1981 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO tow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOT1C~: Uoeonty ~ ...... hhches ....... pomiIt ' nonnoI ..,o,otlon' ..... Energy Ab8Orb4ng Bumper system, if to equipped~-For ex..".,.., • rigid fore 8nd 1ft conMction between the bumper and any other pwt Of-the c. mIIy Inc,. ... dMnege Nl the event gf I colli.lon.
TRAILER TOWING TIPS
, Getti"9
Started
Before entering traffic w~h a traile, that has electric brakes, start the vehicle
and trailer moving and apply the traile' brakes by hand to be sure the trailer brakes ' are working and the trailer eleCtrical syStem is connected ,
".d~,~!!.~!.~~,CooUng If your engine overheats "foliowthe steps under, "Engine Cooling System" in
"InCase of Emergency," Section 3 01 this manual.
Long Uphill Grades
When goingup,long grades ; you can reduce the chance of engine overheating
by dOwnshifting the transinission to a
Jower'gear range and reducing speeds to
'" '4S mph (70 km /h) or below . '. " " ,-,-."." .. ,. '
Transmission
See the method for checking the transmission fluid level in "Service and
"'~!!illl£<;': Section S of thismanuaJ.
Parking
You should not park vehicles with trailers on a grade (hill); However, If
you must park on a 'grade, these ste,PS }l1ust be fallowed:
1. Apply theregular .brakes . ,'\' y .
2, . Have someone place wheel chocks under the trailer wheels .
3. When the wheel cho cks are in place, release the regular brakes until, the
c hocks absorb the load. .
4 . Apply
the parking brake.
S . Shift the transmission to
"P"(l'ark) .
If the veh icle is parked on a .gr ad e, don 't Shift the transmission to "P "(Park )
until
the trailer wheels are chocked and tOO parking brake is set If you dO, the weight of the vehicle and trailer may put'somuch force on the parking pawl in
the transmission that it·may be hard to Shift out of "P "(Park) .
When' s tarting, after being parked On a grade :
L Apply the regular brakes and hold.
2. Start ,the engine in , "P"( Park) .
.
3 . '. Shift into gear and releas .e the parking brake ..
4. Release the regular brakes and drive until the chocks are free .
S .
Apply the regular brakes and haveanoti1er person remOve the chocks.
1-14

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine The trunk lid should be closed while driving to help prevent drawing exhaust gas into the vehicle. If the trunk must remain open for some reason while
moving . or ff electricai wiring or other cable conneclionS to a trailer must pass through the sealbelweeri the trunk lid and the body, follow these precautionS :
• Close all windows.
• Adjust the heating or cooling system to force outside air into the vehicle as
described above. but set the fan to high speed .
• On vehicles with outside ' air vents in or under the instrument panel ; open
the vents
fully.
NEW VEHICLE "BREAK-IN" PERIOD
You can drive your new vehicle from its very first mile/kilometer without
following a formal "break-in" schedule. However. there are things you can do during the first few hundred miles/kilometers of driving . that will add to the
future performance and economy of your
vehicle. We recommend you limit
your speed during the first 500 miles (800 kilometers) to a maximum of 55 mph (90 km /h) ; but do not drive for long periods at anyone constant speed. either
fast or
slow. During this time. avoid full throttle starts and. if possible. avoid
hard stops especially during the first 200 miles (320 kilometers) of driving .
Always drive at moderate speed until the engine has COfl'4lletely warmed up.
If you plan to use your new vehicle for trailer towing . see additional information
under " Trailer Towing" in Section 1 of this manual.
GUARD AGAINST THEFT
y~~; '~ew Monte carlo has many features to help prevent theft of the vehicle
itself.
its equipment. and its contents. But these anti-theft features depend
upon you to work.
THE
TIME TO BE MOST ON GUARD ISWHEN LEAVING THE VEHICLE ...
• PARK IN A LIGHTED SPOT WHEN YOU CAN AND FULLY ClOSE BOTH WINDOWS AND ANY ROOF PANaS
• LOCK THE STEERING COLUMN AND TAKE THE KEYS:
•
Turn the key to "Lock " and remove the key. This locks the ignition
and both steering and shift controls.
• If you must leave a kilY with the vehicle . leave the square-head key only. Take the oval· head key with you. This will help prevent unwanted
entry into your
vehicle at a later date . or into your glove box (if locked) or trun k
• LOCK ALL DOORS .
•
KEEP ITEMS OUT OF SIGHT AND LOCKED UP WHEN POSSIBLE.
• Never leave things of va lue in plain sight on seats or floor.
• The glove box otTers a place to hide small item s and if locked, protects even better.
• Lock larger item s in the trunk.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Tire Inflation
Underinflation not only causes needless wear 01 the tires, but can also waste ' fuel. It's a good idea to check tire pressures often and, fO( the best fuel
eccnomy, keep your tires inflated to the highest pressures shown on the Tire
Placard on the left front door of your vehicle .
Wheel Alignment
Improper toe alignment will cause the tires to roll at an angle, which will result in faster tire wear. It takes' power to overcome this improper alignment which.
in turn, wastes fuel.
STEERING COLUMN CONTROLS
ANTI-THEFT STEERING COLUMN LOCK
The anti-theft lock (ignition) on the right side of the steering column has five
-""'positions: .
• Accessory-You can use SO the top of the key toward you.
• Lock -Normal parking position. It locks the ignition and prevents normal use
of the steering
wheel and shift controls. The ignition key cannot be turned
to "Lock" and removed until the shift lever is moved to "P"(Park).
• Off-You
can turn off the engine without locking the steering wheel and shift controls.
• Run-Normal operating position.
• Start-Cranks the engine.
If you have trouble turning the key to uniock the ignition, first be sure the key is
pushed in
all the way . Then , try to turn the steering wheel as hard as you can
in the direction the
wheels are turned. At the same time, turn the ignition key
with as much effort as you can apply with your hand; Do not try to use a tool of
any kind to
apply more force on the lock knob, as this could break the knob .
NOncE: Do not drive through, idle or park your vehicle over combustible marla Is, .uch •• grass or leaves. They could touch the hot eJlhauat .ystem .-.cIlgnite.
Parking
When leaving your vehicle unattended :
2-6

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Firmly apply the parking brake. Do not use ·the transmission as asubsmute for the parking I)rake.
•
Move the automatic transmission shift lever to "P"(Park).
•
Turn the key to "Lock ."
•
Remove the key (the · buzzer is designed to remind you).
• Lock all doors .
TURN SIGNAL AND HEADLIGHT BEAM LEVER
The turn signal lever on the left side of the steering column also controls
headlight low-beam and high-beam and the optional Cruise Control. (For Cruise Control operation, see page 2-12.)
• Turn Signal -Move the lever up to the second stop to signal a right turn.
Move it down to the second stop to signal a left turn. When the turn is
completed, the signal will cancel and the lever will return to horizontal.
• Lane Change Signal -In some turns, such as changing lanes, the steering wheel is not turned far enough to cancel the turn signal . ·For convenience,
you can flash the turn signal by moving the lever part way (to the first stop)
and holding it there. The lever will return to horizontal when you release it.
TURN SIGNAL MOVE UPWARD -R.H. TURN MOVE DOWNWARD -l.H. TURN
I LANE CHANGE I MOVE UPWARD TO
HEADLIGHT BEAM CHANGER (HEADUGHTS ON)
PUtl LEVER TQWARDYOU
l$T STOP-CHANGE FROM LEFT TO 'RIGHT lANE
MOVE DOWNWARD TO 1ST STOP-CHANGE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT LANE
A green light on the instrument panel is designed to flash to tell, you that the
lront and rear turn signal lights are working . If the light stays on, but does not
flash, check for burned-out turn signal bulbs.
If the green light does not come on when you move the lever, check the fuse and indicator bulb. However, if
you ordered a traiter towing option in which extra wiring was added to attach
the
trailer lighting, a different type'of flasher was installed. In tliis case, the
green light will continue to flash even if a turn signal bulb bUrns out. Therefore ,
you must
regularly look at the front and rear turn signal lights to be sure they
are working.
• Headlight Beam Changer -With the headlights on, pull the lever toward
you until you hear a click, then release it. The lights will change from Iow­
beamto high-beam or from high-beam to low-beam . When the hig~-beams
are on, a blue light will appear on the instrument panel.
CORNERING UGHTS
The front fender cornering lights operate in conjunction with the turn signals.
When the turn signal is operating in either direction, and the headlights or
parking
lights are on, the corresponding cornering light emits a steady
sideward beam to provide additional illumination .
2-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Opet'ating the transmission at 'Of 'near,"st8Jlcondition" lor more than 1 0
secorlds at a time, ("Stall condition" is wfj~~ t~e engine is running at ,high
speed while the transmission is in a driving range arid the drive wtieels
aren't moving, such as when stuck in deep sand or whe(l the vehicle is
against a fixed barrier.) ,
•
Holding vehicle on an upgrede with the acCelerator pedal. (\Jse the regular
brakes to hold vehicle on an uphill grade.)
Column Shift Lever
The heavy line in the illustration indicatesihe movementol the shift lever as it
is lifted to shift into Reverse Of Low arid into or out 01 Park position . ,
~ ---. .,.-'.' . ...,..~;~.. .. .. -- -' -, .-,--. Floor ConsOliFSI\1ff~"~,,(C'·,':"
The floor shift lever may be moved freely between Neutral and Drive arid between 1 and 2. Press lightly oil the shift lever button (located on the side 01
'. ttie-shift lever) as you shift into ReviJ(se ' or from Drive into ~, Depress the
button fully when shifting into or out 01 the Park position . ExerCise ,care when
depressing button to
prev,!"'t unintenti should be noted that the tra~smission responds to manual upshift only within
the
load ,arid speed criteria that satisfy requirements lor an autDmatic upshift, ~ -. - -.
POWER STEERING
II the power steering assist' system goes'''' ut beeaus .e the engine has stalled or due to a lailure , the vehicle can ,still be steered . However , much greater eitort
is needed , especially in sharp turns or at
low speeds . '
TILT STEERING WHEEL
The optional tilt steering wheel The tilt steering wheel (where equipped) can be
tilted up above
normal position to provide edditional room lor entrance' and exit
as
well'ss . selected driving ,positions bei<>w ilormalheight. The ti~ control lever is located on the left side 01 the steering.'column just behind . the turn signal
lever . To operate pull
the lever tow'¥ds you and move the steering wheel to
your desired
pos!~on then releaSe!?e lever. This permits individual seleclion 01 the most comfortable positionS lor. all driving conditions , On longer trips the
steering wheel position may be changed to help minimize tension
and latigue.
2-11
. ------ ,------

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine After acceleraUng to the desired speed and engaging the Cruise Control, the vehicle ' will no longer slow down when you take your foctot! the
accelerator pedal. TO slow the vehicle , disengage the Cruise Control by
depressing the brake pedal. '
When going up or down
hills (particularl~ when towing a trailer), it is possible for the vehicle to lose or gain speed, even though the Cruise Control is engaged,
If this happens while going up hill, merely depress the accelerator pedal temporarily to maintain the speed desired, If going down a hill steep
enough to cause the vehicle to gain speed, depress the brake pedal -­which will .\)Dth disengage the Cruise Control and help slow the vehicle, In addition, when going down a steep or long grade, the transmission should be placed in a lower .range or gear to help control vehicle speed --see the r~lated caution in the "Transmission" area. '
HORN
The horn on your vehicle is actuated by firmly pressing on the pad in th.e
center of the steering wheel. As a good motorist, use of ·the hOrn should be
kept at a minimum, However,
acquaint yourself as soon as possible with ihis
function of your
vehicle, should it ever become necessary to give a warning to
a pedestrian or another motorist
HAZARD WARNING FlASHER
The hazard flasher is covered on Page 3-' in the "In .Case of Emergency" section.
FLOOR CONTROLS
BRAKING SYSTEM
The regularbraking~yst"r1'lTsdesigned for braking performance under a wide
range of driving conditions even when the
vehicle is loaded to its full rated
vehicle load capacity .
CAUTION: DriVing ttvOUgh water deep enough to wet brake componenu-,may cause the brakes to ,n ,ot .work as well. A, • result the :vehicle will not slow: down at the usual rate,. and, it 'may pull 10 ,the .righ,t , 0.:' left. After chtc;king to the rear for other vehicles, apply the brakes 'lightly , to cheek whether this has happened. 1'0 dry them quicklY,lightly apply the-brakes.. At the aame. time, keep a safe forward speed, with plenty of cle._ space ahead, to the rea" and-to the sides;. Do this- until the brllkes return to norm.l.
Brake Warning Light
The brake system warning light is covered in the "Instrument Panel" section,
Power Brake$
• If power assist is ~Iost because of a stalled engine or other reasons , the
brakes can
normally still be applied with power assist at least" two times
using reserve power.
• The system is designed .to bring the vehicle to a full stop ·on reserve power
if
the brake pedal is applied once and held down. However, the reserve
power is partly used up each time the
brake pedal is applied and released , Do not pump the brakes when brake power assist has been lost; except
when needed to maintain steering control.
2-13

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~
SLiOING ROOF .. PANEL OPEN
ELECTRIC POWER CONTROLSWITCI:I
~ ~RIVEGEAR I~(CCESS PLUG
ROTATE TO CLOSE
REMOVABLE GLASS ROOF PANELS
CAUTION: To help avoid personal i~ Mdtor equi~ ctamage..
/
• Do not unkK:k the roof pane' latehe. or try to remove the penefs whi.., the car I, moving. Otherwise. the panels may become 8 hazard by falling into the car Or flying off.
• A.fter removiOg -me roof panels. place them in the protectiv.' bag provided and stow them in'the trunk. This will help keep the parwNS from being thrown about and injuring people . in the car in an accident. an.d will help prOtect the panels.
•
After putting roof panels back in place. always check th8tthey __ h.av .. ,~n-fil1Tlly latched by pushing up on the underside of MCh pan ...
The op)ipnal .gl¥s. p~nelscan be removed and stored in their protective
storage bags (in'the trtJrik)·asfoilOws:.. .'
1 . Unlatch the glass panel by pulling down the release handle at the outer
edge of the
p~nel.
2. Raise th;' outer edge of the glasS slightly and pull toward you to release it
from the center
molding.
3. Store eaCh glass panel in its separate storage bag.
4 . To install the panels, reverse this procedure .
2-31

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Chevrolet's turbocharger incUles a "TlI'bo Control Center," which is an
electronic,
closed- loop, high energy spark control system that permits the use
of today's compression ratios with unleaded fuels. It works to control spark and
provide
good driveability. H automatically compensates for fuel octane,
atmospheric conditions,
load, and .other driving conditions, by continually monitoring engine detonation and adjusting the spark.
Are There Any Tricks To Driving A Turbocharged V-61
No, riot at all. Starting procedures are as covered on Page 2-8.
As with any normal engine, the turbocharged engine should not be run at
excessive
RPM immediately upon starting or shut down abruptly after running
at high
speeds.
Trailer
Towing: It should be noted that the Turbo V-6 engine uses advanced
electronic technology to provide a combination of performance and fuel
economy under most operating conditions, including driving in high-altitude
areas . Uke 'most V-6 engines, ~is su~abIe for pul~ng light-dutytrailers up to
450 kilograms (1,000 pounds) gross weight. However, the system was not
engineered for the rigors of towing
heavytraii for
specffic recommendations) .
Don't Attempt Do-tt-Yourself Fixes: The turbocharger has but a handful of
parts, but since it is precision-manufactured with some tolerances as fine as
1/1 ,000,000 of an inch, maintenance and repairs should be done by an
authorized Chevrolet dealer or other qualified service outlet which
regularly
does such servk:e.
Catch Trouble Before . It Becomes Major: The turbocharger is an integral part
of your engine and not ar\'add-on .device.1f you spot an oil leak or hear an
unusual sound coming from the turbocharger , take it
In for service immediately .
The trouble may be simple to correct, but if allowed to continue, may
necessitate a more costly repair.
Normaf Scheduled Maintenance -
with Two Exceptions: The recommended
maintenance for the turbocharged
V -6 engine is shown in the General Motors
Maintenance
Schedule found in the glove compartment of your Chevrolet. The
turbocharged engine requires basically the same maintenance as a regular V-6
with two ",xceptions :
Engine Oil Change -every 3,000 miles.
Oil Filter Change -every 3,000 miles .
2-33