wheel CHEVROLET MALIBU 1998 Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The dynamic William C. “Billy ”
Durant shifted gears from making
carriages
to making cars,
forming
half the team that gave
birth
to Chevrolet.
Louis Chevrolet, the other half of the team,
at the wheel of his experimental “Classic
Six, ” which entered production in 1912.
That year 2999 vehicles were produced.
iii

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle has a light
’ that comes on as a reminder
1 to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
1 the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know
if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes
are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between.
In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes
walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than
30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just
a seat
on wheels.
1-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine There is an air bag readiness
light
on the instrument
panel, which shows the
air bag symbol.
How the Air Bag System Works
B
i
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. See
“Air Bag Readiness Light” in the Index
for more information.
Where are the air bags?
The driver’s air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -,
If same.thhg is between an occupant nd an air
bag, the bagmight aot inflate properly or it
might force the object into that person. The path
of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don’t
put anything between
an occupant and an air
bag, and don’t attach or put anything on the
steering wheel hub or on or near any other
air
bag covering.
The right front passenger’s air bag is in the instrument
panel on the passenger’s side.
1-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When should an air bag inflate?
An air bag is designed to inflate in a moderate to severe
frontal or newfrontal crash. The air bag will inflate
only if the impact speed is above the system’s designed
“threshold level.” If your vehicle goes straight into a
wall that doesn’t move or deform, the threshold level is
about
9 to 14 mph (14 to 23 km/h). The threshold level
can vary, however, with specific vehicle design,
so that
it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your
vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such
as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The
air bag is not designed to inflate in rollovers, side
impacts or rear impacts, because inflation would not
help the occupant.
In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air
bag should have inflated simply because of the damage
to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were.
Inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and
how quickly the vehicle slows down
in frontal or
near-frontal impacts.
What makes an air bag inflate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in
a crash. The sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which
inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related
hardware are all part
of the air bag modules inside the
steering wheel and in the instrument panel in front of the
right front passenger.
How does an air bag restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. Air bags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But air bags
would not help you
in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts and side impacts,
primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward
those air bags. Air bags should never be regarded as
anything more than a supplement to safety belts,
and then only in moderate to severe frontal or
near-frontal collisions.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine What will you see after an air bag inflates?
After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly
that some people may not even realize the air bag
inflated. Some components
of the air bag module -- the
steering wheel hub for the driver’s air bag, or the
instrument panel for the right front passenger’s
bag
-- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag
that come into contact with you may be warm, but not
too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust
coming from vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag
inflation doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or from
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
I
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air.
This dust could cause breathing problems for
people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble.
To avoid this, everyone in the
vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do
so.
If you have breathing problems but can’t get out
of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get
fresh air by opening a window
or door.
In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After they
inflate, you’ll need some new
parts for your air bag
system. If you don’t get them, the air bag system
won’t be there to help protect you in another crash.
A new system will include air bag modules and
possibly other parts. The service manual for your
vehicle covers the need to replace other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with a crash sensing
and diagnostic module, which records information
about the air bag system. The module records
information about the readiness
of the system, when
the sensors are activated and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment.
Let only qualified technicians work on your air bag
system. Improper service can mean that your air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer
for service.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver’s or the
right front passenger’s
air bag, the bag may not
work properly. You may have to replace the
air
bag module in the steering wheel or both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s
air bag. Do not open or
break the
air bag coverings.
If your vehicle ever gets into a lot of water -- such as
water up to the carpeting or higher
-- or if water enters
your vehicle and soaks the carpet, the air bag controller
can be soaked and ruined.
If this ever happens, and then
you start your vehicle, the damage could make the air
bags inflate, even
if there’s no crash. You would have to
replace the air bags as well as the sensors and related
parts.
If your vehicle is ever in a flood, or if it’s exposed
to water that
soaks the carpet, you can avoid needless
repair costs by turning
off the vehicle immediately.
Don’t let anyone start the vehicle, even to tow it, unless
the battery cables are first disconnected.
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced.
There are parts of the air bag system in several places
around your vehicle.
You don’t want the system to
inflate while someone is working
on your vehicle. Your
dealer and the Malibu Service Manual have information
~ about servicing your vehicle and the air bag system. To
~ purchase a service manual, see “Service and Owner
~ Publications” in the Index.
I
For up to 10 minutes after the ignition key is
turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air
bag can still inflate during improper service. You
can be injured if you are close
to an air bag when
it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are
probably part
of the air bag system. Be sure to
follow proper service procedures, and make sure
the person performing work for you is qualified
to do
so.
~~
The air bag system does not need regular maintenance.
1-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and inform\
ation on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
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2- 13
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2-
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2- 17
2-18
2-22
2-23
2-25
2-25
2-26 Keys
Door Locks
Keyless Entry System
TrUnk
Theft
Passlock’
New Vehicle “Break-In”
Ignition Positions
Starting Your Engine
Engine Coolant Heater
(If Equipped)
Automatic Transaxle Operation Parking Brake
Shifting Into PARK (P)
Shifting Out
of PARK (P)
Parking Over Things That Burn
Engine Exhaust 2-26
2-27
2-28
2-29
2-36
2-38
2-39
2-4 1
2-43
2-44
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2-45
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2-46 2-50 Running
Your Engine While You’re Parked
Windows
Tilt Wheel
Turn SignaVMultifunction Lever
Exterior Lamps
Interior Lamps
Mirrors Storage Compartments
Ashtray and Lighter Sunvisors
Accessory Power Outlet
Garment
Hook
Sunroof
Instrument Panel
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine PARK (P): This locks your front wheels. It’s the best
position to use when you start your engine because your
vehicle can’t move easily.
A CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the
shift lever
is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake firmly set. Your vehicle can roll.
Don’t leave your vehicle when the engine
is
running unless you have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can move suddenly.
You or others could be injured. To be sure your
vehicle won’t move, even when you’re on fairly
level ground, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to
PARK (P).
you’re pulling a trailer, see “Towing a Trailer” in
the Index.
, See “Shifting Into PARK (P)” in the Index. If
~
Ensure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) range
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has a
Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock. You have to apply
your regular brake before you can shift from PARK
(P)
when the ignition key is in ON. If you cannot shift out
of PARK
(P), ease pressure on the shift lever -- push the
shift lever all the way into PARK (P)
-- as you maintain
brake application. Then move the shift lever into the
gear you wish. (Press the shift lever button before
moving the shift lever.) See “Shifting Out of
PARK (P)”
later in this section.
REVERSE (R): Use this gear to back up.
I NOTICE: 1
Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your vehicle is
moving forward could damage your transaxle.
Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle
is stopped. 1
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out of snow,
ice or sand without damaging your transaxle, see
“Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow’’ : Index.
2-19

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NEUTRAL (N): In this position, your engine doesn’t
connect with the wheels.
To restart when you’re
already moving, use
NEUTRAL (N) only. Also, use
NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is being towed.
L I
I A CAU‘ [ON:
Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) while
your engine
is “racing” (running at high speed) is
dangerous. Unless your foot
is firmly on the
brake pedal, your vehicle could move very
rapidly.
You could lose control and hit people or
objects. Don’t shift out
of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL
(N) while your engine is racing.
I
I NOTICE:
Damage to your transaxle caused by shifting out
of
PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine
racing isn’t covered by your warranty. AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE
(D): This
position is for
normal driving.
If you need more power for passing,
and you’re:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push the
accelerator all the way down. You’ll shift down
to
the next gear and have more power.
1 NOTICE:
If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or
if
it seems not to shift gears as you go faster,
something may be wrong with
a transaxle system
sensor.
If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged.
So, if this happens, have
your vehicle serviced right
away. Until then, you
can use
SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than
35 mph (56 kmh) and AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE
(D) for higher speeds.
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