ignition CHEVROLET MALIBU 2002 5.G Owner's Guide

2-62 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.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust, intake or fuel system of your vehicle or
the replacement of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the CHECK ENGINE light to
come on. Modifications to these systems could
lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.

2-63
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn't come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:

Light Flashing
-- A misfire condition has been
detected. A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.

Light On Steady
-- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index.
The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap
has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

2-65 Oil Pressure Light
If you have a low engine oil
pressure problem, this light
will stay on after you start
your engine, or come on
and you will hear a chime
when you are driving.
This indicates that your engine is not receiving enough
oil. The engine could be low on oil, or could have some
other oil problem. Have it fixed immediately.
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you it is
working, but the light will go out when the engine is
running. If it doesn't come on with the ignition on,
you may have a problem with the bulb. Have it fixed
right away.CAUTION:
Don't keep driving if the oil pressure is low.
If you do, your engine can become so hot that
it catches fire. You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

2-66 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 ªPasslock

º 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.

2-67 Cruise Light (If Equipped)
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control.
Low Washer Light
The LOW WASH light
will come on briefly when
you turn on the ignition.
It will also stay on or come on and chime, if the fluid
reservoir is less than one
-third full.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
briefly when you turn on
the ignition.
It will stay on or come on and chime if it detects a
problem on the vehicle, such as a Daytime Running
Lamp (DRL) or an Automatic Light Control (ALC)
malfunction. If this happens, see your dealer service
department as soon as possible.
Door Ajar Light
When the ignition is on,
this light will stay on until
all doors are closed and
completely latched.
You will hear a chime if a door is unlatched after the
engine is started and the vehicle is not in PARK (P)
or NEUTRAL (N).

2-68 Fuel Gage
United States Canada
Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left, when the ignition is on. When the indicator nears
empty, the light, located near the empty symbol, will
come on and you will hear a chime. You still have a
little fuel left, but you should get more soon.Here are four things that some owners ask about.
None of these show a problem with your fuel gage:

At the service station, the gas pump shuts off
before the gage reads full.

It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took
a little more or less than half the tank's capacity to
fill the tank.

The gage moves a little when you turn a corner
or speed up.

The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
the ignition.

3-2
Comfort Controls
This section tells you how to make your air system work
for you.
With this system, you can control the ventilation and
heating in your vehicle. Your vehicle also has the
flow
-through ventilation system described later in
this section.
Climate Control System with
Air Conditioning
Fan Knob
The left knob selects the force of air you want. Turn the
knob clockwise to increase fan speed or counterclockwise
to decrease fan speed. To turn the fan off (which will also
turn the climate control system off), turn the knob all the
way counterclockwise. In any other setting, the fan will
run continuously with the ignition on. The fan must be
on to run the air conditioning compressor.
Temperature Knob
The center knob controls the temperature of the air
coming through the system. Turn it counterclockwise
toward the blue area for cooler air. Turn it clockwise
toward the red area for warmer air.
Mode Knob
The right knob selects the location of where the air will
enter the vehicle. The available modes are the following:
(Vent): In this position most of the air comes
through the instrument panel outlets. A small amount of
air comes through the floor outlets.

3-3
(Bi-Level): In this position the air comes
through the instrument panel outlets and through
the floor outlets.
(Floor): In this position most of the air comes
through the floor outlets. The rest of the air comes
through the windshield and side window outlets.
(Defog): This position divides the air between
the floor outlets and the windshield defroster outlet.
The air conditioning compressor will run automatically
in this position when it is needed to help dry the air in
the vehicle.
(Defrost): This position directs most of the
air through the windshield defroster outlet. Some of
the air goes to the floor outlets. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this position when
it is needed to help dry the air in the vehicle.
Mode Buttons
A/C (Air Conditioning): Press A/C to operate the
air conditioner compressor. The indicator light will glow
when the button is pressed to indicate that the air
conditioning system is operating.
(Outside Air): Press this button to allow the
circulation of outside air in the vehicle. The indicator
light on the button will glow when pressed. Outside air
is available in all modes including OFF. Outside air is the
default setting and is automatically activated in defog and
defrost or when turning the climate control system on or
turning the ignition switch from OFF to ON.
Pressing this button will cancel recirculation.
(Recirculation): Press this button to limit the
amount of outside air entering your vehicle. This is also
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. The indicator light on the button will glow
when it is pressed. Recirculation is available in all
modes, except defog and defrost.
Pressing this button will cancel outside air.
It is not recommended to use recirculation in the floor
mode with heat. It is useful to quickly cool the vehicle
on hot days.

3-6 Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger
button is located on the
lower right corner of the
control panel.
The rear window defogger uses a warming grid to
remove fog from the rear window.
Press the defogger button to turn the system on. The
indicator light will glow. The rear window defogger will
turn itself off after about 10 minutes the first time the
button is pressed, and five minutes each additional time
the button is pressed. You can turn the defogger off by
pressing the button again or turning off the ignition.
The rear window defogger is designed to clear the center
of the window first.
Do not attach a temporary vehicle license across the
defogger grid on the rear window.NOTICE:
Don't use a razor blade or anything else sharp
on the inside of the rear window. If you do, you
could cut or damage the warming grid, and the
repairs wouldn't be covered by your warranty.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperatures when little heating or
cooling is needed, use vent mode 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.

3-7
Ventilation Tips

Keep the hood and the area around the windshield
wipers free of ice, snow or any other obstruction,
such as leaves. The heater and defroster will work
far better, reducing the chance of fogging the inside
of your windows.

Keep the air path under the front seats clear of
objects, to help air circulate throughout your vehicle.

When an objectionable odor outside the vehicle is
encountered, the recirculation setting can prevent the
odor from being drawn into the vehicle through the
ventilation system. For example, this usage of
recirculation can be helpful when driving through a
long tunnel with poor ventilation. However,
extended usage of recirculation in cold or cool
weather can cause window fogging.
Audio Systems
Your audio system has been designed to operate easily
and give years of listening pleasure. You will get the
most enjoyment out of it if you acquaint yourself with it
first. Find out what your audio system can do and how
to operate all of its controls to be sure you're getting the
most out of the advanced engineering that went into it.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained Accessory
Power (RAP). With RAP, you can play your audio
system even after the ignition is turned off. See
ªRetained Accessory Powerº in the Index.