1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Service Engine Soon Light)
SERVICE ENGINE
SOON
Your Chevrolet is equipped
with
a computer which
monitors operation of the
fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.
This system is called
OBD I1 (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) and is intended
to
assure that emissions are at acceptable levels for the life
of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment. (In Canada,
OBD I1 is replaced by
Enhanced Diagnostics.) The SERVICE ENGINE SOON
light comes on to indicate that there is a problem and
service is required. Malfunctions often will be indicated
by the system before any problem is apparent. This may
prevent more serious damage to your vehicle. This
system
is also designed to assist your service technician
in correctly diagnosing any malfunction.
NOTICE:
If you keep driving your vehicle with this light
on, after a while, your emission controls may not
~ work as well, your fuel economy may not be as
good and your engine may not run as smoothly.
This could lead to costly repairs that may not be
covered by your warranty.
This light should come on, as a check to show you it is
working, when the ignition is on and the engine
is not
running. If the light doesn’t come on, have it repaired.
This light will also come on during a malfunction
in one
of two ways:
Light Flashing -- A misfire condition has been
detected.
A misfire increases vehicle emissions and
may damage the emission control system on your
vehicle. Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis
and service is required.
Light On Steady -- An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Dealer or qualified service center diagnosis and
service may be required.
2-54

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:
0 Reducing vehicle speed.
0 Avoiding hard accelerations.
Avoiding steep uphill grades.
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible.
If the light stops flashing and remains on steady, see “If
the Light
Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to flash, when it is safe to do
so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the
engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the Light
Is On Steady” following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If
so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. The diagnostic system can determine if the fuel
cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the
atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn
the light off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If
so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
“Fuel” in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling when
you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitation on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If
you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one
full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn
off,
have your dealer or qualified service center check the
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems that may have developed.
Oil Warning Light
73
OIL
If you have a problem with
your oil, this light may stay
on after
you start your
engine, or come
on when
you are driving.
This indicates that oil is not going through your engine
quickly enough to keep it lubricated. The engine could
be low on oil or could have some other oil problem.
Have it fixed right away.
The
oil light could also come on in two other situations:
When the ignition is on but the engine is not running,
the light will come on as a test to show you
it is
working, but the light will go
out when you turn the
ignition to
START. If it doesn’t come on with the
ignition on, you may have a problem with the fuse or
bulb. Have it fixed right away.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If you make a hard stop, the light may come on for a
moment. This is normal. Low Oil Level Light
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become
so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
LOW
OIL
Your engine is equipped
with an oil level monitoring
system. When the ignition
key is turned on, the LOW
OIL light will briefly flash.
If the light does not flash,
have it fixed
so it will be
ready to warn you if there’s a problem.
If the light stays on, stop the vehicle on a level surface
and turn the engine off. Check the oil level using the
engine oil dipstick. (See “Engine Oil’’ in the Index.) If
the light does not flash, have the low oil level sensor
system repaired
so it will be ready to warn you if there’s
a problem.
The oil level monitoring system only checks the oil level
during the brief period between key
on and engine
crank. It does not monitor the engine oil level when the
engine is running. Additionally, an oil level check
is
only performed if the engine has been turned off for a
considerable period
of time, allowing the oil normally in
circulation to drain back into the oil pan.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Change Oil Soon Light
CHG OIL
SOON
The CHANGE OIL
SOON light should come
on as a bulb check when
you start the engine. If this
light stays on for about
20 seconds after you turn
on the ignition, have the
oil changed.
Security Light
SECURITY
This light will come on
when you
turn the key to
START and stay on until the
vehicle starts. It will also
come on and stay on
if your
key is too dirty or wet for
the PASS-Key
I1 system to
read the resistor pellet.
When to change your oil also depends on driving habits
and conditions because they directly affect engine speed,
coolant temperature and vehicle speed. Because of this,
the CHANGE
OIL SOON light may come on as early as
2,000 miles (3,200 km) or less for harsh conditions.
Remember, after changing your engine oil, the system
must be reset; with the ignition key in the RUN position,
but the engine
off, fully push and release the accelerator
pedal three times within five seconds. If the CHANGE
OIL SOON light flashes two times, the system is reset.
However
if the light comes on and stays on for five
seconds, it did not reset. You’ll need
to reset the
system again. If the resistor pellet is
damaged or missing, the light
will flash.
If you’re driving and the light comes on and remains on,
your PASS-Key I1 system is not working properly. Your
vehicle is not protected by PASS-Key
11, and you should
see your dealer.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Fuel Gage

E

Your fuel gage tells you
about
how much fuel you
have left when the ignition
is on. When the indicator
nears
EMPTY (E), you still
have a little fuel left, but
you should get more soon. Here
are some things owners ask about. All these
situations are normal and do not show a problem with
your fuel gage:
0
0
0
At the service station, the pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but
it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity
to
fill it.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine @% NOTES

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 3 Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
In this section, you'll find out how to operate the comfort control and audio systems offered with your Chevrolet. Be
sure to read about
the particular systems supplied with your vehicle.
3-2 3-4
3-4
3-5
3-5
3-5 3-6
3-6
3-6
3-7 Comfort Controls
Air
Conditioning
Heating
Ventilation System
Ventilation Tips
Defogging and Defrosting
Rear Window Defogger
Audio Systems
Setting the Clock for Systems with
Automatic Tone Control
AM-FM Stereo with Cassette
Tape Player and
Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped) 3-1
1
3- 15
3-17
3-18 3-18 3-19
3
-20
3-20 AM-FM
Stereo with Compact Disc Player and
Automatic Tone Control (If Equipped)
Theft-Deterrent Feature Audio Steering Wheel Controls
(If Equipped)
Understanding Radio Reception Tips About Your Audio System
Care
of Your Cassette Tape Player
Care of Your Compact Discs
Fixed Mast Antenna