2017 CHEVROLET MALIBU instrument panel

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Seats and Restraints 71
Airbag System
The vehicle has the followingairbags:
.Afrontalairbagforthedriver.
.Afrontalairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger.
.Akneeairbagforthedriver.
.Akneeairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger.
.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbag for the driver.
.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbag for the front outboardpassenger.
.Seat-mounted side impactairbags for the second rowoutboard passengers.
.Aroof-railairbagforthedriverand the passenger seateddirectly behind the driver.
.Aroof-railairbagforthefrontoutboard passenger and thepassenger seated directlybehind the front outboardpassenger.
All vehicle airbags have the wordAIRBAG on the trim or on a labelnear the deployment opening.
For frontal airbags, the wordAIRBAG is on the center of thesteering wheel for the driver and onthe instrument panel for the frontoutboard passenger.
For knee airbags, the word AIRBAGis on the lower part of theinstrument panel.
For seat-mounted side impactairbags, the word AIRBAG is on theside of the seatback closest tothe door.
For roof-rail airbags, the wordAIRBAG is on the ceiling or trim.
Airbags are designed to supplementthe protection provided by safetybelts. Even though today's airbagsare also designed to help reducethe risk of injury from the force of aninflating bag, all airbags must inflatevery quickly to do their job.
Here are the most important thingsto know about the airbag system:
{Warning
Yo u c a n b e s e v e r e l y i n j u r e d o r
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?074.
Wearing your safety belt during a
crash helps reduce your 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.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
72 Seats and Restraints
{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
acrash.Alwayswearasafety
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.
{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 Children083or
Infants and Young Children085.
There is an airbag readiness lighton the instrument cluster, whichshows the airbag symbol. Thesystem checks the airbag electricalsystem for malfunctions. The lighttells you if there is an electricalproblem. SeeAirbag ReadinessLight0120for more information.
Where Are the Airbags?
The driver frontal airbag is in thecenter of the steering wheel.
The front outboard passengerfrontal airbag is in the passengerside instrument panel.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Seats and Restraints 75
roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate during a rollover or in asevere frontal impact. Roof-railairbags are not designed to inflate inrear impacts. Both roof-rail airbagswill inflate when either side of thevehicle is struck or if the sensingsystem predicts that the vehicle isabout to roll over on its side, or in asevere frontal impact.
In any particular crash, no one cansay whether an airbag should haveinflated simply because of thevehicle damage or repair costs.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensingsystem sends an electrical signaltriggering a release of gas from theinflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break outof the cover. The inflator, the airbag,and related hardware are all part ofthe airbag module.
For airbag locations, seeWhere Arethe Airbags?072.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal ornear frontal collisions, even beltedoccupants can contact the steeringwheel or the instrument panel. Inmoderate to severe side collisions,even belted occupants can contactthe inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protectionprovided by safety belts bydistributing the force of the impactmore evenly over theoccupant's body.
Rollover capable roof-rail airbagsare designed to help contain thehead and chest of occupants in theoutboard seating positions in thefirst and second rows. The rollovercapable roof-rail airbags aredesigned to help reduce the risk offull or partial ejection in rolloverevents, although no system canprevent all such ejections.
But airbags would not help in manytypes of collisions, primarilybecause the occupant's motion isnot toward those airbags. SeeWhenShould an Airbag Inflate?074.
Airbags should never be regardedas anything more than a supplementto safety belts.
What Will You See after
an Airbag Inflates?
After the frontal, knee, andseat-mounted side impact airbagsinflate, they quickly deflate, soquickly that some people may noteven realize an airbag inflated.Roof-rail airbags may still be at leastpartially inflated for some time afterthey inflate. Some components ofthe airbag module may be hot forseveral minutes. For location of theairbags, seeWhere Are theAirbags?072.
The parts of the airbag that comeinto contact with you may be warm,but not too hot to touch. There maybe some smoke and dust comingfrom the vents in the deflatedairbags. Airbag inflation does not

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Seats and Restraints 81
Athicklayerofadditionalmaterial,such as a blanket or cushion,or aftermarket equipment such asseat covers, seat heaters, and seatmassagers can affect how well thepassenger sensing systemoperates. We recommend that younot use seat covers or otheraftermarket equipment except whenapproved by GM for your specificvehicle. SeeAdding Equipment tothe Airbag-Equipped Vehicle081for more information aboutmodifications that can affect howthe system operates.
The on indicator may be lit if anobject, such as a briefcase,handbag, grocery bag, laptop,or other electronic device is put onan unoccupied seat. If this is notdesired remove the object fromthe seat.
{Warning
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicleshould be serviced. There are partsof the airbag system in severalplaces around the vehicle. Yourdealer and the service manual haveinformation about servicing thevehicle and the airbag system. Topurchase a service manual, seeService Publications OrderingInformation0392.
{Warning
For up to 10 seconds after the
vehicle is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Adding accessories that change thevehicle's frame, bumper system,height, front end, or side sheetmetal, may keep the airbag systemfrom working properly. Theoperation of the airbag system canalso be affected by changing anyparts of the front seats, safety belts,the airbag sensing and diagnosticmodule, steering wheel, instrumentpanel, any of the airbag modules,ceiling or pillar garnish trim, frontsensors, side impact sensors,or airbag wiring.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Instruments and Controls 123
Caution (Continued)
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
affect the vehicle’sabilitytopass
an Emissions Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and
Modifications0280.
If the light is flashing :Amalfunction has been detected thatcould damage the emission controlsystem and increase vehicleemissions. Diagnosis and servicemay be required.
To h e l p p r e v e n t d a m a g e , r e d u c evehicle speed and avoid hardaccelerations and uphill grades.If towing a trailer, reduce theamount of cargo being hauled assoon as possible.
If the light continues to flash, find asafe place to park. Turn the vehicleoff and wait at least 10 secondsbefore restarting the engine. If thelight is still flashing, follow the
previous guidelines and see yourdealer for service as soon aspossible.
If the light is on steady :Amalfunction has been detected.Diagnosis and service may berequired.
Check the following:
.If fuel has been added to thevehicle using the capless funneladapter, make sure that it hasbeen removed. See“Filling theTa n k w i t h a P o r t a b l e G a s C a n”underFilling the Tank0269.The diagnostic system candetect if the adapter has beenleft installed in the vehicle,allowing fuel to evaporate intothe atmosphere. A few drivingtrips with the adapter removedmay turn off the light.
.Poor fuel quality can causeinefficient engine operation andpoor driveability, which may goaway once the engine is warmedup. If this occurs, change thefuel brand. It may require at
least one full tank of the properfuel to turn the light off. SeeFuel0268.
If the light remains on, see yourdealer.
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
If the vehicle requires an EmissionsInspection/Maintenance test, thetest equipment will likely connect tothe vehicle's Data LinkConnector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrumentpanel to the left of the steeringwheel. Connecting devices that arenot used to perform an EmissionsInspection/Maintenance test or toservice the vehicle may affectvehicle operation. SeeAdd-OnElectrical Equipment0277.Seeyour dealer if assistance is needed.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Lighting 163
Lighting
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls . . . . . . . 163Exterior Lamps OffReminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Headlamp High/Low-BeamChanger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Daytime RunningLamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165Automatic HeadlampSystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166Hazard Warning Flashers . . . . . 166Turn and Lane-ChangeSignals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel IlluminationControl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168Reading Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Exit Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169Battery Load Management . . . 169Battery Power Protection . . . . . 170Exterior Lighting BatterySaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lamp Controls
The exterior lamp control is on theinstrument panel to the left of thesteering column.
O:Turns the exterior lamps onand off.
AUTO :Turns the exterior lamps onand off automatically depending onoutside lighting.
;:Turns on the parking lampsincluding all lamps, except theheadlamps.
5:Turns on the headlampstogether with the parking lamps andinstrument panel lights.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Lighting 165
.The other vehicle's lamps cannotbe detected due to denseexhaust, smoke, fog, snow, roadspray, mist, or other airborneobstructions.
.The vehicle's windshield is dirty,cracked, or obstructed bysomething that blocks the viewof the light sensor.
.The vehicle is loaded such thatthe front end points upward,causing the light sensor to aimhigh and not detect headlampsand taillamps.
.Driving on winding or hilly roads.
The IntelliBeam system may need tobe disabled if any of the aboveconditions exist.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
Awarningchimesoundsifthedriverdoor is opened while the ignition isoff and the exterior lamps are on.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
3:Push the turn signal lever awayfrom you and release, to turn thehigh beams on. To return to lowbeams, push the lever again or pullit toward you and release.
This indicator light turns on in theinstrument cluster when thehigh-beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To f l a s h t h e h i g h b e a m s , p u l l t h eturn signal lever toward you, andrelease.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others tosee the front of your vehicle duringthe day. Fully functional DRL arerequired on all vehicles first sold inCanada.
The DRL system comes on indaylight when the followingconditions are met:
.The ignition is on.
.The exterior lamp control is inAUTO, if equipped.
.The light sensor determines it isdaytime.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, the taillamps,sidemarker lamps, instrument panellights, and other lamps will notbe on.
The DRL turn off when the
headlamps are turned toOor(,
or when the ignition is off.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
166 Lighting
Automatic Headlamp
System
The headlamps come onautomatically when the exteriorlamp control is set to AUTO and it isdark enough outside
There is a light sensor on top of theinstrument panel. Do not cover thesensor, otherwise the headlampswill come on when they are notneeded.
The system may also turn on theheadlamps when driving through aparking garage or tunnel.
When it is bright enough outside,the headlamps will turn off or maychange to Daytime RunningLamps (DRL).
The automatic headlamp systemturns off when the exterior lamp
control is turned toOor the ignition
is off.
Lights On with Wipers
If the windshield wipers areactivated in daylight with the engineon, and the exterior lamp control isin AUTO, the headlamps, parkinglamps, and other exterior lampscome on. The transition time for thelamps coming on varies based onwiper speed. When the wipers arenot operating, these lamps turn off.
Move the exterior lamp control toO
or;to disable this feature.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|:Press this button to make thefront and rear turn signal lampsflash on and off. Press again to turnthe flashers off.
The hazard warning flashers turn onautomatically if the airbags deploy.