1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU warning light

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of
your vehicle’s functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you
know when
there’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you
are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual’s advice.
Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous.
So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They’re a big help.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver’s safety belt i\
s
already buckled.
The safety belt light
will
also come on and stay on
for about
20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds. If the driver’s
belt is already buckled, neither the chime nor the
light will come
on.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake System Warning Light
Your Chevrolet’s hydraulic brake system is divided into
two parts.
If one part isn’t working, the other part can
still work and stop you. For good braking, though, you
need both parts working well.
If the warning light comes on, there could be a brake
problem. Have your brake system inspected right away.
BRAKE
This light should come on
briefly when you turn the
ignition key to
ON. If it
doesn’t come on then, have
it fixed
so it will be ready to
warn you if there’s a
problem.
If the light and chime come on while you are driving,
pull
off the road and stop carefully. You may notice that
the pedal is harder to push. Or, the pedal may
go closer
to the floor. It
may take longer to stop. If the light is
sull on, nave the
vehicle towed for service. (See “Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.)
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you’ve pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake. The
light will stay on
if your parking brake doesn’t release
fully.
If it stays on after your parking brake is fully
released, it means you have a brake problem.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 Chevrolet 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 “Brake System Warning Light”
earlier in this section. The anti-lock brake system warning
light shoula 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
0
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 “Problems on the Road,” this manual shows what to
do. See “Engine Overheating” in the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
If this light comes on and stays on and you hear a chime,
the vehicle should promptly be pulled
off the road and
the coolant level checked.
See “Engine Coolant” in the Index.
If there are visible
signs of steam, see “Engine Overheating”
in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
CHECK
Your Chevrolet is equipped
with a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD 11 (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. (In
Canada, OBD
II is replaced by Enhanced Diagnostics.)
The CHECK ENGINE light comes on and a chime will
sound 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.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Oil Pressure Warning 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 fuse or bulb. Have
it fixed
right away.
J:
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.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Check Oil Light (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with a
3 100 engine, then
you will have a CHECK
OIL light in your instrument
CHECK
OIL
panel cluster.
If the light stays on after starting your vehicle, or comes
on and chimes, 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 “Engine Oil” in the Index.
NOTE: 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
THEFT
SYSTEM
This light will come on
briefly 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 “Passlock”
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 “Anti-Lock Brake
System Warning Light” in
the Index.
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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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, “Freeway Driving.”)
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.
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