Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
Vehicle Care 297
{Warning
Using the wrong replacement
wheels, wheel bolts, or wheel
nuts can be dangerous. It could
affect the braking and handling of
the vehicle. Tires can lose air,
and cause loss of control, causing
a crash. Always use the correct
wheel, wheel bolts, and wheel
nuts for replacement.
Caution
The wrong wheel can also cause
problems with bearing life, brake
cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp
aim, bumper height, vehicle
ground clearance, and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and
chassis.
Used Replacement Wheels
{Warning
Replacing a wheel with a used
one is dangerous. How it has
been used or how far it has been
driven may be unknown. It could
fail suddenly and cause a crash.
When replacing wheels, use a
new GM original equipment
wheel.
Tire Chains
{Warning
If the vehicle has 245/45R18 or
245/40R19 size tires, do not use
tire chains. There is not enough
clearance. Tire chains used on a
vehicle without the proper amount
of clearance can cause damage
to the brakes, suspension,
or other vehicle parts. The area
damaged by the tire chains could
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
cause loss of control and a crash.
Use another type of traction
device only if its manufacturer
recommends it for the vehicle's
tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that
manufacturer's instructions. To
avoid vehicle damage, drive slow
and readjust or remove the
traction device if it contacts the
vehicle. Do not spin the wheels. If
traction devices are used, install
them on the front tires.
Caution
If the vehicle is equipped with a
tire size other than 245/45R18 or
245/40R19, use tire chains only
where legal and only when
necessary. Use low profile chains
that add no more than 12 mm
thickness to the tire tread and
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
298 Vehicle Care
Caution (Continued)
inner sidewall. Use chains that
are the proper size for the tires.
Install them on the tires of the
front axle. Don't use chains on the
tires of the rear axle. Tighten
them as tightly as possible with
the ends securely fastened. Drive
slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer's instructions. If the
chains contact the vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If the contact
continues, slow down until it
stops. Driving too fast or spinning
the wheels with chains on will
damage the vehicle.
If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blow out
while driving, especially if the tires
are maintained properly. SeeTires
0276. If air goes out of a tire, it is
much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if there is ever a blowout, here
are a few tips about what to expect
and what to do:If a front tire fails, the flat tire
creates a drag that pulls the vehicle
toward that side. Take your foot off
the accelerator pedal and grip the
steering wheel firmly. Steer to
maintain lane position, and then
gently brake to a stop, well off the
road, if possible.
A rear blowout, particularly on a
curve, acts much like a skid and
may require the same correction as
used in a skid. Stop pressing the
accelerator pedal and steer to
straighten the vehicle. It may be
very bumpy and noisy. Gently brake
to a stop, well off the road,
if possible.
{Warning
Driving on a flat tire will cause
permanent damage to the tire.
Re-inflating a tire after it has been
driven on while severely
underinflated or flat may cause a
blowout and a serious crash.
Never attempt to re-inflate a tire
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
that has been driven on while
severely underinflated or flat.
Have your dealer or an authorized
tire service center repair or
replace the flat tire as soon as
possible.
{Warning
Lifting a vehicle and getting under
it to do maintenance or repairs is
dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
310 Vehicle Care
Warning (Continued)
using accessory locking wheel
nuts. SeeCapacities and
Specifications0343for original
equipment wheel nut torque
specifications.
Caution
Improperly tightened wheel nuts
can lead to brake pulsation and
rotor damage. To avoid expensive
brake repairs, evenly tighten the
wheel nuts in the proper
sequence and to the proper
torque specification. See
Capacities and Specifications
0343for the wheel nut torque
specification.17. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly in
a crisscross sequence, as
shown.
18. Lower the jack all the way and
remove the jack from under the
vehicle.
19. Tighten the wheel nuts firmly
with the wheel wrench.
When reinstalling the wheel cover or
center cap on the full-size tire,
tighten all five plastic caps hand
snug, then tighten them with the
wheel wrench an additional
one-quarter turn.
Caution
Wheel covers will not fit on the
vehicle's compact spare. If you try
to put a wheel cover on the
compact spare, the cover or the
spare could be damaged.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire
and Tools
{Warning
Storing a jack, a tire, or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store all these in
the proper place.
Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and
Tools with a Screw in Fastener
1. Remove the extension bolt
from the foam holder.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
Vehicle Care 311
2. Screw the extension bolt onto
the end of the spare tire stow
bolt by hand.
3. Replace the foam, jack, and
tools in their original storage
location.
4. Remove the insulator pad and
place it over the foam holder to
protect the wheel of the flat tire
from the jack.
5. Place the tire facing down over
the extension bolt.
6. Turn the retainer nut clockwise
to secure the tire.7. Place the floor cover on the
wheel.
The compact spare is for temporary
use only. Replace the compact
spare tire with a full-size tire as
soon as you can.
Compact Spare Tire
{Warning
Driving with more than one
compact spare tire at a time could
result in loss of braking and
handling. This could lead to a
crash and you or others could be
injured. Use only one compact
spare tire at a time.
If this vehicle has a compact spare
tire, it was fully inflated when new;
however, it can lose air over time.
Check the inflation pressure
regularly. It should be 420 kPa
(60 psi).
Stop as soon as possible and check
that the spare tire is correctly
inflated after being installed on thevehicle. The compact spare tire is
designed for temporary use only.
The vehicle will perform differently
with the spare tire installed and it is
recommended that the vehicle
speed be limited to 80 km/h
(50 mph). To conserve the tread of
the spare tire, have the standard tire
repaired or replaced as soon as
convenient and return the spare tire
to the storage area.
When using a compact spare tire,
the AWD (if equipped), ABS, and
Traction Control systems may
engage until the spare tire is
recognized by the vehicle,
especially on slippery roads. Adjust
driving to reduce possible
wheel slip.
Caution
When the compact spare is
installed, do not take the vehicle
through an automatic car wash
with guide rails. The compact
spare can get caught on the rails
which can damage the tire, wheel,
and other parts of the vehicle.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
Index 381
StabiliTrak
OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Start Assist, Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
Start Vehicle, Remote . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Heated Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Stop/Start System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 264, 266
Storage Areas
Center Console . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Umbrella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . . 104
Storing the Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Struts
Gas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Stuck Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Sun Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3System
Engine Air Filter Life . . . . . . . . . . 246
Forward Collision
Alert (FCA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155, 359
Systems
Driver Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
T
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Taillamps
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 264, 266
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . 349
Theft-Deterrent Systems . . . . . . . . . 46
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
All-Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 293
Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Compact Spare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Low Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284, 285Tires (cont'd)
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Pressure Monitor Operation . . 286
Pressure Monitor System . . . . . 285
Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Sealant and Compressor
Kit, Storing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Terminology and Definitions . . 281
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Wheel Alignment and Tire
Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Towing
Driving Characteristics . . . . . . . . 224
Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 223
Recreational Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . 316
Trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
382 Index
Traction
Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . 129
Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Traction Control/Electronic
Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Trailer
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Transmission
Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Fluid, Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Transportation Program,
Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Trunk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Turn and Lane-Change
Signals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Turn Signal
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . 264, 266
U
Umbrella Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . 294
Using This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
V
Vehicle
Alarm System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Canadian Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Vehicle (cont'd)
Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Identification Number (VIN) . . . 342
Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 172
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Personalization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Remote Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . 128
Vehicle Care
Storing the Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . 306
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Vehicle Ready Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Ventilation, Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Visors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . 267
W
Warning
Brake System Light . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Caution and Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Warning (cont'd)
Lane Departure (LDW) . . . . . . . 217
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Warnings
Hazard Flashers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance . . 296
Different Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
When It Is Time for New
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . 92
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Windshield
Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Winter
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . 261
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Wiring, High Voltage Devices . . . 267