2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU MAXX engine

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical
cord. On the 2.2L engine, the engine
coolant heater cord is located near the air
cleaner box on the passenger’s side of
the engine compartment. On the 3.5L and
3.9L V6 engines, the engine coolant heater
cord is located on the driver’s side around the
battery box. SeeEngine Compartment
Overview on page 354for more information
on location.
{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 re.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three-prong
110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will not
reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
3. Plug the cord into a normal, grounded
110-volt AC outlet.
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 do
not, 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/retailer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best
advice for that particular area.
123

Automatic Transaxle Operation
(Base Models)
Your automatic
transaxle has a shift
lever located on
the console between
the seats.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P). See
Shifting Into Park (P) on page 132.Ifyou
are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 333.
124

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transaxle shift lock control system. You
must fully apply your regular brake rst and
then press the shift lever button before you can
shift from PARK (P) when the ignition key is in ON.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever, then push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into another gear. See
Shifting Out of Park (P) on page 134.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transaxle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow, ice or sand without damaging your
transaxle, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 322.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running
at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running
at high speed may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
125

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (56 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (56 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
Notice:If your vehicle seems to start up
rather slowly or not shift gears when you go
faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle
that way, you could damage the transaxle.
Have your vehicle serviced right away. You can
drive in LOW (L2) when you are driving less
than 35 mph (56 km/h) and DRIVE (D) for
higher speeds until then.LOW (L):This position gives you access to
FOURTH, THIRD, SECOND and FIRST gear
ranges. This provides more engine braking
but lower fuel economy than DRIVE (D). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow
or mud. If the electronic range select is put
in LOW (L), the transaxle will not shift into lower
gears until the vehicle is going slow enough.
126

Electronic Range Select Mode
This feature allows you
to limit higher gears by
selecting a maximum
gear range when
the shift lever is in
LOW (L). The button
for this mode is located
on the left of the
shift lever knob.
When the shift lever is rst moved into LOW (L),
the display in the instrument panel shows L3.
Press the minus (−) end of the button on the shift
lever once for L2 and once more for L1. Press
the plus (+) end of the button once each to return
to L2, L3 and L4. The shift lever must be moved
back to DRIVE (D) to turn off the electronic range
select mode.L4 (LOW 4):This position does not limit gears,
but provides more engine braking, and lower
fuel economy, than DRIVE (D). The actual gear is
determined by throttle and vehicle speed.
L3 (LOW 3/DRIVE 3):This position prevents
fourth gear operation. Actual gear is determined
by throttle and vehicle speed.
L2 (LOW 2/DRIVE 2):This position prevents
third and fourth gear operation. Actual gear
is determined by throttle and vehicle speed. If you
shift from L3 to L2 at vehicle speeds exceeding
80 mph (110 km/h), the transaxle will not shift into
L2 gear until the vehicle is going slow enough.
L1 (LOW 1/DRIVE 1):This position prevents L2,
L3, and L4 gear operation. If you shift from L2
to the L1 position at vehicle speeds exceeding
40 mph (65 km/h), the transaxle will not shift into
L1 gear until the vehicle is going slow enough.
127

Automatic Transaxle Operation
(SS Models)
Your automatic
transaxle has a
shift lever located
on the console
between the seats.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start your
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P)
with the parking brake rmly set. Your
vehicle can roll.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. If you have
left the engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure your vehicle will not
move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, always set your parking brake
and move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into Park (P) on page 132.
If you are pulling a trailer, seeTowing a
Trailer on page 333.
128

Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P)
before starting the engine. Your vehicle has an
automatic transaxle shift lock control system.
You must fully apply your regular brake rst and
press the shift lever button before you can
shift from PARK (P) while the ignition key is in
ON. If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease
pressure on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into PARK (P) as you maintain
brake application. Then move the shift lever
into another gear. SeeShifting Out of Park (P)
on page 134.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage
the transaxle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Shift to
REVERSE (R) only after your vehicle is
stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow, ice, or sand without damaging your
transaxle, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 322.NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running
at high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) while the engine is running
at high speed may damage the transaxle.
The repairs would not be covered by your
warranty. Be sure the engine is not running
at high speeds when shifting your vehicle.
129

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push your
accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, allows you
to change gears similar to a manual transaxle.
If your vehicle has this feature, see Driver
Shift Control (DSC).
Driver Shift Control (DSC)
This feature allows you to select lower or higher
driving gears when the shift lever is in MANUAL
MODE (M). The button for this mode is located
on the left side of the shift lever knob.
To use this feature, do the following:
1. Move the shift lever from DRIVE (D) rearward
into the MANUAL MODE (M). The vehicle will
be in the MANUAL MODE (M) and a gear
based on the current driving speed.
While driving in MANUAL MODE (M), the
transaxle will remain in the selected drive
gear unless:
A shift is required to protect the engine or
transaxle or,
The vehicle slows almost to a stop
(the vehicle will automatically downshift)
2. Press the plus (+) button to upshift or the
minus (−) button to downshift.
130