Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
224 Driving and Operating
Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips
{Warning
You can lose control when towing
a trailer if the correct equipment is
not used or the vehicle is not
driven properly. For example,
if the trailer is too heavy or the
trailer brakes are inadequate for
the load, the vehicle may not stop
as expected. You and others
could be seriously injured. The
vehicle may also be damaged,
and the repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Pull a trailer only if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer
with the vehicle.
Driving with a Trailer
Trailering is different than just
driving the vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes inhandling, acceleration, braking,
durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering takes
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly.
The following information has many
time-tested, important trailering tips
and safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Read this section
carefully before pulling a trailer.
When towing a trailer:
.
Become familiar with and follow
all state and local laws that
apply to trailer towing. These
requirements vary from state to
state.
.
State laws may require the use
of extended side view mirrors.
Even if not required, you should
install extended side view
mirrors if your visibility is limited
or restricted while towing.
.
Do not tow a trailer during the
first 800 km (500 mi) of vehicle
use to prevent damage to the
engine, axle, or other parts..
It is recommended to perform
the first oil change before heavy
towing.
.
During the first 800 km (500 mi)
of trailer towing, do not drive
over 80 km/h (50 mph) and do
not make starts at full throttle.
.
Vehicles can tow in D (Drive).
If the transmission downshifts
too often, a lower gear may be
selected using Manual Mode
SeeManual Mode0186.
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be
turned off when towing a trailer:
.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC)
.
Super Cruise Control
.
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
.
Park Assist
.
Automatic Parking Assist (APA)
.
Reverse Automatic
Braking (RAB)
If equipped, the following driver
assistance features should be
turned to alert or off when towing a
trailer:
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
Driving and Operating 225
.
Forward Automatic Braking
System (FAB)
.
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)
.
Front Pedestrian Braking (FPB)
If equipped with Lane Change Alert
(LCA), the LCA detection zones that
extend back from the side of the
vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed. Use caution
while changing lanes when towing a
trailer.
If equipped with Rear Cross Traffic
Alert (RCTA), use caution while
backing up when towing a trailer, as
the RCTA detection zones that
extend out from the back of the
vehicle do not move further back
when a trailer is towed.
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death
from carbon monoxide (CO),
when towing a trailer:
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.
Do not drive with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch,
or rear-most window open.
.
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.
Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air.
See“Climate Control
Systems”in the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, seeEngine
Exhaust0184.
Towing a trailer requires experience.
The combination of the vehicle and
trailer is longer and not as
responsive as the vehicle itself. Get
used to the handling and braking of
the combination by driving on a
level road surface before driving on
public roads.The trailer structure, the tires, and
the brakes must be all be rated to
carry the intended cargo.
Inadequate trailer equipment can
cause the combination to operate in
an unexpected or unsafe manner.
Before driving, inspect all trailer
hitch parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires, and mirrors. SeeTowing
Equipment0229. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start the
combination moving and then
manually apply the trailer brake
controller to check that the trailer
brakes work. During the trip,
occasionally check that the cargo
and trailer are secure and that the
lamps and any trailer brakes are
working.
Towing with a Stability Control
System
When towing, the stability control
system might be heard. The system
reacts to vehicle movement caused
by the trailer, which mainly occurs
during cornering. This is normal
when towing heavier trailers.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
Index 377
How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
HVAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156, 159
I
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Immobilizer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Indicator
Pedestrian Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Vehicle Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Infants and Young Children,
Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Information
Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Publication Ordering . . . . . . . . . . 355
Infotainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . 115, 116
Instrument Panel Overview . . . . . . . 6
Interior Rearview Mirrors . . . . . . . . . 49
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
J
Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
K
Keyless Entry
Remote (RKE) System . . . . . . . . . 30
Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall . . . . . . . . . . 278
Lamps
Courtesy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Daytime Running (DRL) . . . . . . 149
Dome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Exterior Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Exterior Lighting Battery
Saver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
License Plate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Malfunction Indicator
(Check Engine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . . . 215
Lane Departure
Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . . . 217
Lane Keep Assist Light . . . . . . . . . 128
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70LATCH System
Replacing Parts after a
Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99
LATCH, Lower Anchors and
Tethers for Children . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Lighting
Entry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Exit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Illumination Control . . . . . . . . . . . 151
LED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Lights
Airbag Readiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Brake System Warning . . . . . . . 126
Charging System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Check Engine (Malfunction
Indicator) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Door Ajar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 127
Engine Coolant
Temperature Warning . . . . . . . 130
Engine Oil Pressure . . . . . . . . . . 131
Flash-to-Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
High-Beam On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
High/Low Beam Changer . . . . . 149
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
378 Index
Lights (cont'd)
Lane Keep Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Low Fuel Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . 122
Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Service Electric Parking
Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
StabiliTrak OFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Traction Control System
(TCS)/StabiliTrak . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Traction Off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Vehicle Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Locks
Automatic Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Lockout Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Power Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . 131
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Lower Anchors and Tethers
for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57M
Maintenance
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Maintenance and Care
Additional . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
Maintenance Schedule . . . . . . . . . 329
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . 124
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Memory Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Messages
Engine Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Vehicle Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Mirrors
Automatic Dimming
Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Convex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Folding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Heated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Manual Rearview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Tilt in Reverse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Mirrors, Interior Rearview . . . . . . . . 49
Monitor System, Tire
Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 285
N
Navigation
Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . 368
Net, Convenience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . . . 176
O
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .119
Off-Road
Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 168
Oil
Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 245
Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Older Children, Restraints . . . . . . . 86
Online Owner Center . . . . . . . . . . . 349
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
OnStar Additional
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
OnStar Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
OnStar Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
OnStar Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Outlets
Power . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
Overheating, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
380 Index
Restraints
Where to Put . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Reverse Tilt Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Roads
Driving, Wet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169
Roadside Assistance
Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Roof
Sunroof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Rotation, Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
Routing, Engine Drive Belt . . . . . . 345
Running the Vehicle While
Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
S
Safety Defects Reporting
Canadian Government . . . . . . . . 357
General Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
U.S. Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Safety Signal
Pedestrian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . . . 352
Sealant Kit, Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Seat Belts (cont'd)
Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
How to Wear Seat Belts
Properly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Replacing after a Crash . . . . . . . . 73
Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . 72
Seats
Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Heated and Ventilated Front . . . . 62
Heated, Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Lumbar Adjustment, Front . . . . . . 57
Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Power Adjustment, Front . . . . . . . 57
Rear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Securing Child Restraints . . . 99, 101
Security
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 362
Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Vehicle Alarm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Accessories and
Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234Service (cont'd)
Climate Control System . . . . . . . 156
Doing Your Own Work . . . . . . . . 235
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 341
Maintenance, General
Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 327
Parts Identification Label . . . . . 342
Scheduling Appointments . . . . . 352
Service Electric Parking
Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Services
Special Application . . . . . . . . . . . 334
Servicing the Airbag . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Shift Lock Control Function
Check, Automatic
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Shifting
Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . 215
Signals, Turn and
Lane-Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Spare Tire
Compact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .311
Special Application Services . . . . 334
Specifications and
Capacities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119