trunk release CHEVROLET MALIBU 2012 7.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-1
In Brief
Instrument Panel
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Remote Vehicle Start . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Door Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Trunk Release . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-7
Second Row Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Heated Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
Head Restraint Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10 Mirror Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-11
Steering Wheel
Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . 1-13
Climate Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-15
Vehicle Features
Radio(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-16
Satellite Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Portable Audio Devices (Auxiliary Input or
USB Port) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Bluetooth
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-18
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . 1-18
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-19
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Performance and Maintenance
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-20
Tire Pressure Monitor . . . . . . . . 1-21
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-21
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . 1-22
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 1-22
Driving for Better Fuel Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-22
Roadside Assistance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23
OnStar
®. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-23

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
1-4 In Brief
Initial Drive
Information
This section provides a brief
overview about some of the
important features that may or may
not be on your specific vehicle.
For more detailed information, refer
to each of the features which can be
found later in this owner manual.
Remote Keyless Entry
(RKE) System
The RKE transmitter is used to
remotely lock and unlock the doors
from up to 60 m (195 ft) away from
the vehicle.
PressKto unlock the driver door.
Press again within five seconds to
unlock all remaining doors.
Press
Qto lock all doors.
Lock and unlock feedback can be
personalized. See Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑31 for
additional information.
Press and hold
Vfor
approximately one second to open
the trunk.
Press
Land release to locate the
vehicle. Press
Land hold for more than
two seconds to sound the panic
alarm.
Press
Lagain to cancel the panic
alarm.
See Keys on page 2‑2 andRemote
Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 2‑3.
Remote Vehicle Start
With this feature the engine can be
started from outside of the vehicle.
Starting the Vehicle
1. Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle.
2. Press and release
Q.
3. Immediately after completing Step 2, press and hold
/until
the turn signal lamps flash.
When the vehicle starts, the parking
lamps will turn on and remain on
as long as the engine is running.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-5
The doors will be locked and the
climate control system may
come on.
The engine will continue to run for
10 minutes. Repeat the steps for a
10-minute time extension. Remote
start can be extended only once.
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the ignition on and then
back off.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑5.
Door Locks
Manual Locks
From inside the vehicle, move the
manual lock control to unlock or lock
a door.
Power Door Locks
On vehicles with power door locks.
K: Press to unlock the doors.
Q:Press to lock the doors.
For more information, see:
.Door Locks on page 2‑7.
.Power Door Locks on page 2‑7.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk from the outside,
press the trunk release button on
the RKE transmitter.
Remote Trunk Release
Press the button located on the
driver door near the map pocket to
open the trunk.
Close the trunk by pulling on the
handle.

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
1-6 In Brief
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle
There is a glow-in-the-dark
emergency trunk release handle
located inside the trunk on the trunk
latch. This handle glows following
exposure to light. Pull the release
handle up to open the trunk from the
inside.
SeeTrunk on page 2‑9 for more
information.
Windows
The power window switches are
located on the armrest on the
driver's door. In addition, there is a
switch on each passenger door.
Press the front of the switch to open
the window. Pull the switch up to
close it.
Express-Down Window
The driver window has an
express-down feature. This switch
is labeled AUTO. Press the front
all the way down and release,
to automatically lower.
To stop the window while it is
lowering, pull the front of the switch
momentarily. To raise the window,
pull and hold the front of the switch.
Express-Up Window
On windows with this feature, pull
the switch up to the second position
and release the switch to activate
the express-up feature. To stop the
window as it is going up, pull up or
press down briefly on the switch
again.
See Power Windows on page 2‑16.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
In Brief 1-9
Lumbar Adjustment
A. Increase Lumbar SupportControl
B. Decrease Lumbar Support Control
If available, press the front (A) or
rear (B) of the control to increase or
decrease lumbar support. Release
the control when the desired level of
support is reached.
See Lumbar Adjustment on
page 3‑4.
Second Row Seats
With this feature, either side of the
seatback can be folded down for
more cargo space. Before folding a
seatback, make sure the front seat
is not reclined. If it is, the rear
seatback will not fold down all
the way.
To lower the rear seatback, pull up
on the seatback strap while folding
the seatback down. This allows
access to the trunk. To raise the
rear seatback pull the seatback up
and make sure it latches. Push and pull on the seatback to
be sure it is locked in position.
Make sure that the safety belts are
properly stowed over the seatback
in all three positions.
See
Rear Seats on page 3‑8 for
more information.
Heated Seats
If available, press the top of the
switch to turn the heat feature on to
the high heat setting. The indicator
light “2”will be lit.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
2-4 Keys, Doors, and Windows
See“EXT (Exterior) LIGHTS” under
Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑31 for additional information.
Pressing
Kon the RKE transmitter
disarms the anti-theft alarm system.
See Anti-theft Alarm System on
page 2‑11.
V(Remote Trunk Release):
Press and hold for about
one second to unlock the trunk.
The trunk can be opened with the
transmitter when the vehicle speed
is less than 3 km/h (2 mph) or when
the ignition is off.
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release to
locate the vehicle. The horn sounds
three times and the headlamps and
turn signals flash three times.
Press and hold
Lfor more than
two seconds to initiate the panic
alarm. The horn sounds and the
headlamps and turn signals flash for
30 seconds. Press
Lagain to
cancel the panic alarm.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to the vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
When the replacement transmitter is
programmed to the vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
programmed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters no longer work once the
new transmitter is programmed.
Each vehicle can have up to four
transmitters programmed to it.
Battery Replacement
Replace the battery if the KEY FOB
BATT (Battery) LOW message
displays in the DIC. See “KEY FOB
BATT (Battery) LOW” underKey
and Lock Messages on page 5‑28
for additional information. Notice:
When replacing the
battery, do not touch any of the
circuitry on the transmitter. Static
from your body could damage the
transmitter.
To replace the battery:
1. Separate the transmitter with a flat, thin object inserted into the
notch on the side.
2. Remove the old battery. Do not use a metal object.
3. Insert the new battery, positive side facing up. Replace with a
CR2032 or equivalent battery.
4. Snap the transmitter back together.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
Open the rear doors to access the
security locks on the inside edge of
each door.
To set the locks, insert a key into
the slot and turn it to the horizontal
position. The door can only be
opened from the outside with the
door unlocked. To return the door to
normal operation, turn the slot to the
vertical position.
Doors
Trunk
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the Climate Control
System to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See “Climate
Control Systems” in the
Index.
.If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑23.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk from the outside,
press the trunk release button on
the RKE transmitter.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Remote Trunk Release
Press the button located on the
driver door near the map pocket to
open the trunk.
The trunk can only be opened while
the vehicle is in P (Park) or when
the ignition is off.
Close the trunk by pulling on the
handle.
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle
Notice:Do not use the
emergency trunk release handle
as a tie-down or anchor point
when securing items in the trunk
as it could damage the handle.
The emergency trunk release
handle is only intended to aid a
person trapped in a latched trunk,
enabling them to open the trunk
from the inside. There is a glow-in-the-dark
emergency trunk release handle
located inside the trunk on the trunk
latch. This handle glows following
exposure to light. Pull the release
handle up to open the trunk from
the inside.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Instruments and Controls 5-33
UNLOCK HORN
This feature, which allows the
vehicle's horn to chirp on the first
press of the unlock button on the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter, can be enabled or
disabled. When UNLOCK HORN
appears on the display, press and
hold the reset button for at least
one second to scroll through the
available settings:
OFF (default):The horn will not
chirp when the unlock button on the
RKE transmitter is pressed.
ON: The horn will chirp on the first
press of the unlock button on the
RKE transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3 for
more information.
To select a setting and move on
to the next feature, press the
information button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC. LIGHT FLASH
This feature, which allows the
vehicle's exterior hazard/turn signal
lighting to flash every time the lock,
unlock, or trunk release buttons on
the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter are pressed, can be
enabled or disabled. When LIGHT
FLASH appears on the display,
press and hold the reset button for
at least one second to scroll through
the available settings:
OFF:
The exterior hazard/turn
signal lighting will not flash when
the lock, unlock, or trunk release
buttons on the RKE transmitter are
pressed.
ON (default): The exterior hazard/
turn signal lighting will flash when
the lock, unlock, or trunk release
buttons on the RKE transmitter are
pressed.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3 for
more information. To select a setting and move on
to the next feature, press the
information button while the desired
setting is displayed on the DIC.
DELAY LOCK
This feature, which delays the
actual locking of the vehicle, can be
enabled or disabled. When DELAY
LOCK appears on the display, press
and hold the reset button for at least
one second to scroll through the
available settings:
ON (default):
The doors will not
lock until five seconds after the last
door is closed. You can temporarily
override delayed locking by
pressing the power lock switch or
the lock button on the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter a
second time.
OFF: The doors will lock
immediately when pressing the
power lock switch or the lock button
on the RKE transmitter.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-7
This is because the generator
(alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all of
the power needed for very high
electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when
several of the following are on, such
as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger,
climate control fan at high speed,
heated seats, engine cooling fans,
trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator's output
and the vehicle's electrical needs.
It can increase engine idle speed to
generate more power whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce
the power demands of some
accessories.Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,
this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a DIC message might
be displayed, such as BATTERY
SAVER ACTIVE, BATTERY
VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY.
If one of these messages displays,
it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much
as possible. See
Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑24.
Battery Power Protection
The vehicle has a battery run-down
protection feature designed to
protect the vehicle's battery.
When any interior lamp (trunk,
reading, or visor vanity) is left on
while the ignition is turned off, the
battery run-down protection system
will automatically shut the lamp(s)
off after 20 minutes. This will avoid
draining the battery. To reactivate the interior lamps,
do one of the following:
.Turn on the ignition.
.Turn the exterior lamp control off
and then on.
.Open a door.
.Press any Remote Keyless
Entry (RKE) transmitter button
(if equipped).
.Press the remote trunk release
button.
.Press the power door lock
switch.
The battery run-down feature will
also be activated when any door
on the vehicle is left open and the
ignition is in LOCK/OFF.