2012 Chevrolet Malibu Owner's Manual - Page 141
2012 Chevrolet Malibu Manual
Page 141 highlights
Lighting The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning fast enough at idle to produce all of the power needed for very high electrical loads. A high electrical load occurs when several of the following are on, such as: headlamps, high beams, fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets. EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the battery. It does this by balancing the generator's output and the vehicle's electrical needs. It can increase engine idle speed to generate more power whenever needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands of some accessories. Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the driver. If so, a DIC message might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE, BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If one of these messages displays, it is recommended that the driver reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. See Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 5‑22. 6-7 To reactivate the interior lamps, do one of the following: . . Turn on the ignition. Turn the exterior lamp control off and then on. Open a door. Press any Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter button (if equipped). Press the remote trunk release button. Press the power door lock switch. . . . . Battery Power Protection The vehicle has a battery run-down protection feature designed to protect the vehicle's battery. When any interior lamp (trunk, reading, or visor vanity) is left on while the ignition is turned off, the battery run-down protection system will automatically shut the lamp(s) off after 20 minutes. This will avoid draining the battery. The battery run-down feature will also be activated when any door on the vehicle is left open and the ignition is in LOCK/OFF.