Engine Exhaust; Diesel Particulate Filter - Chevrolet 2012 Malibu Owner's Manual

Engine Exhaust

{
WARNING
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. Exposure to CO
can cause unconsciousness and
even death.
Exhaust may enter the vehicle if:
.
The vehicle idles in areas
with poor ventilation (parking
garages, tunnels, deep snow
that may block underbody
airflow or exhaust pipes).
.
The exhaust smells or
sounds strange or different.
.
The exhaust system leaks
due to corrosion or damage.
WARNING (Continued)
.
The vehicle exhaust system
has been modified, damaged
or improperly repaired.
.
There are holes or openings
in the vehicle body from
damage or aftermarket
modifications that are not
completely sealed.
If unusual fumes are detected or
if it is suspected that exhaust is
coming into the vehicle:
.
Drive it only with the windows
completely down.
.
Have the vehicle repaired
immediately.
Never park the vehicle with the
engine running in an enclosed
(Continued)
area such as a garage or a
building that has no fresh air
ventilation.
Driving and Operating

Diesel Particulate Filter

The diesel particle filter system
filters harmful soot particles out of
the exhaust gases. The system
includes a self-cleaning function that
runs automatically during driving
without any notification. The filter
is cleaned by periodically burning
off the soot particles at high
temperature. This process takes
place automatically under set
driving conditions and may take up
to 25 minutes. Typically it needs
between 7 and 12 minutes. Fuel
consumption may be higher during
this period. The emission of smells
and smoke during this process
is normal.
Under certain driving conditions,
e.g. short distances, the system
cannot clean itself automatically.
If the cleaning of the filter is required
and if previous driving conditions
did not enable automatic cleaning, it
will be indicated by the indicator
light . A warning message
appears in the DIC. See Diesel
8-25