1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO brakes

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A CAUTION:
Things you put inside your vehicle can strike
and injure people
in a sudden stop or turn, or in
a crash.
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0
e
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Put things in the trunk of your vehicle. In a
trunk, put them as far forward as you can.
Try to spread the weight evenly.
Never stack heavier things, like suitcases,
inside the vehicle
so that some of them are
above the tops of the seats.
Don’t leave an unsecured child restraint in
your vehicle.
When you carry something inside the
vehicle, secure
it whenever you can.
Don’t leave
a seat folded down unless you
need to.
Towing a Trailer
A CAUTION:
I
If you don’t use the correct equipment and drive
properly, you can lose control when you pull
a
trailer. For example, if the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may not work well
-- or even at all. You
and your passengers could be seriously injured.
Pull
a trailer only if you have followed all the
steps in this section. Ask your Chevrolet dealer
for advice and information about towing a trailer
with your vehicle.
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered
by
your warranty. To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Chevrolet
dealer for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Safety Chains
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle’s brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at all.
Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a
different turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check
with your Chevrolet dealer. The green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash whenever you signal a turn
or lane change. Properly hooked up, the trailer lamps
will also flash, telling other drivers you’re about to turn,
change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your
instrument panel will flash for turns even
if the bulbs on
the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers
behind you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs
are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you are towing a trailer, you may want to drive in
DRIVE
(D) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (0)
(or, as you need to, a lower gear),
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer
attached, on a hill. If something
goes wrong, your rig
could start to move. People can be injured, and both
your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged.
But if you ever have to park your
rig on a hill, here’s
how to do it:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t shift into
PARK
(P) yet.
Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking
brake, and then shift to PARK
(P).
Release the regular brakes.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a
Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
0 Start your engine;
0 Shift into a gear; and
Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you’re
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for more
on this. Things that are especially important in trailer
operation are automatic transaxle fluid (don’t overfill),
engine oil, belt, cooling system and brake adjustment.
Each
of these is covered in this manual, and the Index
will help
you find them quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s
a
good idea to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Check periodically
to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 0 Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your Chevrolet. This section begins with service and fuel
information, and then
it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information
about your vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6-2
6-3
6-4 6-5
6-7 6- 10
6-16
6- 17
6-20
, 6-24 6-25
6-27
6-30
6-3
1
6-3 1
6-37 6-37 6-45
Service
Fuel
Fuels in Foreign Countries
Filling Your Tank
Checking Things Under the Hood
Engine Oil
Air Cleaner
Automatic Transaxle Fluid
Engine Coolant
Power Steering Fluid
Windshield Washer Fluid
Brakes Battery
Bulb Replacement
Halogen Bulbs
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires
Appearance Care 6-46
6-50
6-50
6-50
6-50 6-5 1
6-52 6-52
6-5
2
6-5 3 6-5 3
6-53 6-54
6-55
6-55
6-56
6-65
Cleaning the Inside of Your Chevrolet
Care
of Safety Belts
Cleaning Glass Surfaces
Cleaning the Outside of
the Windshield and
Wiper Blades
Weatherstrips
Cleaning the Outside of Your Chevrolet
Cleaning Aluminum Wheels (If Equipped)
Cleaning Tires Sheet Metal Damage
Finish Damage
Underbody Maintenance
Chemical Paint Spotting
Appearance Care Materials Chart
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
Service Parts Identification Label
Electrical System
Air Conditioning Refrigerants
6-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is here. It is filled
with
DOT-3 brake fluid.
There are only two reasons why the brake fluid level in
the reservoir might go down. The first is that the brake
fluid goes down to an acceptable level during normal brake lining
wear. When new linings are put in,
the fluid
level goes back up. The other reason is that fluid is
leaking out of the brake system.
If it is, you should have
your brake system fixed, since a leak means that sooner
or later your brakes won’t work well, or won’t work
at all.
So, it isn’t a good idea to “top off’ your brake fluid.
Adding brake fluid won’t correct a leak. If you add fluid
when your linings are worn, then you’ll have too much
fluid when you get new brake linings. You should add
(or remove) brake fluid, as necessary, only when work is
done on the brake hydraulic system.
CAUTION:
If you have too much brake fluid, it can spill on
the engine. The fluid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
fluid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
6-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine BRAKE
When your brake fluid falls
to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on.
See “Brake System Warning
Light” in the Index.
What to Add
When you do need brake fluid, use only DOT-3 brake
fluid
-- such as Delco Supreme 11 @ (GM Part
No. 12377967). Use new brake fluid from a sealed
container only.
Always clean
the brake fluid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
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With the wrong kind of fluid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or they
may not even work at all. This could cause
a
crash. Always use the proper brake fluid.
NOTICE:
Using the wrong fluid can badly damage
brake system parts. For example, just
a few
drops of mineral-based oil, such
as engine
oil, in your brake system can damage brake
system parts
so badly that they’ll have to be
replaced. Don’t let someone put in the
wrong kind
of fluid.
If you spill brake fluid on your vehicle’s
painted surfaces, the paint finish can be
damaged. Be careful not to spill brake fluid
on your vehicle.
If you do, wash it off
immediately. See “Appearance Care” in
the Index.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Brake Wear
Your Chevrolet has front disc brakes and rear drum
brakes if it is equipped with the
3 100 engine. It has
four-wheel disc brakes if it is equipped with the
3.4L
DOHC engine.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make a
high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads are worn and new pads
are needed. The sound may come and go or
be heard all the time your vehicle is moving (except when
you
are pushing on the brake pedal firmly).
I
The brake wear warning sound means that soon
your brakes won’t work well. That could lead to an accident. When you hear the brake wear
warning sound, have your vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Continuing to drive with worn-out brake pads
could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are first applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly torque wheel nuts in the
proper sequence to GM specifications.
If
you have rear drum brakes, they don’t have wear
indicators, but if
you ever hear a rear brake rubbing
noise, have the rear brake linings inspected. Also, the
rear brake drums should be removed and inspected each
time the tires are removed for rotation or changing.
When you have the front brake pads replaced, have the
rear brakes inspected, too.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See “Brake System Inspection” in Section 7 of this manual
under
Part C “Periodic Maintenance Inspections”.