2012 CHEVROLET MALIBU engine

Black plate (66,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
10-66 Vehicle Care
{WARNING
Lifting a vehicle and getting
under it to do maintenance or
repairs is dangerous without the
appropriate safety equipment and
training. If a jack is provided with
the vehicle, it is designed only for
changing a flat tire. If it is used for
anything else, you or others could
be badly injured or killed if the
vehicle slips off the jack. If a jack
is provided with the vehicle, only
use it for changing a flat tire.
If a tire goes flat, avoid further tire
and wheel damage by driving slowly
to a level place, well off the road,
if possible. Turn on the hazard
warning flashers. See Hazard
Warning Flashers on page 6‑4.
{WARNING
Changing a tire can be
dangerous. The vehicle can slip
off the jack and roll over or fall
causing injury or death. Find a
level place to change the tire.
To help prevent the vehicle from
moving:
1. Set the parking brake firmly.
2. Put an automatic transmission in P (Park) or
a manual transmission in
1 (First) or R (Reverse).
3. Turn off the engine and do not restart while the vehicle
is raised.
4. Do not allow passengers to remain in the vehicle.
5. Place wheel blocks on both sides of the tire at the
opposite corner of the tire
being changed. This vehicle may come with a jack
and spare tire or a tire sealant and
compressor kit. To use the jacking
equipment to change a spare tire
safely, follow the instructions below.
Then see
Tire Changing on
page 10‑74. To use the tire sealant
and compressor kit, see Tire
Sealant and Compressor Kit on
page 10‑67.
When the vehicle has a flat tire (B),
use the following example as a
guide to assist you in the placement
of wheel blocks (A).
A. Wheel Block
B. Flat Tire
The following information explains
how to repair or change a tire.

Black plate (67,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-67
Tire Sealant and
Compressor Kit
{WARNING
Idling a vehicle in an enclosed
area with poor ventilation is
dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust
contains carbon monoxide (CO)
which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness
and even death. Never run the
engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For
more information, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 9‑23.
{WARNING
Overinflating a tire could cause
the tire to rupture and you or
others could be injured. Be sure
to read and follow the tire sealant
and compressor kit instructions
and inflate the tire to its
recommended pressure. Do not
exceed the recommended
pressure.
{WARNING
Storing the tire sealant and
compressor kit or other
equipment in the passenger
compartment of the vehicle could
cause injury. In a sudden stop or
collision, loose equipment could
strike someone. Store the tire
sealant and compressor kit in its
original location. If this vehicle has a tire sealant and
compressor kit, there may not be a
spare tire, tire changing equipment,
and on some vehicles there may
not be a place to store a tire.
The tire sealant and compressor
can be used to temporarily seal
punctures up to 6 mm (¼ in) in the
tread area of the tire. It can also be
used to inflate an under inflated tire.
If the tire has been separated from
the wheel, has damaged sidewalls,
or has a large puncture, the tire is
too severely damaged for the tire
sealant and compressor kit to be
effective. See
Roadside Assistance
Program (U.S. and Canada) on
page 13‑7 orRoadside Assistance
Program (Mexico) on page 13‑10.

Black plate (84,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
10-84 Vehicle Care
2. Get the vehicles close enoughso the jumper cables can reach,
but be sure the vehicles are not
touching each other. If they are,
it could cause a ground
connection you do not want.
You would not be able to start
your vehicle, and the bad
grounding could damage the
electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the
vehicles rolling, set the parking
brake firmly on both vehicles
involved in the jump start
procedure. Put an automatic
transmission in P (Park) or
a manual transmission in
N (Neutral) before setting the
parking brake. Notice:
If the radio or other
accessories are left on during the
jump starting procedure, they
could be damaged. The repairs
would not be covered by the
warranty. Always turn off the
radio and other accessories when
jump starting the vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both
vehicles. Unplug unnecessary
accessories plugged into the
cigarette lighter or the accessory
power outlet. Turn off the radio
and all lamps that are not
needed. This will avoid sparks
and help save both batteries.
And it could save the radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the positive (+)
and negative (−) terminal
locations on each vehicle.
Your vehicle's positive (+)
terminal and negative (–)
terminal are located under a
black cover on the battery. See
Engine Compartment
Overview on page 10‑6 for
more information on location.
Remove the cover to access the
positive (+) and negative (–)
terminals.
{WARNING
An electric fan can start up even
when the engine is not running
and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{WARNING
Using a match near a battery can
cause battery gas to explode.
People have been hurt doing this,
and some have been blinded.
Use a flashlight if you need
more light.
(Continued)

Black plate (85,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Vehicle Care 10-85
WARNING (Continued)
Be sure the battery has enough
water. You do not need to add
water to the battery installed in
your new vehicle. But if a battery
has filler caps, be sure the right
amount of fluid is there. If it is low,
add water to take care of that
first. If you don't, explosive gas
could be present.
Battery fluid contains acid that
can burn you. Do not get it on
you. If you accidentally get it in
your eyes or on your skin, flush
the place with water and get
medical help immediately.
{WARNING
Fans or other moving engine
parts can injure you badly. Keep
your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.5. Check that the jumper cables
do not have loose or missing
insulation. If they do, you could
get a shock. The vehicles could
be damaged too.
Before you connect the cables,
here are some things you should
know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote
positive (+) terminal if the vehicle
has one. Negative (−) will go to a
heavy, unpainted metal engine
part or to a remote negative (−)
terminal if the vehicle has one.
Do not connect positive (+) to
negative (−) or you will get a
short that would damage the
battery and maybe other parts
too. And do not connect the
negative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal on the
dead battery because this can
cause sparks.
6. Connect the red positive (+)
cable to the positive (+) terminal
of the dead battery. Use a
remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
7. Do not let the other end touch metal. Connect it to the
positive (+) terminal of the
good battery. Use a remote
positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.

Black plate (86,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
10-86 Vehicle Care
8. Now connect the blacknegative (−) cable to the
negative (−) terminal of the
good battery. Use a remote
negative (−) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
Do not let the other end touch
anything until the next step.
The other end of the negative (−)
cable does not go to the dead
battery. It goes to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or
to a remote negative (−) terminal
on the vehicle with the dead
battery.
9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable at least
18 inches (45 cm) away from
the dead battery, but not near
engine parts that move. The
electrical connection is just as
good there, and the chance of
sparks getting back to the
battery is much less. 10. Now start the vehicle with the
good battery and run the
engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If it will not
start after a few tries, it
probably needs service.
Notice: If the jumper cables are
connected or removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting
may occur and damage the
vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always connect and remove the
jumper cables in the correct
order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other
or other metal.
Jumper Cable Removal
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part or Remote Negative (–)
Terminal
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) and Remote
Negative (–) Terminals
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
11-2 Service and Maintenance
Proper vehicle maintenance helps to
keep the vehicle in good working
condition, improves fuel economy,
and reduces vehicle emissions.
Because of the way people use
vehicles, maintenance needs vary.
There may need to be more
frequent checks and services.
The Additional Required Services‐
Normal are for vehicles that:
.Carry passengers and cargo
within recommended limits on
the Tire and Loading Information
label. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑11.
.Are driven on reasonable road
surfaces within legal driving
limits.
.Use the recommended fuel.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑36.
Refer to the information in the
Maintenance Schedule Additional
Required Services ‐Normal chart. The Additional Required Services
‐
Severe are for vehicles that are:
.Mainly driven in hilly or
mountainous terrain.
.Frequently towing a trailer.
.Used for high speed or
competitive driving.
.Used for taxi, police, or delivery
service.
Refer to the information in the
Maintenance Schedule Additional
Required Services ‐Severe chart.
{WARNING
Performing maintenance work
can be dangerous and can
cause serious injury. Perform
maintenance work only if the
required information, proper tools,
and equipment are available.
If they are not, see your dealer to
have a trained technician do the
work. See Doing Your Own
Service Work on page 10‑4.
Maintenance
Schedule
Owner Checks and Services
At Each Fuel Stop
.Check the engine oil level.
See Engine Oil on page 10‑10.
Once a Month
.Check the tire inflation
pressures. See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑50.
.Inspect the tires for wear.
See Tire Inspection on
page 10‑57.
.Check the windshield washer
fluid level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-3
Engine Oil Change
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message displays, have the
engine oil and filter changed within
the next 1 000 km/600 mi. If driven
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. Your trained dealer
technician can perform this work.
If the engine oil life system is reset
accidentally, service the vehicle
within 5 000 km/3,000 mi since the
last service. Reset the oil life
system when the oil is changed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on
page 10‑12.
Tire Rotation and Required
Services Every 12 000 km/
7,500 mi
Rotate the tires, if recommended
for the vehicle, and perform the
following services. See Tire
Rotation on page 10‑57.
.Check engine oil level and oil
life percentage. If needed,
change engine oil and filter, and
reset oil life system. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑10 andEngine
Oil Life System on page 10‑12.
.Check engine coolant level.
See Engine Coolant on
page 10‑16.
.Check windshield washer fluid
level. See Washer Fluid on
page 10‑23.
.Visually inspect windshield
wiper blades for wear, cracking,
or contamination. See Exterior
Care on page 10‑90. Replace
worn or damaged wiper blades.
See Wiper Blade Replacement
on page 10‑29.
.Check tire inflation pressures.
See Tire Pressure on
page 10‑50.
.Inspect tire wear. See Tire
Inspection on page 10‑57.
.Visually check for fluid leaks.
.Inspect engine air cleaner filter.
See Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 10‑14.
.Inspect brake system.
.Visually inspect steering,
suspension, and chassis
components for damaged, loose,
or missing parts or signs of
wear. See Exterior Care on
page 10‑90.
.Check restraint system
components. See Safety System
Check on page 3‑17.
.Visually inspect fuel system for
damage or leaks.
.Visually inspect exhaust system
and nearby heat shields for
loose or damaged parts.

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Malibu Owner Manual - 2012
Service and Maintenance 11-9
Battery
The battery supplies power to start
the engine and operate any
additional electrical accessories.
.To avoid break‐down or failure to
start the vehicle, maintain a
battery with full cranking power.
.Trained dealer technicians have
the diagnostic equipment to test
the battery and ensure that the
connections and cables are
corrosion‐free.
Belts
.Belts may need replacing
if they squeak or show signs
of cracking or splitting.
.Trained dealer technicians
can inspect the belts and
recommend replacement
when necessary. Brakes
Brakes stop the vehicle and are
crucial to safe driving.
.Signs of brake wear may include
chirping, grinding, or squealing
noises, or difficulty stopping.
.Trained dealer technicians have
access to tools and equipment
to inspect the brakes and
recommend quality parts
engineered for the vehicle.
Fluids
Proper fluid levels and approved
fluids protect the vehicle’s
systems and components.
See Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑12 for GM
approved fluids.
.Engine oil and windshield
washer fluid levels should be
checked at every fuel fill.
.Instrument cluster lights
may come on to indicate that
fluids may be low and need
to be filled. Hoses
Hoses transport fluids and should
be regularly inspected to ensure
that there are no cracks or leaks.
With a multi‐point inspection, your
dealer can inspect the hoses and
advise if replacement is needed.
Lamps
Properly working headlamps,
taillamps, and brake lamps are
important to see and be seen on
the road.
.Signs that the headlamps need
attention include dimming, failure
to light, cracking, or damage.
The brake lamps need to be
checked periodically to ensure
that they light when braking.
.With a multi‐point inspection,
your dealer can check the lamps
and note any concerns.