check engine CHEVROLET MALIBU 1997 5.G Owner's Guide

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on
a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
Start your engine;
Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help you find them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s
a good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Towing A Trailer
(Except
3100 V6 Engine)
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle
and some jumper cables to start
your Chevrolet. But please follow the steps here to
do it safely.
I NOTICE: I
Ignoring these steps could result in costly
damage to your vehicle that wouldn’t be covered
by
your warranty.
Trying to start your Chevrolet by pushing or
pulling it could damage your vehicle. An
automatic transaxle won’t start that way. Batterles can
nun you. They
can be dangerous
because:
They contain acid that can burn you.
They contain gas that can explode or ignite.
They contain enough electricity to burn you.
If you don’t follow these steps exactly, some or all
of these things can hurt you.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
I NOTICE: I
If the other system isn’t a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 5. Find the positive (+) and negative (-) terminals on
each battery.
1-
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded. Use a flashlight
if
you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You don’t
need to add water to the Delco Freedom@ battery
installed in every new
GM vehicle. But if a
battery has filler caps, be sure the right amount
of fluid
is there. If it is low, add water to take
care
of that first. If you don’t, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that can burn you.
Don’t get it on you.
If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush the place with
water and get medical help immediately.
6. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they
do, you could get a shock.
The vehicles could be damaged, too. Before you
connect
the cabies, here are some things you should
know. Positive (+) will go to positive (+) and
negative
(-) will go to negative (-) or a metal engine
part. Don’t connect positive
(+) to negative (-) or
you’ll get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts, too.
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure you
badly. Keep your hands away from moving parts
once the engines are running.
5-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine An electric fan under the hood can start up even
when the engine
is not running and can injure
you. Keep hands, clothing and tools away from
any underhood electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don’t do anything else until it cools down.
The coolant level should be at or above
FULL COLD.
If it isn’t, you may have a leak in the radiator hoses,
heater hoses, radiator, water pump or somewhere
else in
the cooling system.
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don’t touch them.
If you
do,
you can be burned.
Don’t run the engine
if there is a leak. If you run
the engine, it could lose all coolant. That could
cause an engine fire, and you could be burned.
Get any leak fixed before you drive the vehicle.
I NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn’t covered by your warranty.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine fans
are running. If the engine
is overheating, both fans should be running. If they
aren’t, your vehicle needs service.
5-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 Wa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire
is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at speeds up to
65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire
repaired or replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best
to replace your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you
can. Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in
case you need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle. Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t
mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle
and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
5-32

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service a-- - Aopearance Care
Here you will fiid information about the care of your Chevrolet. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information
about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
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6-35
6-36 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine Oil
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Where to
Fill the Windshield Washer Fluid
Important Brake Information
Information on Your Vehicle's Battery
Tips on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
How and When to Check Tire Inflation 6-39
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1
' 6-62
i 6-62 When
it is
Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of the Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
Normal Replacement
Parts

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
/r CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Chevrolet dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle. Use regular unleaded gasoline rated
at
87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA)
for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means you have a problem.
6-3

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood tune-up label), it
is designed to operate on fuels that meet California specifications.
If such fuels are not available in states
adopting California emissions standards, your vehicle
will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specifications, but emission control system performance
may be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp on
your instrument panel may turn
on and/or your vehicle
may fail a smog-check test.
If this occurs, return to your
authorized Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis to determine
the cause of failure. In the event it is determined that the
cause of the condition is the type of fuels used, repairs
may not be covered by your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low
emissions contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadlenyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT);
ask your service station operator whether or not his fuel
contains MMT. General Motors does not recommend the
use of such gasolines. If fuels containing MMT
are used,
spark plug life may be reduced and your emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp
on your instrument panel
may
turn on. If this occurs, return to your authorized
Chevrolet dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming
in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add
anything to
the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
help clean the air. General Motors recommends that you
use these gasolines if they comply with the specifications described earlier.
NOTICE:
Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Don’t use it. It can corrode
metal parts in your fuel system and also damage
plastic and rubber parts. That damage wouldn’t
be covered under your warranty.
6-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard to
find. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel not
recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly repairs
caused by use
of improper fuel wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
To check on fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you’ll be driving.
You can also write us at the following address for
advice. Just tell us where you’re going and give your
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
General Motors International Product Center
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario LlH 8P7
Filling Your Tank
Gasoline vapor is highly flammable. It burns
violently, and that can cause very bad injuries.
Don’t smoke if you’re near gasoline or refueling
your vehicle. Keep sparks, flames and smoking materials away from gasoline.
6-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When you put the cap back on, turn it to the right
(clockwise) until you hear a clicking sound. Make sure
you
fully install the cap. The diagnostic system can
determine
if the fuel cap has been left off or improperly
installed.
This would allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp” in
the Index.
I NOTICE:
If you need a new cap, be sure to get the right
type. Your dealer
can get one for you. If you get
the wrong type,
it may not fit properly. This may
cause your malfunction indicator lamp to light
and your fuel
tank and emissions system may be
damaged. See “Malfunction Indicator Lamp”
in
the Index.
Checking Things Under the Hood
An electric fan under the hood can start up and
injure you even when the engine
is not running.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
I I
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