1997 CHEVROLET MALIBU trailer

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
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 these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Towing A Trailer
(Except
3100 V6 Engine)
Your vehicle is neither designed nor intended to
tow a trailer.
4-40

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get the overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:
Climb a long hill on a hot day.
Stop after high-speed driving.
0 Idle for long periods in traffic.
Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or
so:
1. Turn off your air conditioner.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed
and open the window as necessary.
3. If you’re in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- DRIVE (D) OR THIRD (3).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about
10 minutes.
If the warning doesn’t come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and
park your
vehicle right away.
If there’s still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for
two or three minutes while you’re parked, to see
if the warning stops. But then,
if you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of
the vehicle until it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine As shown in the chart, SAE 5W-30 is best for your
vehicle. However, you
can use SAE 1OW-30 if it’s going
to be
0°F (- 18 “C) or above. These numbers on an oil
container show its viscosity, or thickness.
Do not use
other viscosity oils, such as
SAE 20W-50.
NOTICE:
Use only engine oil with the American Petroleum
Institute Certified
For Gasoline Engines
“Starburst” symbol. Failure to use the
recommended oil can result in engine damage not
covered by your warranty.
I
GM Goodwrench@ oil meets all the requirements for
your vehicle.
If you are in an area where the temperature falls below
-20°F (-29”C), consider using either an
SAE 5W-30
synthetic oil or an
SAE OW-30 oil. Both will provide
easier cold starting and better protection for your engine
at extremely low temperatures.
Engine Oil Additives
Don’t add anything to your oil. Your Chevrolet dealer is
ready to advise if you think something should be added.
When to Change Engine Oil
If any one of these is true for you, use the short trip/city
maintenance schedule:
0
0
0
0
0
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving
in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle.
The vehicle
is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
Driving under these conditions causes engine oil to
break down sooner.
If any one of these is true for your
vehicle, then you need to change your oil and filter
every 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) or 3 months -- whichever
occurs first.
If none of them is true, use the long triphighway
maintenance schedule. Change the oil and filter every
7,500 miles (12
500 km) or 12 months -- whichever
occurs first. Driving a vehicle with a fully warmed
engine under highway conditions causes engine oil to
break down slower.
6-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
I Short Trip/City Definition
Follow the Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule if any
one of these conditions is true for your vehicle:
Most trips are less than 5 to 10 miles (8 to 16 km).
This is particularly important when outside
temperatures are below freezing.
0 Most trips include extensive idling (such as frequent
driving in stop-and-go traffic).
Most trips are through dusty areas.
0 You frequently tow a trailer or use a carrier on top of
your vehicle. (With some models, you should never
tow a trailer. See “Towing a Trailer” in the Index.)
0 If the vehicle is used for delivery service, police, taxi
or other commercial application.
One of the reasons you should follow this schedule if
you operate your vehicle under any of these conditions
is that these conditions cause engine
oil to break
down soonep:
Short Trip/City Intervals
Every 3,000 Miles (5 000 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or
3 months, whichever occurs first).
Every 6,000 Miles (10 000 km): Tire Rotation.
Every 15,000 Miles (25 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Inspection, if driving in dusty conditions.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure
to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
7-5

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Maintenance Schedule
Long Trip/Hig;hway Definition
Follow this maintenance schedule only if none of the
conditions from the Short TripKity Maintenance
Schedule is true.
Do not use this schedule if the vehicle
is used for trailer towing, driven in a dusty area or used
off paved roads. Use the
Short TripKity schedule for
these conditions.
Driving a vehicle with a filly warmed engine under
highway conditions causes engine
oil to break
down slowei:
I Low Trip/Hiehwav Intervals I
Every 7,500 Miles (12 500 km): Engine Oil and Filter
Change (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
Tire Rotation.
Every 30,000 Miles (50 000 km): Air Cleaner Filter
Replacement. Fuel Tank, Cap and Lines Inspection.
Every 50,000 Miles (83 000 km): Automatic Transaxle
Service (severe conditions only).
Every 60,000 Miles (100 000 km): Engine Accessory
Drive Belt Inspection.
Every 100,000 Miles (166 000 km): Spark Plug Wire
Inspection. Spark Plug Replacement.
Every 150,000 Miles (240 000 km): Cooling System
Service (or every
60 months, whichever occurs first).
These intervals only summarize maintenance services.
Be sure to follow the complete maintenance schedule on
the following pages.
1-0

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short TripKity Maintenance Schedule I
48,000 Miles (80 000 km)
0 Change engine oil and filter (or every
3 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation” in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information. (See footnote
+.)
An Emission Control Service.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
I I I
50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter
if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
(32°C) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
lf you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and filter do not require changing.
DATE
SERVICED BY: ACTUAL MILEAGE
7-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine I Short Trip/City Maintenance Schedule I
100,000 Miles (166 000 km) (Continued)
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
delivery service.
lfyou do not use your vehicle under any of
these conditions, the fluid and filter do not
require changing.
DATE h I’UAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
0 Drain, flush and refill cooling system
(or every
60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See “Engine
Coolant” in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser,
pressure cap and neck. Pressure test cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Long Tripmighway Maintenance Schedule
45,000 Miles (75 000 km)
Change engine oil and filter (or every
12 months, whichever occurs first).
0 Rotate tires. See “Tire Inspection and
Rotation” in the Index for proper rotation
pattern and additional information. (See footnote
+.)
An Emission Control Service.
~
DATE ACTUAL MILEAGE SERVICED BY:
50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
0 Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter
if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more
of these conditions:
- In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches
90 OF
(32 O C) or higher.
- In hilly or mountainous terrain.
- When doing frequent trailer towing.
- Uses such as found in taxi, police or
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the fluid and$lter
do not require changing.
delivery service.
7-30