1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Storing t' : F ' -ire and
I A -AUTION: I
Storing a jack, a tire or other equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose
equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
Store the jack and wheel wrench in the foam tray. Place
the
foam tray in the spare tire compartment. Store the
flat tire
in the compact spare tire compartment. Place the
tire in the compartment, then secure the adapter,
extension (aluminum wheels only) and wing bolt.
A. Nut
B. Cover
C. Wing Bolt
D. Extension (Aluminum wheels only)
E. Adapter
E Wrench
G. Jack
H. Flat Road Tire
5-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Storing the Spare Tire and Tools
equipment in the
passenger compartment
of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or collision, loose equipment could strike someone. Store all these
in the proper place.
__
The compact spare is for temporary use only. Replace
the compact spare tire with a full-size tire as soon as you
can. See “Compact Spare Tire” in the Index. See the
storage instructions label to replace your compact spare
into your trunk properly.
F
G
A. Nut
B. Cover
C. Wing Bolt
D. Adapter
E. Wrench
E Jack
G. Extension (Aluminum Wheels Only)
H. Spare Tire
5-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated when
your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time. Check
the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi
(420 Wa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle, you
should stop as soon as possible and make sure your
spare tire
is correctly inflated. The compact spare is
made to perform well at speeds up to
65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full-size tire
repaired or replaced where you want. Of course, it’s best
to replace your spare with a full-size tire as soon as you
can. Your spare will last longer and be in good shape in
case you need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don’t take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts
of your vehicle. Don’t use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don’t
mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won’t fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
I NOTICE:
Tire chains won’t fit your compact spare. Using
them can damage your vehicle
and can damage
the chains too. Don’t use tire chains on your
compact spare.
5-32

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice OF Snow
What you don’t want to do when your vehicle is stuck is
to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as
“rocking” can help you get out when you’re stuck, but
you must use caution.
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured. And,
the transaxle or other parts of the vehicle can
overheat. That could cause an engine
compartment fire or other damage. When you’re
stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Don’t
spin the wheels above
35 mph (55 km/h) as shown
on the speedometer.
I NOTICE:
Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of your
vehicle as well as the tires.
If you spin the wheels
too fast while shifting your transaxle back and
forth, you can destroy your transaxle.
For information about using tire chains on your vehicle,
see “Tire Chains” in the Index.
Rocking Your Vehicle To Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That will
clear the area around your front wheels. Then shift back
and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear,
spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the
accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on
the accelerator pedal when the transaxle is in gear.
If
that doesn’t get you out after a few tries, you may need
to be towed out. If you do need
to be towed out, see
“Towing Your Vehicle”
in the Index.
5-33

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine b%) NOTES
5-34

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service a-- - Aopearance Care
Here you will fiid information about the care of your Chevrolet. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information
about your vehicle, and
a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3 6-5
6-5
6-7
6-
12
6-18
6-18
6-23
6-24
6-28
6-29
6-29
6-35
6-36 Doing
Your Own Service Work
What Kind of Fuel to Use
Using Fuel in Foreign Countries
Where to Put the Fuel and Filling the Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Checking Your Engine Oil
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Where to
Fill the Windshield Washer Fluid
Important Brake Information
Information on Your Vehicle's Battery
Tips on Vehicle Storage
Bulb Replacement Procedures
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
How and When to Check Tire Inflation 6-39
6-42
6-44
6-47
6-48
6-50
6-5 1
6-52
6-53
6-54 6-55
6-6 1
6-6
1
' 6-62
i 6-62 When
it is
Time to Buy New Tires
Wheel Alignment
Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
Care of the Safety Belts
Cleaning the Outside
of Your Vehicle
How to Clean Aluminum Wheels
Underbody Maintenance
Recommended Appearance Care Materials
Your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The Electrical System
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Replacement Bulb Types for Your Vehicle
Capacities and Specifications
Air Conditioning Specifications
Normal Replacement
Parts

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service Doing Your Own Service Work
Your Chevrolet dealer knows your vehicle best and
wants you
to be happy with it. We hope you’ll go to
your dealer for all your service needs. You’ll get
genuine GM parts and GM-trained and supported service people.
We hope you’ll want to keep your GM vehicle all GM.
Genuine
GM parts have one of these marks:
@El-
n
Demo
If you want to do some of your own service work, you’ll
want to get the proper Chevrolet Service Manual. It tells
you much more about how
to service your Chevrolet
than
this manual can. To order the proper service
manual, see “Service and Owner Publications’’ in
the Index.
Your vehicle has an
air bag system. Before attempting to
do your own service work, see “Servicing Your Air
Bag-Equipped Chevrolet” in the Index.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts and list
the mileage and the date
of any service work you
perform. See “Maintenance Record”
in the Index.
6-2

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel
/r CAUTION:
You can be injured and your vehicle could be
damaged if you
try to do service work on a
vehicle without knowing enough about it.
0 Be sure you have sufficient knowledge,
experience, the proper replacement parts
and tools before you attempt any vehicle
maintenance task.
Be sure to use the proper nuts, bolts and
other fasteners. “English” and “metric”
fasteners can be easily confused.
If you use
the wrong fasteners, parts can later break
or fall
off. You could be hurt.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle can
affect the airflow around it. This may cause wind noise
and affect windshield washer performance. Check with
your Chevrolet dealer before adding equipment to the
outside of your vehicle. Use regular unleaded gasoline rated
at
87 octane or
higher. At a minimum, it should meet specifications
ASTM D4814 in the United States and CGSB 3.5-M93
in Canada. Improved gasoline specifications have been
developed by the American Automobile Manufacturers
Association (AAMA)
for better vehicle performance
and engine protection. Gasolines meeting the AAMA
specification could provide improved driveability and
emission control system protection compared to
other gasolines.
Be sure the posted octane is at least
87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it’s bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you’re using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and you
still hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don’t worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you’re accelerating or driving up a
hill. That’s normal,
and you don’t have to buy a higher octane fuel to get rid
of pinging. It’s the heavy, constant knock that means you have a problem.
6-3