Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
206 Climate Controls
Air Delivery Mode Controls :Press the air delivery mode buttonsto change the direction of theairflow. The indicator light in theselected button will turn on. Thecurrent mode appears in the displayscreen.
To c h a n g e t h e c u r r e n t m o d e , s e l e c tone or more of the following modes:
0:Clears the windows of fog ormoisture. Air is directed to thewindshield.
{:Air is directed to theinstrument panel outlets.
z:Air is directed to the flooroutlets.
0MAX :Air is directed to thewindshield and the fan runs at ahigher speed. This mode overridesthe previous mode selected andclears fog or frost from thewindshield more quickly. When thebutton is pressed again, the systemreturns to the previous mode settingand fan speed.
For best results, clear all snow andice from the windshield beforedefrosting.
A/C :Press to turn the airconditioning system on or off. If thefan control is turned off or theoutside temperature falls belowfreezing, the air conditioner willnot run.
A/C (Max/Eco A/C For Stop/StartVehicles) :Press to cycle betweenthe max, eco, and off airconditioning modes. The indicatorwill be lit in max and eco modes andturns off when there is no A/Cfunction. If the fan is turned off, theair conditioner will not run and theindicator light will turn off.
For max a/c, press A/C. Theindicator will turn amber. Auto stopswill occur less frequently, be shorter,and will not occur in extremely warmweather.
For eco a/c, press A/C again. Theindicator will turn green. This settingbalances fuel economy and airconditioning comfort. In warmweather conditions, auto stops mayoccur more frequently, last longer,and the vehicle interior may bewarmer during auto stops ascompared to the max a/c setting.
This setting allows higher humidityinside the vehicle and windowfogging may occur before theengine restarts.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.An indicator light comes on. Air isrecirculated to quickly cool theinside of the vehicle or to reduce theentry of outside air and odors.
Auto Defog :The climate controlsystem may have a sensor toautomatically detect high humidityinside the vehicle. When highhumidity is detected, the climatecontrol system may adjust tooutside air supply and turn on theair conditioner. If the climate controlsystem does not detect possiblewindow fogging, it returns to normaloperation.
To t u r n A u t o D e f o g o f f o r o n , s e e“Climate and Air Quality”underVehicle Personalization0147.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
210 Climate Controls
A/C (Max/Eco A/C For Stop/StartVehicles) :Press to cycle betweenthe max, eco, and off airconditioning modes. The indicatorwill be lit in max and eco modes andturns off when there is no A/Cfunction. If the fan is turned off, theair conditioner will not run and theindicator light will turn off.
Press AUTO to return to automaticoperation and the air conditionerruns automatically as needed. WithStop/Start vehicles, the A/C willreturn to eco a/c operation.
For max a/c, press A/C. Theindicator will turn amber. Auto stopswill occur less frequently, be shorter,and will not occur in extremely warmweather.
For eco a/c, press A/C again. Theindicator will turn green. This settingbalances fuel economy and airconditioning comfort. In warmweather conditions, auto stops mayoccur more frequently, last longer,and the vehicle interior may bewarmer during auto stops ascompared to the max a/c setting.This setting allows higher humidity
inside the vehicle and windowfogging may occur before theengine restarts.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.An indicator light comes on. Air isrecirculated to quickly cool theinside of the vehicle or to reduce theentry of outside air and odors.
If selected during cool or coldweather, the windshield andwindows may fog. Turn offrecirculation to help clear thewindshield and windows.
Auto Defog :The climate controlsystem may have a sensor toautomatically detect high humidityinside the vehicle. When highhumidity is detected, the climatecontrol system may adjust tooutside air supply and turn on theair conditioner. The fan speed mayslightly increase to help preventfogging. If the climate controlsystem does not detect possiblewindow fogging, it returns to normaloperation.
To t u r n A u t o D e f o g o f f o r o n , s e e“Climate and Air Quality”underVehicle Personalization0147.
Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear windowdefogger on or off. An indicator lighton the button comes on to show thatthe rear window defogger is on. Therear window defogger only workswhen the ignition is in ON/RUN. Thedefogger turns off when the ignitionis placed in the ACC/ACCESSORYor LOCK/OFF position.
The upper lines on the rear windoware antenna grids and are notintended to defrost the glass.
The rear window defogger can beset to automatic operation. See“Climate and Air Quality”underVehicle Personalization0147.When Auto Rear Defog is selected,the rear window defogger turns onautomatically when the interiortemperature is cold and the outsidetemperature is about 7 °C (44 °F)and below. The auto rear defoggerturns off automatically.
If the vehicle is equipped withheated outside rearview mirrors,they turn on when the rear window
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 225
{Warning
Things inside the vehicle can
strike and injure people in a
sudden stop or turn, or in a
crash.
.Put things in the cargo
area of the vehicle. In the
cargo area, put them as
far forward as possible.
Try to spread the weight
evenly.
.Never stack heavier
things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle so that
some of them are above
the tops of the seats.
.Do not leave an
unsecured child restraint
in the vehicle.
.Secure loose items in the
vehicle.
.Do not leave a seat
folded down unless
needed.
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Caution
The vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will
perform better in the long run if
you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any oneconstant speed, fast or slow,for the first 805 km (500 mi).Do not make full-throttlestarts. Avoid downshifting tobrake or slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops forthe first 322 km (200 mi) orso. During this time the newbrake linings are not yetbroken in. Hard stops withnew linings can meanpremature wear and earlierreplacement. Follow this
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
breaking-in guideline everytime you get new brakelinings.
Following break-in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The vehicle has an electronickeyless ignition with pushbuttonstart.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
226 Driving and Operating
Pressing the button cycles it throughthree modes: ACC/ACCESSORY,ON/RUN/START, and Stopping theEngine/LOCK/OFF.
The RKE transmitter must be in thevehicle for the system to operate.If the pushbutton start is notworking, the vehicle may be near astrong radio antenna signal causinginterference to the Keyless Accesssystem. SeeRemote Keyless Entry(RKE) System Operation032.
To s h i f t o u t o f P ( P a r k ) , t h e v e h i c l emust be in ACC/ACCESSORY orON/RUN and the brake pedal mustbe applied.
Stopping the Engine/LOCK/OFF (No Indicator Lights) :Whenthe vehicle is stopped, pressENGINE START/STOP once to turnthe engine off.
If the vehicle is in P (Park), theignition will turn off, and RetainedAccessory Power (RAP) will remainactive. SeeRetained AccessoryPower (RAP)0230.
If the vehicle is not in P (Park), theignition will return to ACC/ACCESSORY and display themessage SHIFT TO PARK in theDriver Information Center (DIC).SeeTr a n s m i s s i o n M e s s a g e s0146.When the vehicle is shifted intoP(Park), the ignition system willswitch to OFF.
Do not turn the engine off when thevehicle is moving. This will cause aloss of power assist in the brakeand steering systems and disablethe airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in anemergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump thebrakes repeatedly. This maydeplete power assist, requiringincreased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral).This can be done while thevehicle is moving. After shiftingto N (Neutral), firmly apply thebrakes and steer the vehicle toasafelocation.
3. Come to a complete stop, shiftto P (Park), and turn theignition to OFF. On vehicleswith an automatic transmission,the shift lever must be inP(Park) to turn the ignitionswitch to the OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. SeeParking Brake0237.
{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 overand must be shut off while driving,press and hold ENGINE START/STOP for longer than two seconds,or press twice in five seconds.
ACC/ACCESSORY (AmberIndicator Light) :This mode allowsyou to use some electricalaccessories when the engine is off.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 227
With the ignition off, pressing thebutton one time without the brakepedal applied will place the ignitionsystem in ACC/ACCESSORY.
The ignition will switch from ACC/ACCESSORY to OFF afterfive minutes to prevent batteryrun down.
ON/RUN/START (Green IndicatorLight) :This mode is for driving andstarting. With the ignition off, andthe brake pedal applied, pressingthe button once will place theignition system in ON/RUN/START.Once engine cranking begins,release the button. Engine crankingwill continue until the engine starts.SeeStarting the Engine0227.Theignition will then remain in ON/RUN.
Service Only Mode
This power mode is available forservice and diagnostics, and toverify the proper operation of themalfunction indicator lamp as maybe required for emission inspectionpurposes. With the vehicle off, andthe brake pedal not applied,pressing and holding the button formore than five seconds will place
the vehicle in Service Only Mode.The instruments and audio systemswill operate as they do in ON/RUN,but the vehicle will not be able to bedriven. The engine will not start inService Only Mode. Press thebutton again to turn the vehicle off.
Starting the Engine
Move the shift lever to P (Park) orN(Neutral). The engine will not startin any other position. To restart theengine when the vehicle is alreadymoving, use N (Neutral) only.
For hybrid vehicles, the engine willonly start if required for cabinwarming or high voltage batterycharging. The vehicle ready light willbe illuminated when the vehicle isready to be driven.
Caution
Do not try to shift to P (Park) if the
vehicle is moving. If you do, you
could damage the transmission.
Shift to P (Park) only when the
vehicle is stopped.
Caution
If you add electrical parts or
accessories, you could change
the way the engine operates. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
SeeAdd-On Electrical
Equipment0277.
Starting Procedure
1. With the Keyless Accesssystem, the RKE transmittermust be in the vehicle. PressENGINE START/STOP with thebrake pedal applied. When theengine begins cranking, let goof the button.
The idle speed will go down asthe engine gets warm. Do notrace the engine immediatelyafter starting it.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
228 Driving and Operating
If the RKE transmitter is not inthe vehicle, if there isinterference, or the RKEtransmitter battery is low, theDriver Information Center (DIC)will display a message. SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)(Base Level)0131orDriverInformation Center (DIC)(Uplevel)0134andRemoteKeyless Entry (RKE) SystemOperation032.
Caution
Cranking the engine for long
periods of time, by returning the
ignition to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not startafter five to 10 seconds,especially in very cold weather(below✓18 °C or 0 °F), it couldbe flooded with too much
gasoline. Try pushing theaccelerator pedal all the way tothe floor and holding it there asyou hold ENGINE START/STOP, for up to a maximum of15 seconds. Wait at least15 seconds between each try,to allow the cranking motor tocool down. When the enginestarts, let go of the button andthe accelerator. If the vehiclestarts briefly but then stopsagain, do the same thing. Thisclears the extra gasoline fromthe engine. Do not race theengine immediately afterstarting it. Operate the engineand transmission gently untilthe oil warms up and lubricatesall moving parts.
Hybrid Operation
This vehicle combines gasoline andelectric propulsion. The gasolineengine will automatically start toprovide power and then shut off tosave fuel.
The engine may remainrunning when:
.Accelerating aggressively orclimbing hills.
.Vehicle speed is greater than88 km/h (55 mph).
.Charging the high voltagebattery.
.The heater is being used.
The engine and transmission worktogether to provide propulsionpower at the highest efficiency. Thismay result in higher engine speeds.
Stop/Start System
{Warning
Exiting the vehicle without first
shifting into P (Park) may cause
the vehicle to move. You or others
may be injured. Because the
vehicle has the auto engine stop/
start feature, the vehicle's engine
might seem to be shut off;
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
234 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park0230.
Make sure the shift lever is fully inP(Park) before starting the engine.The vehicle has an automatictransmission shift lock controlsystem. The brake pedal must befully applied, then press the shiftlever button before shifting fromP(Park) while the ignition is in ON/RUN. If the vehicle will not shift outof P (Park), ease pressure on theshift lever and push the shift leverall the way into P (Park) whilemaintaining brake application. Thenmove the shift lever into anothergear. SeeShifting out of Park0231.
R:Use this gear to back up.
Caution
Shifting to R (Reverse) while the
vehicle is moving forward could
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Shift to
R(Reverse) only after the vehicle
is stopped.
To r o c k t h e v e h i c l e b a c k a n d f o r t h t oget out of snow, ice, or sand withoutdamaging the transmission, seeIfthe Vehicle Is Stuck0221.
N:In this position, the engine doesnot connect with the wheels. Torestart the engine when the vehicleis already moving, useN(Neutral) only.
If equipped with the 1.8L Hybridengine and the hood is openedwhile in N (Neutral), the vehicle willshut down. The vehicle will have tobe restarted after closing the hood.
{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
Yo u c o u l d l o s e c o n t r o l a n d h i t
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or
N(Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
For hybrid vehicles, the engine willalways be off while in N (Neutral).The vehicle cannot charge the highvoltage battery while the shift lever
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
242 Driving and Operating
The indicator light for both systemsis in the instrument cluster. Thislight will:
.Flash when TCS is limitingwheel spin.
.Flash when StabiliTrak isactivated.
.Turn on and stay on when eithersystem is not working.
If either system fails to turn on or toactivate, a message displays in theDriver Information Center (DIC),
anddcomes on and stays on to
indicate that the system is inactiveand is not assisting the driver inmaintaining control. The vehicle issafe to drive, but driving should beadjusted accordingly.
Ifdcomes on and stays on:
1. Stop the vehicle.
2. Turn the engine off and wait15 seconds.
3. Start the engine.
Drive the vehicle. Ifdcomes on
and stays on, the vehicle may needmore time to diagnose the problem.If the condition persists, see yourdealer.
Turning the Systems Off
and On
The button for TCS and StabiliTrakis on the center console.
Caution
Do not repeatedly brake or
accelerate heavily when TCS is
off. The vehicle driveline could be
damaged.
To t u r n o f f o n l y T C S , p r e s s a n d
releaseg.Thetractionofflighti
displays in the instrument cluster.
To t u r n T C S o n a g a i n , p r e s s a n d
releaseg.Thetractionofflighti
displayed in the instrument clusterwill turn off.