2023 CHEVROLET MALIBU heating

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
220 Vehicle Care
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
California Perchlorate MaterialsRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . 221
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your Own Service Work . . . . . . . . . 222
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Air Filter Life System . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Battery - North America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Windshield Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Headlamp Aiming
Front Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking Lamps . . . . . . 239
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps (LS and LT) . . . . . . . . . . 240
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up Lamps (LT and Premier) . . . . . 241
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . 242
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . 245
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . 249
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 252
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Tire Terminology and Definitions . . . . . . 255
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . 260
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . 264
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . 266
Uniform Tire Quality Grading . . . . . . . . . 266
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . 268
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North America . . . . . . . . 275
Towing the Vehicle
Transporting a Disabled Vehicle . . . . . . . 278
Recreational Vehicle Towing . . . . . . . . . . . 279
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
230 Vehicle Care
1.5L L4 Turbo Engine Shown
1. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View)
2. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap
{Warning
An underhood electric fan can start up
even when the engine is not running and
can cause injury. Keep hands, clothing,
and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
{Warning
Do not touch heater or radiator hoses,
or other engine parts. They can be very
hot and can burn you. Do not run the
engine if there is a leak; all coolant could
leak out. That could cause an engine fire
and can burn you. Fix any leak before
driving the vehicle.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in the vehicle is filled
with DEX-COOL engine coolant mixture. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants0294
and
Maintenance Schedule 0290.
The following explains the cooling system
and how to check and add coolant when it
is low. If there is a problem with engine
overheating, see Engine Overheating 0232.
What to Use
{Warning
Plain water, or other liquids such as
alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. With plain water or
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
the wrong mixture, the engine could get
too hot but there would not be an
overheat warning. The engine could catch
fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant. This mixture:
.Gives freezing protection down to −37 °C
(−34 °F), outside temperature.
.Gives boiling protection up to 129 °C
(265 °F), engine temperature.
.Protects against rust and corrosion.
.Will not damage aluminum parts.
.Helps keep the proper engine
temperature.
Caution
Do not use anything other than a mix of
DEX-COOL coolant that meets GM
Standard GMW3420 and clean, drinkable
water. Anything else can cause damage
to the engine cooling system and the
vehicle, which would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
232 Vehicle Care
1. Turn the pressure cap slowlycounterclockwise. If a hiss is heard, wait
for that to stop. A hiss means there is
still some pressure left.
2. Keep turning the cap and remove it.
3. Fill the coolant surge tank with the proper mixture to 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in)
above the mid-point on the coolant
surge tank. 4. With the coolant surge tank cap off,
start the engine and let it run until the
upper radiator hose starts getting hot.
Watch out for the engine cooling fan. By
this time, the coolant level inside the
coolant surge tank may be lower. If the
level is lower, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge tank until
the level reaches 5–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in)
above the mid-point on the coolant
surge tank.
5. Replace the cap tightly.
6. Check the level in the surge tank when the cooling system has cooled down.
If the coolant is not at the proper level,
repeat Steps 1–6 and reinstall the
pressure cap. If the coolant still is not at
the proper level when the system cools
down again, see your dealer.
Caution
If the pressure cap is not tightly installed,
coolant loss and engine damage may
occur. Be sure the cap is properly and
tightly secured.
Engine Overheating
The vehicle has an engine coolant
temperature gauge on the instrument
cluster to warn of engine overheating. See
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge 084.
If the decision is made not to lift the hood
when this warning appears, get service help
right away. Contact your dealer for
additional information.
If the decision is made to lift the hood,
make sure the vehicle is parked on a level
surface.
Then check to see if the engine cooling fans
are running. If the engine is overheating,
both fans should be running. If they are not,
do not continue to run the engine. Have the
vehicle serviced.
Caution
Do not run the engine if there is a leak
in the engine cooling system. This can
cause a loss of all coolant and can
damage the system and vehicle. Have
any leaks fixed right away.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Vehicle Care 249
Instrument Panel Fuse Block
The instrument panel fuse block is on the
driver side of the instrument panel. To
access the fuses:1. Pull out at the center of the right edge, and swing the cover out and to the left.
2. Remove the cover.
To reinstall the cover, line up the tabs on
the left edge, and press the cover into place.
The vehicle may not be equipped with all of
the fuses, relays, and features shown. Fuses Usage
F1 Left Power Windows
F2 Right Power Windows
F3 –
F4 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Blower Fuses
Usage
F5 Body Control Module 2 (Without Stop/Start
Option)
F6 –
F7 –
F8 Body Control Module 3
F9 –

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
250 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
F10 Body Control Module 2 (With Stop/Start Option)
F11 –
F12 –
F13 –
F14 –
F15 Transmission Control Module (With Stop/Start
Option)
F16 Amplifier F17 Seat Power Lumbar
F18 –
F19 –
F20 Body Control Module 1 (Without Stop/Start
Option)
F21 Body Control Module 4
F22 –
F23 Electric Steering Column Lock Fuses
Usage
F24 Sensing and Diagnostic Module/Automatic
Occupant Sensing (Airbag)
F25 Data Link Connector
F26 –
F27 AC DC Inverter
F28 –
F29 Body Control Module 8
F30 Overhead Console F31 Steering Wheel Controls
F32 –
F33 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
F34 Central Gateway Module F35 –
F36 Wireless Charger/USB Charger
F37 –
F38 OnStar Fuses
Usage
F39 Display
F40 Obstacle Detection F41 Body Control Module 1 (With Stop/Start Option)
F42 Radio
F43 –
F44 Console Accessory Power Outlet–Rear
Relays Usage
K1 –
K2 Interruptible Retained Accessory Power
K3 –
K4 –
K5 –

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Vehicle Care 251
Wheels and Tires
Tires
Every new GM vehicle has high-quality
tires made by a leading tire
manufacturer. See the warranty manual
for information regarding the tire
warranty and where to get service. For
additional information refer to the tire
manufacturer.
{Warning
.Poorly maintained and improperly
used tires are dangerous.
.Overloading the tires can cause
overheating as a result of too
much flexing. There could be a
blowout and a serious crash. See
Vehicle Load Limits0172.
.Underinflated tires pose the same
danger as overloaded tires. The
resulting crash could cause serious
injury. Check all tires frequently to
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be
checked when the tires are cold.
.Overinflated tires are more likely
to be cut, punctured, or broken by
a sudden impact —such as when
hitting a pothole. Keep tires at the
recommended pressure.
.Worn or old tires can cause a
crash. If the tread is badly worn,
replace them.
.Replace any tires that have been
damaged by impacts with
potholes, curbs, etc.
.Improperly repaired tires can cause
a crash. Only your dealer or an
authorized tire service center
should repair, replace, dismount,
and mount the tires.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
.Do not spin the tires in excess of
56 km/h (35 mph) on slippery
surfaces such as snow, mud, ice,
etc. Excessive spinning may cause
the tires to explode.
See Tire Pressure for High-Speed
Operation 0258 for inflation pressure
adjustment for high-speed driving.
All-Season Tires
This vehicle may come with all-season tires.
These tires are designed to provide good
overall performance on most road surfaces
and weather conditions. Original equipment
tires designed to GM's specific tire
performance criteria have a TPC specification
code molded onto the sidewall. Original
equipment all-season tires can be identified
by the last two characters of this TPC code,
which will be “MS.”

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Vehicle Care 257
Tire Pressure
Tires need the correct amount of air
pressure to operate effectively.
{Warning
Neither tire underinflation nor
overinflation is good. Underinflated
tires, or tires that do not have
enough air, can result in:
.Tire overloading and overheating,
which could lead to a blowout
.Premature or irregular wear
.Poor handling
.Reduced fuel economy for
internal combustion engine
vehicles
.Reduced range for electric vehicles
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Overinflated tires, or tires that have
too much air, can result in:
.Unusual wear
.Poor handling
.Rough ride
.Needless damage from road
hazards
The Tire and Loading Information label
on the vehicle indicates the original
equipment tires and the correct cold
tire inflation pressures. The
recommended pressure is the minimum
air pressure needed to support the
vehicle's maximum load carrying
capacity. See Vehicle Load Limits 0172. How the vehicle is loaded affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort.
Never load the vehicle with more
weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check the pressure of the tires once a
month or more. Do not forget the
spare, if the vehicle has one. The
compact spare cold tire pressure should
be at 420 kPa (60 psi). See
Compact
Spare Tire 0275.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gauge
to check tire pressure. Proper tire
inflation cannot be determined by
looking at the tire. Check the tire
inflation pressure when the tires are
cold, meaning the vehicle has not been
driven for at least three hours or no
more than 1.6 km (1 mi).

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
322 Index
Child Restraints (cont'd)Securing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67, 69
Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Child Safety Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Circuit Breakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Cleaning Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157 Air Conditioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Dual Automatic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Cluster, Instrument . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Collision Damage Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Compartments Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Connected Services Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Connections Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
Control Traction and Electronic Stability . . . . . . . 186
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 Controls
Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73
Convex Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Coolant Engine Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Engine Temperature Warning Light . . . . . 92
Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157, 159
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
Courtesy Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Courtesy Transportation Program . . . . . . . . 305
Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 Adaptive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72
Customer Assistance
Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Text Telephone (TTY) Users . . . . . . . . . . . . 302
Customer Information Publications Ordering Information . . . . . 308
Customer Satisfaction Procedure . . . . . . . . . 300
Cybersecurity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
D
Damage Repair, Collision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Danger, Warning, and Caution . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Dashboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Data Collection
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
OnStar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 311
Data Recorders, Event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
Database Coverage Explanations . . . . . . . . . . 133
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Diagnostics Connected Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Disabled Vehicle Transporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Dome Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Delayed Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Power Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Drive Belt Routing, Engine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Driver
Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 95, 98
Teen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Driving Assistance Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166