2000 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO light

2-69 Malfunction Indicator Lamp
(Check Engine Light)
United States Canada
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer which
monitors operation of the fuel, ignition and emission
control systems.This system is called OBD II (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. The CHECK ENGINE 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.

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NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust or fuel system of your vehicle or the
replacement of the original tires with other than
those of the same Tire Performance Criteria
(TPC) can affect your vehicle's emission controls
and may cause the CHECK ENGINE light to
come on. Modifications to these systems could
lead to costly repairs not covered by your
warranty. This may also result in a failure to pass
a required Emission Inspection/Maintenance test.
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 may be 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.
If the Light Is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage to
your vehicle:

Reducing vehicle speed.

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 ªIf the Light Is On Steadyº 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 ªIf the Light
Is On Steadyº following. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps, and drive the vehicle to your
dealer or qualified service center for service.

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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. See ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. 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.
Are you low on fuel?
As your engine starts to run out of fuel, your engine may
not run as efficiently as designed since small amounts of
air are sucked into the fuel line causing a misfire. The
system can detect this. Adding fuel should correct this
condition. Make sure to install the fuel cap properly. See
ªFilling Your Tankº in the Index. It will take a few
driving trips to turn the light off.Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel
(see ªFuelº 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.

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Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local governments have or may
begin programs to inspect the emission control equipment
on your vehicle. Failure to pass this inspection could
prevent you from getting a vehicle registration.
Here are some things you need to know in order to help
your vehicle pass an inspection:
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the
CHECK ENGINE light is on or not working properly.
Your vehicle will not pass this inspection if the OBD
(on
-board diagnostic) system determines that critical
emission control systems have not been completely
diagnosed by the system. The vehicle would be
considered not ready for inspection. This can happen
if you have recently replaced your battery or if your
battery has run down. The diagnostic system is designed
to evaluate critical emission control systems during
normal driving. This may take several days of routine
driving. If you have done this and your vehicle still
does not pass the inspection for lack of OBD system
readiness, see your dealer or qualified service center
to prepare the vehicle for inspection.
Oil Pressure Indicator/Low Oil
Pressure Light
The oil pressure
indicator tells you if
you have the correct
oil pressure in your
engine to operate
your vehicle.
3800 V6 Engine
Under normal conditions the indicator should read
slightly above the half way point between the low (L)
and high (H) settings.
If your oil pressure falls too low, the indicator will read
at the low (L) setting in the red zone. The LOW OIL
PRESSURE light will be illuminated in the message
center, also. If this occurs, you should have your vehicle
serviced immediately.

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This message is displayed
in the message center
when the engine oil
pressure is low. A chime
will sound continuously,
also. If this occurs, you
should have your vehicle
serviced immediately.
CAUTION:
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.
NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and is not covered by
your warranty.
Cruise Light (If Equipped)
The CRUISE light comes
on whenever you set your
cruise control. See ªCruise
Controlº in the Index.

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HOT COOLANT TEMP
This message is displayed
when the cooling system
temperature gets hot.
A chime will sound
continuously, also.
Check the coolant temperature gage and the coolant
level. See ªEngine Coolantº, ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº and ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index for further information.
LOW COOLANT LEVEL
This message is displayed
when the cooling system is
low on coolant. Four chimes
will also sound.
The engine may overheat. See ªEngine Coolantº in the
Index and have your vehicle serviced as soon as possible.LOW OIL PRESSURE
This message is displayed
when the engine oil pressure
is low. A chime will sound
continuously, also. See ªOil
Pressure Indicator/Low Oil
Pressure Lightº earlier in
this section.
LOW ENG OIL LEVEL
This message is displayed
for 60 seconds at the start of
each ignition cycle when the
engine oil level is low. Four
chimes will also sound.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index on how to check the oil
level and for what type of oil to add.

3-3
DEFOG: This setting sends half of the air to the
floor ducts and half to the defroster and side window
outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40
F (4
C). The air inlet
will also be automatically set to outside air. The
RECIRCULATION button will not be selectable in
this mode.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air
through the defroster and side window vents. Some of
the air also goes to the floor ducts. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this setting unless
the outside temperature is below 40
F (4
C).
The air inlet will also be automatically set to outside air.
The RECIRCULATION button will not be selectable in
this mode.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button to force the
system to use outside air. This button is usable in all of
the air delivery modes on the right knob. An indicator
on the button will light up when this button is selected.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit
the amount of fresh air entering your vehicle. This is
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. This button is usable in UPPER, LOWER and
BI
-LEVEL modes. An indicator on the button will light
up when this button is selected. The system will default
back to the outside air setting, so you will have to
reselect this setting every time you restart your vehicle.
Please note that while in the RECIRCULATION mode
the system may cause fogging of the windows when the
weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select either
the DEFOG or DEFROST mode and increase the fan
speed. To avoid refogging of the windows, use the
OUTSIDE AIR setting.
A/C: Press this button to turn the air conditioning
on and off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air
inside the vehicle when the A/C light and the fan are on.

3-5
DEFOG: This setting sends half of the air
to the floor ducts and half to the defroster and side
window outlets. The air conditioning compressor will
run automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40
F (4
C). The air inlet
will also be automatically set to outside air. The
RECIRCULATION button will not be selectable
in this mode.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air
through the defroster and side window vents. Some of
the air also goes to the floor ducts. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this setting unless
the outside temperature is below 40
F (4
C). The air
inlet will also be automatically set to outside air. The
RECIRCULATION button will not be selectable in
this mode.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button to force the
system to use outside air. This button is usable in all of
the air delivery modes on the right knob. An indicator
on the button will light up when this button is selected.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit
the amount of fresh air entering your vehicle. This is
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. This button is usable in UPPER, LOWER and
BI
-LEVEL modes. An indictor on the button will light
up when this button is selected. The system will default
back to the outside air setting, so you will have to
reselect this setting every time you restart your vehicle.
Please note that while in the RECIRCULATION mode
the system may cause fogging of the windows when the
weather is cold and damp. To clear the fog, select either
the DEFOG or DEFROST mode and increase the fan
speed. To avoid refogging of the windows, use the
OUTSIDE AIR setting.
A/C: Press this button to turn the air conditioning
on and off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air
inside the vehicle when the A/C light and fan are on.