Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid 2008 Owner's Manual page 202

You may also feel or hear the system working; this is
normal.
When the light is on solid and either the SERVICE ESC
or ESC OFF message is displayed, the system will
not assist the driver in maintaining directional control of
the vehicle. Adjust your driving accordingly. See DIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-48.
The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is
automatically enabled whenever you start your vehicle.
To assist the driver with vehicle directional control,
especially in slippery road conditions, you should always
leave the system on. But, you can turn ESC off if you
ever need to.
If the vehicle is in cruise control when the system
begins to assist the driver maintain directional control of
the vehicle, the ESC/TCS light will flash and the
cruise control will automatically disengage. When road
conditions allow you to use cruise again, you may
re-engage the cruise control. See Cruise Control on
page 3-10.
4-8
The traction control system can be turned off or back
on by pressing the ESC/TCS button. To disable
both traction control and ESC, press and hold the button
briefly.
When the ESC system is turned off, the TRACTION
OFF and ESC OFF messages will appear, and
the ESC/TCS light will be on solid to warn the driver
that both traction control and ESC are disabled.
It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you want to "rock" your vehicle to
attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. See If Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-19.
The ESC/TCS button is
located on the center
console.