CHEVROLET MALIBU 2005 5.G Owners Manual

Capacities and Specications
The following approximate capacities are given in English and metric conversions. Please refer toRecommended
Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12for more information.
ApplicationCapacities
English Metric
Air Conditioning Refrigerant R134a 1.35 lbs 0.61 kg
Automatic Transaxle Complete Overhaul 9.5 qt 9.0 L
Cooling System
2.2L L4 Engine 6.9 qt 6.5 L
3.5L V6 Engine 10.1 qt 9.6 L
Engine Oil with Filter
2.2L L4 Engine 5.0 qt 4.7 L
3.5L V6 Engine 4.0 qt 3.8 L
Fuel Tank 16.1 gal 61.1 L
Wheel Nut Torque 100 ft lb 140Y
All capacities are approximate. When adding, be sure to ll to the appropriate level, as recommended in this
manual.
5-91

Engine Specications
Engine VIN Code Transaxle Spark Plug Gap
2.2L L4 F Automatic 0.042 inches (1.06 mm)
3.5L V6 8 Automatic 0.060 inches (1.52 mm)
5-92

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule......................6-2
Scheduled Maintenance...................................6-4
Additional Required Services............................6-6
Maintenance Footnotes...................................6-7Owner Checks and Services............................6-8
At Each Fuel Fill............................................6-8
At Least Once a Month...................................6-9
At Least Once a Year.....................................6-9
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants...............6-12
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........6-13
Maintenance Record.....................................6-14
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are
necessary to keep your vehicle in good working
condition. Any damage caused by failure to follow
scheduled maintenance may not be covered by
warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid
levels or the wrong tire ination can increase the level of
emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Using the Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we do not know
exactly how you will drive it. You may drive very
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer.
6-2

This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will nd these limits on the tire and
loading information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-29.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-5.
The services inScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
should be performed when indicated. SeeAdditional
Required Services on page 6-6andMaintenance
Footnotes on page 6-7for further information.
{CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle can
be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs, you
can be seriously injured. Do your own
maintenance work only if you have the
required know-how and the proper tools and
equipment for the job. If you have any doubt,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer to have a
qualied technician do the work.Some maintenance services can be complex. So,
unless you are technically qualied and have the
necessary equipment, you should have your GM
Goodwrench
®dealer do these jobs.
When you go to your GM Goodwrench
®dealer for your
service needs, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM parts.
If you want to purchase service information, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-11.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-8tells you what
should be checked, when to check it and what you
can easily do to help keep your vehicle in good
condition.
The proper replacement parts, uids and lubricants to
use are listed inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12andNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-13. When your vehicle is serviced,
make sure these are used. All parts should be replaced
and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone
else drives the vehicle. We recommend the use of
genuine GM parts.
6-3

Scheduled Maintenance
When the Change Oil Soon message in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) comes on, it means that
service is required for your vehicle. Have your vehicle
serviced as soon as possible within the next 600 miles
(1 000 km). It is possible that, if you are driving
under the best conditions, the engine oil life system may
not indicate that vehicle service is necessary for over
a year. However, your engine oil and lter must be
changed at least once a year and at this time the system
must be reset. Your GM Goodwrench
®dealer has
GM-trained service technicians who will perform this
work using genuine GM parts and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to reset
the oil life system whenever the oil is changed. See
Engine Oil Life System on page 5-18for information on
the Engine Oil Life System and resetting the system.When the Change Oil Soon message appears, certain
services, checks, and inspections are required.
Required services are described in the following for
“MaintenanceI” and “MaintenanceII.” Generally,
it is recommended that your rst service be
MaintenanceI, your second service be MaintenanceII,
and that you alternate MaintenanceIand MaintenanceII
thereafter. However, in some cases, MaintenanceII
may be required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the message
comes on within 10 months since the vehicle was
purchased or MaintenanceIIwas performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the message comes on
10 months or more since the last service or if the
message has not come on at all for one year.
6-4

Scheduled Maintenance
Service MaintenanceIMaintenanceII
Change engine oil and lter. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15. Reset oil life
system. SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-18.
An Emission Control Service.••
Visually check for any leaks or damage.See footnote (j).••
Inspect engine air cleaner lter. If necessary, replace lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.See footnote (k).•
Rotate tires and check ination pressures and wear. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 5-54and “Tire Wear Inspection” inAt Least Once a Month
on page 6-9.••
Inspect brake system.See footnote (a).••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer uid levels and add uid
as needed.••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services” in
this section.••
Inspect suspension and steering components.See footnote (b).•
Inspect engine cooling system.See footnote (c).•
Inspect wiper blades.See footnote (d).•
Inspect restraint system components.See footnote (e).•
Lubricate body components.See footnote (f).•
Inspect throttle system.See footnote (g).•
6-5

Additional Required Services
The following services should be performed at the rst maintenance service (IorII) after the indicated miles
(kilometers) shown for each item.
Additional Required Services
Service and Miles (Kilometers)25,000
(41 500)50,000
(83 000)75,000
(125 000)100,000
(166 000)125,000
(207 500)150,000
(240 000)
Inspect fuel system for damage
or leaks.• •••••
Inspect exhaust system for loose or
damaged components.• •••••
Replace engine air cleaner lter. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-20.•••
Change automatic transaxle uid and
lter (severe service only).
See footnote (h).•••
Replace spark plugs. Inspect spark
plug wires (V6 only).
An Emission Control Service.•
Engine cooling system service (or every
ve years, whichever occurs rst).
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (i).•
Inspect engine accessory drive belt.
An Emission Control Service.
See footnote (l).•
6-6

Maintenance Footnotes
(a)Visually inspect brake lines and hoses for proper
hook-up, binding, leaks, cracks, chang, etc. Inspect
disc brake pads for wear and rotors for surface
condition. Inspect other brake parts, including calipers,
parking brake, etc.
(b)Visually inspect front and rear suspension and
steering system for damaged, loose, or missing parts or
signs of wear. Inspect power steering cables for
proper hook-up, binding, cracks, chang, etc.
(c)Visually inspect hoses and have them replaced if they
are cracked, swollen, or deteriorated. Inspect all pipes,
ttings and clamps; replace with genuine GM parts as
needed. To help ensure proper operation, a pressure test
of the cooling system and pressure cap and cleaning the
outside of the radiator and air conditioning condenser is
recommended at least once a year.
(d)Visually inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking.
Replace wiper blades that appear worn or damaged
or that streak or miss areas of the windshield.(e)Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors, and anchorages
are working properly. Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts. If you see anything
that might keep a safety belt system from doing its
job, have it repaired. Have any torn or frayed safety belts
replaced. Also look for any opened or broken airbag
coverings, and have them repaired or replaced.
The airbag system does not need regular maintenance.
(f)Lubricate all key lock cylinders, door hinges and
latches, hood hinges and latches, and trunk lid hinges
and latches. More frequent lubrication may be required
when exposed to a corrosive environment. Applying
silicone grease on weatherstrips with a clean cloth will
make them last longer, seal better, and not stick or
squeak.
(g)Check system for interference or binding and for
damaged or missing parts. Replace parts as needed.
Replace any components that have high effort or
excessive wear. Do not lubricate accelerator or cruise
control cables.
6-7

(h)Change automatic transaxle uid and lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of these
conditions:
In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90°F (32°C) or higher.
In hilly or mountainous terrain.
When doing frequent trailer towing.
Uses such as found in taxi, police, or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the uid and lter do not require changing.
(i)Drain, ush, and rell cooling system. This service
can be complex; you should have your dealer perform
this service. See Engine Coolant on page 5-22 for
what to use. Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap, and ller neck. Pressure test the
cooling system and pressure cap.
(j)A uid loss in any vehicle system could indicate a
problem. Have the system inspected and repaired and
the uid level checked. Add uid if needed.
(k)If you drive regularly under dusty conditions, inspect
the lter at each engine oil change.
(l)Visually inspect belt for fraying, excessive cracks, or
obvious damage. Replace belt if necessary.Owner Checks and Services
These owner checks and services should be performed
at the intervals specied to help ensure the safety,
dependability and emission control performance of your
vehicle. Your GM Goodwrench
®dealer can assist
you with these checks and services.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any uids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 6-12.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important to perform these underhood checks at
each fuel ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-15for further
details.
Notice:It is important to check your oil regularly
and keep it at the proper level. Failure to keep your
engine oil at the proper level can cause damage
to your engine not covered by your warranty.
6-8