Chevrolet 2012 Malibu Owner's Manual page 286

10-8 Service and Maintenance
Engine Oil
Engine oil is identified by its quality
and its viscosity. Quality is more
important than viscosity when
selecting which engine oil to use.
The oil quality ensures e.g. engine
cleanliness, wear protection and oil
ageing control, whereas viscosity
grade gives information on the oil's
thickness over a temperature range.
Engine Oil Quality
dexos 2
Selecting the Right Engine Oil
Selecting the right engine oil
depends on the proper oil
specification and viscosity grade.
Use and ask for engine oils with the
dexos certification mark. Oils
meeting the requirements of your
vehicle should have the dexos
certification mark on the container.
This certification mark indicates that
the oil has been approved to the
dexos specification.
Your vehicle was filled at the factory
with dexos approved engine oil.
Use only engine oil that is approved
to the dexos specification or an
equivalent engine oil of the
appropriate viscosity grade. Failure
to use the recommended engine oil
or equivalent can result in engine
damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
If you are unsure whether your oil is
approved to the dexos specification,
ask your service provider.
Use of substitute engine oils if
dexos is unavailable: In the event
that dexos approved engine oil is
not available at an oil change or for
maintaining proper oil level, you
may use substitute engine oil of the
qualities mentioned above. Use of
oils that do not meet the dexos
specification, however, may result in
reduced performance under certain
circumstances.
Topping Up Engine Oil
Engine oils of different
manufacturers and brands can be
mixed as long as they comply with
the required engine oil (quality and
viscosity).
If engine oil of the required quality is
not available, a maximum of 1 litre
of ACEA A3/B4 or A3/B3 grade may
be used (only once between each
oil change). The viscosity should be
of the correct rating.
Use of engine oil with only ACEA
A1/B1 or only A5/B5 quality is
prohibited, since it can cause
longterm engine damage under
certain operating conditions.
Engine Oil Additives
The use of engine oil additives
could cause damage and invalidate
the warranty.