Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 6/1/16
24 In Brief
Lane Change Alert (LCA)
If equipped, the LCA system is alane-changing aid that assistsdrivers with avoiding lane changecrashes that occur with movingvehicles in the side blind zone (orspot) areas or with vehicles rapidlyapproaching these areas frombehind. The LCA warning displaywill light up in the correspondingoutside side mirror and will flash ifthe turn signal is on. The Side BlindZone Alert (SBZA) system isincluded as part of the LCA system.
SeeSide Blind Zone Alert (SBZA)0263andLane Change Alert(LCA)0264.
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
If equipped, RVC displays a view ofthe area behind the vehicle on theinfotainment display when thevehicle is shifted into R (Reverse) toaid with parking and low-speedbacking maneuvers.
SeeAssistance Systems for Parkingor Backing0253.
Rear Cross Traffic Alert
(RCTA) System
If equipped, the RCTA system usesatrianglewithanarrowdisplayedon the RVC screen to warn of trafficbehind your vehicle that may crossyour vehicle's path while inR(Reverse). In addition, beeps willsound.
SeeAssistance Systems for Parkingor Backing0253.
Parking Assist
If equipped, Front and Rear ParkingAssist (FRPA) uses sensors on thefront and rear bumpers to assistwith parking and avoiding objectsduring low-speed parkingmaneuvers. It operates at speedsless than 8 km/h (5 mph). Thesystem may display a warningtriangle on the RVC screen and agraphic on the instrument cluster toprovide the object distance. Inaddition, multiple beeps may occurif very close to an object.
SeeAssistance Systems for Parkingor Backing0253.
Automatic Parking
Assist (APA)
If equipped, the APA system helpsto search for and maneuver thevehicle into parallel or perpendicularparking spots using automaticsteering, DIC displays, and beeps.When the vehicle speed is below
30 km/h (18 mph), pressOto
enable the system.
See“Automatic Parking Assist(APA)”underAssistance Systemsfor Parking or Backing0253.
Power Outlets
The accessory power outlets can beused to plug in electrical equipment,such as a cell phone or MP3 player.
There are two accessory poweroutlets:
.One on the center stack belowthe climate control system.
.One on the rear of the centerfloor console.
Open the protective cover to use theaccessory power outlet.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 6/1/16
In Brief 29
E85 or FlexFuel
No E85 or FlexFuel
Gasoline-ethanol fuel blends greaterthan E15 (15% ethanol by volume),such as E85, cannot be used in thisvehicle.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculatesengine oil life based on vehicle useand displays the CHANGE ENGINEOIL SOON message when it is timeto change the engine oil and filter.The oil life system should be resetto 100% only following an oilchange.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Using the DIC controls on theright side of the steering wheel,display REMAINING OIL LIFEon the DIC. SeeDriverInformation Center (DIC) (BaseLevel)0131orDriverInformation Center (DIC)(Uplevel)0134.Whenremaining oil life is low, theCHANGE ENGINE OIL SOONmessage will appear on thedisplay. SeeEngine OilMessages0141.
2. PressVon the DIC controls
and hold down for a fewseconds to clear the CHANGEENGINE OIL SOON messageand reset the oil life at 100%.
Be careful not to reset the oillife display accidentally at anytime other than after the oil ischanged. It cannot be resetaccurately until the next oilchange.
The system is reset when theCHANGE ENGINE OIL SOONmessage is off and the REMAININGOIL LIFE 100% message isdisplayed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System0291.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuelmileage. Here are some driving tipsto get the best fuel economypossible.
.Avoid fast starts and acceleratesmoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoidabrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for longperiods of time.
.When road and weatherconditions are appropriate, usecruise control.
.Always follow posted speedlimits or drive more slowly whenconditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properlyinflated.
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 73
The driver knee airbag is below thesteering column. The front outboardpassenger knee airbag is below theglove box.
Driver Side Shown, Passenger
Side Similar
The seat-mounted side impactairbags for the driver and frontoutboard passenger are in the sideof the seatbacks closest to the door.
The roof-rail airbags for the driver,front outboard passenger, andsecond row outboard passengersare in the ceiling above the sidewindows.
Rear Seat Driver Side Shown,
Passenger Side Similar
On vehicles with second rowseat-mounted side impact airbags,they are in the sides of the rearseatback closest to the door.
{Warning
If something is between an
occupant and an airbag, the
airbag might not inflate properly
or it might force the object into
that person causing severe injury
or even death. The path of an
inflating airbag must be kept
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
74 Seats and Restraints
Warning (Continued)
clear. Do not put anything
between an occupant and an
airbag, and do not attach or put
anything on the steering wheel
hub or on or near any other
airbag covering.
Do not use seat accessories that
block the inflation path of a
seat-mounted side impact airbag.
Never secure anything to the roof
of a vehicle with roof-rail airbags
by routing a rope or tie⇣down
through any door or window
opening. If you do, the path of an
inflating roof-rail airbag will be
blocked.
When Should an Airbag
Inflate?
This vehicle is equipped withairbags. SeeAirbag System071.Airbags are designed to inflate if theimpact exceeds the specific airbagsystem's deployment threshold.Deployment thresholds are used to
predict how severe a crash is likelyto be in time for the airbags toinflate and help restrain theoccupants. The vehicle haselectronic sensors that help theairbag system determine theseverity of the impact. Deploymentthresholds can vary with specificvehicle design.
Frontal airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe frontalor near frontal crashes to helpreduce the potential for severeinjuries, mainly to the driver's orfront outboard passenger's headand chest.
Whether the frontal airbags will orshould inflate is not based primarilyon how fast the vehicle is traveling.It depends on what is hit, thedirection of the impact, and howquickly the vehicle slows down.
Frontal airbags may inflate atdifferent crash speeds depending onwhether the vehicle hits an objectstraight on or at an angle, andwhether the object is fixed ormoving, rigid or deformable, narrowor wide.
Frontal airbags are not intended toinflate during vehicle rollovers, rearimpacts, or in many side impacts.
In addition, the vehicle hasadvanced technology frontalairbags. Advanced technologyfrontal airbags adjust the restraintaccording to crash severity.
Knee airbags are designed to inflatein moderate to severe frontal ornear frontal impacts. Knee airbagsare not designed to inflate duringvehicle rollovers, in rear impacts,or in many side impacts.
Seat-mounted side impact airbagsare designed to inflate in moderateto severe side crashes dependingon the location of the impact.Seat-mounted side impact airbagsare not designed to inflate in frontalimpacts, near frontal impacts,rollovers, or rear impacts.Aseat-mountedsideimpactairbagis designed to inflate on the side ofthe vehicle that is struck.
Roof-rail airbags are designed toinflate in moderate to severe sidecrashes depending on the locationof the impact. In addition, these
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
76 Seats and Restraints
prevent the driver from seeing out ofthe windshield or being able to steerthe vehicle, nor does it preventpeople from leaving the vehicle.
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there
may be dust in the air. This dust
could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of
asthma or other breathing trouble.
To a v o i d t h i s , e v e r y o n e i n t h e
vehicle should get out as soon as
it is safe to do so. If you have
breathing problems but cannot
get out of the vehicle after an
airbag inflates, then get fresh air
by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing
problems following an airbag
deployment, you should seek
medical attention.
The vehicle has a feature that mayautomatically unlock the doors, turnon the interior lamps and hazardwarning flashers, and shut off thefuel system after the airbags inflate.
The feature may also activate,without airbag inflation, after anevent that exceeds a predeterminedthreshold. You can lock the doors,and turn off the interior lamps, andturn off the hazard warning flashersby using the controls for thosefeatures.
{Warning
Acrashsevereenoughtoinflate
the airbags may have also
damaged important functions in
the vehicle, such as the fuel
system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle
appears to be drivable after a
moderate crash, there may be
concealed damage that could
make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
Use caution if you should attempt
to restart the engine after a crash
has occurred.
Hybrid vehicles have a high voltagebattery and a standard 12-voltbattery. If an airbag inflates or the
vehicle has been in a crash, thevehicle's sensing system may shutdown the high voltage system.When this occurs, the high voltagebattery is disconnected and thevehicle is not charging the 12-voltbattery or the electrical system. Thevehicle may start but it shuts downonce the 12-volt battery is depleted.The airbag readiness light and/orthe 12-volt battery warning light aredisplayed. Before the vehicle can beoperated again, it must be servicedat your dealer.
In many crashes severe enough toinflate the airbag, windshields arebroken by vehicle deformation.Additional windshield breakage mayalso occur from the front outboardpassenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflateonly once. After an airbaginflates, you will need some newparts for the airbag system.If you do not get them, theairbag system will not be thereto help protect you in anothercrash. A new system will includeairbag modules and possibly