1998 CHEVROLET MALIBU load capacity

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 Towing Your Vehicle from the Rear
I NOTICE:
Do not tow your vehicle from the rear. Your
vehicle could be badly damaged and the repairs
would not be covered by your warranty.
Loading Your Vehicle
i"
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
OCCUPANTS
VEHICLE CAP. WT.
FRT, CTR. RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY
WEIGHT XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSI/KPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSIi28KPa
SEE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR ADDITIONAL
, INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
found on
the rear edge of the driver's side rear passenger
door tells you the proper size, speed rating and
recommended inflation pressures for the tires on your
vehicle. It also gives you important information about
the number
of people that can be in your vehicle and the
total weight that you can
carry. This weight is called the
Vehicle Capacity Weight, and includes the weight
of all
occupants, cargo and all nonfactory-installed options.
4-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine #b BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE GVWR GAWR FRI GAWR RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE U.S. FEDERAL
MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY,
BUMPER, AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge
of the driver’s side door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity
of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight
of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the
GVWR for your vehicle, or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or
rear axle. And,
if you do have a heavy load, you should spread it
out. Don’t carry more than
132 lbs. (60 kg) in
your trunk.
A CAUTION:
Do not load your vehicle any heavier than the
GVWR, or either the maximum front or rear
GAWR. If you do, parts on your vehicle can
break, or it can change the way your vehicle handles. These could cause you
to lose control.
Also, overloading can shorten the life of
your vehicle.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Your vehicle can tow a trailer if it is equipped with the
proper trailer towing equipment. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer”
that appears later in this section. But trailering
is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and
it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In it
are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that
of
your passengers. So please read this section carefully
before you pull a trailer.
Load-pulling components such as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag
of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate
at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.
If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points:
0 There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal, not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving.
A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
0 Consider using a sway control. You can ask a hitch
dealer about sway controls.
0 Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over
50 mph (80 km/h) and
don’t make starts at full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or no more than
55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts.
4-33
~

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Three important considerations have to do with weight:
the weight of the trailer,
the weight of the trailer tongue
and the total weight on your vehicle’s tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than 1000 lbs. (450 kg). But
even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to pull a
trailer
are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can ask your dealer
for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at:
Chevrolet Motor Division
Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 7047
Troy, MI 48007-7047 In Canada, write to:
General Motors of Canada Limited
Customer Communication Centre
1908 Colonel Sam Drive
Oshawa, Ontario
L1H 8P7
Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because it affects the total or gross
weight
of your vehicle. The Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) includes the curb weight of the vehicle, any
cargo you may carry in it, and the people who will be
riding in the vehicle. And if you tow a trailer, you must add the tongue load to the GVW because your vehicle
will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading Your
Vehicle” in the Index for more information about your
vehicle’s maximum load capacity.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When to Add Engine Oil
If the oil is at or below the ADD line, then you’ll need
to add at least one quart of oil. But you must use the
right kind. This part explains what kind of
oil to use. For
crankcase capacity, see “Capacities and Specifications”
in the Index.
NOTICE:
Don’t add too much oil. If your engine has so
much oil that the oil level gets above the upper
mark that
shows the proper operating range,
your engine could be damaged. 2.4L Engine
The engine oil fill cap for the 2.4L engine is located on
the rear, right side of the engine.
6-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Each new wheel should have the same load-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment
parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your Chevrolet model.
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel
bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be
dangerous.
It could affect the braking and
handling of your vehicle, make your tires lose air
and make you lose control. You could have
a
collision in which you or others could be injured.
Always use the correct wheel, wheel bolts and
wheel nuts for replacement.
NOTICE: -
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See “Changing a Flat Tire” in the Index for
more information.
Used Replacement Wheels
A CAUTION: I
I
Putting a used wheel on your vehicle is
dangerous. You can’t know how it’s been used
or
how far it’s been driven. It could fail suddenly
and cause an accident. If you have to replace
a
wheel, use a new GM original equipment wheel.