2000 CHEVROLET MALIBU coolant temperature

2-17 To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord.
The engine coolant heater cord is located near the
air cleaner/filter.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach,
use a heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord
rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

2-52 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 ªBrake System Warning Lightº 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.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gage pointer moves into the
red area, the light comes on
and you hear a chime, your
engine is too hot! It means
that your engine coolant
has overheated.
If you have been operating your vehicle under normal
driving conditions, you should pull off the road, stop
your vehicle and turn off the engine as soon as possible.
In ªProblems on the Roadº, this manual shows what
to do. See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.

3-4 Air Conditioning
The air conditioner and heater work best if you keep
your windows closed while using them. Your vehicle
also has the flow
-through ventilation system described
later in this section.
On very hot days, open the windows long enough to let
hot inside air escape. This reduces the time it takes for
your vehicle to cool down, which should help
fuel economy.
On cool, but sunny days, the sun may warm your upper
body, but your lower body may not be warm enough.
You can use BI
-LEVEL with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C button pushed in. The system
will bring in outside air and direct slightly warmer air to
your lower body.
For quick cool
-down on very hot days, use VENT with
the temperature knob all the way in the blue area and the
A/C and recirculation buttons pressed. If this setting is
used for long periods of time, the air in your vehicle
may become too dry.
For normal cooling on hot days, use VENT with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the A/C button
pushed in. The system will bring in outside air and
cool it.
Heating
On cold days, use FLOOR and the OUTSIDE AIR
button with the temperature knob all the way in the red
area. The system will bring in outside air, heat it and
send it to the floor outlets.
Your vehicle has heat ducts that are directed toward the
rear seat. Keep the area under the front seats clear of
obstructions so the heated air can reach the rear
seat passengers.
If your vehicle has an engine coolant heater, you can use
it to help your system provide warm air faster when it's
cold outside (0
F (
-18
C) or lower). An engine coolant
heater warms the coolant your engine and heating
system uses to provide heat. See ªEngine Coolant
Heaterº in the Index.

5-8
Towing Your Vehicle
CAUTION:
To help avoid serious personal injury to you
or others:

Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
being towed.

Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.

Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.

Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted by the tow truck.

Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.

Use only the correct hooks.
NOTICE:
Use the proper towing equipment to avoid
damage to the bumper, fascia or fog lamp areas
of the vehicle.
With current trends in automotive styles and design, it is
essential that the correct towing equipment is used to
tow a vehicle. Your vehicle can be towed with wheel
-lift
equipment or car
-carrier equipment.
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº in the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage on your
vehicle's instrument panel. See ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº in the Index. You will also find a
low coolant level warning light on your vehicle's
instrument panel. See ªLow Coolant Warning Lightº in
the Index.

6-18
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON
-III is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX
-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX
-COOL extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating, see ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index.A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

Protect against rust and corrosion.

Help keep the proper engine temperature.

Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only DEX
-COOL (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX
-COOL is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.