2004 CHEVROLET MALIBU wheel alignment

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-7
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-8
Filling Your Tank............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-11
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-12
Hood Release..............................................5-12
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-14
Engine Oil...................................................5-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-22
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-23
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Cooling System............................................5-29
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-34Brakes........................................................5-35
Battery........................................................5-38
Jump Starting...............................................5-39
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-45
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-45
Headlamps..................................................5-45
Center High-Mounted Stoplamp (CHMSL).........5-47
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-47
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-49
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-49
Tires..............................................................5-50
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-57
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-58
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-59
Buying New Tires.........................................5-60
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-62
Wheel Replacement......................................5-62
Tire Chains..................................................5-64
If a Tire Goes Flat........................................5-65
Changing a Flat Tire.....................................5-66
Compact Spare Tire......................................5-77
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can’t tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they’re underinated. Check the tire’s
ination pressure when the tires are cold. Cold means
your vehicle has been sitting for at least three hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem.
Press the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a
pressure measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure
matches the recommended pressure on the Tire and
Loading Information label, no further adjustment is
necessary. If the ination pressure is low, add air
until you reach the recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Recheck
the tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check
for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time for
New Tires on page 5-59andWheel Replacement on
page 5-62for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4, for scheduled rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
5-58

Temperature – A, B, C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B, and C,
representing the tire’s resistance to the generation
of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a specied indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tire to degenerate and
reduce tire life, and excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tire failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all passenger car tires must
meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 109. Grades B and A represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Warning: The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed, underination, or
excessive loading, either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible tire failure.
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are
not needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the
wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced.
If the wheel leaks air, replace it (except some
aluminum wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
5-62

Theft-Deterrent, Radio....................................3-115
Theft-Deterrent Systems...................................2-18
Content Theft-Deterrent................................2-18
PASS-Key
®III+...........................................2-20
PASS-Key®III+ Operation.............................2-20
Throttle, Adjustable..........................................2-24
Tilt Wheel........................................................ 3-7
Tips and Trouble...........................................3-108
Tire Changing Tools........................................5-67
Tire Ination Check........................................... 6-9
Tire Sidewall Labeling......................................5-50
Tire Size.......................................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions........................5-55
Tires.............................................................5-50
Buying New Tires........................................5-60
Chains.......................................................5-64
Changing a Flat Tire....................................5-66
Compact Spare Tire.....................................5-77
If a Tire Goes Flat.......................................5-65
Ination - Tire Pressure................................5-57
Inspection and Rotation................................5-58
Uniform Tire Quality Grading.........................5-61
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance.................5-62
Wheel Replacement.....................................5-62
When It Is Time for New Tires......................5-59
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater....................2-26Top Strap......................................................1-42
Top Strap Anchor Location...............................1-43
Torque Lock...................................................2-31
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires..................4-43
Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-31
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-40
Your Vehicle...............................................4-31
Traction
Enhanced Traction System (ETS).................... 4-9
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Active Light....3-38
Enhanced Traction System (ETS) Warning
Light......................................................3-37
Trailer Brakes.................................................4-43
Transaxle
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-23
Transaxle Operation, Automatic.........................2-27
Transmission, Transaxle, Transfer Case Unit
Repair Manual............................................7-12
Transportation Options...................................... 7-8
Trip Odometer................................................3-33
Trunk............................................................2-13
Trunk Lamp...................................................3-19
Turn and Lane-Change Signals.......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-8
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer..................4-45
14

U
Understanding Radio Reception.......................3-116
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-61
United States – Customer Assistance.................. 7-5
Used Replacement Wheels..............................5-63
Using Cleaner on Fabric..................................5-79
Using HomeLink
®...........................................2-43
Using Song List /
RMode
.............................3-94
V
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-5
Damage Warnings........................................... iv
Loading......................................................4-34
Service Soon Light......................................3-44
Symbols......................................................... iv
Vehicle Data Collection and Event Data
Records.....................................................7-10
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN).............................................5-86
Service Parts Identication Label...................5-86
Vehicle Storage..............................................5-39
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-30
Video Screen.................................................3-99
Visors...........................................................2-17
W
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators................3-31
Warnings
DIC Warnings and Messages........................3-50
Hazard Warning Flashers............................... 3-6
Other Warning Devices.................................. 3-7
Safety and Symbols......................................... iii
Vehicle Damage.............................................. iv
Washing Your Vehicle......................................5-81
Weight of the Trailer........................................4-41
Weight of the Trailer Tongue.............................4-42
What Kind of Engine Oil to Use........................5-18
What to Do with Used Oil................................5-21
What to Use..........................................5-24, 5-34
Wheels
Alignment and Tire Balance..........................5-62
Replacement...............................................5-62
When to Add Engine Oil..................................5-18
When to Change Engine Oil (GM Oil Life
System).....................................................5-20
When to Check..............................................5-57
When to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/Filter.....5-22
When You Are Ready to Leave After Parking
on a Hill.....................................................4-46
Where to Put the Restraint...............................1-41
Why Safety Belts Work....................................1-11
15