2007 CHEVROLET MALIBU check engine

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that
can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check
all uid levels and also the brakes, tires,
cooling system, and transaxle. These parts
can work hard on mountain roads.
{CAUTION:
If you do not shift down, the brakes could
get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine assist
the brakes on a steep downhill slope.
{CAUTION:
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. The brakes
will have to do all the work of slowing
down. They could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would then have
poor braking or even none going down a
hill. You could crash. Always have the
engine running and your vehicle in gear
when you go downhill.
Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when
you go down a steep or long hill.
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You can run the engine to keep warm,
but be careful.
{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under
your vehicle. This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get inside.
CO could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so you
might not know it is in your vehicle.
Clear away snow from around the base
of your vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be
sure snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side
of the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.
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Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while
trailering could cause the trailer to come in
contact with the vehicle. Your vehicle could
be damaged. Avoid making very sharp
turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal. Do this so your trailer
won’t strike soft shoulders, curbs, road signs,
trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden
maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may
need additional wiring. Check with your
dealer/retailer. The arrows on your instrument
panel will ash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer
lamps will also ash, telling other drivers you’re
about to turn, change lanes or stop.When towing a trailer, the arrows on your
instrument panel will ash for turns even if the
bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you
may think drivers behind you are seeing
your signal when they are not. It’s important to
check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
When towing a trailer on long uphill grades while
the outside temperature is above 85°F (29°C),
reduce your vehicle speed to 45 mph (72 km/h)
to avoid overheating the engine cooling system.
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbefore
you start down a long or steep downgrade.
If you don’t shift down, you might have to use
your brakes so much that they would get hot
and no longer work well.
Pay attention to the engine coolant gage.
If the indicator is in the red area, turn off the
air conditioning to reduce engine load. See
Engine Overheating on page 371.
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When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the
pedal down while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear
of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when
you’re pulling a trailer. Things that are especially
important in trailer operation are automatic
transmission uid (don’t overll), engine oil,
drive belt, cooling system and brake system.
Each of these is covered in this manual, and
the Index will help you nd them quickly.
If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea to review
this information before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts
and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat
during severe operating conditions. See
Engine Overheating on page 371.
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Service........................................................ 344
Accessories and Modications................... 344
California Proposition 65 Warning.............. 345
Doing Your Own Service Work.................. 345
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle.......................................... 346
Fuel............................................................. 346
Gasoline Octane........................................ 346
Gasoline Specications.............................. 347
California Fuel........................................... 347
Additives................................................... 347
Fuels in Foreign Countries........................ 348
Filling the Tank......................................... 349
Filling a Portable Fuel Container............... 351
Checking Things Under the Hood.............. 352
Hood Release........................................... 352
Engine Compartment Overview.................. 354
Engine Oil................................................. 359
Engine Oil Life System.............................. 362
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter............................ 364
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
(2.2L L4 and 3.5L V6 Engines).............. 365Automatic Transaxle Fluid
(3.9L V6 Engine).................................... 366
Engine Coolant.......................................... 368
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap............ 371
Engine Overheating................................... 371
Overheated Engine Protection Operating
Mode (3.5L V6 and 3.9L V6 Engines).... 373
Cooling System......................................... 374
Power Steering Fluid................................. 379
Windshield Washer Fluid........................... 380
Brakes...................................................... 381
Battery...................................................... 384
Jump Starting............................................ 385
Bulb Replacement....................................... 389
Halogen Bulbs........................................... 389
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps....................................... 390
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps
and Back-up Lamps............................... 392
License Plate Lamp................................... 393
Replacement Bulbs................................... 394
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement....... 394
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
341

Your vehicle has an airbag system. Before
attempting to do your own service work, see
Servicing Your Airbag-Equipped Vehicle on
page 88.
You should keep a record with all parts receipts
and list the mileage and the date of any service
work you perform. SeeMaintenance Record
on page 472.
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your
vehicle can affect the airow around it. This may
cause wind noise and affect windshield washer
performance. Check with your dealer before
adding equipment to the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important
part of the proper maintenance of your vehicle.
To help keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, GM recommends
the use of gasoline advertised as TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a posted
octane rating of 87 or higher. If the octane rating
is less than 87, you might notice an audible
knocking noise when you drive, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If this occurs, use a gasoline
rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
If you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, the engine
needs service.
346

Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 347for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California
Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate on
fuels that meet California specications. See the
underhood emission control label. If this fuel is not
available in states adopting California emissions
standards, your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on
fuels meeting federal specications, but emission
control system performance may be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp may turn on and your
vehicle may fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction
Indicator Lamp on page 212. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the type
of fuel used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty.
Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the
United States are now required to contain additives
that will help prevent engine and fuel system
deposits from forming, allowing your emission
control system to work properly. In most cases,
you should not have to add anything to your fuel.
However, some gasolines contain only the
minimum amount of additive required to meet
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
To help keep fuel injectors and intake valves
clean, or if your vehicle experiences problems due
to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline that
is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Also, your dealer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
347

Checking Things Under
the Hood
{CAUTION:
An electric fan under the hood can start up
and injure you even when the engine is not
running. Keep hands, clothing, and tools
away from any underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Things that burn can get on hot engine
parts and start a re. These include
liquids like fuel, oil, coolant, brake uid,
windshield washer and other uids, and
plastic or rubber. You or others could be
burned. Be careful not to drop or spill
things that will burn onto a hot engine.
Hood Release
To open the hood, do the following:
1. Pull the hood
release handle with
this symbol on it.
It is located
inside the vehicle to
the left of the
steering column.
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