2000 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO headlamp

4-17
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes
will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may cut
down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot
of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When
you are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed
headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring directly
into the approaching headlamps.Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren't even aware of it.

4-29
CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can't see it or smell it, so you might not
know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow
doesn't collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that's away from the wind. This will help
keep CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery charged. You will need a well
-charged battery
to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on
with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost
all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again
and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable
from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the
fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get
out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Your vehicle was not designed to be towed with all four
wheels on the ground. If your vehicle must be towed,
see ªTowing Your Vehicleº in the Index.
NOTICE:
Towing your vehicle with all four wheels on the
ground will damage drivetrain components.

6-35
Bulb Replacement
For the proper type of replacement bulb, see
ªReplacement Bulbsº in the Index. For any bulb
changing procedure not listed in this section, contact the
service department of your dealer.
Halogen Bulbs
CAUTION:
Halogen bulbs have pressurized gas inside and
can burst if you drop or scratch the bulb. You or
others could be injured. Be sure to read and
follow the instructions on the bulb package.
Headlamps
A. High-Beam Headlamp
B. Low
-Beam Headlamp
C. Park/Turn Signal Lamp
To remove the headlamps to change the bulb:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the air baffle.
3. Remove the two headlamp fasteners by pulling up
on them.

6-36
4. Gently pull the headlamp assembly away from the
vehicle and remove the electrical connector.
5. Remove the round dust caps to gain access to
the bulbs.
6. Turn the bulb counterclockwise and remove it from
the retaining ring by gently pulling it away from
the headlamp.
7. Remove the electrical connector from the bulb by
raising the lock tab and pulling the connector away
from the bulb's base.
8. Install the electrical connector to the new bulb.9. Install the new bulb by inserting the smallest tab
on the bulb base into the matching notch in the
retaining ring. Turn the bulb a quarter
-turn
clockwise until it stops.
10. Reverse all steps to reinstall the headlamp
assembly. Then, check the lamps.
Headlamp Aiming
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers
(for horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers flash their
high beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your
headlamps need to be re
-aimed, we recommend that you
take your vehicle to the dealer for service. However, it is
possible for you to re
-aim your headlamps by following
the procedure in the service manual for your vehicle.
NOTICE:
To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before
beginning. Failure to follow these instructions
could cause damage to headlamp parts.

6-37 Front Park and Turn Signal Lamp and
Sidemarker Lamp
A. High Beam Headlamp
B. Low Beam Headlamp
C. Park/Turn Signal Lamp
To remove the assembly:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the air baffle.
3. Remove both headlamp assembly attach clips by
pulling up on the clip.
4. Gently pull the headlamp assembly away from the
vehicle and remove any electrical connectors.
5. To remove a socket, press the tab, turn the socket
counterclockwise and pull it out of the assembly.
6. Remove the used bulb. Do not twist it.
7. Insert the new bulb into the socket.
8. Place the socket back into the assembly and tighten
it by turning the socket clockwise.
9. Reverse the order of Steps 1 through 4 to reinstall
the assembly.
10. Close the hood.

6-50 Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance
The wheels on your vehicle were aligned and balanced
carefully at the factory to give you the longest tire life
and best overall performance.
Scheduled wheel alignment and wheel balancing are not
needed. However, if you notice unusual tire wear or
your vehicle pulling one way or the other, the alignment
may need to be reset. If you notice your vehicle
vibrating when driving on a smooth road, your wheels
may need to be rebalanced.
Wheel Replacement
Replace any wheel that is bent, cracked, or badly rusted
or corroded. If wheel nuts keep coming loose, the wheel,
wheel bolts and wheel nuts should be replaced. If the
wheel leaks air, replace it (except some aluminum
wheels, which can sometimes be repaired).
See your dealer if any of these conditions exist.
Your dealer will know the kind of wheel you need.
Each new wheel should have the same load
-carrying
capacity, diameter, width, offset and be mounted the
same way as the one it replaces.
If you need to replace any of your wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts, replace them only with new GM original
equipment parts. This way, you will be sure to have the
right wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts for your vehicle.
CAUTION:
Using the wrong replacement wheels, wheel bolts
or wheel nuts on your vehicle can be dangerous.
It could affect the braking and handling of your
vehicle, make your tires lose air and make you
lose control. You could have a collision in which
you or others could be injured. Always use the
correct wheel, wheel bolts and wheel nuts
for replacement.
NOTICE:
The wrong wheel can also cause problems with
bearing life, brake cooling, speedometer or
odometer calibration, headlamp aim, bumper
height, vehicle ground clearance and tire or tire
chain clearance to the body and chassis.
See ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index for
more information.

6-61
Electrical System
Add-On Electrical Equipment
NOTICE:
Don't add anything electrical to your vehicle
unless you check with your dealer first. Some
electrical equipment can damage your vehicle
and the damage wouldn't be covered by your
warranty. Some add
-on electrical equipment
can keep other components from working as
they should.
Your vehicle has an air bag system. Before attempting to
add anything electrical to your vehicle, see ªServicing
Your Air Bag
-Equipped Vehicleº in the Index.
Headlamp Wiring
The headlamp circuit is protected by individual fuses in
the underhood electrical center. An electrical overload
will cause the fuse to blow. If this happens, have your
headlamp system checked right away.
Windshield Wipers
The windshield wiper motor is protected by a circuit
breaker and a fuse. If the motor overheats due to heavy
snow, etc., the wiper will stop until the motor cools.
If the overload is caused by some electrical problem,
have it fixed.
Power Windows and Other Power Options
A circuit breaker in the driver's side fuse panel protect
the power windows and other power accessories.
When the current load is too heavy, the circuit breaker
opens and closes, protecting the circuit until the
problem is fixed.
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
The wiring circuits in your vehicle are protected from
short circuits by a combination of fuses, circuit breakers
and fusible thermal links in the wiring itself. This
greatly reduces the chance of fires caused by
electrical problems.
Look at the silver
-colored band inside the fuse. If the
band is broken or melted, replace the fuse. Be sure you
replace a bad fuse with a new one of the identical size
and rating.

6-62
Driver's Side Instrument Panel Fuse Block
Some fuses are in a fuse
block on the driver's side
of the instrument panel.
Pull off the cover labeled
FUSES to expose the fuses.
Circuit Relay Description
RETAINED
ACCESSORY
PWR RELAYRetained Accessory Power Relay
HEADLAMP
RELAYHeadlamp Relay