Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
82 Seats and Restraints
When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag, the OFF indicator
will light and stay lit as a reminder
that the airbags are off. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
0123.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size is
sitting properly in the front outboard
passenger seat. When the
passenger sensing system has
allowed the airbag(s) to be enabled,
the ON indicator will light and stay lit
as a reminder that the airbag(s) are
active.
For some children, including
children in child restraints and for
very small adults, the passenger
sensing system may or may not turn
off the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag,
depending upon the person's
seating posture and body build.
Everyone in the vehicle who hasoutgrown child restraints should
wear a seat belt properly—whether
or not there is an airbag for that
person.
{Warning
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light0123for more information,
including important safety
information.
If the On Indicator Is Lit for a
Child Restraint
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the front
outboard passenger frontal airbag
and knee airbag if the system
determines that an infant is present
in a child restraint. If a child restraint
has been installed and the ON
indicator is lit:1. Turn the vehicle off.
2. Remove the child restraint from
the vehicle.
3. Remove any additional items
from the seat such as blankets,
cushions, seat covers, seat
heaters, or seat massagers.
4. Reinstall the child restraint
following the directions
provided by the child restraint
manufacturer and refer to
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat)
099or
Securing Child Restraints (With
the Seat Belt in the Front Seat)
0101.
Make sure the seat belt
retractor is locked by pulling
the shoulder belt all the way
out of the retractor when
installing the child restraint,
even if the child restraint is
equipped with a seat belt
lock-off. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 83
5. If, after reinstalling the child
restraint and restarting the
vehicle, the ON indicator is still
lit, turn the vehicle off. Then
slightly recline the vehicle
seatback and adjust the seat
cushion, if adjustable, to make
sure that the vehicle seatback
is not pushing the child
restraint into the seat cushion.
Also make sure the child
restraint is not trapped under
the vehicle head restraint.
If this happens, adjust the head
restraint. SeeHead Restraints
054.
6. Restart the vehicle.
The passenger sensing system may
or may not turn off the airbags for a
child in a child restraint depending
upon the child’s size. It is better to
secure the child restraint in a rear
seat. Never put a rear-facing child
restraint in the front seat, even if the
ON indicator is not lit.If the Off Indicator Is Lit for an
Adult-Sized Occupant
If a person of adult size is sitting in
the front outboard passenger seat,
but the OFF indicator is lit, it could
be because that person is not sitting
properly in the seat or that the child
restraint locking feature is engaged.
Use the following steps to allow the
system to detect that person and
enable the front outboard passenger
frontal airbag and knee airbag:
1. Turn the vehicle off.2. Remove any additional material
from the seat, such as
blankets, cushions, seat
covers, seat heaters, or seat
massagers.
3. Place the seatback in the fully
upright position.
4. Have the person sit upright in
the seat, centered on the seat
cushion, with legs comfortably
extended.
5. If the shoulder portion of the
belt is pulled out all the way,
the child restraint locking
feature will be engaged. This
may unintentionally cause the
passenger sensing system to
turn the airbag off for some
adult-sized occupants. If this
happens, unbuckle the belt, let
the belt go back all the way,
and then buckle the belt again
without pulling the belt out all
the way.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
88 Seats and Restraints
{Warning
Never allow a child to wear the
seat belt with the shoulder belt
behind their back. A child can be
seriously injured by not wearing
the lap-shoulder belt properly. In a
crash, the child would not be
restrained by the shoulder belt.
The child could move too far
forward increasing the chance of
head and neck injury. The child
might also slide under the lap
belt. The belt force would then be
applied right on the abdomen.
That could cause serious or fatal
injuries. The shoulder belt should
go over the shoulder and across
the chest.
Infants and Young
Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs
protection! This includes infants and
all other children. Neither the
distance traveled nor the age and
size of the traveler changes the
need, for everyone, to use safety
restraints. In fact, the law in every
state in the United States and in
every Canadian province says
children up to some age must be
restrained while in a vehicle.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child’s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
Never leave children unattended
in a vehicle and never allow
children to play with the seat
belts.
Every time infants and young
children ride in vehicles, they should
have the protection provided by
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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96 Seats and Restraints
The top tether anchors are under
the covers, behind the rear seat, on
the filler panel. Be sure to use an
anchor on the same side of the
vehicle as the seating position
where the child restraint will be
placed.
Do not secure a child restraint in a
position without a top tether anchor
if a national or local law requires
that the top tether be attached, or if
the instructions that come with the
child restraint say that the top tether
must be attached.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position. SeeWhere to Put the
Restraint092for additional
information.Securing a Child Restraint
Designed for the LATCH
System
{Warning
A child could be seriously injured
or killed in a crash if the child
restraint is not properly attached
to the vehicle using either the
LATCH anchors or the vehicle
seat belt. Follow the instructions
that came with the child restraint
and the instructions in this
manual.
{Warning
To reduce the risk of serious or
fatal injuries during a crash, do
not attach more than one child
restraint to a single anchor.
Attaching more than one child
restraint to a single anchor could
cause the anchor or attachment
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
to come loose or even break
during a crash. A child or others
could be injured.
{Warning
Children can be seriously injured
or strangled if a shoulder belt is
wrapped around their neck. The
shoulder belt can tighten but
cannot be loosened if it is locked.
The shoulder belt locks when it is
pulled all the way out of the
retractor. It unlocks when the
shoulder belt is allowed to go all
the way back into the retractor,
but it cannot do this if it is
wrapped around a child’s neck.
If the shoulder belt is locked and
tightened around a child’s neck,
the only way to loosen the belt is
to cut it.
(Continued)
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Seats and Restraints 97
Warning (Continued)
Buckle any unused seat belts
behind the child restraint so
children cannot reach them. Pull
the shoulder belt all the way out
of the retractor to set the lock,
and tighten the belt behind the
child restraint after the child
restraint has been installed.
Caution
Do not let the LATCH
attachments rub against the
vehicle’s seat belts. This may
damage these parts. If necessary,
move buckled seat belts to avoid
rubbing the LATCH attachments.
Do not fold the rear seatback
when the seat is occupied. Do not
fold the empty rear seat with a
seat belt buckled. This could
damage the seat belt or the seat.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
Unbuckle and return the seat belt
to its stowed position, before
folding the seat.
If you need to secure more than one
child restraint in the rear seat, see
Where to Put the Restraint092.
1. Attach and tighten the lower
attachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the child
restraint with the top tether and
the seat belts. Refer to the
child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the
instructions in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors
for the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on
the seat.1.3. Attach and tighten the
lower attachments on the
child restraint to the lower
anchors.
2. If the child restraint
manufacturer recommends that
the top tether be attached,
attach and tighten the top
tether to the top tether anchor,
if equipped. Refer to the child
restraint instructions and the
following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether
anchor.
Open the cover to expose
the anchor.
2.2. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according
to the child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
12461813) - 2019 - crc - 12/11/18
100 Seats and Restraints
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks. If the latch
plate will not go fully into the
buckle, check if the correct
buckle is being used.
Position the release button on
the buckle, away from the child
restraint, so that the seat belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.4. Pull the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set
the lock. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.5. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the
belt, and feed the shoulder belt
back into the retractor. When
installing a forward-facing child
restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you
tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 4 and 5.
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Seats and Restraints 103
5. Pull the shoulder belt all the
way out of the retractor to set
the lock. When the retractor
lock is set, the belt can be
tightened but not pulled out of
the retractor.6. To tighten the belt, push down
on the child restraint, pull the
shoulder portion of the belt to
tighten the lap portion of the
belt, and feed the shoulder belt
back into the retractor. When
installing a forward-facing child
restraint, it may be helpful to
use your knee to push down on
the child restraint as you
tighten the belt.
Try to pull the belt out of the
retractor to make sure the
retractor is locked. If the
retractor is not locked, repeat
Steps 5 and 6.7. Before placing a child in the
child restraint, make sure it is
securely held in place. To
check, grasp the child restraint
at the seat belt path and
attempt to move it side to side
and back and forth. When the
child restraint is properly
installed, there should be no
more than 2.5 cm (1 in) of
movement.
If the airbags are off, the OFF
indicator in the passenger airbag
status indicator will come on and
stay on when the vehicle is started.
If a child restraint has been installed
and the ON indicator is lit, see“If
the On Indicator Is Lit for a Child
Restraint”underPassenger Sensing
System080.
To remove the child restraint,
unbuckle the vehicle seat belt and
let it return to the stowed position.
Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-
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Instruments and Controls 107
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 108
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 108
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . 108
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Pedestrian Safety Signal
(Hybrid Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 109
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . 112
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114
Instrument Cluster (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Instrument Cluster
(Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Tachometer (Non-Hybrid) . . . . . 119Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Power Indicator Gauge . . . . . . . 121
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . 122
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . 123
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Charging System Light . . . . . . . 124
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light) . . . . . . . . 124
Brake System Warning
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Electric Parking Brake
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Service Electric Parking Brake
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Lane Keep Assist (LKA)
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . 128
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . 128
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . 129
Traction Control System (TCS)/
StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Engine Coolant Temperature
Warning Light
(Uplevel Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 131
Low Fuel Warning Light (Base
Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Low Fuel Warning Light
(Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
Vehicle Ready Light
(Hybrid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . 132
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 132
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . 133
Door Ajar Light (Uplevel) . . . . . 133
Information Displays
Power Flows (Hybrid) . . . . . . . . . 133
Energy Information
(Hybrid) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Driver Information Center (DIC)
(Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Engine Power Messages . . . . . 141
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . 141
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 142