low oil pressure CHEVROLET MALIBU 2013 8.G Owners Manual

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
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)
%:Audio Steering Wheel Controls
or OnStar®
$: Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B: Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
g:First Responder
#:Fog Lamps
.: Fuel Gauge
+:Fuses
3: Headlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer
j: LATCH System Child
Restraints
*: Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
O:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
d:Traction Control/StabiliTrak®
M:Windshield Washer Fluid

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
In Brief 1-25
The low tire pressure warning light
alerts to a significant loss in
pressure of one of the vehicle's
tires. If the warning light comes on,
stop as soon as possible and inflate
the tires to the recommended
pressure shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. See
Vehicle Load Limits on page 9‑10.
The warning light will remain on until
the tire pressure is corrected.
The low tire pressure warning light
may come on in cool weather when
the vehicle is first started, and then
turn off as the vehicle is driven. This
may be an early indicator that the
tire pressures are getting low and
the tires need to be inflated to the
proper pressure.The TPMS does not replace normal
monthly tire maintenance. Maintain
the correct tire pressures.
See
Tire Pressure Monitor System
on page 10‑54.Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
This vehicle may come with a spare
tire and tire changing equipment or
a tire sealant and compressor kit.
The kit can be used to temporarily
seal small punctures in the tread
area of the tire. See Tire Sealant
and Compressor Kit (With Pressure
Relief Button) on page 10‑68 orTire
Sealant and Compressor Kit (With
Pressure Deflation Button) on
page 10‑75.
If the vehicle came with a spare tire
and tire changing equipment, see If
a Tire Goes Flat on page 10‑66.
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL SOON message when it is time
to change the engine oil and filter.
The oil life system should be reset
to 100% only following an oil
change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
2. Press the DIC MENU button on the turn signal lever to enter the
Vehicle Information Menu. Use
the thumbwheel to scroll through
the menu items until you reach
REMAINING OIL LIFE.
3. Press the SET/CLR button to reset the oil life at 100%.
4. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑13.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Canceling a Remote Start
To cancel a remote start, do one of
the following:
.Aim the RKE transmitter at the
vehicle and press and hold
/
until the parking lamps turn off.
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Turn the vehicle on and then off.
Conditions in Which Remote Start
Will Not Work
The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if:
.The key is in the ignition (key
access) or if the key is in the
vehicle (keyless access).
.The hood is not closed.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.The malfunction indicator lamp
is on.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.Two remote vehicle starts, or a
single remote start with an
extension, have already
been used.
.The vehicle is not in P (Park).
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the (Continued)
WARNING (CONTINUED)
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
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 . . . . . 5-3
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Trip Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Driver Efficiency Gauge . . . . . . 5-11
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-12
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-12 Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-14
Malfunction Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Service Electric Parking Brake Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Traction Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
StabiliTrak
®OFF Light . . . . . . . 5-19
Traction Control System (TCS)/StabiliTrak
®Light . . . . 5-20
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-22
Low Fuel Warning Light . . . . . . 5-22
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-23 Lamps On Reminder . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-23
Door Ajar Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Information Displays
Center Stack Display . . . . . . . . 5-24
Driver Information
Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-28
Compass Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Cruise Control Messages . . . . 5-29
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-30
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-30
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-31
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-31
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Object Detection System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-32

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Engine Oil Pressure Light
Notice:Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. Driving with the engine
oil low can also damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Check the oil level as soon as
possible. Add oil if required, but
if the oil level is within the
operating range and the oil
pressure is still low, have the
vehicle serviced. Always follow
the maintenance schedule for
changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer. If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
For vehicles with the uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale displays
in the Driver Information Center
(DIC) screen.
Low Fuel Warning Light
This light, below the fuel gauge,
comes on briefly when the engine is
started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light then goes off.This light also comes on when the
fuel tank is low on fuel. When fuel is
added the light should go off. If it
does not, have your vehicle
serviced.
For vehicles with an uplevel or
eAssist cluster, this telltale displays
in the Driver Information Center
(DIC) screen.
Security Light
The immobilizer light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally,
the indicator light turns off.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Average Fuel Economy and
Instantaneous Fuel Economy
This display shows the approximate
average liters per 100 kilometers(L/100 km) or miles per
gallon (mpg). This number is
calculated based on the number of
L/100 km (mpg) recorded since the
last time this menu item was reset.
The fuel economy can be reset by
pressing SET/CLR while the
Average Fuel Economy display is
showing.
The instantaneous fuel economy
display shows the current fuel
economy in liters per 100 kilometers
(L/100 km) or miles per gallon
(mpg). This number reflects only the
fuel economy that the vehicle has
right now and changes frequently as
driving conditions change. Unlike
average economy, this display
cannot be reset.
Average Vehicle Speed
This display shows the average
speed of the vehicle in kilometers
per hour (km/h) or miles per hour (mph). This average is
calculated based on the various
vehicle speeds recorded since the
last reset of this value. The average
speed can be reset by pressing
SET/CLR while the Average Vehicle
Speed display is showing.
Timer
This display can be used as a timer.
To start the timer, press SET/CLR
while Timer is displayed. The
display will show the amount of time
that has passed since the timer was
last reset, not including time the
ignition is off. Time will continue to
be counted as long as the ignition is
on, even if another display is being
shown on the DIC. The timer will
record up to 99 hours, 59 minutes,
and 59 seconds (99:59:59) after
which the display will return to zero.
To stop the timer, press SET/CLR
briefly while Timer is displayed. To
reset the timer to zero, press and
hold SET/CLR.
Navigation
This display is used for the
Turn-by-Turn navigation,
if equipped.
Boost Gauge
This display, available on some
vehicles, is a boost gauge. It shows
a visual display of the level of boost.
Vehicle Information Menu
Items
Press MENU on the turn signal
lever until Vehicle Information menu
is displayed. Use
w/xto scroll
through the menu items. The
following is the list of all possible
vehicle information displays. Some
of the items may not be available for
your particular vehicle.
.Display Units
.Tire Pressure
.Jump Start (eAssist Only)
.Remaining Oil Life
.Battery

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Display Units
Move
w/xto switch between
metric or US when the Unit display
is active. Press SET/CLR to confirm
the setting. This will change the
displays on the cluster and DIC to
either metric or English (US)
measurements.
Tire Pressure
The display will show a vehicle with
the approximate pressures of all
four tires. Tire pressure is displayed
in either kilopascal (kPa) or pounds
per square inch (psi). See Tire
Pressure Monitor System on
page 10‑54 andTire Pressure
Monitor Operation on page 10‑55.
Jump Start (eAssist Only)
This display allows for on-board
jump starting of the vehicle. See
"Jump Starting (On-board with
eAssist Only)" for more information. Remaining Oil Life
This display shows an estimate of
the oil's remaining useful life.
If Remaining Oil Life 99% is
displayed, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains.
When the remaining oil life is low,
the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will appear on the display.
See
Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑30. The oil should changed
as soon as possible. See Engine Oil
on page 10‑11. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended. See Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑2.
Remember, the Oil Life display must
be reset after each oil change. It will
not reset itself. Also, be careful not
to reset the Oil Life display
accidentally at any time other than
when the oil has just been changed. It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, press SET/
CLR while the Oil Life display is
active. See
Engine Oil Life System
on page 10‑13.
Battery
This display, available on some
vehicles, shows the current battery
voltage. If the voltage is in the
normal range, the value will display.
For example, the display may read
Battery Voltage 15.0 Volts. The
vehicle's charging system regulates
voltage based on the state of the
battery. The battery voltage can
fluctuate while viewing this
information on the DIC. This is
normal. See Charging System Light
on page 5‑14. If there is a problem
with the battery charging system,
the DIC will display a message.

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
5-30 Instruments and Controls
When the coolant temperature
returns to normal, the air
conditioning compressor turns back
on. You can continue to drive the
vehicle.
If this message continues to appear,
have the system repaired by your
dealer as soon as possible to avoid
damage to the engine.
COOLANT LEVEL LOW ADD
COOLANT
This message will display if the
coolant is low. SeeEngine Coolant
on page 10‑18.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
IDLE ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine coolant temperature is too
hot. Stop and allow the vehicle to
idle until it cools down.
ENGINE OVERHEATED —
STOP ENGINE
This message displays and a
continuous chime sounds if the
engine cooling system reaches unsafe temperatures for operation.
Stop and turn off the vehicle as
soon as it is safe to do so to avoid
severe damage. This message
clears when the engine has cooled
to a safe operating temperature.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the
engine oil needs to be changed.
When the engine oil is changed, be
sure to reset the Oil Life System.
See
Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑13, Driver Information
Center (DIC) on page 5‑24, Engine
Oil on page 10‑11, and Maintenance
Schedule on page 11‑2.
ENGINE OIL HOT, IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
engine oil temperature is too hot.
Stop and allow the vehicle to idle
until it cools down.
OIL PRESSURE LOW— STOP
ENGINE
This message displays if low oil
pressure levels occur. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible
and do not operate it until the cause
of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check the oil as soon as
possible and have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
Engine Power Messages
ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there
is no reduction in performance,
proceed to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
maximum acceleration and speed
may be reduced. Anytime this

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
Vehicle Care 10-11
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑15.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑11.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑11.
5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System on
page 10‑16.
6. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brakes on page 10‑22.
7. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Engine
Coolant on page 10‑18.
8. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery on page 10‑25.
9. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block on page 10‑38.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
on 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”
in this section.
.Check the engine oil level
regularly and maintain the
proper oil level. See “Checking
Engine Oil” and“When to Add
Engine Oil” in this section.
.Change the engine oil at the
appropriate time. See Engine Oil
Life System on page 10‑13.
.Always dispose of engine oil
properly. See “What to Do with
Used Oil” in this section.
Checking Engine Oil
It is a good idea to check the engine
oil level at each fuel fill. In order to
get an accurate reading, the vehicle
must be on level ground. The
engine oil dipstick handle is a loop.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview
on page 10‑6 for the location of the
engine oil dipstick.
Obtaining an accurate oil level
reading is essential:
1. If the engine has been running recently, turn off the engine and
allow several minutes for the oil
to drain back into the oil pan.
Checking the oil level too soon
after engine shutoff will not
provide an accurate oil level
reading.
{WARNING
The engine oil dipstick handle
may be hot; it could burn you.
Use a towel or glove to touch the
dipstick handle.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2013 - CRC - 6/6/12
Vehicle Care 10-19
used coolant disposal. This will help
protect the environment and your
health.
Checking Coolant
The vehicle must be on a level
surface when checking the coolant
level.
Check to see if coolant is visible in
the coolant surge tank. If the coolant
inside the coolant surge tank is
boiling, do not do anything else until
it cools down.
If coolant is visible but the coolant
level is not at or above the mark
pointed to, add a 50/50 mixture of
deionized water or clean drinkable
water and DEX-COOL coolant.
Be sure the cooling system is cool
before this is done.If no coolant is visible in the coolant
surge tank, add coolant as follows:
How to Add Coolant to the
Coolant Surge Tank
{WARNING
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. Do not spill
coolant on a hot engine.
Notice: This vehicle has a
specific coolant fill procedure.
Failure to follow this procedure
could cause the engine to
overheat and be severely
damaged.
{WARNING
Steam and scalding liquids from a
hot cooling system can blow out
and burn you badly. Never turn
the cap when the cooling system,
including the surge tank pressure
cap, is hot. Wait for the cooling
system and surge tank pressure
cap to cool.