2011 CHEVROLET MALIBU service schedule

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Malibu Owner ManualM
Service and Maintenance. . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-6
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 11-9 Technical Data
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-14
Vehicle Data Recording and
Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (37,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-37
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. SeeCustomer
Satisfaction Procedure (United
States and Canada)
on
page 13‑1or Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (Mexico)
on page 13‑3.
Q: Because I have a disability, I have to get my vehicle
modified. How can I find out
whether this will affect my
airbag system?
A: If you have questions, call
Customer Assistance. The
phone numbers and addresses
for Customer Assistance are in
Step Two of the Customer
Satisfaction Procedure in this
manual. See Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (United States and Canada)
on
page 13‑1or Customer
Satisfaction Procedure (Mexico)
on page 13‑3. In addition, your dealer and the
service manual have information
about the location of the airbag
sensors, sensing and diagnostic
module and airbag wiring.
Airbag System Check
The airbag system does not need
regularly scheduled maintenance or
replacement. Make sure the airbag
readiness light is working. See
Airbag Readiness Light
on
page 5‑14for more information.
Notice: If an airbag covering is
damaged, opened, or broken, the
airbag may not work properly. Do
not open or break the airbag
coverings. If there are any
opened or broken airbag covers,
have the airbag covering and/or
airbag module replaced. For the
location of the airbag modules,
see What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
on page 3‑28. See your
dealer for service.
Replacing Airbag System
Parts After a Crash
{WARNING
A crash can damage the airbag
systems in your vehicle.
A damaged airbag system
may not work properly and
may not protect you and your
passenger(s) in a crash, resulting
in serious injury or even death. To
help make sure your airbag
systems are working properly
after a crash, have them
inspected and any necessary
replacements made as soon as
possible.
If an airbag inflates, you will need to
replace airbag system parts. See
your dealer for service.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
5-22 Instruments and Controls
Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on briefly as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and might have
some other system problem. See
your dealer.
Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see Content Theft Deterrent.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Brake System Messages
BRAKE FLUID
This message displays, while the
ignition is on, when the brake fluid
level is low. The brake system
warning light on the instrument
panel cluster also comes on. See
Brake System Warning Light
on
page 5‑18for more information.
Have the brake system serviced by
your dealer as soon as possible.
PUSH PARK PEDAL
This message displays if the parking
brake is left engaged. See Parking
Brake
on page 9‑29for more
information.
Cruise Control Messages
CRUISE ENGAGED
This message displays when the
cruise control system is active. See
Cruise Control
on page 9‑34for
more information.
Door Ajar Messages
DOOR AJAR
This message displays if one or
more of the vehicle's doors are not
closed properly. Make sure that the
door(s) are closed completely.
TRUNK AJAR
This message displays when the
trunk is not closed completely.
Make sure that the trunk is closed
completely. See Trunk
on
page 2‑10for more information.
Engine Oil Messages
CHANGE OIL SOON
This message displays when the life
of the engine oil has expired and it
should be changed.
When this message is
acknowledged and cleared
from the display, the engine
oil life system must still be reset separately. See
Engine Oil Life
System
on page 10‑12, Engine Oilon page 10‑9, and Scheduled
Maintenanceon page 11‑2for
more information.
Engine Power Messages
ENG (Engine) PWR
(Power) REDUCED
This message displays when the
vehicle's engine power is reduced.
Reduced engine power can affect
the vehicle's ability to accelerate.
If this message is on, but there is no
reduction in performance, proceed
to your destination. The
performance may be reduced the
next time the vehicle is driven. The
vehicle may be driven at a reduced
speed while this message is on, but
acceleration and speed may be
reduced. Anytime this message
stays on, the vehicle should be
taken to your dealer for service as
soon as possible.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
9-46 Driving and Operating
3. When the wheel chocks are inplace, release the brake pedal
until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and shift
into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
2. Start the engine.
3. Shift into a gear.
4. Release the parking brake.
5. Let up on the brake pedal.
6. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
7. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when pulling a trailer. See this
manual's Maintenance Schedule or
Index for more information. Things
that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic
transmission fluid, engine oil, axle
lubricant, belts, cooling system and
brake system. Inspect these before
and during the trip.
Check periodically to see that all
hitch nuts and bolts are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑19.
Trailer Towing
Before pulling a trailer, there are
three important considerations that
have to do with weight:
.The weight of the trailer.
.The weight of the trailer tongue.
.The total weight on your
vehicle's tires.
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
454 kg (1,000 lbs). But even that
can be too heavy.
It depends on how the rig is used.
For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and
how much the vehicle is used to pull
a trailer are all important. It can
depend on any special equipment
on the vehicle, and the amount of
tongue weight the vehicle can carry.
See“Weight of the Trailer Tongue”
later in this section for more
information.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-27
.To check the P (Park)
mechanism's holding ability:
With the engine running, shift to
P (Park). Then release the
parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Contact your dealer if service is
required.
Wiper Blade Replacement
Windshield wiper blades should be
inspected for wear or cracking. See
Scheduled Maintenance
on
page 11‑2for more information.
It is a good idea to clean or replace
the wiper blade assembly on a
regular basis or when worn. For
proper windshield wiper blade
length and type, see Maintenance
Replacement Parts on page 11‑7.
Notice: Allowing the wiper blade
arm to touch the windshield when
no wiper blade is installed could
damage the windshield. Any
damage that occurs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not
allow the wiper blade arm to
touch the windshield.
To replace the wiper blade:
1. Pull the windshield wiper arm
connector away from the
windshield.
2. Press the button in the middle of
the wiper arm connector, and
pull the wiper blade away from
the arm connector.
3. Remove the wiper blade.
4. Reverse steps 1 through 3 for wiper blade replacement.
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp aim has been preset at
the factory and should need no
further adjustment.
However, if the vehicle is damaged
in a crash, the headlamp aim may
be affected. Aim adjustment to the
low-beam headlamps may be
necessary if oncoming drivers flash
their high-beam headlamps at you
(for vertical aim).
If the headlamps need to be
re-aimed, it is recommended that
the vehicle be taken to a dealer for
service.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
Service and Maintenance 11-1
Service and
Maintenance
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids,
Lubricants, and Parts
Recommended Fluids andLubricants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Maintenance Replacement Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
Maintenance Records
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 11-9
General Information
Notice: Maintenance intervals,
checks, inspections,
recommended fluids, and
lubricants are necessary to keep
this vehicle in good working
condition. Damage caused by
failure to follow scheduled
maintenance might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
As the vehicle owner, you are
responsible for the scheduled
maintenance in this section. We
recommend having your dealer
perform these services. Proper
vehicle maintenance helps to keep
the vehicle in good working
condition, improves fuel economy,
and reduces vehicle emissions for
better air quality. Because of all the different ways
people use vehicles, maintenance
needs vary. The vehicle might need
more frequent checks and services.
Please read the information under
Scheduled Maintenance. To keep
the vehicle in good condition, see
your dealer.
The maintenance schedule is for
vehicles that:
.Carry passengers and cargo
within recommended limits on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See
Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑12.
.Are driven on reasonable road
surfaces within legal driving
limits.
.Use the recommended fuel. See
Recommended Fuelon
page 9‑38.

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2011
11-2 Service and Maintenance
{WARNING
Performing maintenance work can
be dangerous. Some jobs can
cause serious injury. Perform
maintenance work only if you
have the required know-how and
the proper tools and equipment.
If in doubt, see your dealer to
have a qualified technician do the
work. SeeDoing Your Own
Service Work on page 10‑4.
At your dealer, you can be certain
that you will receive the highest
level of service available. Your
dealer has specially trained service
technicians, uses genuine
replacement parts, as well as,
up‐to‐date tools and equipment to
ensure fast and accurate
diagnostics. The proper replacement parts,
fluids, and lubricants to use are
listed in
Recommended Fluids and
Lubricantson page 11‑6and
Maintenance Replacement Partson
page 11‑7. We recommend the use
of genuine parts from your dealer.
Rotation of New Tires
To maintain ride, handling, and
performance of the vehicle, it is
important that the first rotation
service for new tires be performed.
Tires should be rotated every
12 000 km/7,500 miles. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑52.
Scheduled
Maintenance
When the Change Oil Soon
Message Displays
Change engine oil and filter. See
Engine Oilon page 10‑9. An
Emission Control Service.
When the CHANGE OIL SOON
message displays, service is
required for the vehicle as soon
as possible, within the next
1 000 km/600 miles. If driving
under the best conditions, the
engine oil life system might not
indicate the need for vehicle service
for more than a year. The engine
oil and filter must be changed at
least once a year and the oil life
system must be reset.