child seat CHEVROLET MALIBU 2023 Owners Manual

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
16273584) - 2023 - CRC - 9/28/22
Introduction 3
A circle with a slash through it is a safety
symbol which means“Do not,” “Do not do
this,” or“Do not let this happen.”
Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that
use symbols instead of text. Symbols are
shown along with the text describing the
operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gauge,
or indicator.
M:Shown when the owner’s manual has
additional instructions or information.
*: Shown when the service manual has
additional instructions or information.
0: Shown when there is more information
on another page — “see page.”
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may
be found on the vehicle and what they
mean. See the features in this manual for
information.
u: Air Conditioning System
G:Air Conditioning Refrigerant Oil
9:Airbag Readiness Light
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
$:Brake System Warning Light
9:Dispose of Used Components Properly
P:Do Not Apply High Pressure Water
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
_:Flame/Fire Prohibited
H: Flammable
[:Forward Collision Alert
R:Fuse Block Cover Lock Location
+:Fuses
j:ISOFIX/LATCH System Child Restraints
Q:Keep Fuse Block Covers Properly
Installed
|: Lane Change Alert
@:Lane Departure Warning
A:Lane Keep Assist
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
X:Park Assist
~:Pedestrian Ahead Indicator
O:Power
7:Rear Cross Traffic Alert
I:Registered Technician
/:Remote Vehicle Start
h:Risk of Electrical Fire
>:Seat Belt Reminders
I:Side Blind Zone Alert
h:Stop/Start
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak/Electronic
Stability Control (ESC)
a: Under Pressure
k: Vehicle Ahead Indicator

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Keys, Doors, and Windows 15
Warning (Continued)
out of the vehicle in a crash is
increased if the doors are not locked.
So, all passengers should wear seat
belts properly and the doors should be
locked whenever the vehicle is driven.
.Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out.
A child can be overcome by extreme
heat and can suffer permanent injuries
or even death from heat stroke.
Always lock the vehicle whenever
leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down
or stop the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from happening.
To lock or unlock the doors from the
outside:
.PressQorKon the remote key. See
Remote Key Operation 07.
.In the case of a dead battery, use the key
in the driver door. The key lock cylinder is
covered with a cap. To lock or unlock the doors from the inside:
.PressQorKon the power door lock
switch.
.Pull the door handle once to unlock the
door. Pull the handle again to unlatch it.
Keyless Access
The remote key must be within 1 m (3 ft) of
the trunk or door being opened. Press the
button on the door handle to open. See
“Keyless Access Operation” inRemote Key
Operation 07.
Driver Door Key Lock Cylinder Access (In
Case of Dead Battery)
To access the driver door key lock cylinder:
1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open until cap
removal is complete.
2. Insert the key into the slot (3) on the bottom of the cap (2) and lift the key
upward.
3. Move the cap (2) rearward and remove.
4. Use the key in the cylinder.
To replace the cap: 1. Pull the door handle (1) to the open position and hold it open until cap
installation is complete.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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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-
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Seats and Restraints 27
Seats and Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Memory Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats . . . . . 34
Rear Seats
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Rear Seat Armrest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Seat Belts
Seat Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Buckle To Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly . . . . . . 39
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . 43
Seat Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Safety System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Seat Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Replacing Seat Belt System Parts after aCrash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
When Should an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 47
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . 48
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . 48
What Will You See after an AirbagInflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Passenger Sensing System . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Replacing Airbag System Parts after a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Infants and Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Where to Put the Restraint . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children(LATCH System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Rear Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Securing Child Restraints (With the Seat Belt in the Front Seat) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Head Restraints
{
Warning
With head restraints that are not
installed and adjusted properly, there is a
greater chance that occupants will suffer
a neck/spinal injury in a crash. Do not
drive until the head restraints for all
occupants are installed and adjusted
properly.
Adjust the head restraint so that the top of
the restraint is at the same height as the
top of the occupant's head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a
crash.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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30 Seats and Restraints
Manual Seat Height Adjuster
Move the lever on the outboard side of the
seat up or down to manually adjust the seat
height.
Power Seat Adjustment
{Warning
The power seats will work with the
ignition off. Children could operate the
power seats and be injured. Never leave
children alone in the vehicle.
To adjust a power seat, if equipped:
.Move the seat forward or rearward by
sliding the control forward or rearward.
.Raise or lower the front part of the seat
cushion by moving the front of the
control up or down.
.Raise or lower the entire seat by moving
the entire control up or down.
.Raise or lower the rear part of the seat
cushion by moving the back of the
control up or down.
To adjust the seatback, see Reclining
Seatbacks 030.
Reclining Seatbacks
{Warning
Sitting in a reclined position when the
vehicle is in motion can be dangerous.
Even when buckled up, the seat belts
cannot do their job.
The shoulder belt will not be against
your body. Instead, it will be in front of
you. In a crash, you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt could go up over your
abdomen. The belt forces would be there,
not at your pelvic bones. This could cause
serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is
in motion, have the seatback upright.
Then sit well back in the seat and wear
the seat belt properly.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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36 Seats and Restraints
alert even when there is nothing in the rear
seat; for example, if a child entered the
vehicle through the rear door and left the
vehicle without the vehicle being shut off.
The feature can be turned on or off. Select
Settings > Vehicle > Rear Seat Reminder >
ON or OFF.
Folding the Seatback
Either side of the seatback can be folded
down for more cargo space. Fold a seatback
only when the vehicle is not moving.
Caution
Folding a rear seat with the seat belts
still fastened may cause damage to the
seat or the seat belts. Always unbuckle
the seat belts and return them to their
normal stowed position before folding a
rear seat.
The release levers for folding the rear
seatbacks are located in the trunk. To fold
the seatback down: 1. Lower the rear seat head restraints completely. See Head Restraints027.
2. Lift the rear seat armrest and place it in the folded position, if necessary. See
Rear Seat Armrest 037.
3. Disconnect the rear seat belt mini-latch,
using a key in the slot on the
mini-buckle.
Let the belt retract.
4. Open the trunk and pull the seatbackrelease lever to fold the rear seat.
5. Fold the seatback forward.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 39
If the vehicle is on and the brake pedal is
pressed with the vehicle in P (Park) but the
driver seat belt is not buckled, a message
displays in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) and the vehicle will be delayed
from shifting out of P (Park). Buckle the
driver seat belt to clear the message and
shift out of P (Park). Shifting from P (Park)
will be delayed once for each time the
vehicle is started.
For some fleet vehicles, the feature is
always ON and cannot be turned OFF in the
infotainment system. The vehicle will be
delayed from shifting from P (Park) each
time the driver attempts to do so while the
driver seat belt is not buckled. Turning the
vehicle off then on will not change this
condition.
On some models, Buckle to Drive may also
delay shifting out of P (Park) if a front
passenger seat belt is unbuckled. A message
displays in the DIC. Buckle the front
passenger seat belt to shift out of P (Park).
This feature may delay the vehicle from
shifting out of P (Park) if an object, such as
a briefcase, handbag, grocery bag, laptop,
or other electronic device, is on the frontpassenger seat. If this happens, remove the
object from the seat or buckle the seat belt
to shift out of P (Park).
If the driver, or on some vehicles, the
present front passenger remains unbuckled,
the DIC message will turn off after several
seconds and the vehicle can be shifted out
of P (Park). See
“Seat Belts”and“Child
Restraints” in the Index for information
about the importance of proper
restraint use.
If the driver seat belt or the front passenger
seat belt is unbuckled when driving, the seat
belt reminder chime and light(s) will come
on. See Seat Belt Reminders 085. This
feature may not function properly if the
airbag readiness light is on. See Airbag
Readiness Light 086.
How to Wear Seat Belts Properly
Follow these rules for everyone's protection.
There are additional things to know about
seat belts and children, including smaller
children and infants. If a child will be riding
in the vehicle, see Older Children054 or
Infants and Young Children 056. Review
and follow the rules for children in addition
to the following rules. It is very important for all occupants to
buckle up. Statistics show that unbelted
people are hurt more often in crashes than
those who are wearing seat belts.
There are important things to know about
wearing a seat belt properly.
.Sit up straight and always keep your feet
on the floor in front of you (if possible).
.Wear the lap part of the belt low and
snug on the hips, just touching the
thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the
strong pelvic bones and you would be
less likely to slide under the lap belt.
If you slid under it, the belt would apply
force on your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 41
Never route the lap or shoulder belt over an
armrest.
{Warning
The seat belt can be pinched if it is
routed under plastic trim on the seat,
such as trim around the rear seatback
folding handle or side airbag. In a crash,
pinched seat belts might not provide
adequate protection. Never allow seat
belts to be routed under plastic trim
pieces.
{Warning
You can be seriously injured or killed if
the shoulder belt is worn behind your
back, under your legs, or wrapped around
your 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
you. You may have to cut the seat belt if
it is locked and tightened around you.
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle have a
lap-shoulder belt.
If you are using a rear seating position with
a detachable seat belt and the seat belt is
not attached, seeRear Seats035 for
instructions on reconnecting the seat belt to
the mini-buckle.
The following instructions explain how to
wear a lap-shoulder belt properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up straight. To see how,
see “Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt
across you. Do not let it get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if you
pull the belt across you very quickly.
If this happens, let the belt go back
slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
If the shoulder portion of a passenger
belt is pulled out all the way, the child
restraint locking feature may be
engaged. See Child Restraint Systems
0 58. If this occurs, let the belt go back
all the way and start again. If the
locking feature stays engaged after
letting the belt go back to stowed

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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42 Seats and Restraints
position on the seat, move the seat
rearward or recline the seat until the
shoulder belt retractor lock releases.
Engaging the child restraint locking
feature in the front outboard seating
position may affect the passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger Sensing
System 050.
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.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure
it is secure. If the belt is not long
enough, see Seat Belt Extender 043. Position the release button on the buckle
so that the seat belt could be quickly
unbuckled if necessary.
4. To make the lap part tight, pull up on
the shoulder belt.
To unlatch the belt, push the button on the
buckle. The belt should return to its stowed
position.
Always stow the seat belt slowly. If the seat
belt webbing returns quickly to the stowed
position, the retractor may lock and cannot
be pulled out. If this happens, pull the seat
belt straight out firmly to unlock the
webbing, and then release it. If the webbing
is still locked in the retractor, see your
dealer.
Before a door is closed, be sure the seat belt
is out of the way. If a door is slammed
against a seat belt, damage can occur to
both the seat belt and the vehicle.

Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-
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Seats and Restraints 43
Seat Belt Pretensioners
This vehicle has seat belt pretensioners for
the front outboard occupants. Although the
seat belt pretensioners cannot be seen, they
are part of the seat belt assembly. They can
help tighten the seat belts during the early
stages of a moderate to severe frontal, near
frontal, or rear crash if the threshold
conditions for pretensioner activation are
met. Seat belt pretensioners can also help
tighten the seat belts in a side crash or a
rollover event.
Pretensioners work only once. If the
pretensioners activate in a crash, the
pretensioners and probably other parts of
the vehicle's seat belt system will need to
be replaced. SeeReplacing Seat Belt System
Parts after a Crash 044.
Do not sit on the outboard seat belt while
entering or exiting the vehicle or at any
time while sitting in the seat. Sitting on the
seat belt can damage the webbing and
hardware.
Rear Seat Belt Comfort Guides
Rear seat belt comfort guides may provide
added seat belt comfort for older children
who have outgrown booster seats and for some adults. When installed on a shoulder
belt, the comfort guide positions the
shoulder belt away from the neck and head.
Comfort guides are available through your
dealer for the rear outboard seating
positions. Instructions are included with the
guides.
Seat Belt Use During Pregnancy
Seat belts work for everyone, including
pregnant women. Like all occupants, they
are more likely to be seriously injured if
they do not wear seat belts.
A pregnant woman should wear a
lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should
be worn as low as possible, below the
rounding, throughout the pregnancy.
The best way to protect the fetus is to
protect the mother. When a seat belt is
worn properly, it is more likely that the
fetus will not be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to
making seat belts effective is wearing them
properly.
Seat Belt Extender
If the vehicle's seat belt will fasten around
you, you should use it.
But if a seat belt is not long enough, your
dealer will order you an extender. Only a
GM dealer issued extender should be used.
When you go in to order it, take the
heaviest coat you will wear, so the extender
will be long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone else use
it, and use it only for the seat it is made to
fit. The extender has been designed for
adults. Never use it for securing child
restraints. For more information on the
proper use and fit of seat belt extenders see
the instruction sheet that comes with the
extender.