hood open CHEVROLET MALIBU 1997 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To Use the Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 1 10-volt AC outlet.
A CAUL :ON:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong 110-volt
AC outlet. If the cord won’t reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store
the cord as it was before to keep it away from moving
engine parts.
If you don’t, it could be damaged. How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in?
The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your Chevrolet dealer in the area where you’ll be
parking your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on the
console between the seats.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a chime,
the vehicle should promptly be pulled
off the road and
the coolant level checked.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
If there are visible
signs of steam, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your Chevrolet is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD 11 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended to assure
that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life of the
vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner environment. (In
Canada, OBD
II is replaced by Enhanced Diagnostics.)
The CHECK ENGINE light comes on and a chime will
sound to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent.
This may prevent
more serious damage to your vehicle.
This system is also
designed to assist your service technician
in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your Chevrolet, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put the
transaxle
in PARK (P).
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter
or the accessory power outlet. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed,
as well as radios. This will
avoid sparks
and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
CAUTION:
An electric fan 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Engine Overheating I1
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
Chevrolet’s instrument panel. See “Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage’’
in the Index. You will also find a
low coolant level warning light on your Chevrolet’s
instrument panel. See
“LOW Coolant Warning Light” in
the Index.
If Steam Is Coming From ’ hgine
I I
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it
off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign
of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You
or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool.
1 NOTICE: I
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving
with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed
and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) OR THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and
park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for
two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
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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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I'
A CA TION:
I
Things that burn can get on hot engine parts and
start a fire. These include liquids like gasoline,
oil, coolant, brake fluid, windshield washer and
other fluids, and plastic or rubber. You or others
could be burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto
a hot engine.
The following sections tell
you how to check fluids,
lubricants and important parts under the hood.
Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the hood release handle
inside the vehicle.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2.4L (CODE T) Engine
When you open the hood, you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Engine Oil Fill Cap
C. Engine Oil Dipstick D. Power
Steering Fluid Reservoir E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
E Air Cleaner
G. Battery
H. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I100 (CODE M) Engine
Yhen you open the hood, you’ll see:
A. Engine Coolant Surge Tank
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap
D. Engine Oil Dipstick
E. Brake Fluid Reservoir
F. Air Cleaner
G. Battery
H. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Trent Exterior Bulbs Headlamp and Front
lbrn Signal Lamp
Bulb Replacement
When replacing a halogen bulb, do not touch the glass
portion of the bulb. The oil from your fingers will
shorten the life of your new halogen bulb. For the type
of bulb to use,
see “Replacement Bulbs” in the Index.
1. With the hood open and the engine off, pull the
fastener out of the plastic splash shield covering the
top of the headlamp assembly and remove it.
A. Front Turn Signal
B. High-Beam Headlamp
C. Low-Beam Headlamp
2. Carefully pull directly up on the two latches.
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