1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU parking brake

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 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 still
on, have 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.
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
vehicle 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 should 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you
run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That
is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well-charged battery to
restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel
as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or
so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
You can tow your vehicle behind another vehicle for use
at your destination. Be sure to use the proper towing
equipment designed for recreational towing. Follow the
instructions for the towing equipment.
Towing Your Vehicle from the Front
There are two ways to tow your vehicle from the front,
To tow your vehicle with a dolly, follow these steps:
1. Put the front wheels on a dolly.
2. Put the vehicle in PARK (P).
3. Set the parking brake and then remove the key.
4. Clamp the steering wheel in a straight-ahead position
with
a clamping device designed for towing.
5. Release the parking brake.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground,
follow these steps: Module,
Cluster. See “Instrument Panel Fuse Block”
in the Index for location of the fuses.
5. Turn the ignition switch to ACC.
6. Shift your transaxle to NEUTRAL (N).
7. Release the parking brake.
Remember to replace the fuses once you reach your
destination.
To replace a fuse:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.
3. Replace the fuse.
I NOTICE:
1. Position the vehicle to tow and then secure it.
2. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
3. Set the parking brake.
4. To prevent your battery from draining while towing,
Remove the following fuses from the instrument
panel fuse block: A) Radio,
B) Wiper, H) Powertrain
Control Module and
K) Body Function Control
Make sure that the towing speed does not exceed
65 mph (110 km/h), or your vehicle could be
badly damaged.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here’s
how to
do it:
1. Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK (P) yet.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
5. Release the regular brakes.
brake
and shift into PARK
(P).
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while
you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
0 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.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other.
If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want.
You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
You could be injured if the vehicles roll. Set the
parking brake firmly on each vehicle. Put the
transaxle in
PARK (P).
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or
the accessory power outlet. Turn off all
lamps that aren’t needed, as well as radios. This will
avoid
sparks and help save both batteries. In
addition, it could save your radio.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
I NOTICE:
If you leave your radio on, it could be badly
damaged. The repairs wouldn’t be covered by
your warranty.
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries.
I
I A CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the engine
is not running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
5-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine To help avoid inpry to you or others:
0 Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
0 Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead.
being towed.
A CA TION:
A vehicle can fall from a
car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook slots. Never use
J-hooks. They will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, turn the ignition key
to ACC. The steering wheel should be clamped in a
straight-ahead position, with
a clamping device
designed for towing service. The transaxle should be in
NEUTRAL (N) and the parking brake released.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If a Tire Goes Flat
It’s unusual for a tire to “blow out” while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out
of a tire, it’s much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a “blowout,” here are a few
tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the flat tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot
off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel firmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you’d use
in a
skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from the
accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control by
steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may be
very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer. Gently
brake to a stop
-- well off the road if possible.
If a tire goes flat, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a flat tire safely.
Changing a Flat Tire
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire and wheel damage
by driving slowly to a level place. Turn on your hazard
warning flashers.
A CAUTION:
Changing a tire can cause an injury. The vehicle
can slip
off the jack and roll over you or other
people. You and they could be badly injured.
Find a level place
to change your tire. To help
prevent the vehicle from moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put the shift lever in PARK (P).
3. ’hrn off the engine.
To be even more certain the vehicle won’t move,
you can put blocks at the front and rear of the
tire farthest away from
the one being changed.
That would be the tire on the other side of the
vehicle,
at the opposite end.
I

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake-Transaxle Shift Interlock (BTSI) Check
Starter Switcr :heck
I CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle could
move suddenly. If
it does, you or others could be
injured. Follow the steps below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake (see “Parking
Brake” in the Index
if necessary) and the
regular brake.
NOTE: Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be
ready to turn
off the engine immediately if it starts.
should work only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL
(N). If
the starter works in any other position, your vehicle
needs service.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The starter
I A CAUTION: I
When you are doing this check, the vehicle could
move suddenly.
If it does, you or others could be
injured. Follow the steps below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle. It should be parked on a
level surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake (see “Parking Brake” in the Index if necessary).
NOTE: Be ready to apply the regular brake
immediately
if the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the key to the ON position,
but don’t
start the engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move
the shift lever out of
PARK (P) with normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of PARK (P), your vehicle’s BTSI
needs service.