
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Lighting 169
Lighting Features
Entry Lighting
Some exterior lamps and most ofthe interior lamps turn on briefly atnight or in areas with limited lightingwhen the Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) transmitterKbutton is
pressed. SeeRemote Keyless Entry(RKE) System Operation032.Afterabout 30 seconds the exterior lampsturn off, then the dome lamps andremaining interior lamps dim to off.Entry lighting can be disabledmanually by changing the ignitionout of the OFF position, or by
pressing the RKE transmitterQ
button.
This feature can be changed. SeeVehicle Personalization0147.
Exit Lighting
Some exterior lamps and interiorlights come on at night, or in areaswith limited lighting, when the driverdoor is opened after the ignition isturned off. The dome lamp comeson after the ignition is changed to
the OFF position. The exteriorlamps and dome lamp remain on forasetamountoftime,thenautomatically turn off.
The exterior lamps turn offimmediately by turning the exteriorlamp control off.
This feature can be changed. SeeVehicle Personalization0147.
Battery Load
Management
The vehicle has Electric PowerManagement (EPM), whichestimates the battery's temperatureand state of charge. It then adjuststhe voltage for best performanceand extended life of the battery.
When the battery's state of chargeis low, the voltage is raised slightlyto quickly bring the charge back up.When the state of charge is high,the voltage is lowered slightly toprevent overcharging. If the vehiclehas a voltage display on the DriverInformation Center (DIC), you may
see the voltage move up or down.This is normal. If there is a problem,an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged atidle if the electrical loads are veryhigh. This is true for all vehicles.This is because the generator(alternator) may not be spinning fastenough at idle to produce all thepower that is needed for very highelectrical loads.
Ahighelectricalloadoccurswhenseveral of the following are on, suchas: headlamps, high beams, foglamps, rear window defogger,climate control fan at high speed,heated seats, engine cooling fans,trailer loads, and loads plugged intoaccessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessivedischarge of the battery. It does thisby balancing the generator's outputand the vehicle's electrical needs.It can increase engine idle speed togenerate more power, wheneverneeded. It can temporarily reducethe power demands of someaccessories.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Climate Controls 205
Climate Controls
Climate Control Systems
Climate Control Systems . . . . . 205Dual Automatic ClimateControl System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
Air Vents
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment AirFilter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Climate Control Systems
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled withthis system.
1. Fan Control
2. MAX Defrost
3. A/C (Air Conditioning) or Max/Eco Air Conditioning (Stop/Start Only)
4. TEMP (Temperature Control)
5. Driver and Passenger HeatedSeats (If Equipped)
6. Recirculation
7. Air Delivery Mode Controls
8. Rear Window Defogger
TEMP :Turn the knob clockwise orcounterclockwise to increase ordecrease the temperature setting.
^:Turn the knob clockwise orcounterclockwise to increase ordecrease the fan speed or turn thefan off.

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
Climate Controls 207
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. 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 mirrors, they turn onwhen the rear window defoggerbutton is on and help to clear fog orfrost from the surface of the mirror.SeeHeated Mirrors049.
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything
else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
LorM:If equipped, pressLorMto heat the driver or passenger seat.SeeHeated and Ventilated FrontSeats060.
Remote Start Climate ControlOperation :If equipped with remotestart, the climate control systemmay run when the vehicle is startedremotely. The system uses thedriver’sprevioussettingstoheatorcool the inside of the vehicle. Therear defog may come on duringremote start based on cold ambientconditions. The rear defog indicatorlight does not come on during aremote start. The front heated seatswill turn on if it is cold outside. Theheated seat indicator lights do notcome on during a remote start.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
208 Climate Controls
Dual Automatic Climate Control System
The heating, cooling, and ventilation for the vehicle can be controlled withthis system.
1. Driver and PassengerVentilated Seats (If Equipped)
2. Driver and PassengerTe m p e r a t u r e C o n t r o l s
3. MAX Defrost
4. Fan Controls
5. AUTO (Automatic Operation)
6. A/C (Air Conditioning) or Max/Eco Air Conditioning (Stop/Start Only)
7. Driver and Passenger HeatedSeats (If Equipped)
8. SYNC
9. Recirculation
10. Power (On/Off)
11 . A i r D e l i v e r y M o d e C o n t r o l s
12. Rear Window Defogger
Automatic Operation
The system automatically controlsthe fan speed, air delivery, airconditioning, and recirculation inorder to heat or cool the vehicle tothe desired temperature.
When AUTO is lit, all four functionsoperate automatically. Each functioncan also be manually set and theselected setting is displayed.Functions not manually set willcontinue to be automaticallycontrolled, even if the AUTOindicator is not lit.
For automatic operation:
1. Press AUTO.
2. Set the temperature. Allow thesystem time to stabilize. Adjustthe temperature as needed forbest comfort.
To i m p r o v e f u e l e f f i c i e n c y a n d t ocool the vehicle faster with A/C on,the system will automatically turn onrecirculation in warm weather. Therecirculation light will not be lit.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Climate Controls 209
Press@to manually select
recirculation and the indicator lightwill turn on. Press it again to selectoutside air and the indicator light willturn off.
Driver and PassengerTe m p e r a t u r e C o n t r o l s :Thetemperature can be adjustedseparately for the driver and thepassenger. Turn the knob clockwiseor counterclockwise to increase ordecrease the driver or passengertemperature setting.
SYNC :Press to link the passengertemperature settings to the driversetting. The SYNC indicator light willturn on. When the passengersettings are adjusted, the SYNCindicator light turns off.
Manual Operation
O:Press to turn the fan off or on.
^Qor^R:Press to increase ordecrease the fan speed. The fanspeed setting appears on the maindisplay. When the fan speed isdecreased completely, the fan turnsoff. Pressing either button cancels
automatic fan control and the fan iscontrolled manually. Press AUTO toreturn to automatic operation.
Air Delivery Mode Controls :
Press0,d,orcto change
the direction of the airflow. Anycombination of the three buttonscan be selected. The indicator lightin the button will turn on. Thecurrent mode appears in the displayscreen. Pressing any button cancelsautomatic air delivery control andthe direction of the airflow iscontrolled manually. Press AUTO toreturn to automatic operation.
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.
d:Air is directed to the instrumentpanel outlets.
c:Air is directed to the flooroutlets.
0MAX :Air is directed to thewindshield, the fan runs at a higherspeed, and the temperature of theair is increased if not already at
maximum. This mode overrides theprevious mode selected and clearsfog or frost from the windshieldmore quickly. When the button ispressed again, the system returnsto the previous mode setting andfan 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.
Pressing this button cancelsautomatic air conditioning and turnsoff the air conditioner. Press AUTOto return to automatic operation andthe air conditioner runsautomatically as needed. When theindicator light is on, the airconditioner runs automatically tocool the air inside the vehicle or todry the air needed to defog thewindshield faster.

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 217
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric powersteering. It does not have powersteering fluid. Regular maintenanceis not required.
If power steering assist is lost dueto a system malfunction, the vehiclecan be steered, but may requireincreased effort.
See your dealer if there is aproblem.
If the steering wheel is turned until itreaches the end of its travel and isheld against that position for anextended period of time, powersteering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for anextended period of time, powerassist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steeringassist should return when thesystem cools down.
See specific vehicle steeringmessages underService VehicleMessages0145.Seeyourdealerifthere is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Ta k e c u r v e s a t a r e a s o n a b l espeed.
.Reduce speed before entering acurve.
.Maintain a reasonable steadyspeed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out ofthe curve before acceleratinggently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations whensteering around a problem maybe more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of thesteering wheel allows you to turn180 degrees without removingahand.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) allows steering whilebraking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can dropoff the edge of a road onto theshoulder while driving. Followthese tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in theway, steer the vehicle so that itstraddles the edge of thepavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until theright front tire contacts thepavement edge.