1981 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STANDARD EXTRA B C o
TIRE-LOAD AND INFLATION PRESSURES
TIRE lOAO RAlliGE
-{METRIC SIZE TIRE) " -{METRIC SIZE T!RE) -(ALPKA-NUMIiRIC SJZETIRE) -(ALPHA-NUMERIC SIZE TIRE) -(ALPHA-NUMERIC SIZE TIRE)
MAXIMUM COLO INHATtoN "'E$SURE
2
40 kPI 280 kPa 220 kPa 2M! kPt 27S kP.
t 35 psi J (41 psi) (32 psi) (36 psi) (40 p.JiI
TIRE LOAD RANGE IS MOLDED Off TIRE. !SEE I UUSTRATIOff ON PAGE ,So11 fOR lOCATION ON THE TIRE S IDEWALl! .
4. Always use a tire pressure gage when checking inflation pressures (we
suggest
you purchase a quality pocket-type gage). Simply looking at the
tires to check inftation pressures is not enough , especially with radia l tires .
Underinflated radial tires may
look like correctly inflated radial tires. H the.
inflation pressure on a tire is often low , have your d9aler correct the cause.
) , I" , "
,
~ , ~ , , , , ) ,
,
,
'"
,
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,
0:: ~ , , ~ :0 , ,
PROPERLY INFlATED IMPROPERLV INRATED
l ___ ~_~)
y IlADIAL TIRE
5. Be sure to put the tire inflation valve caps back on, if so equipped. This
will help keep dirt · and moisture from getting into the valve core which
could cause a leak.
6. If an air loss occurs while driving, do not drive on the flat tire more than is
needed to stop safely. Driving even a short distance
ona flat tire can
damage a tire and wheel beyond repair.
Inspection and Rotation
Front and rear tires perlorm different jobs and can wear differently depending
on the types of roads driven , your driving habits, etc .
For longer tire
life, you should inspect and rotate your tires as recommended in
Section A of the Maintenance Schedule folder. Many car and tire dealers will perform a free tire inspection to look for uneven or abnormal tire wear (usually
caused
by wrong inflation pressures, lack of regular rotation, improper wheel
alignment, out
of balance tires, or poor driving habits).
After rotation , adjust the front
and. rear tire pressures (see the Tire Placard)
and be sure to check wheel nut tightness . (Wheel nuts should also be
tightened at certain intervals; see the Wheel Nut Torque Caution in "In Case of
Emergency" section,
page 3·7, for further information.)
5-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION: Before installing wheels, remove any· buildup of corrosion on the wheel mounting surface .and brake drum or brakedilic mounting surface, by scraping and wire
brushing. Installing wheels without good metaHo-metal contact at the mounting surfaces
can cause wheel nuts to loosen, which can . later allow a wheel to come off while the vehicle is moving, possibly causing loss of control. (Also see the "Wheel Nut Torque"
Caution in "In Case of Emergency," Section 3 of this manual, on page 3·7.)
-'-:'O'rt-
P<1 ~ELRo:t 4 WHEHROTATION PREFERRED ·OPTIONAl
DO NOT INCLUDE "TEMPORARY USE ONLY· SPARE TIRE IN ROTATION
• THE OPTIONAL 'X' ROTATION PATTERN FOR RADIALS IS ACCEPTABLE WHEN REQUIRED FOR MORE UNIFORM TIRE WEAR
Alignment and Balance
Proper wheel alignment· improves tire tread. mileage. Your vehicle's suspension
parts should be inspected often and aligned when needed. (See the Maintenance Schedule Folder for more information.) Ball joints have built-in wear indicators and some movement in the joints is normal. Improper
alignrnentwill not cause the vehicle to vibrate. However, improper ~Iignment can cause:
• the tires to roll at an angle, which will result in faster tire wear;
• your tires to wear unevenly;
• your vehicle to "pull" to the left or right. .
Proper tire balancing provides the best riding comfort and helps reduce tire
tread· wear. Out-of-balance tires can cause annoying vibration and uneven tire wear such as cupping and flat spots.
Traction
Driving, cornering, and braking traction are reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. Adjust driving practices and vehicle speed to road conditions.
When driving on wet or slushy roads,a wedge of water can build up between
the tire and road. This is known as hydroplaning, and may cause partial or complete loss of traction, vehicle control, and stopping ability.
To reduce
the chance of traction loss, follow these tips:
1. Slowdown during rainstorms or when roads are slushy.
2. Slow down if the road has standing water or puddles.
3. Replace the tires when the tread wear indicators are showing.
4. Keep the tires properly inflated.
5-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If yqurv~hicle has TPC radial tires (see ;'Tire Aeplaceinent" in this section),
your tires were designed to provide better snow traction than bias or
bias­
belled tir~ wijhout snow treed. However, ij you use conventional snow tires,
be sure they are the same size, ioadrange , and construction type (bias, bias­belted, or radial) as your other tires .
Tire Chains or Similar Traction Devices
Use of chains may adversely affect your vehicle's handling. When using
chains:
(1) adjust speed to road conditions, (2) avoid sharp turns, and (3) when possible, avoid locked-wheel biaking.
I~ addition , to help prevent chain damage to your vehicle:
• Inslall the chains on the 'rear tires as tightly as possible , then tighten them
again af1er driving 1 /4 to 1 /2 mile «}:4t6·(} .. 8 kilometer) . The use 01 chains
on the front tires is not recommended; the chains may contact
and possibly
damage the vehicle :
If you intend to use chains on the front tires; be sure ther~ is enough clearance.
• Danai exceed 45 mph (70 krn/h), or the chain manufacturer's speed' limit, if lower.
•
Drive in a restrained manner and avoid large bumps, potholes, severe turns .
and other manuevers wliich could cause the tires to bounce up and down.
• Follow any other instructions 'of il1li -chain manufacturer which do not
disagree with the above.
n you buy tire chains, make sure the side chain fasteners are not wider than
the side chain
links; otherwise, the .chains may contact and possill!y.d~age. your vehicle. • .
Spare Tire
For the·useandinslalla~qf"I'WL.~~._tire, see "In Case of Emergency," Section 3 of this manual. ..,· •.. 4.
Tire Replacement
CAlITION: Do not mix different tire construction types (such as radial, bias, artd bl .. belted) on your vehicle except In emergenci •• , bee.UN your vehicle's handling could be aftKtedandmay resun"in loea o':control. ThiscauUon does not apply to a stowaway ; compact, or temporary spare Ore furnished with your vehicle.
On most vehicles originally equipped wijh radial .tires, you will find a TPC Spec . No. (Tire Performance Crijeria Specijication Number) molded into the tire
sidewall near the tire size marking . This shows that the tire meets rigid size
and performance standards which
weredevelopelffor your vehicle . The TPC
Spec. No: assures a proper combination of endurance , handling, load capacity,
ride and traction on wet, dry, and snow-covered surfaces. When you replace
your tires with tires having the
same TPC Sp~. No., your new tires will be
cOrTlpatible with your vehicle .
5-15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When replacing tires with those not having a TPC Spec. No., you should use
the same size,
load range, and constructiontype (bias, bias-bened, or radial)
as the original tires on your
vehicle . Although ~ is not generaly recommended ,
some alpha-size and metric-size tires can be interchanged. (For size
equivalency, contact your Chevrolet
dealer or a tire dealer) . A different size or
type of tire may affect ride,
handling, speedometer /odometer calibration,
vehicle ground clearance , and tire or tire chain clearance to the body or
chassis .
II replacing only a single tire, it should be paired on the same axle with the least worn tire of the other three.
UNIFORM TIRE QUALITY GRADING
The following information relates to the tire grading system developed by the
National Highway Traffic Safety' Adminlslration which will grade tires by
treadwear, traction and temperature performance.
TREADWEAR
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified government test
course . For example, the tire graded 150 would wear one and a haij (1-1/2)
times as well on the government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the. actual conditions of their _ use , however ,
and may depart significanlly from the norm due to variations in driving habits , service practices and. differences in road characteristics and climate.
TRACTION -A, B,C
. T~~tr~ction grades, from highest to lowest are: A, B, and C. They represent
the ' fiie'sability to stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of asphalt and concrete . A
tire marked C may have poor traction performance .
Warning: Thetr.ction grade assigned to this tire is based on braking (straight-ahead) traction tests and· doellnot include cornerillg (turning) tractlon.
TEMPERATURE -A, B, C
The ·temperature grades are A (the highest), B, andC, representing the tire's
resistance to the generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat when tested under controlled conditio 'ns on a specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained 'high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire
life, and excessive temperature can lead to sudden tire failure .
The grade C corresponds to a level of performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federat Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No.
109 . Grades B and A represent higher levels of performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required by law.
Warning: The
temperature grade for Ihis tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not overloaded. Excessive speed, underinllaiion, or excessive loading, either separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible lire failure.
5-16

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine AI Ihis lime your lires mayor may nol have a grade. These grades will be
molded on the sidewalls of passenger car lires over Ihe nexl several years
according to a schedule established by the Nalional Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the tire manufacturers.
While the lires available as standard or optional equipment on General
Motors
vehicles may vary with respect to these grades, all such tires
meet General Motors performance standards and have been approved
for useon General Motors vehicles.
All passenger car tires must conform to Federal safety requirements In addition to these grades.
You should
replace your tires when:
I. The lires are worn to a point where 1.6 millimeters (2/32 inch) or less
tread remains, or the cord or fabric
is showing . To help you detect this,
your tires have built-in tread wear indicators that appear between the tread
grooves when the tread is 1.6 millimeters (2/32 inch) or less. When the
indicators. appear in two or mors adjacent grooves at three. spots around Ihe tire, the tire should be replaced.
TREAD WEAR INDICATORS
lOAD RANG[
........ _.-' ;'CotfS1WC1l0N UtAMI'L[ TilE
2. The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut or snagged deep enough to expose
the cord or fabric.
3. The tire has a bump , bulge or split.
4. The tire has a puncture, cut, or other injury that can't be correctly repaired
because of the size or location of the injury.
Wheel Replacement
Damaged wheels must be rePlaced. For example, replace wheels if they are bent, cracked , or heavily rusted , or if _ wheel nuts ohen become loose. Also
replace wheels which leak air (except" some aluminum wheels which can be repaired-- see your authorized dealer).
Do not use bent wheels which have been -straightened, and do not use inner
tubes in leaking wheels designed for tubeless tires. Such wheels may have
structural damage
and could fail without warning. When replacing wheels for
any reason, the
new wheels should be equal in load limit, diameter, width,
offset. and mounting configurations to those
originally installed on your vehicle.
5-17

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A wheel of the wrong size or type may adversely affect wheel and bearing life,
brake coo~ng, speedometer /odometer calibration, stopping abiUty, headlight
aim , bumper height, vehicle ground clearance , and tire or tire chain clearance
to
.the body and chassis. Replacement with USed. wheels is not advised: they
may have been treated harshly or have very high mileage, and could fail
without warning.
You can get wheels from your dealer.
CAUTION: Before installing whee .. , remove any buildup of corrOsion on the wheel mounting surfaee, and brake drum or brake disc mounllng surface, by scraping and wire brushing. Installing wheels without good metal-to-metal corrtact at the. mounting surfaces can cause wheel nuts to loosen, which can lirter allow • wheel to come off while the vehicle is moving, poJ$ibly cau~ng loss _otCQlltroi . lAIIo ~ the " Wheel Nut Torque " Caution in "In Case of Emergency ," Section 3 01 thi& manual
Warranty
Tires are warranted by the tire manufacturers. Warranty information is included in the manufacturer 's warranty folder furnished with your vehicle .
5-18

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SECTION 6
OWNER ASSISTANCE
Your satisfaction and goodwill are important to your dealer and to us. Normally, any problems with the sales transaction or the operation of your car
will be handled by your dealer's Sales or Service departments. Sometimes, however, despite the best intentions of all concerned, misunderstandings can
occur. If your problem has not been handled to your satisfaction, we suggest
you follow these steps:
STEP ONE -Discuss your problem with a member of dealership
management. Complaints can often be quickly resolved at that level. If the
problem has already been reviewed with the Sales or Service manager, contact
the owner of the
dealership or the General Manager.
STEP TWO -Contact the Chevrolet Zone Office closest to you. (Zone offices are listed on the following pages.) In Canada, contact the General Motors Zone Office. If your problem cannot .be quickly resolved by the
dealership without further help, contact the Zone's Consumer Relations
Department, and provide them with:
• Your name, address and telephone number
• Vehicle Identification Number (This is available frornthe car registration or title, or the plate attached to the left top Of the instrument panel and visible
through the windshield.)
• Dealer's name and location.
• Vehicle's delivery date and present mileage.
• Nature of problem.
A convenient'formf~~your useis"il1clud8d in this section.
STEP THREE ~ Contact the Consumer Relations Representative,
Chevrolet Central Office, Chevrolet Motor Division, Warren, Michigan
48090 (313-492-5500). (In Canada, contact the Customer Services
Representative,
General Motors of Canada Ltd .. Oshawa, Ontario, L lJ 5Z6; 416/644-6624). The representative will review all the facts involved. Then, if it
is
felt some further action can be taken, the zone will be so instructed. In any
case, your contact will be acknowledged providing Chevrolet's position in the
matter.
When contacting the Zone or Central Office, please bear in mind that your
problem will likely be resolved in the dealerShip, using the dealer's facilities,
equipment and personnel. So it is suggested that you follow the above steps in
sequence when you have a problem.
Your purchase of a Chevrolet product is greatly appreciated by both your
dealer and Chevrolet. We want to help you any way we can to make sure you
are completely satisfied with your vehicle.
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CHEVROLET ZONE OFFICE ADDRESSES
When calling lor assistance, please ask for COnsumer Relations Reuresenta!lve.
ATLANTA 5730 Glenridge Dr. N. E. Atlanta, Georgia 303<8 (404) 256-5613
BIRMINGHAM 3490 In(lependeoce Hwy. HomewoOd, Alabama 35259
(205) 870·5306
80s\on 505 81ue Hill Drive Westwood , Mass. 02090 (617)329- 1057
BUFFALO 2615 Walden Avenue Cheektowaga, N.Y. 142~ .
(715) 891-701 0
CHARLESTON 12()5.1211 Virginia. 51. E. Charleston, W. Va. ~1 (3041 347-:5000
CHARLOTTE 6000 MOf1'oe Road CharlOI~e, N.C. 28213 (704) 371·5116
CHICAGO 2021 SprIng Road .oakbrOOk , III . 60521 (3'2)~
CI"'PINNATI 155 Tri-County Parkway Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 (513) 8'''·5871
CLEVELAND 12900 $l'\ow Road Palma. , Ohio 44130 (216) 265·5656
DALLAS 130 E , Carpenler Freeway Irving, Texas 75062 (2141 fS59.5441
DENVER 4355 I<.eamey SI. D.enver. Colo. 80216 (303) 320-5023
DES MOtNES 818 5th Avenue Des Moines, Iowa 50309 (515) 247·8666
DElAOIT 2S2OO Telegraph Ro (313142 4·2011
FARGO 1111 38lhSt.So. Fargo, N.O. 58103 (701) 282-4451
..... T 5198 Tllt'litOl'~t Roed Grand Blanc, Mi. 4IW39 (313) 694-7007
6-2
HARRISBURG Pennsboro Office Center Taylor Bridg e Bypass Wormleysburg . Pa. 17043 (117) 763-&'16
HOUSTON 13101 NW. Freeway Suite 101 Houston, Texas 77040 (713) 460-7301
INDIANAPOLIS
6910 N . Shadeland Ave. Indianapolis, Indiana 016220 (31 7) 269-5031
JACKSONVILLE 8206 Phillips Hwy.
Jacksonville, Fla. 32216
(90 4)
731·5230
KANSAS CITY 8900 Marshall DI~ Lenexa, Kansas 662 15 (913) 28Hi71J2
LOS ANGELES 233 Wilshire Blvd. , Sulto 800 Sanla Monica, Ca. 90401 (213) 394-6966 (213)393-9356
lOUISVILLE 4501 Indian Tlail Louisville, Ky. 40213 (502) 968-6203
Met-lPHIS , 866'Rklg~wayL:.oop'Av •. Memphis, Tenn. 38118 (901) 346.5160 5161 516.2
MILWAUKEE 333 Bishops Way Brookfield, Wise. 5JOO5 (414) 784-2578
MINNEAPOLIS 7600 Metro Blvd . Edina, Minn. 55435 (612) 830-4044
NEWARK 299 Cherry Hill Rd. ParsIppany, N.J. 07051 (201) 263-2700
NEW ORLEANS 35451·10 Ser'lk:e ioad Metairie. La.. 70002 t5(4) 888-9013 '
NEW YORK 175 Central Ave. S. Bethpage, l.1. N.Y. 11714
(516) 420 .... 340
OAKLAND 39465 Paseo Padre Parkway Fremont , Ca. 94538 (415) 498-5060