warning light CHEVROLET MALIBU 2000 5.G User Guide

2-52 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will
come on when you turn
your ignition on or start
your engine and it will
stay on for three seconds.
That's normal.
If the light stays on, turn the ignition to OFF. Or, if
the light comes on and the chime sounds when you're
driving, stop as soon as possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to reset the system.
If the light still stays on, or comes on again while you're
driving, your vehicle needs service. If the regular brake
system warning light isn't on, you still have brakes,
but you don't have anti
-lock brakes. If the regular
brake system warning light is also on, you don't have
anti
-lock brakes and there's a problem with your regular
brakes. See ªBrake System Warning Lightº earlier in
this section.The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, the light comes on
and you hear a chime, your
engine is too hot! It means
that your engine coolant
has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In ªProblems on the Roadº, this manual shows what
to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.

2-53 Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on, the vehicle
should promptly be pulled off the road and the coolant
level checked.
See ªEngine Coolantºin the Index. If there are visible
signs of steam, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (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. The CHECK ENGINE light comes on
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.

2-57
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Check Oil Light
You will have a CHECK
OIL light in your instrument
panel cluster.
This light will come on briefly when you start your vehicle.
If the light stays on after starting your vehicle, or comes
on and chimes while you are driving, your engine oil
level should be checked.
Prior to checking the oil level, be sure your vehicle
has been shut off for several minutes and is on a level
surface. Check the oil level on your dipstick and bring
it to the proper level. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.A false CHECK OIL light may be generated when
parking on steep grades.
The oil level monitoring system only checks oil level
during the brief period between key on and engine
crank. It does not monitor engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period of time allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.Passlock
Warning Light
This light will come on
when you turn the ignition
to ON. The light will stay
on until the engine starts.
If the light flashes, the Passlock system has entered a
tamper mode. If the vehicle fails to start, see ªPasslockº
in the Index.
If the light comes on continuously while driving and
stays on, there may be a problem with the Passlock
system. Your vehicle will not be protected by Passlock,
and you should see your dealer.

4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If there's a problem with the
anti
-lock brake system, this
warning light will stay on.
See ªAnti
-Lock Brake
System Warning Lightº in
the Index.

4-18 Driving Through Deep Standing Water
NOTICE:
If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or
standing water, water can come in through your
engine's air intake and badly damage your
engine. Never drive through water that is slightly
lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you
can't avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive
through them very slowly.
Driving Through Flowing Water
CAUTION:
Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces.
If you try to drive through flowing water, as you
might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be
carried away. As little as six inches of flowing
water can carry away a smaller vehicle. If this
happens, you and other vehicle occupants could
drown. Don't ignore police warning signs, and
otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Some Other Rainy Weather Tips

Besides slowing down, allow some extra following
distance. And be especially careful when you pass
another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room
ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted
by road spray.

Have good tires with proper tread depth.
(See ªTiresº in the Index.)

4-19
City Driving
One of the biggest problems with city streets is the
amount of traffic on them. You'll want to watch out for
what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to
traffic signals.Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving:

Know the best way to get to where you are
going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an
unknown part of the city just as you would for a
cross
-country trip.

Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross
most large cities. You'll save time and energy.
(See the next part, ªFreeway Driving.º)

Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic
light is there because the corner is busy enough to
need it. When a light turns green, and just before you
start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have
not cleared the intersection or may be running
the red light.

4-24
Winter Driving
Here are some tips for winter driving:

Have your vehicle in good shape for winter.

You may want to put winter emergency supplies in
your trunk.
Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply
of windshield washer fluid, a rag, some winter outer
clothing, a small shovel, a flashlight, a red cloth and a
couple of reflective warning triangles. And, if you will
be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag
of sand, a piece of old carpet or a couple of burlap bags
to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure
these items in your vehicle.

5-3
Other Warning Devices
If you carry reflective triangles, you can set one up at
the side of the road about 300 feet (100 m) behind
your vehicle.
Jump Starting
If your battery has run down, you may want to use
another vehicle and some jumper cables to start your
vehicle. But please follow the steps here to do it safely.
CAUTION:
Batteries can hurt 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.
NOTICE:
Ignoring these steps could result in costly damage
to your vehicle that wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
The ACDelco battery in your vehicle has a
built
-in hydrometer. Do not charge, test or jump
start the battery if the hydrometer looks clear or
light yellow. Replace the battery when there is
a clear or light yellow hydrometer and a
cranking complaint.
Trying to start your vehicle by pushing or pulling
it won't work, and it could damage your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
NOTICE:
If the other system isn't a 12-volt system with a
negative ground, both vehicles can be damaged.

5-8
Towing Your Vehicle
CAUTION:
To help avoid serious personal injury to you
or others:

Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.

Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.

Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.

Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.

Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.

Use only the correct hooks.
NOTICE:
Use the proper towing equipment to avoid
damage to the bumper, fascia or fog lamp areas
of the vehicle.
With current trends in automotive styles and design, it is
essential that the correct towing equipment is used to
tow a vehicle. Your vehicle can be towed with wheel
-lift
equipment or car
-carrier equipment.
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index. You will also find a
low coolant level warning light on your vehicle's
instrument panel. See ªLow Coolant Warning Lightº in
the Index.

6-18
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON
-III is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX
-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX
-COOL extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

Protect against rust and corrosion.

Help keep the proper engine temperature.

Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only DEX
-COOL (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX
-COOL is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.