CHEVROLET MALIBU 2017 9.G Owners Manual

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
210 Climate Controls
A/C (Max/Eco A/C For Stop/StartVehicles) :Press to cycle betweenthe max, eco, and off airconditioning modes. The indicatorwill be lit in max and eco modes andturns off when there is no A/Cfunction. If the fan is turned off, theair conditioner will not run and theindicator light will turn off.
Press AUTO to return to automaticoperation and the air conditionerruns automatically as needed. WithStop/Start vehicles, the A/C willreturn to eco a/c operation.
For max a/c, press A/C. Theindicator will turn amber. Auto stopswill occur less frequently, be shorter,and will not occur in extremely warmweather.
For eco a/c, press A/C again. Theindicator will turn green. This settingbalances fuel economy and airconditioning comfort. In warmweather conditions, auto stops mayoccur more frequently, last longer,and the vehicle interior may bewarmer during auto stops ascompared to the max a/c setting.This setting allows higher humidity
inside the vehicle and windowfogging may occur before theengine restarts.
@:Press to turn on recirculation.An indicator light comes on. Air isrecirculated to quickly cool theinside of the vehicle or to reduce theentry of outside air and odors.
If selected during cool or coldweather, the windshield andwindows may fog. Turn offrecirculation to help clear thewindshield and windows.
Auto Defog :The climate controlsystem may have a sensor toautomatically detect high humidityinside the vehicle. When highhumidity is detected, the climatecontrol system may adjust tooutside air supply and turn on theair conditioner. The fan speed mayslightly increase to help preventfogging. If the climate controlsystem does not detect possiblewindow fogging, it returns to normaloperation.
To t u r n A u t o D e f o g o f f o r o n , s e e“Climate and Air Quality”underVehicle Personalization0147.
Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear windowdefogger on or off. An indicator lighton the button comes on to show thatthe rear window defogger is on. Therear window defogger only workswhen the ignition is in ON/RUN. Thedefogger turns off when the ignitionis placed in the ACC/ACCESSORYor LOCK/OFF position.
The upper lines on the rear windoware antenna grids and are notintended to defrost the glass.
The rear window defogger can beset to automatic operation. See“Climate and Air Quality”underVehicle Personalization0147.When Auto Rear Defog is selected,the rear window defogger turns onautomatically when the interiortemperature is cold and the outsidetemperature is about 7 °C (44 °F)and below. The auto rear defoggerturns off automatically.
If the vehicle is equipped withheated outside rearview mirrors,they turn on when the rear window

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Climate Controls 211
defogger button is on and help toclear fog or frost from the surface ofthe mirror. SeeHeated Mirrors049.
Caution
Do not try to clear frost or other
material from the inside of the
front windshield and rear window
with a razor blade or anything
else that is sharp. This may
damage the rear window
defogger grid and affect the
radio's ability to pick up stations
clearly. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Driver and Passenger Heated andVentilated Seats :If equipped,
pressLorMto heat the driver or
passenger seat.
If equipped, press{orCto
ventilate the driver or passengerseat. SeeHeated and VentilatedFront Seats060.
Remote Start Climate ControlOperation :If equipped with remotestart, the climate control systemmay run when the vehicle is startedremotely. The system will use thedefrost setting if it is cold outside orturn on using the coldest settings ifit is hot outside. The rear defog maycome on during remote start basedon cold ambient conditions. Therear defog indicator light does notcome on during a remote start. Thefront heated seats will turn on if it iscold outside. The heated seatindicator lights do not come onduring a remote start.
Sensor
The solar sensor, on top of theinstrument panel near thewindshield, monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system uses thesensor information to adjust thetemperature, fan speed,recirculation, and air delivery modefor best comfort.
Do not cover the sensor; otherwisethe automatic climate control systemmay not work properly.
Air Vents
Use the louvers on the air vents tochange the direction of the airflow,or to open and close off the airflow.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
212 Climate Controls
Operation Tips
.Keep all outlets open wheneverpossible for best systemperformance.
.Keep the path under all seatsclear of objects to help circulatethe air inside the vehicle moreeffectively.
.Use of non-GM approved hooddeflectors can adversely affectthe performance of the system.
.Do not attach any devices to theair vent slats; this restrictsairflow and may cause damageto the air vents.
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The filter removes dust, pollen, andother airborne irritants from outsideair that is pulled into the vehicle.
The filter should be replaced as partof routine scheduled maintenance;seeMaintenance Schedule0369.To f i n d o u t w h a t t y p e o f f i l t e r t o u s e ,seeMaintenance ReplacementParts0378.
1. Open the glove box completely.
2. Disconnect the glove box doordampener arm from the glovebox door assembly.
3. Squeeze both sides of theglove box door to open beyondthe stops.
4. Release the retainer clipsholding the service door. Openthe service door and removethe old filter.
5. Install the new air filter.
6. Close the service door andretainer clips.
7. Reverse the steps to reinstallthe glove box.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Climate Controls 213
See your dealer if additionalassistance is needed.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhoodthat identifies the refrigerant used inthe vehicle. The refrigerant systemshould only be serviced by trainedand certified technicians. The airconditioning evaporator shouldnever be repaired or replaced byone from a salvage vehicle.It should only be replaced by a newevaporator to ensure proper andsafe operation.
During service, all refrigerantsshould be reclaimed with properequipment. Venting refrigerantsdirectly to the atmosphere is harmfulto the environment and may alsocreate unsafe conditions based oninhalation, combustion, frostbite,or other health-based concerns.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
214 Driving and Operating
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 215Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 216Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 217Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 218Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 219Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 221Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 225Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 227Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 231Parking over ThingsThat Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 233Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 238Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 240Regenerative Braking(Hybrid Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/ElectronicStability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 245
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 252Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 253
Assistance Systems forDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257Forward Collision Alert (FCA)System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258Forward AutomaticBraking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260Front Pedestrian Braking(FPB) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261Side Blind ZoneAlert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 264Lane DepartureWarning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266Lane Keep Assist (LKA) . . . . . . 266
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 269Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 215
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272Driving Characteristics andTo w i n g T i p s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 2Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275To w i n g E q u i p m e n t . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 7 6
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many formsand can take your focus from thetask of driving. Exercise goodjudgment and do not let otheractivities divert your attention awayfrom the road. Many localgovernments have enacted lawsregarding driver distraction. Becomefamiliar with the local laws inyour area.
To a v o i d d i s t r a c t e d d r i v i n g , k e e pyour eyes on the road, keep yourhands on the steering wheel, andfocus your attention on driving.
.Do not use a phone indemanding driving situations.Use a hands-free method toplace or receive necessaryphone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,take notes, or look upinformation on phones or otherelectronic devices.
.Designate a front seatpassenger to handle potentialdistractions.
.Become familiar with vehiclefeatures before driving, such asprogramming favorite radiostations and adjusting climatecontrol and seat settings.Program all trip information intoany navigation device prior todriving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parkedto retrieve items that have fallento the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tendto children.
.Keep pets in an appropriatecarrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversationswhile driving, whether with apassenger or on a cell phone.
{Warning
Ta k i n g y o u r e y e s o f f t h e r o a d t o o
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
216 Driving and Operating
Refer to the Infotainment section formore information on using thatsystem, including pairing and usingacellphone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“alwaysexpect the unexpected.”The firststep in driving defensively is to wearthe safety belt. SeeSafetyBelts064.
.Assume that other road users(pedestrians, bicyclists, andother drivers) are going to becareless and make mistakes.Anticipate what they might doand be ready.
.Allow enough following distancebetween you and the driver infront of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated withdrinking and driving is a globaltragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
asmallamountofalcohol.You
can have a serious—or even
fatal—collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
adriverwhohasbeendrinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and acceleratingare important factors in helping tocontrol a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perceptiontime and reaction time. Deciding topush the brake pedal is perceptiontime. Actually doing it isreaction time.
Average driver reaction time isabout three-quarters of a second. Inthat time, a vehicle moving at100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m(66 ft), which could be a lot ofdistance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mindinclude:
.Keep enough distance betweenyou and the vehicle in frontof you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.
If the engine ever stops while thevehicle is being driven, brakenormally but do not pump thebrakes. Doing so could make thepedal harder to push down. If theengine stops, there will be somepower brake assist but it will beused when the brake is applied.Once the power assist is used up, itcan take longer to stop and thebrake pedal will be harder to push.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 217
Steering
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric powersteering. It does not have powersteering fluid. Regular maintenanceis not required.
If power steering assist is lost dueto a system malfunction, the vehiclecan be steered, but may requireincreased effort.
See your dealer if there is aproblem.
If the steering wheel is turned until itreaches the end of its travel and isheld against that position for anextended period of time, powersteering assist may be reduced.
If the steering assist is used for anextended period of time, powerassist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steeringassist should return when thesystem cools down.
See specific vehicle steeringmessages underService VehicleMessages0145.Seeyourdealerifthere is a problem.
Curve Tips
.Ta k e c u r v e s a t a r e a s o n a b l espeed.
.Reduce speed before entering acurve.
.Maintain a reasonable steadyspeed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out ofthe curve before acceleratinggently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations whensteering around a problem maybe more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of thesteering wheel allows you to turn180 degrees without removingahand.
.The Antilock Brake System(ABS) allows steering whilebraking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can dropoff the edge of a road onto theshoulder while driving. Followthese tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator andthen, if there is nothing in theway, steer the vehicle so that itstraddles the edge of thepavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until theright front tire contacts thepavement edge.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
218 Driving and Operating
3. Turn the steering wheel to gostraight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids thatcorrespond to the vehicle's threecontrol systems:
.Braking Skid—wheels are notrolling.
.Steering or Cornering Skid—too much speed or steering in acurve causes tires to slip andlose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid—too muchthrottle causes the drivingwheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skidsby taking reasonable care suited toexisting conditions, and by notoverdriving those conditions. Butskids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, followthese suggestions:
.Ease your foot off theaccelerator pedal and steer theway you want the vehicle to go.
The vehicle may straighten out.Be ready for a second skid if itoccurs.
.Slow down and adjust yourdriving according to weatherconditions. Stopping distancecan be longer and vehiclecontrol can be affected whentraction is reduced by water,snow, ice, gravel, or othermaterial on the road. Learn torecognize warning clues—suchas enough water, ice, or packedsnow on the road to make amirrored surface—and slowdown when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,acceleration, or braking,including reducing vehicle speedby shifting to a lower gear. Anysudden changes could causethe tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes helpavoid only the braking skid.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reducevehicle traction and affect yourability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these typesof driving conditions and avoiddriving through large puddles anddeep-standing or flowing water.
{Warning
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada/Mexico-10122664) - 2017 - crc - 5/23/16
Driving and Operating 219
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Watercan build up under the vehicle'stires so they actually ride on thewater. This can happen if the road iswet enough and you are going fastenough. When the vehicle ishydroplaning, it has little or nocontact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule abouthydroplaning. The best advice is toslow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wetweather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wipingequipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluidreservoir filled.
.Have good tires with propertread depth. SeeTires0317.
.Turn off cruise control.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or throughmountains is different than drivingon flat or rolling terrain. Tips include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and ingood shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when goingdown steep or long hills.
{Warning
Using the brakes to slow the
vehicle on a long downhill slope
can cause brake overheating, can
reduce brake performance, and
could result in a loss of braking.
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear to let the engine assist the
brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. This can cause
overheating of the brakes and
loss of steering. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle
in gear.
.Drive at speeds that keep thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.
.Be alert on top of hills;something could be in your lane(e.g., stalled car, accident).
.Pay attention to special roadsigns (e.g., falling rocks area,winding roads, long grades,passing or no-passing zones)and take appropriate action.