2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU Owners Manual

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning, along with a low coolant light,
can indicate a serious problem. SeeLow Coolant
Warning Light on page 3-29.
If you get an engine overheat warning with no low
coolant light, but see or hear no steam, the problem may
not be too serious. Sometimes the engine can get a
little too hot when you:
·Climb a long hill on a hot day.
·Stop after high-speed driving.
·Idle for long periods in traffic.
·Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) and let the
engine idle.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can drive
normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you're parked. If you still have the
warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicleuntil it cools down.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-23

Cooling System
When you decide it's safe to lift the hood, here's what
you'll see:
A. Electric Engine Cooling Fans
B. Coolant Surge Tank with Pressure Cap{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
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.
If the coolant inside the coolant surge tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
5-24

The coolant level should be at or above the FULL COLD
mark. If it isn't, you may have a leak at the pressure cap
or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses, radiator, water
pump or somewhere else in the cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine ®re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak ®xed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
Notice:Engine damage from running your engine
without coolant isn't covered by your warranty.
Notice:When adding coolant, it is important that
you use only DEX-COOLž(silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOLžis added to the
system, premature engine, heater core or radiator
corrosion may result. In addition, the engine coolant
will require change sooner Ð at 30,000 miles
(50 000 km) or 24 months, whichever occurs ®rst.
Damage caused by the use of coolant other than
DEX-COOL
žis not covered by your new vehicle
warranty.
5-25

How to Add Coolant to the Coolant
Surge Tank
Notice:This vehicle has a speci®c coolant ®ll
procedure. Failure to follow this procedure could
cause your engine to overheat and be severely
damaged.
If you haven't found a problem yet, check to see if
coolant is visible in the surge tank. If coolant is visible
but the coolant level isn't at or above the FULL
COLD mark, add a 50/50 mixture of
clean, drinkable
waterand DEX-COOLžcoolant at the coolant
surge tank, but be sure the cooling system, including
the coolant surge tank pressure cap, is cool before you
do it. See
Engine Coolant on page 5-19for more
information.
If no coolant is visible in the surge tank, add coolant
as follows:
{CAUTION:
Steam and scalding liquids from a hot cooling
system can blow out and burn you badly. They
are under pressure, and if you turn the coolant
surge tank pressure cap Ð even a little Ð they
can come out at high speed. Never turn the
cap when the cooling system, including the
coolant surge tank pressure cap, is hot. Wait
for the cooling system and coolant surge tank
pressure cap to cool if you ever have to turn
the pressure cap.
5-26

{CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling
system can be dangerous. Plain water, or
some other liquid such as alcohol, can boil
before the proper coolant mixture will. Your
vehicle's coolant warning system is set for the
proper coolant mixture. With plain water or the
wrong mixture, your engine could get too hot
but you wouldn't get the overheat warning.
Your engine could catch ®re and you or others
could be burned. Use a 50/50 mixture of clean,
drinkable water and DEX-COOL
žcoolant.
Notice:In cold weather, water can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.
Use the recommended coolant and the proper
coolant mixture.
5-27

{CAUTION:
You can be burned if you spill coolant on hot
engine parts. Coolant contains ethylene glycol
and it will burn if the engine parts are hot
enough. Don't spill coolant on a hot engine.1. Park the vehicle on a level surface.
You can remove the coolant surge tank pressure
cap when the cooling system, including the coolant
surge tank pressure cap and upper radiator
hose, is no longer hot. Turn the pressure cap slowly
counterclockwise (left) about two or two and
one-half turns. If you hear a hiss, wait for that to
stop. This will allow any pressure still left to be
vented out the discharge hose.
2. Then keep turning the
pressure cap slowly,
and remove it.
5-28

3. Then ®ll the coolant surge tank with the proper
mixture, to the hash mark on the label. Wait
about ®ve minutes, then check to see if the level is
below the hash mark. If the level is below the
hash mark, add additional coolant to bring the level
up to the hash mark. Repeat this procedure until
the level remains constant at the hash mark
for at least ®ve minutes.4. With the coolant surge tank pressure cap off, start
the engine and let it run until you can feel the upper
radiator hose getting hot. Watch out for the
engine cooling fans.
By this time, the coolant level inside the coolant
surge tank may be lower. If the level is lower than
the FULL COLD mark, add more of the proper
mixture to the coolant surge tank until the level
reaches the FULL COLD mark.
5-29

5. Then replace the pressure cap. Be sure the
pressure cap is hand-tight and fully seated.
See your dealer, if necessary.
Power Steering Fluid
When to Check Power Steering Fluid
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for reservoir location.
It is not necessary to regularly check power steering
¯uid unless you suspect there is a leak in the system or
you hear an unusual noise. A ¯uid loss in this system
could indicate a problem. Have the system inspected
and repaired.
5-30