2023 CHEVROLET MALIBU fuel door

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
If your vehicle is low on fuel, do not use the
remote start feature. The vehicle may run
out of fuel.
Starting the Engine Using Remote Start
To start the engine using the remote start
feature:1. Press and release
Q.
2. Immediately after completing Step 1, press and hold
/for at least
four seconds or until the turn signal
lamps flash. The turn signal lamps
flashing confirms the request to remote
start the vehicle has been received.
When the engine starts, the parking lamps
will turn on and remain on as long as the
engine is running. The doors will be locked
and the climate control system may
come on.
The engine will continue to run for
15 minutes. After 30 seconds, repeat the
steps if a 15-minute extension is desired.
Remote start can be extended only once.
Start the vehicle before driving. Extending Engine Run Time
The engine run time can be extended by
another 15 minutes, if during the first
15 minutes Steps 1 and 2 are repeated while
the engine is still running. An extension can
be requested 30 seconds after starting.
When the remote start is extended, the
second 15-minute period is added on to the
first 15 minutes for a total of 30 minutes.
The remote start can only be extended once.
A maximum of two remote starts, or a
single start with an extension, is allowed
between ignition cycles.
The vehicle's ignition must be turned on and
then back off before the remote start
procedure can be used again.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of the
following:
.Aim the remote key at the vehicle and
press and hold
/until the parking lamps
turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off. Conditions in Which Remote Start Will
Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will not
operate if:
.A remote key is in the vehicle.
.The hood is not closed.
.The vehicle is on.
.The hazard warning flashers are on.
.The malfunction indicator lamp is on.
.The engine coolant temperature is
too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a single
remote start with an extension, have
already been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{Warning
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
.Passengers, especially children, can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. The doors can be
unlocked and opened while the vehicle
is moving. The chance of being thrown
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Keys, Doors, and Windows 23
Manual Rearview Mirror
If equipped, push the tab forward for
daytime use and pull it rearward for
nighttime use to avoid glare of the
headlamps from behind.
Automatic Dimming Rearview
Mirror
If equipped, automatic dimming reduces the
glare of headlamps from behind. The
dimming feature comes on when the vehicle
is started.
Windows{
Warning
Never leave a child, a helpless adult, or a
pet alone in a vehicle, especially with the
windows closed in warm or hot weather.
They can be overcome by the extreme
heat and suffer permanent injuries or
even death from heat stroke.
The vehicle aerodynamics are designed to
improve fuel economy performance. This
may result in a pulsing sound when either
rear window is down and the front windows
are up. To reduce the sound, open either a
front window or the sunroof, if equipped.
Power Windows
{Warning
Children could be seriously injured or
killed if caught in the path of a closing
window. Never leave the remote key in a
vehicle with children. When there are (Continued)
Warning (Continued)
children in the rear seat, use the window
lockout switch to prevent operation of
the windows. SeeKeys06.
The power windows work when the vehicle
is on, in accessory mode, or when Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) is active. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) 0179.
Using the window switch, press to open or
pull to close the window.
The windows may be temporarily disabled if
they are used repeatedly within a
short time.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Seats and Restraints 49
some time after they inflate. Some
components of the airbag module may be
hot for several minutes. For location of the
airbags, seeWhere Are the Airbags? 046.
The parts of the airbag that come into
contact with you may be warm, but not too
hot to touch. There may be some smoke
and dust coming from the vents in the
deflated airbags. Airbag inflation does not
prevent the driver from seeing out of the
windshield or being able to steer the
vehicle, nor does it prevent people from
leaving the vehicle.
{Warning
When an airbag inflates, there may be
dust in the air. This dust could cause
breathing problems for people with a
history of asthma or other breathing
trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is
safe to do so. If you have breathing
problems but cannot get out of the
vehicle after an airbag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window or a door.
If you experience breathing problems
following an airbag deployment, you
should seek medical attention. The vehicle has a feature that may
automatically unlock the doors, turn on the
interior lamps and hazard warning flashers,
and shut off the fuel system after the
airbags inflate. The feature may also
activate, without airbag inflation, after an
event that exceeds a predetermined
threshold. After turning the ignition off and
then on again, the fuel system will return to
normal operation; the doors can be locked,
the interior lamps can be turned off, and
the hazard warning flashers can be turned
off using the controls for those features.
If any of these systems are damaged in the
crash they may not operate as normal.{Warning
A crash severe enough to inflate the
airbags may have also damaged
important functions in the vehicle, such
as the fuel system, brake and steering
systems, etc. Even if the vehicle appears
to be drivable after a moderate crash,
there may be concealed damage that
could make it difficult to safely operate
the vehicle.
(Continued)
Warning (Continued)
Use caution if you should attempt to
restart the engine after a crash has
occurred.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate
the airbag, windshields are broken by
vehicle deformation. Additional windshield
breakage may also occur from the front
outboard passenger airbag.
.Airbags are designed to inflate only once.
After an airbag inflates, you will need
some new parts for the airbag system.
If you do not get them, the airbag
system will not be there to help protect
you in another crash. A new system will
include airbag modules and possibly other
parts. The service manual for the vehicle
covers the need to replace other parts.
.The vehicle has a crash sensing and
diagnostic module which records
information after a crash. See Vehicle
Data Recording and Privacy 0309 and
Event Data Recorders 0310.
.Let only qualified technicians work on the
airbag systems. Improper service can
mean that an airbag system will not work
properly. See your dealer for service.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
74 Instruments and Controls
Instruments and Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Heated Steering Wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Wireless Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Warning Lights, Gauges, and Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . 84
Voltmeter Gauge (Uplevel Cluster Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Seat Belt Reminders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator . . . . . . 87
Charging System Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Malfunction Indicator Lamp (Check
Engine Light) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . 90
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90
Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Vehicle Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Pedestrian Ahead Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
StabiliTrak OFF Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light (Uplevel Cluster Only) . . . . . . . . . . 92
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Door Ajar Light (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Base Level) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Driver Information Center (DIC) (Uplevel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Engine Power Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Vehicle Speed Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
84 Instruments and Controls
English Uplevel
When the ignition is on, the fuel gauge
indicates the approximate amount of fuel
left in the tank.
There is an arrow near the fuel gauge
pointing to the side of the vehicle the fuel
door is on.
When the indicator nears empty, the low
fuel light comes on. There still is a little fuel
left, but the vehicle should be refueled soon.
The fuel gauge may:
.Take a little more, or less fuel to fill up
than it indicates. For example, the gauge
may have indicated the tank is half full, but it actually will take a little more,
or less than half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
.Moves a little while turning a corner,
speeding up, or braking.
.Take a few seconds to stabilize after the
ignition is turned on and goes back to
empty when the ignition is turned off.
These are normal conditions, none of which
indicate a problem with the fuel gauge.
Engine Coolant Temperature
Gauge
Metric Base Level
English Base Level
Metric Uplevel

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
178 Driving and Operating
{Warning
The automatic engine Stop/Start feature
causes the engine to shut off while the
vehicle is still on. Do not exit the vehicle
before shifting to P (Park). The vehicle
may restart and move unexpectedly.
Always shift to P (Park), and then turn
the ignition off before exiting the vehicle.
Auto Engine Stop/Start
When the brakes are applied and the vehicle
is at a complete stop, the engine may turn
off. When stopped, the tachometer displays
AUTO STOP. See Tachometer083. When the
brake pedal is released or the accelerator
pedal is pressed, the engine will restart.
To maintain vehicle performance, other
conditions may cause the engine to
automatically restart before the brake pedal
is released.
Auto Stops may not occur and/or auto
restarts may occur because:
.The climate control settings require the
engine to be running to cool or heat the
vehicle interior.
.The vehicle battery needs to charge.
.The vehicle battery has recently been
disconnected.
.Minimum vehicle speed has not been
reached since the last Auto Stop.
.The accelerator pedal is pressed.
.The engine or transmission is not at the
required operating temperature.
.The outside temperature is not in the
required operating range.
.The vehicle transmission is shifted out of
D (Drive) to any gear other than P (Park).
.Certain driver modes have been selected.
.The vehicle is on a steep hill or grade.
.The driver door has been opened or driver
seat belt has been unbuckled.
.The hood has been opened.
.The Auto Stop has reached the maximum
allowed time. Auto Stop Disable Switch
The automatic engine Stop/Start feature can
be disabled and enabled by pressing
h.
Auto Stop/Start is enabled each time you
start the vehicle.
When the
hindicator is illuminated, the
system is enabled.
Engine Heater
The engine heater, if available, can help
in cold weather conditions at or below
−18 °C (0 °F) for easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine warm-up. Plug
in the engine heater at least four hours
before starting the vehicle. An internal

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Driving and Operating 211
driveability. If heavy knocking is heard when
using gasoline rated at 87 or greater, the
engine needs service.
Do not use any fuel labeled E85 or FlexFuel.
Do not use gasoline with ethanol levels
greater than 15% by volume.
Prohibited Fuels
Caution
Do not use fuels with any of the
following conditions; doing so may
damage the vehicle and void its
warranty:
.For vehicles that are not FlexFuel, fuel
labeled greater than 15% ethanol by
volume, such as mid-level ethanol
blends (16–50% ethanol), E85,
or FlexFuel.
.Fuel with any amount of methanol,
methylal, ferrocene, and aniline. These
fuels can corrode metal fuel system
parts or damage plastic and rubber
parts.
(Continued)
Caution (Continued)
.Fuel containing metals such as
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese
tricarbonyl (MMT), which can damage
the emissions control system and
spark plugs.
.Fuel with a posted octane rating of
less than the recommended fuel. Using
this fuel will lower fuel economy and
performance, and may decrease the
life of the emissions catalyst.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
The U.S., Canada, and Mexico post fuel
octane ratings in anti-knock index (AKI). For
fuel not to use in a foreign country, see
Prohibited Fuels0211.
Fuel Additives
TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline is highly
recommended for use with your vehicle.
If your country does not have TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline, add ACDelco Fuel
System Treatment Plus−Gasoline to the
vehicle’s gasoline fuel tank at every oil
change or 15 000 km (9,000 mi), whichever
occurs first. TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline and
ACDelco Fuel System Treatment Plus −Gasoline will help keep your vehicle’s
engine fuel deposit free and performing
optimally.
Filling the Tank
An arrow on the fuel gauge indicates which
side of the vehicle the fuel door is on. See
Fuel Gauge
083.
{Warning
Fuel vapors and fuel fires burn violently
and can cause injury or death.
Follow these guidelines to help avoid
injuries to you and others:
.Read and follow all the instructions on
the fuel pump island.
.Turn off the engine when refueling.
.Keep sparks, flames, and smoking
materials away from fuel.
.Do not leave the fuel pump
unattended.
.Avoid using electronic devices while
refueling.
.Do not re-enter the vehicle while
pumping fuel.
(Continued)

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
212 Driving and Operating
Warning (Continued)
.Keep children away from the fuel
pump and never let children
pump fuel.
.Before touching the fill nozzle, touch a
metallic object to discharge static
electricity from your body.
.Fuel can spray out if the fill nozzle is
inserted too quickly. This spray can
happen if the tank is nearly full, and is
more likely in hot weather. Insert the
fill nozzle slowly and wait for any hiss
noise to stop before beginning to
flow fuel.
To open the fuel door, push and release the
rearward center edge of the door.
The capless refueling system does not have
a fuel cap. Fully insert and latch the fill
nozzle, begin fueling.
{Warning
Overfilling the fuel tank by more than
three clicks of a standard fill nozzle may
cause:
.Vehicle performance issues, including
engine stalling and damage to the fuel
system.
.Fuel spills.
.Under certain conditions, fuel fires.
Be careful not to spill fuel. Wait five seconds
after you have finished pumping before
removing the fill nozzle. Clean fuel from
painted surfaces as soon as possible. See
Exterior Care 0280. Push the fuel door
closed until it latches.
{Warning
If a fire starts while you are refueling, do
not remove the fill nozzle. Shut off the
flow of fuel by shutting off the pump or
by notifying the station attendant. Leave
the area immediately.
Filling the Tank with a Portable Fuel
Container
If the vehicle runs out of fuel and must be
filled from a portable fuel container:
1. Locate the capless funnel adapter from under the carpet in the trunk.
2. Insert and latch the funnel into the capless fuel system.