2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO coolant temperature

2-33
Engine Coolant Heater (Option)
In very cold weather, 0
F (-18
C) or colder, the engine
coolant heater can help. You'll get easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine warm
-up. Usually,
the coolant heater should be plugged in a minimum of
four hours prior to starting your vehicle.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is attached to the underside of the vehicle's
diagonal brace, which is located above the engine air
cleaner/filter assembly.3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110
-volt AC outlet.
CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could overheat and cause
a fire. You could be seriously injured. Plug the
cord into a properly grounded three
-prong
11 0
-volt AC outlet. If the cord won't reach, use a
heavy
-duty three-prong extension cord rated for
at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug
and store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you don't, it could
be damaged.
How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead of
trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you'll be parking your
vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice for that
particular area.

2-81
Traction Control System Warning Light
The traction control
system warning light
may come on for the
following reasons:

If you turn the system off by pressing the TRAC
OFF button located on the center console, a chime
will sound and the warning light will come on and
stay on. To turn the system back on, press the
button again. The warning light should go off.
See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index for
more information.
If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.
If the traction control system warning light comes on
and stays on for an extended period of time when the
system is turned on, your vehicle needs service.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
United States-3400 V6
Engine ClusterUnited States-3800 V6
Engine Cluster

2-82
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.

2-90
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.

5-9
Towing Your Vehicle
Consult your dealer or a professional towing service if
you need to have your vehicle towed. See ªRoadside
Assistanceº and ªRecreational Vehicle Towingº in
the Index.
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel
cluster. See ªEngine Coolant Temperature Gageº and
ªHot Coolant Temperature Messageº in the Index.
You also have a low coolant message on your instrument
panel cluster. See ªLow Coolant Level Messageº in
the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation.
Should an overheated engine condition exist, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The low coolant light may come on and
the temperature gage will indicate an overheat condition
exists. Towing a trailer in the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the oil.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.

6-26
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL
coolant will:

Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).

Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).

Protect against rust and corrosion.

Help keep the proper engine temperature.

Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.
NOTICE:
When adding coolant, it is important that you
use only DEX
-COOL (silicate-free) coolant.
If coolant other than DEX-COOL is added to
the system, premature engine, heater core or
radiator corrosion may result. In addition, the
engine coolant will require change sooner
-- at
30,000 miles (50 000 km) or 24 months,
whichever occurs first. Damage caused by the
use of coolant other than DEX
-COOL is not
covered by your new vehicle warranty.
What to Use
Use a mixture of one-half clean, drinkable water and
one
-half DEX-COOL coolant which won't damage
aluminum parts. If you use this coolant mixture, you
don't need to add anything else.
CAUTION:
Adding only plain water to your cooling system
can be dangerous. Plain water, or some other
liquid like alcohol, can boil before the proper
coolant mixture will. Your vehicle's coolant
warning system is set for the proper coolant
mixture. With plain water or the wrong mixture,
your engine could get too hot but you wouldn't
get the overheat warning. Your engine could
catch fire and you or others could be burned.
Use a 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water
and DEX
-COOL coolant.

Scheduled Maintenance
7-14
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)

Inspect spark plug wires.
An Emission Control Service.

Replace spark plugs.
An Emission Control Service.

Change automatic transaxle fluid and filter if the vehicle is mainly driven
under one or more of these conditions:
± In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature regularly reaches
90
F (32
C) or higher.
± In hilly or mountainous terrain.
± When doing frequent trailer towing.
± Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery service.
If you haven't used your vehicle under severe service conditions listed
previously and, therefore, haven't changed your automatic transaxle fluid,
change both the fluid and filter.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
Drain, flush and refill cooling system (or every 60 months since last service,
whichever occurs first). See ªEngine Coolantº in the Index for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure cap and neck. Pressure test
the cooling system and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
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