washer fluid CHEVROLET MALIBU 2011 7.G Owners Manual

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Introduction v
Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols
that may be found on the vehicle
and what they mean. For more
information on the symbol, refer to
the Index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-4
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12 Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-13
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-14
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-15
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-16
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-22
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam on Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-27
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-27
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-27
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-28
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-28
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Ride Control SystemMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-30
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-30
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . 5-31
Vehicle Personalization
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . 5-31

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-4 Instruments and Controls
Windshield Wiper/Washer
The windshield wiper lever is on the
right side of the steering wheel.
Move the lever to control the
windshield wipers.
9(Off):Turns the windshield
wipers off.
&(Intermittent; Speed Sensitive
Wipers): For intermittent or speed
sensitive operation. While in this
position, turn the
xband up or
down to vary frequency.
The amount of delay time varies
between wiping cycles due to the
delay setting selected or the speed
of the vehicle. As vehicle speed is
increased or decreased, the wiper
interval also increases or
decreases.
6(Low Speed): Slow wipes.
1(High Speed): Fast wipes.
8(Mist):Single wipe, move the
lever down, then release it. Several
wipes, hold the lever down.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them.
If frozen to the windshield, carefully
loosen or thaw them. Damaged
wiper blades should be replaced.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wiper motor. A circuit breaker stops
the motor until it cools. If the motor
gets stuck, turn the wipers off, clear
away the snow or ice, and then turn
the wipers back on.
As an added safety feature, if
the wipers are on for more than
15 seconds, the vehicle's
headlamps turn on automatically.
They turn off 15 seconds after the
wipers are turned off. Windshield Washer
Press the button at the end of the
windshield wiper lever until the
washers begin.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
your washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
When the button is released, the
washers stop, but the wipers
continue to wipe about three times
or resume the previous speed.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-31
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE
This message displays when the
outside air temperature is cold
enough to create icy road
conditions. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
Washer Fluid Messages
LOW WASHER FLUID
This message displays when the
vehicle's windshield washer fluid is
low. Fill the windshield washer fluid
reservoir to the proper level as soon
as possible. SeeWasher Fluid
on
page 10‑22.
Vehicle
Personalization
Your vehicle has personalization
capabilities that allow you to
program certain features to a
preferred setting. All of the features
listed may not be available on your
vehicle. Only the features available
will be displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the features
were set when your vehicle left the
factory, but may have been changed
from their default state since
that time. To change feature settings, use the
following procedure:Entering Personalization Menu
1. Turn the ignition on while the
vehicle is stopped.
To avoid excessive drain on the
battery, it is recommended that
the headlamps are turned off.
2. Press and hold the information and reset buttons at the same
time for one second, then
release to enter the
personalization menu.
If the vehicle speed is greater
than 3 km/h (2 mph), only the
UNITS menu will be accessible.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-7
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When your vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road. There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. See
Tireson
page 10‑38.
.Turn off cruise control.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-1
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . 10-3
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-5
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-9
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . 10-12
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-13
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . 10-14
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-15
Engine Coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-16
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . 10-19 Overheated Engine
Protection
Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . 10-20
Power Steering Fluid . . . . . . . 10-21
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-23
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-25
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . 10-25
Automatic Transmission Shift Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Ignition Transmission Lock Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . 10-26
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . 10-27
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
Taillamps, Turn Signal, andStoplamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-28
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . 10-29
Replacement Bulbs . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System
Electrical System Overload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-30
Engine Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-31
Instrument Panel Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Rear Compartment Fuse Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-35
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-39
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . 10-40
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-42
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-45
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-46
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-47
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-48
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-51
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-52

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-7
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filteron
page 10‑14.
B. Engine Cooling Fan (Out of View). See Cooling System
on
page 10‑15.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick (Out of View). See “Checking Engine
Oil” under Engine Oil
on
page 10‑9. E. Engine Coolant Surge Tank.
See Engine Coolant
on
page 10‑16.
F. Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System
on page 10‑15.
G. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brakes on page 10‑22. H.
Battery on page 10‑25.
I. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluidon
page 10‑22.
J. See Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑31.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-9
A.Engine Air Cleaner/Filteron
page 10‑14.
B. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir. See Power Steering Fluid
on
page 10‑21.
C. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See “When
to Add Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
D. Engine Oil Dipstick. See “Checking Engine Oil” under
Engine Oil on page 10‑9.
E. Electric Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling
System on page 10‑15.
F. Engine Coolant Surge Tank. See Engine Coolant
on
page 10‑16. G. Pressure Cap. See
Cooling
System on page 10‑15.
H. Brake Master Cylinder Reservoir. See “Brake Fluid”
under Brakes on page 10‑22.
I. Automatic Transmission Fluid Dipstick (Out of View). See
“Checking the Fluid Level”
under Automatic Transmission
Fluid on page 10‑13.
J. See Battery on page 10‑25.
K. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑31.
L. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See “Adding Washer
Fluid” under Washer Fluidon
page 10‑22.
Engine Oil
To ensure proper engine
performance and long life, careful
attention must be paid to engine oil.
Following these simple, but
important steps will help protect
your investment:
.Always use engine oil approved
to the proper specification and of
the proper viscosity grade. See
“Selecting the Right Engine Oil.”
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil.”
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑12.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do With
Used Oil.”

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
10-22 Vehicle Care
Washer Fluid
What to Use
When windshield washer fluid is
needed, be sure to read the
manufacturer's instructions before
use. If operating the vehicle in an
area where the temperature may fall
below freezing, use a fluid that has
sufficient protection against
freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When the windshield washer fluid
reservoir is low, a LOW WASHER
FLUID message displays on the
Driver Information Center (DIC).
SeeDriver Information Center (DIC)
on page 5‑23for more information.
Open the cap with the washer
symbol on it. Add washer fluid until
the tank is full. See Engine
Compartment Overview
on
page 10‑6for reservoir location.
Notice:
.When using concentrated
washer fluid, follow the
manufacturer's instructions
for adding water.
.Do not mix water with
ready-to-use washer fluid.
Water can cause the solution
to freeze and damage the
washer fluid tank and other
parts of the washer system.
Also, water does not clean as
well as washer fluid.
.Fill the washer fluid tank only
three-quarters full when it is
very cold. This allows for
fluid expansion if freezing
occurs, which could
damage the tank if it is
completely full.
.Do not use engine coolant
(antifreeze) in the windshield
washer. It can damage the
windshield washer system
and paint.
Brakes
This vehicle has disc brakes. Disc
brake pads have built-in wear
indicators that make a high-pitched
warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed.
The sound can come and go or be
heard all the time the vehicle is
moving, except when applying the
brake pedal firmly.

Black plate (87,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-87
High pressure car washes could
cause water to enter the vehicle.
Avoid using high pressure washes
closer than 30 cm (12 in) to the
surface of the vehicle. Use of power
washers exceeding 8,274 kPa
(1,200 psi) can result in damage or
removal of paint and decals.
Notice:Conveyor systems on
some automatic car washes could
damage the vehicle. There may
not be enough clearance for the
undercarriage. Check with the car
wash manager before using the
automatic car wash.
Weatherstrips
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will
make them last longer, seal better,
and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth.
During very cold, damp weather
frequent application may be
required. See Recommended Fluids
and Lubricants on page 11‑6.
Wheels and Trim —Aluminum
or Chrome
The vehicle may have either
aluminum or chrome-plated wheels.
Keep the wheels clean using a soft,
clean cloth with mild soap and
water. Rinse with clean water. After
rinsing thoroughly, dry with a soft,
clean towel. A wax may then be
applied.
Notice: Chrome wheels and other
chrome trim may be damaged if
the vehicle is not washed after
driving on roads that have been
sprayed with magnesium, calcium
or sodium chloride. These
chlorides are used on roads for
conditions such as ice and dust.
Always wash the vehicle's
chrome with soap and water after
exposure. Notice:
Using strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes,
cleaners, brushes, or cleaners
that contain acid on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels, could
damage the surface of the
wheel(s). The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Use only approved
cleaners on aluminum or
chrome-plated wheels.
The surface of these wheels is
similar to the painted surface of the
vehicle. Do not use strong soaps,
chemicals, abrasive polishes,
abrasive cleaners, cleaners with
acid, or abrasive cleaning brushes
on them because the surface could
be damaged. Do not use chrome
polish on aluminum wheels.
Notice: Using chrome polish on
aluminum wheels could damage
the wheels. The repairs would not
be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Use chrome polish on
chrome wheels only.