cooling CHEVROLET MALIBU 2002 5.G Owners Manual

2-15
Trunk
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the key and
turn the trunk lock cylinder. When closing the trunk,
close from the center to ensure it fully latches.
CAUTION:
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
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 other windows are shut.

Turn the fan on your heating or cooling
system to its highest speed with the setting
on OUTSIDE AIR. That will force outside
air into your vehicle. See ªComfort
Controlsº in the Index.

If you have air outlets on or under the
instrument panel, open them all the way.
See ªEngine Exhaustº in the Index.

3-4 Air Conditioning
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.
For normal cooling on hot days, after the vehicle has
started to cool down, use the vent mode with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the A/C button
pressed. The system will bring in outside air and cool it.
On very hot days, begin by opening 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.
For quicker cool
-down on very hot days, use the vent
mode with the temperature knob all the way in the blue
area and the A/C button pressed. Begin with the outside
air button pressed for a few minutes, or until the vehicle
begins to feel cool. Then press the recirculation button. If
the recirculation setting is used for long periods of time,
the air in your vehicle may become too dry.
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 mode with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C button pressed. The system will
bring in outside air and direct slightly warmer air to
your lower body.
Heating
On cold days, use floor mode and outside air 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 outlets.
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 in your engine and heating
system that is used to provide heat. See ªEngine Coolant
Heaterº in the Index.

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.

4-22
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.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.

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.

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.
CAUTION:
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.

4-41 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, drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
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 this information before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. See ªEngine Overheatingº
in the Index.

5-
5-1
Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you'll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5
-2 Hazard Warning Flashers
5
-2 Other Warning Devices
5
-3 Jump Starting
5
-9 Towing Your Vehicle
5
-9 Engine Overheating5
-12 Cooling System
5
-18 If a Tire Goes Flat
5
-18 Changing a Flat Tire
5
-29 Compact Spare Tire
5
-30 If You're Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow

5-12
Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap
CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling 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 vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.

5-13
The coolant level should be at or above the FULL COLD
mark. If it isn't, you may have a leak at the pressure cap
or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
CAUTION:
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.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check to
see if the electric engine cooling fans are running. If the
engine is overheating, both fans should be running. If
they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
NOTICE:
Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
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.

5-14 How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
NOTICE:
This vehicle has a specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure could cause your
engine to overheat and be severely damaged.
If you haven't found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level isn't at the FULL COLD mark or
slightly higher, add a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable
water and DEX
-COOL
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 ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for more
information.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant
as follows:
CAUTION:
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.

5-15
CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid such as alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
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 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX
-COOL
coolant.
NOTICE:
In cold weather, water can freeze and crack the
engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
So use the recommended coolant.
CAUTION:
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.