1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction in one
of two ways:
0
0 Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system
on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service may be required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
Avoiding hard accelerations.
0 Avoiding steep uphill grades.
0 If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as
it is possible. If
the light stops flashing and
remains on steady, see “If
the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key
off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left
off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out.
A few driving trips should turn the light off.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may
go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Check Oil Light (If Equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped
with a
3 100 engine. then
CHECK you will have :CHECK
OIL
OIL light in your instrument
panel cluster.
This light will come
on briefly when you start
your vehicle.
If the light stays on after starting your vehicle, or comes
on and chimes while you are driving, 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.
2-58

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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.
Cruise Light (If Equipped)
CRUISE
Low Washer Light
LOW
WASH
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control.
The
LOW WASH light will
come on briefly when you
turn on the ignition.
It will also stay on or come on and chime, if the fluid
reservoir is less than one-third full.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Service Vehicle Soon Light
I1 This light will come on
SERVICE
VEHICLE
SOON briefly when you turn
on the ignition.
It will stay on or come on and chime if it detects a
problem
on the vehicle, such as a DRL or an ALC
malfunction.
If this happens, see your dealer service
department as soon as possible.
Door Ajar Light
When the ignition is on, this
light
will stay on until all
doors are closed and
completely latched.
You will hear a chime if a door is unlatched after the
engine is started and the vehicle is not in
PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL
(N).
Fuel Gage
Your fuel gage tells you
about how much fuel you
have left, when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears
(E) EMPTY, the light
will come on and you will
hear
a chime. You still have
a little fuel left, but you
should get more soon.
Here are four things that some owners ask about. None
of these show a problem with your fuel gage:
At the service station, the gas pump shuts off before
the gage reads
(F) FULL.
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a comer or
The gage goes back to (E) EMPTY when you turn
speed up.
off the ignition.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine fi NOTES

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine b NOTES

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Section 3 Cornfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you’ll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your vehicle. Be
sure to read about the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3-2 3-2
3-3
3-4
3-4
3-5
3-5
3-6
3-6
3-6 Cornfort Controls
Climate Control System with
Air Conditioning
Air Conditioning
Heating
Defogging and Defrosting Windows
Rear Window Defogger
(If Equipped)
Ventilation System
Audio Systems Setting the Clock for Systems without
Automatic
Tone Control
Setting the Clock for Systems with Automatic
Tone Control 3
-7
3-9
3-14
3-18
3-19
3-21
3-2
1
3-22
3-23
3-23
3-23 AM-FM Stereo
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette Tape Player and
Automatic Tone
Control (If Equipped)
AM-FM Stereo with Compact Disc Player and
Automatic Tone Control
(If Equipped)
Remote Cassette Tape Player
(If Equipped)
Theft-Deterrent Feature
Understanding Radio Reception
Tips About
Your Audio System
Care of
Your Cassette Tape Player
Care of Your Compact Discs
Care of Your Compact Disc Player
Fixed Mast Antenna
3-1