Chevrolet 2012 Malibu Owner's Manual page 101

Notice: If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, the emission controls might
not work as well, the vehicle fuel
economy might not be as good,
and the engine might not run as
smoothly. This could lead to
costly repairs that might not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement of
the original tyres with other
than those of the same Tyre
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. This could also
result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 9‑3.
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing: A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.
Reduce vehicle speed.
.
Avoid hard accelerations.
.
Avoid steep uphill grades.
.
If the vehicle can tow a trailer,
reduce the amount of cargo
being hauled as soon as it
is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park. Turn the
vehicle off, wait at least 10 seconds,
and restart the engine. If the light is
still flashing, follow the previous
steps and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
Instruments and Controls
Light On Steady: An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might
be required.
Check that good quality fuel is used.
Poor fuel quality causes the engine
not to run as efficiently as designed
and may cause stalling after
start-up, stalling when the vehicle
is changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration. These
conditions might go away once the
engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these conditions
occurs, change the fuel brand used.
It will require at least one full tank of
the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.
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