2006 Chevrolet Malibu Owners Manual

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scheduled for service, unless, of course, the problem is safety-related. If it is, please call your dealership, let them know this, and ask for instructions. If the dealer requests that you simply drop the vehicle off for service, you are urged to do so as early in the work day as possible to allow for the same day repair. 7-8 Transportation Options Warranty service can generally be completed while you wait. However, if you are unable to wait, GM helps to minimize your inconvenience by providing several transportation options. Depending on the circumstances, your dealer can offer you one of the following: Shuttle Service Participating dealers can provide you with shuttle service to get you to your destination with minimal interruption of your daily schedule. This includes one-way or round trip shuttle service to a destination up to 10 miles (16 km) from the dealership. Public Transportation or Fuel Reimbursement If your vehicle requires overnight warranty repairs, reimbursement of public transportation expenses may be available, for up to a maximum of ﬁve days. In addition, should you arrange transportation through a friend or relative, reimbursement for reasonable fuel expenses may be available, up to a ﬁve-day maximum. Claim amounts should reﬂect actual costs and be supported by original receipts. Courtesy Rental Vehicle Your dealer may arrange to provide you with a courtesy rental vehicle or reimburse you for a rental vehicle that you obtain if your vehicle is kept for a warranty repair. Reimbursement will be limited to a maximum amount per day and must be supported by receipts. This requires that you sign and complete a rental agreement and meet state, local and rental vehicle provider requirements. Requirements vary and may include minimum age requirements, insurance coverage, credit card, etc. You are responsible for fuel usage charges and may also be responsible for taxes, levies, usage fees, excessive mileage or rental usage beyond the completion of the repair. Generally it is not possible to provide a like-vehicle as a courtesy rental. Additional Program Information Courtesy Transportation is available during the Bumper-to-Bumper warranty coverage period, but it is not part of the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. A separate booklet entitled Warranty and Owner Assistance Information furnished with each new vehicle provides detailed warranty coverage information. Courtesy Transportation is available only at participating dealers and all program options, such as shuttle service, may not be available at every dealer. Please contact your dealer for speciﬁc information about availability. All Courtesy Transportation arrangements will be administered by appropriate dealer personnel. Canadian Vehicles: For warranty repairs during the Complete Vehicle Coverage period of the General Motors of Canada New Vehicle Limited Warranty, alternative transportation may be available under the Courtesy Transportation Program. Please consult your dealer for details. General Motors reserves the right to unilaterally modify, change or discontinue Courtesy Transportation at any time and to resolve all questions of claim eligibility pursuant to the terms and conditions described herein at its sole discretion. 7-9 Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data Recorders Your vehicle, like other modern motor vehicles, has a number of sophisticated computer systems that monitor and control several aspects of the vehicle’s performance. Your vehicle uses on-board vehicle computers to monitor emission control components to optimize fuel economy, to monitor conditions for airbag deployment and, if so equipped, to provide anti-lock braking and to help the driver control the vehicle in difficult driving situations. Some information may be stored during regular operations to facilitate repair of detected malfunctions; other information is stored only in a crash event by computer systems, such as those commonly called event data recorders (EDR). In a crash event, computer systems, such as the Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) in your vehicle may record information about the condition of the vehicle and how it was operated, such as data related to engine speed, brake application, throttle position, vehicle speed, safety belt usage, airbag readiness, airbag performance, and the severity of a collision. This information has been used to improve vehicle crash performance and may be used to improve crash performance of future vehicles and driving safety. Unlike the data recorders on many airplanes, these on-board systems do not record sounds, such as conversation of vehicle occupants. 7-10 To read this information, special equipment is needed and access to the vehicle or the device that stores the data is required. GM will not access information about a crash event or share it with others other than: (cid:127) with the consent of the vehicle owner or, if the vehicle is leased, with the consent of the lessee, in response to an official request of police or similar government office, as part of GM’s defense of litigation through the discovery process, or as required by law. In addition, once GM collects or receives data, GM may: use the data for GM research needs, (cid:127) make it available for research where appropriate conﬁdentiality is to be maintained and need is shown, or share summary data which is not tied to a speciﬁc vehicle with non-GM organizations for research purposes. Others, such as law enforcement, may have access to the special equipment that can read the information if they have access to the vehicle or the device that stores the data. (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) If your vehicle is equipped with OnStar®, please check the OnStar® subscription service agreement or manual for information on its operations and data collection. Collision Damage Repair If your vehicle is involved in a collision and it is damaged, have the damage repaired by a qualiﬁed technician using the proper equipment and quality replacement parts. Poorly performed collision repairs will diminish your vehicle’s resale value, and safety performance can be compromised in subsequent collisions. Collision Parts Genuine GM Collision parts are new parts made with the same materials and construction methods as the parts with which your vehicle was originally built. Genuine GM Collision parts are your best choice to assure that your vehicle’s designed appearance, durability and safety are preserved. The use of Genuine GM parts can help maintain your GM New Vehicle Warranty. Recycled original equipment parts may also be used for repair. These parts are typically removed from vehicles that were total losses in prior accidents. In most cases, the parts being recycled are from undamaged sections of the vehicle. A recycled original equipment GM part, may be an acceptable choice to maintain your vehicle’s originally designed appearance and safety performance, however, the history of these parts is not known. Such parts are not covered by your GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any related failures are not covered by that warranty. Aftermarket collision parts are also available. These are made by companies other than GM and may not have been tested for your vehicle. As a result, these parts may ﬁt poorly, exhibit premature durability/corrosion problems, and may not perform properly in subsequent collisions. Aftermarket parts are not covered by your GM New Vehicle Limited Warranty, and any vehicle failure related to such parts are not covered by that warranty. 7-11 Repair Facility GM also recommends that you choose a collision repair facility that meets your needs before you ever need collision repairs. Your GM dealer may have a collision repair center with GM-trained technicians and state of the art equipment, or be able to recommend a collision repair center that has GM-trained technicians and comparable equipment. Insuring Your Vehicle Protect your investment in your GM vehicle with comprehensive and collision insurance coverage. There are signiﬁcant differences in the quality of coverage afforded by various insurance policy terms. Many insurance policies provide reduced protection to your GM vehicle by limiting compensation for damage repairs by using aftermarket collision parts. Some insurance companies will not specify aftermarket collision parts. When purchasing insurance, we recommend that you assure your vehicle will be repaired with GM original equipment collision parts. If such insurance coverage is not available from your current insurance carrier, consider switching to another insurance carrier. If your vehicle is leased, the leasing company may require you to have insurance that assures repairs with Genuine GM Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts or Genuine Manufacturer replacement parts. Read your lease carefully, as you may be charged at the end of your lease for poor quality repairs. If an Accident Occurs Here is what to do if you are involved in an accident. Try to relax and then check to make sure you are all right. If you are uninjured, make sure that no one else in your vehicle, or the other vehicle, is injured. If there has been an injury, call 911 for help. Do not leave the scene of an accident until all matters have been taken care of. Move your vehicle only if its position puts you in danger or you are instructed to move it by a police officer. (cid:127) Give only the necessary and requested information to police and other parties involved in the accident. Do not discuss your personal condition, mental frame of mind, or anything unrelated to the accident. This will help guard against post-accident legal action. 7-12 (cid:127) (cid:127) If you need roadside assistance, call GM Roadside Assistance. See Roadside Assistance Program on page 7-6 for more information. If your vehicle cannot be driven, know where the towing service will be taking it. Get a card from the tow truck operator or write down the driver’s name, the service’s name, and the phone number. (cid:127) Remove any valuables from your vehicle before it is towed away. Make sure this includes your insurance information and registration if you keep these items in your vehicle. (cid:127) Gather the important information you will need from the other driver. Things like name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, vehicle license plate, vehicle make, model and model year, Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN), insurance company and policy number, and a general description of the damage to the other vehicle. If possible, call your insurance company from the scene of the accident. They will walk you through the information they will need. If they ask for a police report, phone or go to the police department headquarters the next day and you can get a copy of the report for a nominal fee. In some states with “no fault” insurance laws, a report may not be necessary. This is especially true if there are no injuries and both vehicles are driveable. (cid:127) Choose a reputable collision repair facility for your vehicle. Whether you select a GM dealer or a private collision repair facility to ﬁx the damage, make sure you are comfortable with them. Remember, you will have to feel comfortable with their work for a long time. (cid:127) Once you have an estimate, read it carefully and make sure you understand what work will be performed on your vehicle. If you have a question, ask for an explanation. Reputable shops welcome this opportunity. 7-13 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Managing the Vehicle Damage Repair Process In the event that your vehicle requires damage repairs, GM recommends that you take an active role in its repair. If you have a pre-determined repair facility of choice, take your vehicle there, or have it towed there. Specify to the facility that any required replacement collision parts be original equipment parts, either new Genuine GM parts or recycled original GM parts. Remember, recycled parts will not be covered by your GM vehicle warranty. Insurance pays the bill for the repair, but you must live with the repair. Depending on your policy limits, your insurance company may initially value the repair using aftermarket parts. Discuss this with your repair professional, and insist on Genuine GM parts. Remember if your vehicle is leased you may be obligated to have the vehicle repaired with Genuine GM parts, even if your insurance coverage does not pay the full cost. If another party’s insurance company is paying for the repairs, you are not obligated to accept a repair valuation based on that insurance company’s collision policy repair limits, as you have no contractual limits with that company. In such cases, you can have control of the repair and parts choices as long as cost stays within reasonable limits. 7-14 Reporting Safety Defects Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government If you believe that your vehicle has a defect which could cause a crash or could cause injury or death, you should immediately inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in addition to notifying General Motors. If NHTSA receives similar complaints, it may open an investigation, and if it ﬁnds that a safety defect exists in a group of vehicles, it may order a recall and remedy campaign. However, NHTSA cannot become involved in individual problems between you, your dealer, or General Motors. To contact NHTSA, you may either call the Auto Safety Hotline toll-free at 1-800-424-9393 (or 366-0123 in the Washington, D.C. area) or write to: NHTSA, U.S. Department of Transportation Washington, D.C. 20590 You can also obtain other information about motor vehicle safety from the hotline. Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government If you live in Canada, and you believe that your vehicle has a safety defect, you should immediately notify Transport Canada, in addition to notifying General Motors of Canada Limited. You may call them at 1-800-333-0510 or write to: Transport Canada Place de Ville Tower C 330 Sparks Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N5 Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors In addition to notifying NHTSA (or Transport Canada) in a situation like this, we certainly hope you will notify General Motors. Please call the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-222-1020, or write: Chevrolet Motor Division Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center P.O. Box 33170 Detroit, MI 48232-5170 In Canada, please call us at 1-800-263-3777 (English) or 1-800-263-7854 (French). Or, write: General Motors of Canada Limited Customer Communication Centre, 163-005 1908 Colonel Sam Drive Oshawa, Ontario L1H 8P7 Service Publications Ordering Information Service Manuals Service Manuals have the diagnosis and repair information on engines, transmission, axle suspension, brakes, electrical, steering, body, etc. Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit Repair Manual This manual provides information on unit repair service procedures, adjustments, and speciﬁcations for GM transmissions, transaxles, and transfer cases. 7-15 Service Bulletins Service Bulletins give technical service information needed to knowledgeably service General Motors cars and trucks. Each bulletin contains instructions to assist in the diagnosis and service of your vehicle. In Canada, information pertaining to Product Service Bulletins can be obtained by contacting your General Motors dealer or by calling 1-800-GM-DRIVE (1-800-463-7483). Owner’s Information Owner publications are written speciﬁcally for owners and intended to provide basic operational information about the vehicle. The owner’s manual will include the Maintenance Schedule for all models. In-Portfolio: Includes a Portfolio, Owner’s Manual, and Warranty Booklet. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $35.00 Without Portfolio: Owner’s Manual only. RETAIL SELL PRICE: $25.00 Current and Past Model Order Forms Service Publications are available for current and past model GM vehicles. To request an order form, please specify year and model name of the vehicle. ORDER TOLL FREE: 1-800-551-4123 Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time For Credit Card Orders Only (VISA-MasterCard-Discover), visit Helm, Inc. on the World Wide Web at: www.helminc.com Or you can write to: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 Prices are subject to change without notice and without incurring obligation. Allow ample time for delivery. Note to Canadian Customers: All listed prices are quoted in U.S. funds. Canadian residents are to make checks payable in U.S. funds. 7-16 A Accessories and Modiﬁcations ............................ 5-3 Accessory Power Outlet(s) ............................... 3-21 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................... 1-66 Additives, Fuel ................................................. 5-6 Add-On Electrical Equipment ............................ 5-98 Adjustable Throttle and Brake Pedal .................. 2-25 Air Cleaner/Filter, Engine ................................. 5-22 Air Conditioning ...................................... 3-22, 3-27 Airbag Readiness Light .......................................... 3-35 Airbag Sensing and Diagnostic Module (SDM) ...... 7-10 Airbag System ................................................ 1-55 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ................................................... 1-66 How Does an Airbag Restrain? ...................... 1-63 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .......... 1-65 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? ...................... 1-63 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .... 1-64 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .................... 1-61 Where Are the Airbags? ............................... 1-58 Antenna, Backglass ....................................... 3-108 Antenna, Fixed Mast ...................................... 3-108 Antenna, XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ..................................................... 3-108 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........................... 4-7 Anti-Lock Brake, System Warning Light .............. 3-37 Appearance Care Aluminum Wheels ........................................ 5-95 Care of Safety Belts .................................... 5-93 Chemical Paint Spotting ............................... 5-96 Cleaning Exterior Lamps/Lenses .................... 5-93 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle ................ 5-89 Fabric/Carpet .............................................. 5-90 Finish Care ................................................. 5-94 Finish Damage ............................................ 5-96 Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces ....................................... 5-92 Leather ...................................................... 5-91 Sheet Metal Damage ................................... 5-96 Tires .......................................................... 5-95 Ultra Lux Suede .......................................... 5-92 Underbody Maintenance ............................... 5-96 Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials ................ 5-97 Washing Your Vehicle ................................... 5-93 Weatherstrips .............................................. 5-93 Windshield and Wiper Blades ........................ 5-94 Audio System(s) ............................................. 3-54 Audio Steering Wheel Controls ........... 3-105, 3-106 Backglass Antenna ..................................... 3-108 Care of Your CD and DVD Player ................ 3-107 Care of Your CDs and DVDs ....................... 3-107 Fixed Mast Antenna ................................... 3-108 Radio with CD .................................... 3-56, 3-61 Radio with Six-Disc CD ................................ 3-71 Rear Seat Audio (RSA) ..................... 3-101, 3-103 Audio System(s) (cont.) Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS) ................................ 3-55 Setting the Time for Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS) ................................ 3-55 Theft-Deterrent Feature ............................... 3-105 Understanding Radio Reception ................... 3-106 XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System ........... 3-108 Automatic Climate Control System ..................... 3-27 Automatic Headlamp System ............................ 3-17 Automatic Transaxle Fluid .................................................. 5-23, 5-24 Operation ........................................... 2-27, 2-30 Backglass Antenna ........................................ 3-108 Battery .......................................................... 5-42 Run-Down Protection ................................... 3-20 Before Leaving on a Long Trip ......................... 4-24 Brake Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) ........................ 4-7 Emergencies ................................................ 4-9 Parking ...................................................... 2-33 System Warning Light .................................. 3-36 Brake Pedal, Throttle ....................................... 2-25 Brakes .......................................................... 5-39 Braking ........................................................... 4-6 Braking in Emergencies ..................................... 4-9 Break-In, New Vehicle ..................................... 2-22 Bulb Replacement ........................................... 5-47 Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-47 Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Parking Lamps ......................................... 5-48 Replacement Bulbs ...................................... 5-51 Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps ........................................ 5-50 Buying New Tires ........................................... 5-64 California Fuel .................................................. 5-6 California Proposition 65 Warning ....................... 5-3 Canadian Owners ................................................ ii Capacities and Speciﬁcations .......................... 5-107 Carbon Monoxide ........................... 2-15, 2-16, 2-36, 4-27, 4-42 Care of Safety Belts ................................................ 5-93 Your CD and DVD Player ........................... 3-107 Your CDs and DVDs .................................. 3-107 Cargo Lamp ................................................... 3-20 Center Console Storage Area ........................... 2-50 Chains, Tire ................................................... 5-70 Charging System Light .................................... 3-36 Check Engine Light ............................................... 3-41 Checking Things Under the Hood ...................... 5-10 Chemical Paint Spotting ................................... 5-96 Child Restraints Child Restraint Systems ............................... 1-38 Infants and Young Children ........................... 1-34 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children .......... 1-43 Older Children ............................................. 1-32 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ........................................... 1-51 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ................................... 1-53 Where to Put the Restraint ........................... 1-42 Cigarette Lighter ............................................. 3-22 Cleaning Aluminum Wheels ........................................ 5-95 Exterior Lamps/Lenses ................................. 5-93 Fabric/Carpet .............................................. 5-90 Finish Care ................................................. 5-94 Inside of Your Vehicle .................................. 5-89 Instrument Panel, Vinyl, and Other Plastic Surfaces ....................................... 5-92 Leather ...................................................... 5-91 Tires .......................................................... 5-95 Ultra Lux Suede .......................................... 5-92 Underbody Maintenance ............................... 5-96 Washing Your Vehicle ................................... 5-93 Weatherstrips .............................................. 5-93 Windshield and Wiper Blades ........................ 5-94 Climate Control System ................................... 3-22 Automatic ................................................... 3-27 Outlet Adjustment ........................................ 3-31 Collision Damage Repair .................................. 7-11 Comfort Guides, Rear Safety Belt ..................... 1-28 Compact Spare Tire ........................................ 5-88 Competitive Driving ......................................... 4-18 Content Theft-Deterrent .................................... 2-18 Control of a Vehicle .......................................... 4-5 Convenience Net ............................................ 2-52 Coolant Engine Temperature Gage ............................ 3-40 Engine Temperature Warning Light ................. 3-40 Heater, Engine ............................................ 2-26 Surge Tank Pressure Cap ............................. 5-29 Cooling System .............................................. 5-32 Cruise Control ................................................ 3-11 Cruise Control Light ........................................ 3-45 Cupholder(s) .................................................. 2-50 Customer Assistance Information Courtesy Transportation .................................. 7-8 Customer Assistance for Text Telephone (TTY) Users ............................... 7-4 Customer Assistance Offices ........................... 7-4 Customer Satisfaction Procedure ..................... 7-2 GM Mobility Reimbursement Program ................................................... 7-5 Customer Assistance Information (cont.) Reporting Safety Defects to General Motors ........................................ 7-15 Reporting Safety Defects to the Canadian Government .............................. 7-15 Reporting Safety Defects to the United States Government ......................... 7-14 Roadside Assistance Program ......................... 7-6 Service Publications Ordering Information ........ 7-15 Daytime Running Lamps .................................. 3-16 Defensive Driving ............................................. 4-2 Delayed Headlamps ........................................ 3-16 Delayed Locking ............................................. 2-13 Doing Your Own Service Work ........................... 5-4 Dome Lamp ................................................... 3-19 Door Delayed Locking .......................................... 2-13 Door Ajar Reminder ..................................... 2-12 Locks ........................................................ 2-11 Power Door Locks ....................................... 2-12 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ............. 2-13 Rear Door Security Locks ............................. 2-14 Driver Driving Position, Safety Belt ..................................... 1-17 Six-Way Power Seat ...................................... 1-3 Driver Information Center (DIC) ......................... 3-47 DIC Operation and Displays .......................... 3-47 DIC Vehicle Personalization .......................... 3-52 DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-50 At Night ..................................................... 4-18 City ........................................................... 4-22 Defensive ..................................................... 4-2 Drunken ....................................................... 4-3 Freeway ..................................................... 4-23 Hill and Mountain Roads .............................. 4-25 In Rain and on Wet Roads ........................... 4-20 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out ................. 4-33 Winter ........................................................ 4-27 Rear Seat Entertainment System ................... 3-86 DVD Electrical System Add-On Equipment ...................................... 5-98 Engine Compartment Fuse Block ................. 5-102 Fuses ........................................................ 5-99 Electrical System (cont.) Headlamp Wiring ......................................... 5-99 Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... 5-100 Power Windows and Other Power Options ...... 5-99 Rear Compartment Fuse Block .................... 5-104 Windshield Wiper Fuses ............................... 5-99 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter ......................................... 5-22 Battery ....................................................... 5-42 Check and Service Engine Soon Light ............ 3-41 Coolant ...................................................... 5-26 Coolant Heater ............................................ 2-26 Coolant Temperature Gage ........................... 3-40 Coolant Temperature Warning Light ................ 3-40 Engine Compartment Overview ...................... 5-12 Exhaust ..................................................... 2-36 Oil ............................................................. 5-17 Oil Life System ........................................... 5-20 Overheated Protection Operating Mode ........... 5-31 Overheating ................................................ 5-29 Starting ...................................................... 2-24 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ...................... 4-11 Active Light ................................................ 3-39 ............................................. 3-39 Warning Light Entry/Exit Lighting ........................................... 3-19 Event Data Recorders (EDR) ............................ 7-10 Extender, Safety Belt ....................................... 1-32 Exterior Lamps ............................................... 3-14 Filter Engine Air Cleaner ...................................... 5-22 Finish Damage ............................................... 5-96 Fixed Mast Antenna ....................................... 3-108 Flash-to-Pass ................................................... 3-8 Flat Tire ........................................................ 5-71 Flat Tire, Changing ......................................... 5-72 Flat Tire, Storing ............................. 5-82, 5-84, 5-86 Fluid Automatic Transaxle ............................. 5-23, 5-24 Power Steering ........................................... 5-37 Windshield Washer ...................................... 5-38 Fog Lamps .................................................... 3-18 Folding Seatback, Passenger ............................. 1-6 Front Reading Lamps ...................................... 3-20 Fuel ............................................................... 5-5 Additives ...................................................... 5-6 California Fuel .............................................. 5-6 Filling a Portable Fuel Container .................... 5-10 Filling Your Tank ........................................... 5-8 Fuels in Foreign Countries .............................. 5-7 Gage ......................................................... 3-46 Gasoline Octane ........................................... 5-5 Gasoline Speciﬁcations .................................. 5-5 Headlamps Automatic Headlamp System ......................... 3-17 Bulb Replacement ....................................... 5-47 Daytime Running Lamps ............................... 3-16 Delayed ..................................................... 3-16 Flash-to-Pass ............................................... 3-8 Halogen Bulbs ............................................ 5-47 Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and Parking Lamps ......................................... 5-48 High/Low Beam Changer ................................ 3-8 On Reminder .............................................. 3-16 Headlamps Off in Park (P) ............................... 3-16 Heated Seats ................................................... 1-4 Heater ................................................... 3-22, 3-27 Highbeam On Light ......................................... 3-45 Highway Hypnosis ........................................... 4-25 Hill and Mountain Roads .................................. 4-25 Hood Checking Things Under ................................ 5-10 Release ..................................................... 5-11 Horn ............................................................... 3-6 How to Use This Manual ...................................... ii How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................... 1-17 Fuses ........................................................... 5-99 Engine Compartment Fuse Block ................. 5-102 Instrument Panel Fuse Block ....................... 5-100 Rear Compartment Fuse Block .................... 5-104 Windshield Wiper ......................................... 5-99 Gage Engine Coolant Temperature ......................... 3-40 Fuel .......................................................... 3-46 Speedometer .............................................. 3-34 Tachometer ................................................. 3-34 Garage Door Opener ....................................... 2-46 Gasoline Octane ........................................................ 5-5 Speciﬁcations ............................................... 5-5 Glove Box ..................................................... 2-50 GM Mobility Reimbursement Program .................. 7-5 Hazard Warning Flashers ................................... 3-6 Head Restraints ............................................... 1-6 Headlamp Wiring ............................................ 5-99 I Ignition Positions ............................................. 2-23 Infants and Young Children, Restraints ............... 1-34 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure ................................... 5-61 Instrument Panel Overview ..................................................... 3-4 Instrument Panel (I/P) Brightness .................................................. 3-19 Cluster ....................................................... 3-33 Jump Starting ................................................. 5-43 Keyless Entry System ....................................... 2-5 Keys ............................................................... 2-3 Labeling, Tire Sidewall ..................................... 5-56 Lamps Battery Run-Down Protection ......................... 3-20 Cargo ........................................................ 3-20 Dome ........................................................ 3-19 Lamps (cont.) Exterior ...................................................... 3-14 Fog ........................................................... 3-18 Front Reading ............................................. 3-20 Rear Reading ............................................. 3-20 Trunk ......................................................... 3-20 LATCH System Child Restraints ........................................... 1-43 Lift Seat, Power ............................................... 1-8 Liftgate .......................................................... 2-16 Light Airbag Readiness ........................................ 3-35 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning ................... 3-37 Brake System Warning ................................. 3-36 Charging System ......................................... 3-36 Cruise Control ............................................. 3-45 Engine Coolant Temperature Warning ............. 3-40 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Active Light .... 3-39 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Warning Light ........................................... 3-39 Highbeam On ............................................. 3-45 Malfunction Indicator .................................... 3-41 Oil Pressure ............................................... 3-44 Safety Belt Reminder ................................... 3-34 Security ..................................................... 3-45 TCS Warning Light ...................................... 3-38 Traction Control System Active ...................... 3-38 Traction Control System (TCS) Warning .......... 3-38 Lighting Entry/Exit ................................................... 3-19 Parade Dimming .......................................... 3-19 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-33 Lockout Protection .......................................... 2-14 Locks Delayed Locking .......................................... 2-13 Door .......................................................... 2-11 Lockout Protection ....................................... 2-14 Power Door ................................................ 2-12 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ............. 2-13 Rear Door Security Locks ............................. 2-14 Loss of Control ............................................... 4-17 Lumbar Manual Controls ............................................ 1-3 Maintenance Schedule Additional Required Services ........................... 6-6 At Each Fuel Fill ........................................... 6-8 At Least Once a Month .................................. 6-9 At Least Once a Year .................................... 6-9 Introduction .................................................. 6-2 Maintenance Footnotes .................................. 6-7 Maintenance Record .................................... 6-14 Maintenance Schedule (cont.) Maintenance Requirements ............................. 6-2 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ......... 6-13 Owner Checks and Services ........................... 6-8 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ............. 6-12 Scheduled Maintenance ................................. 6-4 Using .......................................................... 6-2 Your Vehicle and the Environment ................... 6-2 Malfunction Indicator Light ................................ 3-41 Manual Lumbar Controls .................................... 1-3 Manual Seats ................................................... 1-2 Map Pocket ................................................... 2-50 Message DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-50 Mirrors Automatic Dimming Rearview with Compass .... 2-41 Automatic Dimming Rearview with OnStar® ..... 2-38 Automatic Dimming Rearview with OnStar® and Compass .......................................... 2-39 Manual Rearview Mirror ................................ 2-38 Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar® ............. 2-38 Outside Convex Mirror ................................. 2-43 Outside Power Heated Mirrors ....................... 2-43 Outside Power Mirrors .................................. 2-43 MyGMLink.com ................................................ 7-3 N New Vehicle Break-In ...................................... 2-22 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts ............ 6-13 Odometer ...................................................... 3-34 Odometer, Trip ............................................... 3-34 Off-Road Recovery .......................................... 4-15 Oil Engine ....................................................... 5-17 Pressure Light ............................................. 3-44 Oil, Engine Oil Life System .............................. 5-20 Older Children, Restraints ................................ 1-32 Online Owner Center ........................................ 7-3 OnStar® System, see OnStar® Manual ............... 2-44 Other Warning Devices ...................................... 3-6 Outlet Adjustment ............................................ 3-31 Outside Convex Mirror ............................................. 2-43 Power Heated Mirrors .................................. 2-43 Power Mirrors ............................................. 2-43 Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode .......................................... 5-31 Owner Checks and Services .............................. 6-8 Owners, Canadian ............................................... ii Parade Dimming ............................................. 3-19 Park (P) Shifting Into ................................................ 2-34 Shifting Out of ............................................ 2-35 Park (P) Headlamps Off in Park (P) .................. 3-16 Parking Brake ........................................................ 2-33 Over Things That Burn ................................. 2-36 Passing ......................................................... 4-15 PASS-Key® III+ .............................................. 2-20 PASS-Key® III+ Operation ................................ 2-21 Power ............................................................. 1-3 Accessory Outlet(s) ...................................... 3-21 Door Locks ................................................. 2-12 Electrical System ......................................... 5-99 Lift Seat ....................................................... 1-8 Retained Accessory (RAP) ............................ 2-24 Steering Fluid ............................................. 5-37 Windows .................................................... 2-17 Pretensioners, Safety Belt ................................ 1-32 Programmable Automatic Door Locks ................. 2-13 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ......... 1-16 R Radios .......................................................... 3-54 Care of Your CD and DVD Player ................ 3-107 Care of Your CDs and DVDs ....................... 3-107 Radio with CD .................................... 3-56, 3-61 Radio with Six-Disc CD ................................ 3-71 Rear Seat Audio .............................. 3-101, 3-103 Setting the Time for Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS) ....................... 3-55 Setting the Time for Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS) ....................... 3-55 Theft-Deterrent .......................................... 3-105 Understanding Reception ............................ 3-106 Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover ............ 2-51 Rear Door Security Locks ................................ 2-14 Rear Reading Lamps ...................................... 3-20 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ...................... 1-28 Rear Seat Audio (RSA) ........................ 3-101, 3-103 Rear Seat Entertainment System ....................... 3-86 Rear Seat Operation ......................................... 1-9 Rear Seat Passengers, Safety Belts .................. 1-25 Rear Windshield Washer/Wiper ......................... 3-10 Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with Compass ............................................. 2-41 Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with OnStar® .............................................. 2-38 10 Rearview Mirror, Automatic Dimming with OnStar® and Compass .......................... 2-39 Rearview Mirror with OnStar® ........................... 2-38 Rearview Mirrors ............................................. 2-38 Reclining Seatbacks .......................................... 1-4 Recommended Fluids and Lubricants ................. 6-12 Recreational Vehicle Towing ............................. 4-39 Remote Keyless Entry System ............................ 2-5 Remote Keyless Entry System, Operation ............ 2-6 Removing the Flat Tire and Installing the Spare Tire .................................................. 5-76 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ................... 5-73 Replacement Bulbs ......................................... 5-51 Reporting Safety Defects Canadian Government .................................. 7-15 General Motors ........................................... 7-15 United States Government ............................ 7-14 Restraint System Check Checking the Restraint Systems .................... 1-66 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash .......................................... 1-67 Retained Accessory Power (RAP) ...................... 2-24 Right Front Passenger Position, Safety Belts ...... 1-25 Roadside Assistance Program ....................................... 7-6 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get it Out .................... 4-33 Running the Engine While Parked ..................... 2-37 S Safety Belt Safety Belts Pretensioners .............................................. 1-32 Reminder Light ............................................ 3-34 Care of ...................................................... 5-93 Driver Position ............................................ 1-17 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly ................ 1-17 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ..... 1-16 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ................... 1-28 Rear Seat Passengers ................................. 1-25 Right Front Passenger Position ...................... 1-25 Safety Belt Extender .................................... 1-32 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ................. 1-25 Safety Belts Are for Everyone ....................... 1-12 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ........................ 1-24 Safety Warnings and Symbols .............................. iii Scheduled Maintenance ..................................... 6-4 Seatback, Folding Passenger ............................. 1-6 Seats Head Restraints ............................................ 1-6 Heated Seats ............................................... 1-4 Manual ........................................................ 1-2 Manual Lumbar ............................................. 1-3 Passenger Folding Seatback ........................... 1-6 Seats (cont.) Power Lift Seat ............................................. 1-8 Rear Seat Operation ...................................... 1-9 Reclining Seatbacks ...................................... 1-4 Six-Way Power Driver .................................... 1-3 Securing a Child Restraint Rear Seat Position ...................................... 1-51 Right Front Seat Position .............................. 1-53 Security Light ................................................. 3-45 Service ........................................................... 5-3 Accessories and Modiﬁcations ......................... 5-3 Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your Vehicle .............................................. 5-5 California Proposition 65 Warning .................... 5-3 Doing Your Own Work ................................... 5-4 Engine Soon Light ....................................... 3-41 Publications Ordering Information ................... 7-15 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle .............. 1-65 Setting the Time Radios with Radio Data Systems (RDS) ......... 3-55 Radios without Radio Data Systems (RDS) ..... 3-55 Sheet Metal Damage ....................................... 5-96 Shifting Into Park (P) ....................................... 2-34 Shifting Out of Park (P) ................................... 2-35 Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster ........................... 1-24 Signals, Turn and Lane-Change .......................... 3-8 11 Spare Tire Compact .................................................... 5-88 Installing .................................................... 5-76 Removing ................................................... 5-73 Storing ....................................... 5-82, 5-84, 5-86 Speciﬁcations, Capacities ............................... 5-107 Speedometer .................................................. 3-34 Starting Your Engine ....................................... 2-24 Steering ........................................................ 4-12 Steering Wheel Controls, Audio ............. 3-105, 3-106 Steering Wheel, Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column ............................ 3-6 Storage Areas Center Console Storage Area ........................ 2-50 Convenience Net ......................................... 2-52 Cupholder(s) ............................................... 2-50 Glove Box .................................................. 2-50 Map Pocket ................................................ 2-50 Rear Compartment Storage Panel/Cover ......... 2-51 Table ......................................................... 2-52 Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ...................... 4-32 Sun Visors ..................................................... 2-18 Sunroof ......................................................... 2-53 Table ............................................................ 2-52 Tachometer .................................................... 3-34 Taillamps Turn Signal, Stoplamps and Back-up Lamps .... 5-50 TCS Active Light ............................................. 3-38 TCS Warning Light .......................................... 3-38 Telescopic Steering Column, Tilt Wheel ................ 3-6 Theft-Deterrent, Radio .................................... 3-105 Theft-Deterrent Systems ................................... 2-18 Content Theft-Deterrent ................................ 2-18 PASS-Key® III+ ........................................... 2-20 PASS-Key® III+ Operation ............................. 2-21 Throttle, Adjustable .......................................... 2-25 Tilt Wheel and Telescopic Steering Column .......... 3-6 Tires ............................................................. 5-54 Aluminum Wheels, Cleaning .......................... 5-95 Buying New Tires ........................................ 5-64 Chains ....................................................... 5-70 Changing a Flat Tire .................................... 5-72 Cleaning .................................................... 5-95 Compact Spare Tire ..................................... 5-88 12 Tires (cont.) Different Size .............................................. 5-66 If a Tire Goes Flat ....................................... 5-71 Inﬂation - Tire Pressure ................................ 5-61 Inspection and Rotation ................................ 5-63 Installing the Spare Tire ................................ 5-76 Removing the Flat Tire ................................. 5-76 Removing the Spare Tire and Tools ............... 5-73 Storing a Flat or Spare Tire and Tools ................................ 5-82, 5-84, 5-86 Tire Sidewall Labeling .................................. 5-56 Tire Terminology and Deﬁnitions .................... 5-58 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ......................... 5-66 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance ................. 5-68 Wheel Replacement ..................................... 5-68 When It Is Time for New Tires ...................... 5-64 Recreational Vehicle ..................................... 4-39 Towing a Trailer .......................................... 4-42 Your Vehicle ............................................... 4-39 Control System Active Light .......................... 3-38 Control System (TCS) .................................... 4-9 Towing Traction Traction (cont.) Control System Warning Light ....................... 3-38 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) ................... 4-11 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Active Light ............................................. 3-39 Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Warning Light .......................................... 3-39 Transaxle Fluid, Automatic .................................. 5-23, 5-24 Transaxle Operation, Automatic ................. 2-27, 2-30 Trip Odometer ................................................ 3-34 Trunk ............................................................ 2-15 Trunk Lamps .................................................. 3-20 Turn and Lane-Change Signals .......................... 3-8 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever ........................... 3-7 Understanding Radio Reception ....................... 3-106 Uniform Tire Quality Grading ............................ 5-66 Universal Home Remote System ....................... 2-46 Operation ................................................... 2-47 13 V Vehicle Control ........................................................ 4-5 Damage Warnings ........................................... iv Loading ...................................................... 4-33 Symbols ......................................................... iv Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data Recorders .................................................. 7-10 Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN) ............................................. 5-98 Service Parts Identiﬁcation Label ................... 5-98 Vehicle Personalization DIC ........................................................... 3-52 Ventilation Adjustment ...................................... 3-31 Visors ........................................................... 2-18 Wheels Alignment and Tire Balance .......................... 5-68 Different Size .............................................. 5-66 Replacement ............................................... 5-68 Where to Put the Restraint ............................... 1-42 Windows ....................................................... 2-16 Power ........................................................ 2-17 Windshield Washer ...................................................... 3-10 Washer Fluid .............................................. 5-38 Wiper Blade Replacement ............................. 5-52 Wiper Blades, Cleaning ................................ 5-94 Wiper Fuses ............................................... 5-99 Wipers ......................................................... 3-9 Windshield, Rear Washer/Wiper ........................ 3-10 Winter Driving ................................................ 4-27 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators ................ 3-32 Warnings DIC Warnings and Messages ........................ 3-50 Hazard Warning Flashers ............................... 3-6 Other Warning Devices .................................. 3-6 Safety and Symbols ......................................... iii Vehicle Damage .............................................. iv XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System .............. 3-108 Your Vehicle and the Environment ....................... 6-2 14 2006 Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual M Seats and Restraint Systems ........................... 1-1 Front Seats ............................................... 1-2 Rear Seats ............................................... 1-9 Safety Belts ............................................. 1-12 Child Restraints ....................................... 1-32 Airbag System ......................................... 1-55 Restraint System Check ............................ 1-66 Features and Controls ..................................... 2-1 Keys ........................................................ 2-3 Doors and Locks ...................................... 2-11 Windows ................................................. 2-16 Theft-Deterrent Systems ............................ 2-18 Starting and Operating Your Vehicle ........... 2-22 Mirrors .................................................... 2-38 OnStar® System ...................................... 2-44 Universal Home Remote System ................ 2-46 Storage Areas ......................................... 2-50 Sunroof .................................................. 2-53 Instrument Panel ............................................. 3-1 .......................... 3-4 ...................................... 3-22 ........ 3-32 Instrument Panel Overview Climate Controls Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators Driver Information Center (DIC) Audio System(s) Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Towing .................. 3-47 ....................................... 3-54 Driving Your Vehicle ....................................... 4-1 ..... 4-2 ................................................... 4-39 Service and Appearance Care .......................... 5-1 Service ..................................................... 5-3 Fuel ......................................................... 5-5 Checking Things Under the Hood ............... 5-10 Bulb Replacement .................................... 5-47 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement ......... 5-52 Tires ...................................................... 5-54 Appearance Care ..................................... 5-89 Vehicle Identiﬁcation ................................. 5-98 Electrical System ...................................... 5-98 Capacities and Speciﬁcations ................... 5-107 Maintenance Schedule ..................................... 6-1 ................................ 6-2 Customer Assistance and Information .............. 7-1 ........... 7-2 ........................... 7-14 Index ................................................................ 1 Customer Assistance and Information Reporting Safety Defects Maintenance Schedule Canadian Owners A French language copy of this manual can be obtained from your dealer or from: Helm, Incorporated P.O. Box 07130 Detroit, MI 48207 GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem, CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem, the MALIBU Emblem, and the name MALIBU are registered trademarks; and the name MALIBU MAXX is a trademark of General Motors Corporation. This manual includes the latest information at the time it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes after that time without further notice. For vehicles ﬁrst sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division whenever it appears in this manual. Keep this manual in the vehicle, so it will be there if it is needed while you are on the road. If the vehicle is sold, leave this manual in the vehicle. How to Use This Manual Many people read the owner manual from beginning to end when they ﬁrst receive their new vehicle. If this is done, it can help you learn about the features and controls for the vehicle. Pictures and words work together in the owner manual to explain things. Index A good place to quickly locate information about the vehicle is the Index in the back of the manual. It is an alphabetical list of what is in the manual and the page number where it can be found. Litho in U.S.A. Part No. 06MALIBU A First Printing ©2005 General Motors Corporation. All Rights Reserved. ii Safety Warnings and Symbols There are a number of safety cautions in this book. We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. {CAUTION: These mean there is something that could hurt you or other people. In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you do not, you or others could be hurt. You will also ﬁnd a circle with a slash through it in this book. This safety symbol means “Do Not,” “Do Not do this” or “Do Not let this happen.” iii Vehicle Damage Warnings Also, in this manual you will ﬁnd these notices: Notice: These mean there is something that could damage your vehicle. A notice tells about something that can damage the vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But the notice will tell what to do to help avoid the damage. When you read other manuals, you might see CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in different words. There are also warning labels on the vehicle. They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE. Vehicle 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, gage, or indicator. If you need help ﬁguring out a speciﬁc name of a component, gage, or indicator, reference the following topics: (cid:127) Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1 Features and Controls in Section 2 Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3 (cid:127) Climate Controls in Section 3 (cid:127) Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3 (cid:127) Audio System(s) in Section 3 (cid:127) Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5 iv (cid:127) (cid:127) These are some examples of symbols that may be found on the vehicle: ✍ NOTES vi Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems Front Seats ......................................................1-2 Manual Seats ................................................1-2 Six-Way Power Driver Seat ..............................1-3 Manual Lumbar ..............................................1-3 Heated Seats .................................................1-4 Reclining Seatbacks ........................................1-4 Head Restraints .............................................1-6 Passenger Folding Seatback ............................1-6 Power Lift Seat ..............................................1-8 Rear Seats .......................................................1-9 Rear Seat Operation .......................................1-9 Safety Belts ...................................................1-12 Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone ................1-12 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts ..............................................1-16 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly .................1-17 Driver Position ..............................................1-17 Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment .....................1-24 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy ..................1-25 Right Front Passenger Position .......................1-25 Rear Seat Passengers ..................................1-25 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides ....................1-28 Safety Belt Pretensioners ...............................1-32 Safety Belt Extender .....................................1-32 Child Restraints .............................................1-32 Older Children ..............................................1-32 Infants and Young Children ............................1-34 Child Restraint Systems .................................1-38 Where to Put the Restraint .............................1-42 Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH) ......................................1-43 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat Position ....................................1-51 Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front Seat Position ............................1-53 Airbag System ...............................................1-55 Where Are the Airbags? ................................1-58 When Should an Airbag Inﬂate? .....................1-61 What Makes an Airbag Inﬂate? .......................1-63 How Does an Airbag Restrain? .......................1-63 What Will You See After an Airbag Inﬂates? .....1-64 Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ...........1-65 Adding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle ....................................................1-66 Restraint System Check ..................................1-66 Checking the Restraint Systems ......................1-66 Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash ............................................1-67 1-1 Front Seats Manual Seats {CAUTION: You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is moving. The sudden movement could startle and confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when the vehicle is not moving. 1-2 Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. Six-Way Power Driver Seat Manual Lumbar If your vehicle has this feature, the power seat control is located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. To adjust the power seat, do the following: (cid:127) Move the seat forward or rearward by pushing the control toward the front or back of the vehicle. (cid:127) Raise or lower the front of the seat cushion by holding the front of the control up or down. (cid:127) Raise or lower the rear of the seat cushion by holding the rear of the control up or down. If your vehicle has this feature, the handle is located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. Your vehicle may also have manual lumbar on the front passenger’s seat. Move the handle up repeatedly to increase lumbar support. Move the handle down repeatedly to decrease lumbar support. 1-3 Heated Seats Your vehicle may have heated front seats. Reclining Seatbacks The buttons are located on the outboard side of the driver’s and front passenger’s seats. Press the top of the switch to turn the feature on. The seat will heat to the high setting. The indicator light above the switch will be lit next to the number 2. Press the top of the switch again to go to the low heat setting. The indicator light will be lit next to the number 1. Press the bottom of the switch to turn the feature off. The heated seat feature will turn off when the ignition is turned off. 1-4 To adjust the seatback, lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat and move the seatback to the desired position. Release the lever to lock the seatback in place. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked in place. {CAUTION: If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked. To return the seatback to an upright position, pull up on the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback. {CAUTION: Do not have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle up, your safety belts cannot do their job when you are reclined like this. The shoulder belt cannot do its job because it 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 cannot do its job either. In a crash, the 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 your safety belt properly. 1-5 Head Restraints The head restraints on both the front and rear seats are adjustable. Press the button on the side of the post to adjust the head restraint. Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your head. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. Passenger Folding Seatback Your vehicle may have a passenger folding seatback. This feature allows for more cargo space or allows the seatback to be used as a temporary table while the vehicle is stopped. 1-6 {CAUTION: If you fold the seatback forward to carry longer objects, such as skis, be sure any such cargo is not near an airbag. In a crash, an inﬂating airbag might force that object toward a person. This could cause severe injury or even death. Secure objects away from the area in which an airbag would inﬂate. For more information, see Where Are the Airbags? on page 1-58 and Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-33. {CAUTION: Things you put on this seatback can strike and injure people in a sudden stop or turn, or in a crash. Remove or secure all items before driving. To fold the seatback forward, do the following: 1. Make sure the seatback is in the most upright position and locked by using the reclining seatback lever on the outboard side of the seat. See Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-4. Seat without Side Impact Airbag shown, Seat with Airbag similar 2. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat without an airbag, press either lever located on the back of the seatback and fold the seatback forward. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat with an airbag, press the lever located on the back of the seatback on the inboard side. Press the lever and fold the seatback forward. 1-7 Power Lift Seat Your vehicle may have this feature. First move the seat forward or rearward to where you want it. See Manual Seats on page 1-2. The power lift seat switch is located on the outboard side of the driver’s seat. To raise or lower the seat, press the top or bottom of the switch. To raise the seatback, do the following: 1. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat without an airbag, press either lever located on the back of the seatback. Pull the seatback up to lock it into place. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted or caught in the seatback. If your vehicle has the passenger folding seat with an airbag, press the lever located on the back of the seatback on the inboard side. Pull the seatback up to lock it into place. Make sure the safety belt is not twisted or caught in the seatback. {CAUTION: If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Push and pull the seatback to make sure it is locked into place. 3. Use the reclining seatback lever to adjust the seatback to a comfortable position. See Reclining Seatbacks on page 1-4. 1-8 Rear Seats Rear Seat Operation Folding the Seatback Your vehicle may have a split folding rear seatback. To fold down the rear seatback on the sedan, do the following: 2. Once a handle is pulled, the seatback can be pushed open through the trunk, or pulled open from inside the vehicle. To fold down the rear seatback on the MAXX, do the following: 1. Open the trunk and pull one or both of the handles located on the upper part of the trunk opening. The driver’s side handle will open the larger side of the seatback. The passenger’s side handle will open the smaller side of the seatback. 1. Pull up on and hold the lever located on the side of either rear seat. 1-9 {CAUTION: If the seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked. 2. Once a lever is pulled, the seatback can be pushed into the down position. 1-10 {CAUTION: A safety belt that is improperly routed, not properly attached, or twisted will not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. After raising the rear seatback, always check to be sure that the safety belts are properly routed and attached, and are not twisted. To return the seatback to the upright position, push the seatback up until you hear a click. Then pull on the seatback to make sure it is secure. Rear Sliding Seat (MAXX Only) If your vehicle is the MAXX model your rear seat will slide forward or rearward to allow more cargo space in the rear. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock the seat. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure the seat is locked in place. If your vehicle has the rear seat entertainment system, the rear seat should only be moved forward to a certain point in order to use the DVD player properly. Slide the rear seat up so the front edge of the seat cushion is lined up with the mark on the carpet retainer trim on the ﬂoor of the driver’s side rear seat. If the rear seat is up past the mark, you will not be able to open the DVD screen. 1-11 Safety Belts Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts properly. It also tells you some things you should not do with safety belts. {CAUTION: Do not let anyone ride where he or she cannot wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and you are not wearing a safety belt, your injuries can be much worse. You can hit things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously injured or killed. In the same crash, you might not be, if you are buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts are fastened properly too. {CAUTION: It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision, people riding in these areas are more likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a safety belt properly. Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See Safety Belt Reminder Light on page 3-34. 1-12 Why Safety Belts Work When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as it goes. In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law says to wear safety belts. Here is why: They work. You never know if you will be in a crash. If you do have a crash, you do not know if it will be a bad one. A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so serious that even buckled up, a person would not survive. But most crashes are in between. In many of them, people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt or killed. After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does matter...a lot! Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it is just a seat on wheels. 1-13 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider does not stop. 1-14 The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield... or the instrument panel... 1-15 Questions and Answers About Safety Belts Q: Will I be trapped in the vehicle after an accident if I am wearing a safety belt? A: You could be — whether you are wearing a safety belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt, even if you are upside down. And your chance of being conscious during and after an accident, so you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if you are belted. Q: If my vehicle has airbags, why should I have to wear safety belts? A: Airbags are in many vehicles today and will be in most of them in the future. But they are supplemental systems only; so they work with safety belts — not instead of them. Every airbag system ever offered for sale has required the use of safety belts. Even if you are in a vehicle that has airbags, you still have to buckle up to get the most protection. That is true not only in frontal collisions, but especially in side and other collisions. or the safety belts! With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does. You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance, and your strongest bones take the forces. That is why safety belts make such good sense. 1-16 Q: If I am a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? A: You may be an excellent driver, but if you are in an accident — even one that is not your fault — you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver does not protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see Older Children on page 1-32 or Infants and Young Children on page 1-34. Follow those rules for everyone’s protection. First, you will want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We will start with the driver position. Driver Position Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here is how to wear it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see “Seats” in the Index. 1-17 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 5. Move the shoulder belt height adjuster to the height that is right for you. See Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment on page 1-24. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The 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. 1-18 6. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder belt. The lap part of the belt should be worn 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 at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. 1-19 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It will not give nearly as much protection this way. 1-20 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place. 1-21 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which are not as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-22 Q: What is wrong with this? {CAUTION: You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you would not have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to ﬁx it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-23 Shoulder Belt Height Adjustment Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt adjuster to the height that is right for you. To move it down, push down the release button (A) and move the height adjuster to the desired position. You can move the adjuster up by pushing the release button up. After you move the adjuster to where you want it, try to move it without pushing the release button to make sure it has locked into position. Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder. To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle. 1-24 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they do not wear safety 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 safety 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 safety belts effective is wearing them properly. Right Front Passenger Position To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety belt properly, see Driver Position on page 1-17. The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same way as the driver’s safety belt — except for one thing. If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again. Rear Seat Passengers It is very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Rear passengers who are not safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. 1-25 Lap-Shoulder Belt All rear seat positions have lap-shoulder belts. Here is how to wear one properly. 2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. When the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, see Safety Belt Extender on page 1-32. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it get twisted. The 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. 1-26 3. To make the lap part tight, pull up on the shoulder part. {CAUTION: You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should ﬁt against your body. The lap part of the belt should be worn 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 at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there is a sudden stop or a crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. 1-27 Malibu Sedan There is one guide for each outside passenger position in the rear seat. Here is how to install a comfort guide and use the safety belt: To unlatch the belt, push the button on the buckle. Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides Rear shoulder belt comfort guides may provide added safety 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 belt away from the neck and head. 1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of the seatback and the interior body to remove the guide from its storage clip. 1-28 2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies ﬂat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. 1-29 4. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in Rear Seat Passengers on page 1-25. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out of the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the guide and clip inward and slide them between the seatback and the interior body, leaving only the loop of the elastic cord exposed. {CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 1-30 Malibu MAXX There is a safety belt routing guide attached to each outside passenger position in the rear seat of the Malibu MAXX. Here is how to use the safety belt routing guide: 1. Slide the edge of the safety belt (D) through the opening at the top of the guide (B). 2. Adjust the safety belt so that it lies ﬂat against the lower level (C) or the upper level (A) of the guide. Be sure the safety belt lies ﬂat against the guide. {CAUTION: A safety belt that is not properly worn may not provide the protection needed in a crash. The person wearing the belt could be seriously injured. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. 3. Buckle, position, and release the safety belt as described in Rear Seat Passengers on page 1-25. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. To remove the safety belt from the guide, slide the edge of the safety belt through the opening at the top of the guide. 1-31 Child Restraints Older Children Older children who have outgrown booster seats should wear the vehicle’s safety belts. Safety Belt Pretensioners Your vehicle has safety belt pretensioners for the driver and right front passenger. Although you cannot see them, they are located on the retractor part of the safety belts. They help the safety belts reduce a person’s forward movement in a moderate to severe frontal or near frontal crash. Pretensioners work only once. If they activate in a crash, you will need to get new ones, and probably other new parts for your safety belt system. See Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash on page 1-67. Safety Belt Extender If the vehicle’s safety belt will fasten around you, you should use it. But if a safety belt is not long enough, your dealer will order you an extender. It is free. 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 seats. To wear it, just attach it to the regular safety belt. For more information, see the instruction sheet that comes with the extender. 1-32 Q: What is the proper way to wear safety belts? A: An older child should wear a lap-shoulder belt and get the additional restraint a shoulder belt can provide. The shoulder belt should not cross the face or neck. The lap belt should ﬁt snugly below the hips, just touching the top of the thighs. It should never be worn over the abdomen, which could cause severe or even fatal internal injuries in a crash. Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear seat. In a crash, children who are not buckled up can strike other people who are buckled up, or can be thrown out of the vehicle. Older children need to use safety belts properly. {CAUTION: Never do this. Here two children are wearing the same belt. The belt can not properly spread the impact forces. In a crash, the two children can be crushed together and seriously injured. A belt must be used by only one person at a time. 1-33 Q: What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt, but the child is so small that the shoulder belt is very close to the child’s face or neck? A: If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window, move the child toward the center of the vehicle. Also see Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides on page 1-28. If the child is sitting in the center rear seat passenger position, move the child toward the safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that the shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so that in a crash the child’s upper body would have the restraint the belts provide. 1-34 {CAUTION: Never do this. Here a child is sitting in a seat that has a lap-shoulder belt, but the shoulder part is behind the child. If the child wears the belt in this way, in a crash the child might slide under the belt. The belt’s force would then be applied right on the child’s abdomen. That could cause serious or fatal injuries. Wherever the child sits, the lap portion of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the child’s thighs. This applies belt force to the child’s pelvic bones in a crash. Infants and Young Children Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by appropriate restraints. Young children should not use the vehicle’s adult safety belts alone, unless there is no other choice. Instead, they need to use a child restraint. {CAUTION: People should never hold a baby in their arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby does not weigh much — until a crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12 lb (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 240 lb (110 kg) force on a person’s arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint. 1-35 {CAUTION: Children who are up against, or very close to,

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2006 Chevrolet Malibu Owners Manual