2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU radiator

Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·When doing frequent trailer towing.
·Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, the ¯uid and ®lter do not require changing.
Notice:We recommend you use only ¯uid labeled
DEXRONž±III, because ¯uid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by ¯uid other than DEXRON
ž±III is
not covered by your new vehicle warranty.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is ®lled with
DEX-COOLžengine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs ®rst, if you add
only DEX-COOL
žextended 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
Engine Overheating on
page 5-22.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
žcoolant will:
·Give freezing protection down to-34ÉF(-37ÉC).
·Give boiling protection up to 265ÉF (129ÉC)
·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-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.
5-19

What to Use
Use a mixture of one-halfclean, drinkable waterand
one-half DEX-COOLžcoolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture,
you don't need to add anything else.
{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:If you use an improper coolant mixture, your
engine could overheat and be badly damaged. The
repair cost wouldn't be covered by your warranty.
Too much water in the mixture can freeze and crack
the engine, radiator, heater core and other parts.If you have to add coolant more than four times a year,
have your dealer check your cooling system.
Notice:If you use the proper coolant, you don't
have to add extra inhibitors or additives which claim
to improve the system. These can be harmful.
Checking Coolant
The engine coolant surge tank is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger's side of the vehicle.
See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for more information on location.
5-20

{CAUTION:
Turning the surge tank pressure cap when the
engine and radiator are hot can allow steam
and scalding liquids to blow out and burn you
badly. Never turn the surge tank pressure
cap Ð even a little Ð when the engine and
radiator are hot.
The vehicle must be on a level surface. When your
engine is cold, the coolant level should be at the
FULL COLD mark or slightly higher.
If the low coolant light
comes on and stays on,
it means you're low
on engine coolant.
See
Low Coolant Warning Light on page 3-29for more
information.
Adding Coolant
If you need more coolant, add the proper DEX-COOLž
coolant mixtureat the surge tank,but only when the
engine is cool. If the surge tank is empty, a special ®ll
procedure is necessary. See
Engine Overheating
on page 5-22andCooling System on page 5-24.
{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.
When replacing the pressure cap, make sure it is
hand-tight.
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap
Notice:Your pressure cap is a 15 psi (105 kPa)
pressure-type cap and must be tightly installed to
prevent coolant loss and possible engine damage
from overheating.
5-21

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

{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

100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
qInspect spark plug wires.An Emission Control
Service.
qReplace spark plugs.An Emission Control Service.
qChange automatic transaxle ¯uid and ®lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
þ In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC)
or higher.
þ In hilly or mountainous terrain.
þ When doing frequent trailer towing.
þ Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle any of these conditions,
the ¯uid and ®lter do not require changing.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
qDrain, ¯ush and re®ll cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs ®rst).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-19for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system
and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
qInspect engine accessory drive belt.An Emission
Control Service.
Long Trip/Highway Scheduled
Maintenance
The services shown in this schedule up to 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) should be repeated after 100,000 miles
(166 000 km) at the same intervals for the life of
this vehicle. The services shown at 150,000 miles
(240 000 km) should be repeated at the same interval
after 150,000 miles (240 000 km) for the life of this
vehicle.
See
Part B: Owner Checks and Services on page 6-15andPart C: Periodic MaintenanceInspections on
page 6-19.
Footnotes
²The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the
California Air Resources Board has determined that the
failure to perform this maintenance item will not nullify
the emission warranty or limit recall liability prior to
the completion of the vehicle's useful life. We, however,
urge that all recommended maintenance services be
performed at the indicated intervals and the
maintenance be recorded.
+A good time to check your brakes is during tire
rotation. See Brake System Inspection on page 6-20.
6-11