2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO engine

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Canada-3400 V6
Engine ClusterCanada-3800 V6
Engine Cluster
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During the majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210
F (100
C) or less.
If you are pulling a load or going up hills, it is normal
for the temperature to fluctuate and approach the 250
F
(122
C) mark. When the gage reads greater than 250
F
(122
C), the HOT COOLANT TEMP light will be
illuminated in the message center and a chime will
sound continuously. If the gage reaches the 260
F
(125
C) mark, it indicates that the cooling system is
working beyond its capacity.
See ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
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.

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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.
NOTICE:
Modifications made to the engine, transaxle,
exhaust, intake 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.

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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.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.

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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.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.

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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 ªLº
and highªHº settings.
If your oil pressure falls too low, the indicator will read
at the low 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.
United States Canada
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.

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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.
Fuel Gage
United States-3400 V6
Engine ClusterUnited States-3800 V6
Engine Cluster
Canada-3400 V6
Engine ClusterCanada-3800 V6
Engine Cluster

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Traction Active
United States Canada
This message will appear when the traction control
system is limiting wheel spin.
The message will stay on a few seconds after the
traction system stops limiting wheel spin.Battery Life Indicator
When the vehicle is started
this message will be
displayed for three seconds.
If the message is displayed when the engine is running,
you may have a problem with your charging system. If
there is a problem with the charging system, four chimes
will sound when the message comes on. The battery
display will also stay on while the key is in ON until the
engine is started.
If the message stays on after starting the engine it
could indicate a problem with the generator drive belt,
or some other charging system problem. Have it
checked right away. Driving with this message on
could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with this message
displayed, it helps to turn off all your accessories.

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Hot Coolant Temp
United States Canada
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 Coolant,º ªEngine Coolant
Temperature Gageº and ªEngine Overheatingº in
the Index for further information.Low Coolant LevelUnited States Canada
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.