cooling CHEVROLET MALIBU 1997 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trunk Remote Trunk Release
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the key and
turn the trunk lock cvlinder.
It can be dangerous to drive with the trunk lid
open because carbon monoxide
(CO) gas can
come into your vehicle.
You can’t see or smell
CO. It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
If you must drive with the trunk lid open or if
electrical wiring or other cable connections must
pass through the seal between the body and the
trunk lid:
Make sure all windows are shut.
%MI the fan on your heating or cooling
system
to its highest speed with the setting on
VENT. That will force outside air into your
vehicle.
See “Comfort Controls” in the Index.
instrument panel, open them all the
way.
If you have air outlets on or under the
See “Engine Exhaust” in the Index.
Press the remote release
button, located on the lower left side
of the instrument
panel, to release the trunk
lid. Make sure the lockout
feature is not activated.
Also, the remote trunk
release will only work
when the gearshift
lever is in
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N).
Remote Trunk Release Lockout
Your remote trunk release is equipped with a lockout
feature to help prevent unauthorized entry into the trunk
when leaving the vehicle unattended. The switch
is
located on the inside of the trunk lid, mounted to the
trunk lid latch.
2-10

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Air Conditioning Heating
On cold
days, use FLOOR with the temperature knob
all the way in the red area. The system will bring in
outside air, heat it and send it to the floor ducts.
The
air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle also has the flow-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to
let hot inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes
for your vehicle to cool down, which should help
fuel economy.
On cool, but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be
warm enough.
You can use
BI-LEVEL with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C button pushed in. The system
will bring in outside air and direct slightly warmer air
to your lower body.
For quick cool-down on very hot days, use
VENT with
the temperature knob all the way in the blue area and the
A/C and RECIRCULATION buttons pressed. If this
setting is used for long periods of time, the air in your
vehicle may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use
VENT with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the
NC button
pushed
in. The system will bring in outside air and cool it.
Your vehicle has heat ducts that are directed toward the
rear seat. Keep the area under the front seats clear
of
obstructions so the heated air can reach the rear seat
passengers.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use it to help your system provide warm air faster when it’s
cold outside
(0°F (-18°C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating system use to provide heat. See “Engine Coolant
Heater” in the Index.
Defogging and Defrosting Windows
Your system has two settings for clearing the front and
side windows. For each setting, adjust the temperature
control as desired.
To defrost the windows quickly, rotate the temperature control knob
all the way in the red area. Use DEFROST
and adjust the fan to the highest speed. To warm
passengers while keeping the windows clean, use DEFOG.
3-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Ventilation System Ventilation Tips
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use VENT to direct outside
air
through your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow-through ventilation system.
Your vehicle’s flow-through ventilation system supplies
outside air into the vehicle when
it is moving. Outside
air will also enter the vehicle when the air conditioning
fan
is running.
0
0
0
0
Keep the hood and front air inlet free of ice, snow or
any other obstruction, such as leaves. The heater and
defroster will work far better, reducing
. : chance of
fogging the inside of your windows.
When you enter a vehicle in cold weather, adjust the mode
knob to FLOOR and the fan to the highest
speed for a few moments before driving
off. This
helps clear the intake ducts of snow and moisture
and reduces the chance
of fogging the inside of
your windows.
Keep the air path under the front seats clear
of objects.
This helps air circulate throughout
your vehicle.
To prevent circulation of outside air, press the
recirculation button. This will close all outside vents.
3-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
0 Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels
and
also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle.
These parts can work hard on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine
do some of the
slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If you don’t shift down, your brakes could
get
so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none going
down a hill, You could crash. Shift down to let
your engine
assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
0
0
0
0
I A CAUTION: -
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have poor
braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have your engine running
and your vehicle
in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest
gear possible.
Stay
in your own lane when driving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of
the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car
or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that
warn of
special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
no-passing zones, a falling rocks area
or windmg
roads. Be
alert to these and take appropriate action.
4-23

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 Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
2.4L Engine
k
t
3100 Engine
A. Coolant Surge Tank With Pressure Cap
B. Electric Engine Fans
5-14

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 How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
If you haven’t found a problem yet, but the coolant level
isn’t at
FULL COLD, add a 50/50 mixture of clean
water (preferably distilled) and DEX-COOL TM coolant
at the coolant surge tank, but be sure the cooling system,
including the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool
before you do it. (See “Engine Coolant”
in the Index for
more information.)
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system
can blow out and burn you badly. They are
under pressure, and
if you turn the coolant surge
tank pressure cap -- even a little -- they can come
out at high speed. Never turn the cap when the
cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank
pressure cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling system
and coolant surge tank pressure cap to cool if you
ever have
to turn the pressure cap.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mix will. Your vehicle’s coolant warning
system is set for the proper coolant mix. With
plain water or the wrong mix, your engine could
get too hot but you wouldn’t get the overheat
warning. Your engine could catch fire and you or
others could be burned. Use
a 50/50 mix of clean
water and
DEX-COOL fM coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So
use the recommended coolant.
A CAUTION:
I
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn
if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don’t spill coolant on
a hot engine.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 1 L
1. You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure cap
when the cooling system, including the coolant surge
tank pressure cap and upper radiator hose,
is no
longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly about
one-quarter
of a turn to the left and then stop.
If you hear a hiss, wait for that
to stop. A hiss means
there is still some pressure left.
2. Then keep turning the pressure cap slowly, and
remove
it.
5-18