transmitter key is
already registered, the
option to unregister 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
196 Infotainment System
displays. If Unregister is
selected, the transmitter
key is no longer
registered and a
confirmation message
displays.
In vehicles with a pushbutton start
system, if a Teen Driver transmitter
key and a non-Teen Driver
transmitter key are both present at
start up, the vehicle will recognize
the non-Teen Driver transmitter key
to start the vehicle. The Teen Driver
settings will not be active.
For a keyed ignition system: 1. Start the engine.
2. For automatic transmissions, the vehicle must be in P (Park).
For manual transmissions, the
vehicle must be stopped with
the parking brake set.
3. From the Settings menu, select Teen Driver.
4. Enter the PIN. 5. Select Key Registration. The
system displays instructions for
registering or unregistering a
key. A confirmation message
displays.
Manage Settings
Use the PIN to change the following
settings:
Audio Volume Limit : Allows a
maximum radio volume to be set.
Teen Driver Speed Warning :
Allows for setting a visual and
audible warning when a certain
speed is exceeded. The speed
warning is selectable from 64 km/h
(40 mph) to 121 km/h (75 mph). The
speed warning does not limit the
speed of the vehicle.
When Teen Driver is Active:
. The radio will mute when the
driver safety belt is not fastened,
and in some vehicles, when the
right front passenger safety belt
is not fastened.
. Certain electronic devices
placed on the front passenger
seat could cause the passenger sensing system to falsely sense
an unbuckled front passenger
and mute the radio. See
Passenger Sensing System
0
75
ii.
. Some vehicle features, such as
Park Assist, if equipped, cannot
be turned off.
. The gap setting for the Forward
Collision Alert and Adaptive
Cruise Control, if equipped,
cannot be changed.
Report Card
The vehicle owner must secure the
driver ’s consent to record certain
vehicle data when the vehicle is
driven with a registered Teen Driver
key. There is one Report Card per
vehicle. Data is not recorded when
Teen Driver is not active.
The Report Card data is collected
from the time Teen Driver is
activated or the last time the Report
Card was reset. The following items
may be recorded:
. Distance Driven –the total
distance driven. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Infotainment System 197
.Maximum Speed –the maximum
vehicle speed recorded.
. Overspeed Warnings –the
number of times the speed
warning setting was exceeded.
. Forward Collision Alerts –the
number of times the driver was
notified when approaching a
vehicle ahead too quickly and at
potential risk for a crash.
. Forward Collision Avoidance
Braking –Also referred to as
Front Automatic Braking, this is
the number of times the vehicle
detected that a forward collision
was imminent and applied the
brakes.
. Stability Control –the number of
events which required the use of
electronic stability control.
. ABS Active –the number of
Antilock Brake System
activations.
Delete Report Card Data
Data is saved for all trips until the
data is deleted using the PIN or until
the maximum count is exceeded. Each item will report a maximum of
1,000 counts. The distance driven
will report a maximum of 64,374 km
(40,000 mi).
To delete Report Card data, do one
of the following:
.
From the Report Card screen,
select Reset.
. Select Clear All Teen Keys/PIN
from the Teen Driver menu. This
will also unregister any Teen
Driver key and delete the PIN.
Forgotten PIN
See your dealer to reset the PIN.Bluetooth Phone/
Devices
Pictures and Movies
(Audio System with
Touchscreen)
The infotainment system can play
the music files contained in the USB
storage device or iPod/iPhone
products.
Audio System Information
Using MP3/WMA/OGG/WAV Files
. Music files with .mp3, .wma,
.ogg, and .wav file name
extensions can be played.
. MP3 files that can be played are:
Bit rate: 8 kbps to 320 kbps -
Sampling frequency: 48 kHz,
44.1 kHz, 32 kHz, 24 kHz, 22.05
kHz, and 16 kHz.
. Files with a bit rate above
128 kbps will result in higher
quality sound.
. ID3 Tag information for MP3
files, such as the album name
and the artist, can be played. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 215
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 219
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 220
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 222
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 226
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 234
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 238
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 240
Regenerative Braking (Hybrid Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 246
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 253
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 253 Assistance Systems for
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Front Automatic Braking (FAB)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 263
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 265
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
California Fuel Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 269
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
Driving and Operating 217
Refer to the Infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts
0 63
ii.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
. Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time. Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.
Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push. 

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
9087641) - 2016 - crc - 9/3/15
218 Driving and Operating
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time, power
assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See specific vehicle steering
messages underService Vehicle
Messages 0143
ii. See your dealer if
there is a problem.
Curve Tips
. Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
. Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.