1981 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Owners Manual

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 STARTING THE ENGINE
For vehicles sold in Canada which do NOT. have the. Computer Command
Control system, pleru;e refer to the Owner's Manual Supplement supplied with
your
vehicle for engine starting procedures . (If a "Check Engine" light comes
on during engine starting, your
vehicle does have the Computer Command
Control system.)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2 . Move
the transmission shill lever to "P"(Park) or "N"(Neutral) ("P"
preferred). A starter . safety device is designed to keep the starter from
operating if the shift
lever is in .any drive position . (If you need to re-start
the engine while the vehicle is moving, move the shift lever to "N ." )
3 . Start the engine .as outlined below for different conditions . Be sure to
follow the instructions which apply to your engine . (The Engine Code is the
8th digit on the
VIN plate at the lower left side of your windshield . See
. "SpeCifications" .Section 7 oUhis manual for more details.) "~" ...
NOTICE: Do not crank the engine 'or more than about 15 seconcls at a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again. Thla will hetp prevent damage to the starter.
• COLD ENGINE
•
All Engines -Press the accelerator pedal to the floor and slowly
release it. With your foot 011 the pedat, crank the engine by turning
the ignition key to "Start." Release the key when the engine starts.
If the engine does not start or starts, but fails to run, repeat this
procedure
.
• .• • .
,., .•..• ·Whe!\. '.he engine is running smoothly (about 30 seconds), you can reduce
the engine
idle speed by pressing clown onthe.accelerator · pedal. then slowly releasing ~. .
NOTICE : If the engine runS a long time (S minutes or more) without pressing down the accelerator pedal, overheating OOl,lkf'C;.auM : damage -to 'the engine and exhaust system. ' I, .
Do not Ie.Y~ yoot vehicle ,unattended with the engine . running. H the engine should overllut, you would not be there to I'NCt to the temperatwe wwnlng light Of gaga. This
could reaun if! costly damage to your vehicle and Ita contents.
• Warm Engine
• All -Do not press clown the accelerator pedal. With your foot off
the
pedal , crank the engine by turning the ignition key to "Start." II the
engine
does not start after 3 seconds of cranking, press clown the
accelerator pedal to 1 /3 of its. travel while cranking. Release the key
(and accelerator pedal) when the enginjl starts.
• Very Cold We'lther (Below -1S"C Or O"F Or After Vehicle Has Been Standing Idle Several Days) • Before cranking the engine, fully depress
and release the accelerator
pedal one or . two times more than stated for
your engine under
"Cold Engine" .starting. Then, with your foot-oil the
accelerator pedal, crank the engine by turning the ignition key to "Start." Release the key when the engine starts.
4 .
Apply the regular brakes and shift into. the proper gear. Release the
parking brake and
drive off.
2-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine H Engine Fails To Start After Normal Starting Pr.ocedure:
1 . If you tried the cold ef1gine starting procedure and the engine did not start,
then
fully depress and release the acceleraior pedal several times. Take
your foot off the
pedal and crank the engine by turning the key to "Start."
2. If you tried the warm engine starting procedure (or the eold engine
procedure
and Step 1 above) , and the ef1gine still does not start, press the
accelerator pedal to the floor and hold it there while cranking the engine.
This should clear the engine if it is flooded. .
3. If the engine has been flooded with too much fuel, It may start to run but not have enough power to keep running, In that case, continue
cranking
with 11M! accelerator pedal aU the way to the 1100< until the
engine clears
~self of excess gascHne and runs smoothly. (But, do not
crank more than 15 seconds atatime Or you could damage the starter.)
TRANSMISSION
DESCENDING A GRADE
CAUTION : Before ,:,9C)i1l9,d ,01!Wn a steep or long grade, reduce speed and shift the transmission Into low or second gear '9 ~1p Driving on SliPPery Surfaces
Whether your vehiCle has an optional limited-slip rear axle or a standard axle ,
usecare,,¥t\1 range, whe;;1eitli'er'plt5()l!W_wIl~elS8fe..traveling over a slippery surface.
Sudden acceleration or engine braking action (due to
shilling to a lower ge,n)
could cause one or both drive wheels to spin or skid and the rear of the vehicle
to slide sideways on the crowned · surface.of a road or in a turn, Normal skid
correction is
called for at these times.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS
Automatic transmissions replace the standard cMch and transmission. After
starting
the engine with the selector lever in"P" (Park) or "N" (Neutral)
position, select the range desired
(see table) and depress . the accelerator. A
gradual start
with a steady increase in accelerator pressure will result in best
possible fuel economy . Rapid acceleration for fast startS will result in greater
fuel consumption. ..
AutomatiC transmission shift quadrants of all GM vehicles continue the uniform
sequence of
selector positions. Shift indiCators are arranged with "P"(Park)
position atone end, followed in sequElf)ce by "R"(Reverse). "N"(Neutral) and
the forward
driving , ranges .. All .automatic transmiSsions are equipped with a
starter safety switch'
design'ld to permit starting the ef1gine only when the transmission selector is in the "P"(Park) or"N"(Neutral) position. For
additional engine braking
eflact, as SOmetimes needed in mountainous driving,
place thetransmi$Sion in an intermediate or low range.
2'9
::"

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine P~ _ PARK
R ~ REVERSE
N _ NEUTRAL
.. '
3 D -DRIVE
L''': LOW' '
AUTOMATIC'TRANSMISSION This position is __ to lock .. u~ ...... the _ islNdted or white JUftInt 1M engIH ......... __ -the Ihift .... r to .... 11. .. Mil YOlir elr is fully stoPped. Use thif; pcIIition 1Otf1h.r with the foot'­opel'ded "I~" .,.rlr.lnl b .. ke.
TIllis ,.,.otioR i, UIMI for Ndcing .... Uf. Bti,. yoM _ to.-..I_ nop before doiking to R-. -
This il the ollt-of-9Hf pc)Iltion. YOII may resUr! "ltalled Inginl while the Q)r it uill--II1CWiIIt with the selector ,in 0.1111". Thi. poIitlon is "so !ned wIMfI tawi"" ... Usl this pOtiJian for alL,norma forw.tddriying.
Forced dotonsIoita _ with t~ selector in "0.' you ean fM. an .utotnatic *'-shift It speeds unct.r 15 I'IIptI 100 Ir.mJhl by precsi"l ttle accel· _ator pedIII app,OIIim''' ,Y ..... fw.,. tClthe noar. , You wttJ '''10 get , forced downsnift at 5P"d$ IlboW$ ,35 mph 160 km/h) by prelling 'the pedlll ,II the way to the floor. This will gin you irw.: .. 1INd ace.J· ention for puling 1NnMIftn.
"This Pootnoct i. wed to pcoooide ..,Mimum""'ne brioking wlm! dmint doWiI .... 'Y, .h.rp II'~ or whtn m.ximum perlormanc. is required to climb a It..., hili or run throllgh deep ""OW or mild. You miIY lhift into L' It any tPMd but the trlllrmiS$ion will not loek into Low until_UI' spaid is ~ 40 ,"ph 160 k"""). --c-
Your automatic transmission may have either a clutch-type torque converter or an open,type torque COnverter . Both offer the quality performance associated
with General Motors products.
·~-so·_equipped, the converter clutch is designed to engage when the vehicle reaches a st)lady speed of about 25 mph (40 km/h) or, higher depending on
the particular model. When engagEid, the' clutch providE.s a direct connection
between the engine and the drive
wheels. This direct connection allows for
more efficient operation of the transmission and thereby helps contribute to
improved
fuel economy. With the ClUtch-type converter, you may notice some
operational d,ifferences · compared to other. automatic transmissions equipped vehicles. When the clutch engages , for example, you may notice what feels
like
an extra transmission shift. Also, on occasion, you may feeLcertain
incidental engine pulsations in the 30 to 50 mph (50 to' 80 km/h) range. This feel is similar to that so.rnetimes experienced in a manual transmisSK>n
equipped vehicle. In addrtion, when the accelerator pedal is released abruptly,
you may feel a slight impulse before the clutch disengages.
These conditions are normal. They have no adverse effect on your vehicle and do not indicate the need for repairs . .
Notice
The following practices could result in autoinatic transmission failure:
• Shifting between forWard and reverse driving' range while operati/lg the
engine at high speed or heavy throttle, such as when the driving wheels
are on snow Of ice--commonly called "rocking." (See the corre<:t method
for
"rocking" vehiCle under "Freeing Vehicle from Sand, Mud, Snow or Ice" in "In Case of Emergency," Sectiorl.'3 of this manual.)
•
Shifting to "R"(Reverse) or any forward range while operating the engine
at high speed in "N"(Neutral} or "P"(Park).
• ·Shifting to "P"(Park) while the vehicle wheels are still turning.
2-10

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 CRUISE.
C~~~~L~_. --''--_=
.CRUISE .CQNTROJ. WITH RESUME FEATURE
The optional Cruise Control System provides automatic speed control for your
comfort
when driving on freeways , turnpikes or othernon'congested highways.
The system is
designf;lCl to f.unction above gpeeds of approximately 30 "1'h (50 ~I~. .
To engage Cruise ContrQI, proceed as follows:
•
··ON ~ THE ' : Cruise " ~wltchmUst be Positioned to "ON" and the vehicle
speed above abOu'! 30 mph (50 km/h) before the system can be engaged.
• SET -Depress "set" button completely when vehicle reaches desired '. . speed. anc release the button SLOWLY to engage system. Use of brakes is
"-'''-'l'l/!Slgned to dis engage system, blit pre-set~peed Viill be retained in
memory. . '." ,
To RESET at a FASTER SPEED , accelerate your vehicle to the higher speed,
depress the "set" button completely , anc re",ase SLOWLy to re·engage .
•
COAST-To RESET at a SLOWER SPEED, depress the "set" button and holdi! in whil e decelerating until desired speed is reached, then release SLOWLY to re·engage .
• RESUME
-Slide "cruise"swi!ch to "resume" and release . Vehicl .e will
accelerate or coast to previously set cruise speed.
• DISENGAGEMENT -The system is disengaged by applying the brakes.
Under normal qperation, it is not necessary to use the. "off " position.
Sliding the "cruise" switch to "off" will erase the memory and disengage
the system. Turning off the ignition does the same . System can also be
disengaged by hOlding in the "set" button until the vehicle speed drops
below about
30 mph (50 km/h).
To
PASS at a FASTER SPEED, depress the accelerator pedal to manually
o verride the Cruise
COntrol. REMEMBER that the vehicle will return to the pre­set speed after passing is cO"1'leted .
NOTICE: To help keep the vehicle under control, do not use the Cruise Control when it may not be advisable to keep the·· vehicle at a constant speed. It is PARTICULARLY NOT ADVISABLE TO USE THE' CRUfSE CONTROL AND ESPECIALLY ITS RESUME FEATURE ON SUPPERY ROADS
SUCH AS THOSE COVERED BY SNOW AND ICE. It is also not advisable to use the Cruise Control in conditions such as on windin g
roads. in heavy or varying traffiC volume ; or in traffic that. varies in speed . tt is also not advisable to use the Resume Feature when the previously set
speed is faster than the existing traffic flow.
2-12

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