2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU check engine

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NOTICE:
Your engine is designed to work with the
electronics in your vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could change the way
the engine operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your dealer. If you don't,
your engine might not perform properly.
If you ever have to have your vehicle towed,
see the part of this manual that tells how to do
it without damaging your vehicle. See ªTowing
Your Vehicleº in the Index.
Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.

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CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds 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.
Charging System Indicator Light
The charging system
indicator light will come
on when you turn on the
ignition, but the engine is
not running, as a check to
show you it is working.
When the engine is running, it should go out.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving and
you hear a chime, you may have a problem with the
electrical charging system. It could indicate that you
have a loose generator drive belt or another electrical
problem. Have it checked right away. Driving while this
light is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on, be
certain to turn off all your accessories, such as the radio
and the air conditioner.

2-53 Low Coolant Warning Light
This light comes on
briefly when you turn
your ignition on.
If this light comes on and stays on, the vehicle
should promptly be pulled off the road and the coolant
level checked.
See ªEngine Coolantºin the Index. If there are visible
signs of steam, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index
before opening the hood. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as you can.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called OBD II (On
-Board
Diagnostics
-Second Generation) and is intended to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for
the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. The CHECK ENGINE light comes on
to indicate that there is a problem and service is
required. Malfunctions often will be indicated by the
system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.

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NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the CHECK ENGINE light to
come on. Modifications to these systems could
lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
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:

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:

Reducing vehicle speed.

Avoiding hard accelerations.

Avoiding steep uphill grades.

If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.

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If the light stops flashing and remains on steady,
see ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº 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 ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº 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. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. 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.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel
(see ªFuelº 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.

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Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have
or may begin programs to inspect the emission
control equipment on your vehicle. Failure to pass
this inspection could prevent you from getting a
vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to
help your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
CHECK ENGINE light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on
-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center to
prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure 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 bulb. Have it fixed right away.
CAUTION:
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.

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NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Check Oil Light
You will have a CHECK
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 ªEngine Oilº in the Index.A false CHECK OIL light may be generated when
parking on steep grades.
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
This light will come on
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 ªPasslockº
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.

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To unlock a secured radio, see ªUnlocking the
Theft
-Deterrent Feature After a Power Lossº earlier in
this section.
Understanding Radio Reception
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM,
especially at night. The longer range, however, can
cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick
up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try
reducing the treble to reduce this noise if you ever get it.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall
buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing
the sound to come and go.
Tips About Your Audio System
Hearing damage from loud noise is almost undetectable
until it is too late. Your hearing can adapt to higher
volumes of sound. Sound that seems normal can be loud
and harmful to your hearing. Take precautions by
adjusting the volume control on your radio to a safe
sound level before your hearing adapts to it.To help avoid hearing loss or damage:

Adjust the volume control to the lowest setting.

Increase volume slowly until you hear comfortably
and clearly.
NOTICE:
Before you add any sound equipment to your
vehicle
-- like a tape player, CB radio, mobile
telephone or two
-way radio -- be sure you can
add what you want. If you can, it's very
important to do it properly. Added sound
equipment may interfere with the operation of
your vehicle's engine, Delphi Delco Electronics
radio or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle's systems may interfere with the
operation of sound equipment that has been
added improperly.
So, before adding sound equipment, check with
your dealer and be sure to check Federal rules
covering mobile radio and telephone units.