1997 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO tow

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 Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making ”urns
ITICE:
r
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer
to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider
turns than normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike
soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees or other
objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal
well in advance.

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 Section 5 Problems on the Road
Here you’ll find what to do about some problems that can occur on the road.
5-2
5-3
5-8
5-13
5- 15
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
Cooling System 5-24
5-24
5-35
5-36
If a Tire Goes Flat
Changing a Flat Tire
Compact Spare Tire
If You’re Stuck: In Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing Your Vehicle
Try to have a Chevrolet dealer or a professional towing
service tow your vehicle.
If your vehicle has been changed or modified since it
was factory-new by adding aftermarket
items like fog
lamps, aero skirting or special tires and wheels, these
instructions and illustrations may not be correct.
Before you do anything, turn on the hazard
warning flashers.
When you call, tell the towing service:
That your vehicle cannot be towed from the front or
rear with sling-type equipment.
That your vehicle has front-wheel drive.
@ The make, model and year of your vehicle.
Whether you can still move the shift lever.
If there was an accident, what was damaged.
When the towing service arrives, let the tow operator
know that this manual contains detailed towing
instructions and illustrations. The operator may want to
see them.
1 A CAUTIOIl:
To help avoid injury to you or others:
Never let passengers ride in a vehicle that is
Never tow faster than safe or posted speeds.
Never tow with damaged parts not
fully secured.
Never get under your vehicle after it has
been lifted
by the tow truck.
0 Always secure the vehicle on each side with
separate safety chains when towing it.
Never use J-hooks. Use T-hooks instead. being towed.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine CAUTION:
A vehicle can fall from a car carrier if it isn’t
adequately secured. This can cause
a collision,
serious personal injury and vehicle damage. The
vehicle should be tightly secured with chains or
steel cables before it is transported.
Don’t use substitutes (ropes, leather straps,
canvas webbing, etc.) that can be cut by sharp
edges underneath the towed vehicle. Always use
T-hooks inserted in the T-hook
slots. Never use
J-hooks. They
will damage drivetrain and
suspension components.
When your vehicle is being towed, have the ignition
turned to the
OFF position. The steering wheel should
be clamped in a straight-ahead position, with a clamping
device designed for towing service.
Do not use the
vehicle’s steering column lock for this. The transaxle
should be in NEUTRAL (N) and the parking
brake released.
Don’t have your vehicle towed on the dnve wheels,
unless you must.
If the vehicle must be towed on the
drive wheels, be sure to follow the speed and distance
restrictions later in this section or your transaxle will be
damaged.
If these limitations must be exceeded, then the
drive wheels have to be supported on a dolly.
5-9

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Front Towing
NOTICE:
Do not tow with sling-type equipment or
fascidfog lamp damage will occur. Use wheel-lift
or car-carrier equipment. Additional ramping
may be required for carcarrier equipment. Use
safety chains and wheel straps. Use the T-slots for
car-carrier securing.
Towing
a vehicle over rough surfaces could
damage
a vehicle. Damage can occur from vehicle
to ground or vehicle to wheel-lift equipment.
To
help avoid damage, raise the vehicle until
adequate clearance
is obtained between the
ground and/or wheel-lift equipment.
Do not attach winch cables or J-hooks to
suspension components when using car-carrier
equipment. Always use T-hooks inserted in the
T-hook slots.
5-10