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
214 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 216Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 217Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 218Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 219Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 221Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 225Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 227Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 231Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 233Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 238Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 240Regenerative Braking(Hybrid Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 245
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 252Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 253
Assistance Systems forDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Forward AutomaticBraking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Front Pedestrian Braking(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Side Blind ZoneAlert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 264Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 266
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 269Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 219
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Watercan build up under the vehicle'stires so they actually ride on thewater. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fastenough. When the vehicle ishydroplaning, it has little or nocontact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule abouthydroplaning. The best advice is toslow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wetweather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wipingequipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluidreservoir filled.
.Have good tires with propertread depth. SeeTires0317.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or throughmountains is different than drivingon flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and ingood shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when goingdown steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.
.Be alert on top of hills;something could be in your lane(e.g., stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special roadsigns (e.g., falling rocks area,winding roads, long grades,passing or no-passing zones)and take appropriate action.
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
Driving and Operating 229
Warning (Continued)
however, once the brake pedal is
released, the engine will start up
again.
Shift to P (Park) and turn the
ignition to LOCK/OFF, before
exiting the vehicle.
If equipped with the 1.5L L4 engine,the vehicle has a fuel saving stop/start system to shut off the engine tohelp conserve fuel.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied andthe vehicle is at a complete stop,the engine may turn off. Whenstopped, the tachometer displaysAUTO STOP. SeeTa c h o m e t e r(Non-Hybrid)011 7.Whenthebrakepedal is released or the acceleratorpedal pushed, the engine willrestart.
Auto Stop may be deactivated if:
.Aminimumvehiclespeedisnotreached.
.The engine or transmission isnot at the required operatingtemperature.
.The outside temperature is notin the required operating range,typically below✓10 °C (14 °F) orabove 50 °C (122 °F).
.The shift lever is in any gearother than D (Drive).
.The battery has been recentlydisconnected.
.The battery charge is low.
.The interior comfort level has notreached the required level forthe climate control system ordefog settings. Use the eco(green indicator on) airconditioning mode for betterefficiency. SeeClimate ControlSystems0205andDualAutomatic Climate ControlSystem0208.
.The Auto Stop time is greaterthan two minutes.
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater,if available, can help in cold weatherconditions at or below✓18 °C (0 °F)for easier starting and better fueleconomy during engine warm-up.Plug in the coolant heater at leastfour hours before starting thevehicle. An internal thermostat inthe plug end of the cord will preventengine coolant heater operation attemperatures above✓18 °C (0 °F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap theelectrical cord.