Chevrolet 1997 Malibu User manual

' c
-1
1997
1997
1997
1997
1997
997
1997
1, 997
I
---UI
UE c HEVROLE'
-7 E

.* a The 1997 Chevrolet Malibu Owner’s Manual
1-1
2-1
3-1
4- 1
5- 1
6-1
7-1
8-1
9- 1
Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “SRS” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your Chevrolet.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
Your Driving and the Road
Here you’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as aflattire or overheated engine,etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your Chevrolet running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and whatfluidsand lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevrolet for assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It
also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-10.
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listing of almost every subjectin this manual. You can useit to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GM
-
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the
name MALIBU are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the timeit
was printed.We reserve the rightto make changes in
the
product after that time without further notice. For
vehicles first soldin Canada, substitute the name
“General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet
Motor Division wheneverit appears in this manual.
Please keep this manualin your Chevrolet,
so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road. If you
sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it so the new
owner can
use it.
Litho in U.S.A.
Part No. 10288097 A First Edition
r
EA
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION THROUGH
NationalInstitute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriCtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer
un exemplaire de ce guideen frangais chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500 Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, Ontario
L5T 1C7
@Copyright Genzral Motors Corporation 1996
All Rights Reserved
ii

The Heritage of Chevrolet
I
I
The dynamic William C. “Billy”
Durant shiftedgearsfrom making
carriages tomaking cars,
forming half the team that gave
birth
to Chevrolet.
Welcometo the largest vehicle backed by a proud
autumotive family
in the history
of performance and
world
-- the family of Chevrolet value. Since the first “Classic
owners. You have selected
a
Six” rolled off the line in 19 12,
vehicle designed, engineered more than
110 million
and crafted by teamwork, a Chevrolet cars and trucks have
Louis Chevrolet, the other half of the team,
at the wheel
of his experimental “Classic
Six, ” which enteredproduction in I91 2.
That year 2999 vehicles wereproduced.
worn the Chevrolet marque.
That kind of reception from
auto owners
is unmatched by
any other car manufacturer in
the world.
I
I
1 .-

The Chevrolet blend of
value and performance has
created for the pleasure
of the
open road.
become an American Every decade, Chevrolet
tradition
-- whether bred for has reinforced its heritage
the racetrack like the legendary of affordable performance
Corvette and Camaro,
or with quality and value crafted
iv
into each vehicle. It's not
surprising that for
80 years
"Genuine Chevrolet" has been
America's automobile.
We're proud to continue that
heritage
in your Chevrolet,
I I
I The legacy of America$favoritesportscar
I began in 1953, when 319hand-assembled I
In 1932 Chevrolet
introduced the white Corvettes
:
Synchro-Mesh launched the I
transmissionand first use of a
offered a host
of fiberglassbody in I
accessories -- including aproduction car: :
such niceties as a clock! I
I
I
I
,,-,,-------I

I
I The 1957 Chevy started a romance with the American
public
-- and was powered by an availablefuel-injected V8.
I
I
I
I
I
I
l
and we are pledged to
make
ownership of your
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Chevl-olet an enjoyable
and rewarding experience.
60's automotive excitement
included Chevrolet landmarks
like the Corvette Sting Ray,
the sporty Camaro, and
powerplants like the
legendary 327 V8.
Your new Chevrolet continues a tradition of quality and value.
V

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this,
it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to look for what you need is the Index in
the back of the manual. It’s an alphabetical list of all
what’s in the manual, and the page number where you’ll
find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
These mean there is sometnmg that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this
book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t
do this,” or “Don’t
let this happen.”
vi

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
I NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that
can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would not be covered by your warranty, and
it could
be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
You’ll also
see warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
vii

1
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
Q
CAUSTIC
BURNS
AVO1D
SPARKS
OR
FLAMES
SPARK
OR ,111,
COULD [-sr=l
FLAME
EXPLODE
BAlTERY
...
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
These symbols
have
to do with
your lamps:
SIGNALS @ e
TURN
FOG LAMPS
$0
These symbols
are
on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning
and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
t
COOLANT kt-
TEMP -
CHARGING I-1
BAlTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (@)
COOLANT
a
ENGINEOIL e,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (a)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER
HORN
)cr
SPEAKER
Er
FUEL B

Section 1 Seats and Seat Restraints
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your Chevrolet and how to use your safety belts properly.You can also
learn about some things you should
not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2
1-2
1-3
1-4
1-5
1-8
1-11
1-12
1-15
Seats and Controls
Manual Seats
Power Seats
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Rear Seats
Why Safety Belts Work
Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
1-20
1-23
1-30
1-34
1-36
1-37
1-47
1-47
1-47
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Questions and Answers About Air Bags
Safety Belt Comfort Guides
How to Use Child Restraints
Important Information for Buckling
Children in Child Restraints
Child Restraint Top Straps
How to Obtain a Safety Belt Extender
Checking Your Restraint Systems
Replacing Parts After a Crash
1-1
-----

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you about the seats -- how to
adjust them -- and also about reclining seatbacks
and head restraints.
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver's seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement couldstartleand
confuse you,ormake you push
a pedal when you
don't wantto. Adjust the driver's seat only when
the vehicle is not moving.
Move the lever under thefront sear IO unlock it. Slide
the seat to where you want it. Then releasethe lever and
try to move the seat with your body, to make sure
the
seat is locked into place.
1-2

6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped)
Thepower seat buttonis located on the lower,left side
of the driver’sseat.This button allows you to movethe
seat up, down, forward and backward.
It will also move
the frontof the seat upor down andthe rear of the seat
up or down.
Move the seat higher by lifting and holding the bottom
of thebutton. Lower the seat by pushing and holding the
top of the button.
To move the seat forward, pushthe rear of the button
forward. To move the seat backward, pushthe frontof
the button rearward.
Raise the front of the seatby lifting and holding the
bottom front endof the button. Lower the frontof the
seat
by pushing and holdingthe bottom of the front end
of the button.
Raise the rear
of the seat by lifting and holdingthe
bottom rearof the button. Lower
the rear of the seat by
pushing and holding the top rearof the button.
1-3

Reclining Front Seatbacks
To adjust the seatback, lift the lever on the outer sideof
the seat and move the seatbackto where you want it.
Release the lever to lock the seatback.
Pull up on the lever and the seat will
go to an
upright position.
But don’t have a seatback reclinedif your vehicle
is moving.
1-4

I
Sittingin a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Evenif you buckle
up, your safety belts can’tdotheir jobwhen
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulderbelt can’t do itsjobbecause
it
won’t be against your body.Instead, it will be in
front
of you. In a crashyou could go intoit,
receiving neck
or otherinjuries.
The lap belt can’t doitsjob either.
In a crashthe
belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would bethere, not atyour pelvic bones.
This could cause seriousinternalinjuries.
CAUTION: (Continued)
For properprotection when the vehicle is
in motion, havethe seatback upright. Then
sit well back in theseatand wear your safety
belt properly.
Head Restraints
Slidethe head restraint upordown so that the top of the
restraint isclosest to the top of your ears. Thisposition
reduces the chance
of a neck injuryin a crash.
1-5

Rear Seats
Folding Rear Seat (If Equipped)
To open the folding rear seat, open the trunk and pull
one orboth
of the tethers locatedon the left side of the
trunk. The leaf-hand tether will open the largerside
of
the seatback. The right-hand tether will open the smaller
side of the seatback. Once a tetheris pulled, the seatback
can be pushed open through the trunk,
or pulled open
from inside the vehicle.
To close the folding rear seat from inside the car, push
the seatback
up until you hear a click. Then pull on the
seatback
to make sure it is secure.

Safety Belts: They’refor Everyone
This part of the manual tells you howto use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not
do
with safety belts.
And itexplainsthe Supplemental Restraint System
(S ;), or air bag system.
Don’t let anyoneride where heor shecan’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you arein a crash and
you’re not wearinga safety belt,your injuries
canbe much worse.You can hitthings insidethe
vehicle or be ejected fromit. You canbe seriously
injured or killed. Inthe same crash, you might
not be
if you arebuckled up. Alwaysfastenyour
safety belt,and check that your passengers’ belts
arefastened properly too.
It is extremelydangerousto ridein a cargo area,
inside or outsideof a vehicle. In a collision,
people ridingin theseareas aremore likely to be
seriously injuredor killed.
Do not allow peopleto
ride in anyarea of your vehicle that is not
equipped withseatsand safety belts. Besure
everyone inyour vehicle
is in a seat andusing a
safety belt properly.
1-7

Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. (See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.)
In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
Theywork.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash.If you do have a
crash, you don’t know ifit will be a
bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are
in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly
hurt
or killed.
After more than
25 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
. .. a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anythi: ,, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’sjust a seat
on wheels.
1-8

Put someone onit. Get it
up to speed. Thenstop the vehicle.Therider
doesn’t
stop.
1-9

The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In
a real vehicle,it could be the windshield ...
orthe instrument panel ...
1-10

.. .
or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more timeto stop. You stop overmore distance,
and your strongest bonestake the forces.That’s why
safety belts make such goodsense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
@ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearinga safety
belt or not. But you can unbucklea safety belt,
even if you’re upside
down. And your chanceof
being conscious during and after an accident,
so
you can unbuckle and get out,is much greater if
you are belted.
@ If my vehicle hasair bags,why should I have to
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will be in
most of them inthe future. But they are
supplemental systems only;
so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the useof
safety belts. Evenif you’re ina vehicle that has
air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially
in sideand other collisions.
wear safety belts?
1-11