2002 CHEVROLET MALIBU light

2-63
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.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.

2-64
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.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.

2-65 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.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.

2-66 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 ªPasslock

º 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.

2-67 Cruise Light (If Equipped)
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control.
Low Washer Light
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.
Service Vehicle Soon Light
This light will come on
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 Daytime Running
Lamp (DRL) or an Automatic Light Control (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).

2-68 Fuel Gage
United States Canada
Your fuel gage tells you about how much fuel you have
left, when the ignition is on. When the indicator nears
empty, the light, located near the empty symbol, 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 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 corner
or speed up.

The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
the ignition.

3-3
(Bi-Level): In this position the air comes
through the instrument panel outlets and through
the floor outlets.
(Floor): In this position most of the air comes
through the floor outlets. The rest of the air comes
through the windshield and side window outlets.
(Defog): This position divides the air between
the floor outlets and the windshield defroster outlet.
The air conditioning compressor will run automatically
in this position when it is needed to help dry the air in
the vehicle.
(Defrost): This position directs most of the
air through the windshield defroster outlet. Some of
the air goes to the floor outlets. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this position when
it is needed to help dry the air in the vehicle.
Mode Buttons
A/C (Air Conditioning): Press A/C to operate the
air conditioner compressor. The indicator light will glow
when the button is pressed to indicate that the air
conditioning system is operating.
(Outside Air): Press this button to allow the
circulation of outside air in the vehicle. The indicator
light on the button will glow when pressed. Outside air
is available in all modes including OFF. Outside air is the
default setting and is automatically activated in defog and
defrost or when turning the climate control system on or
turning the ignition switch from OFF to ON.
Pressing this button will cancel recirculation.
(Recirculation): Press this button to limit the
amount of outside air entering your vehicle. This is also
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. The indicator light on the button will glow
when it is pressed. Recirculation is available in all
modes, except defog and defrost.
Pressing this button will cancel outside air.
It is not recommended to use recirculation in the floor
mode with heat. It is useful to quickly cool the vehicle
on hot days.

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.
For normal cooling on hot days, after the vehicle has
started to cool down, use the vent mode with the
temperature knob in the blue area and the A/C button
pressed. The system will bring in outside air and cool it.
On very hot days, begin by opening 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.
For quicker cool
-down on very hot days, use the vent
mode with the temperature knob all the way in the blue
area and the A/C button pressed. Begin with the outside
air button pressed for a few minutes, or until the vehicle
begins to feel cool. Then press the recirculation button. If
the recirculation setting is used for long periods of time,
the air in your vehicle may become too dry.
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 mode with the temperature knob in
the middle and the A/C button pressed. The system will
bring in outside air and direct slightly warmer air to
your lower body.
Heating
On cold days, use floor mode and outside air 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 in your engine and heating
system that is used to provide heat. See ªEngine Coolant
Heaterº in the Index.