2001 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO hood open

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.

5-10 If Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
CAUTION:
Steam from an overheated engine can burn you
badly, even if you just open the hood. Stay away
from the engine if you see or hear steam coming
from it. Just turn it off and get everyone away
from the vehicle until it cools down. Wait until
there is no sign of steam or coolant before you
open the hood.
If you keep driving when your engine is
overheated, the liquids in it can catch fire. You or
others could be badly burned. Stop your engine if
it overheats, and get out of the vehicle until the
engine is cool. See ªOverheated Engine
Protection Operating Modeº in the Index.

5-11
NOTICE:
If your engine catches fire because you keep
driving with no coolant, your vehicle can be
badly damaged. The costly repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. See ªOverheated
Engine Protection Operating Modeº in the Index.
If No Steam Is Coming From Your Engine
If you get an engine overheat warning but see or hear no
steam, the problem may not be too serious. Sometimes
the engine can get a little too hot when you:

Climb a long hill on a hot day.

Stop after high
-speed driving.

Idle for long periods in traffic.

Tow a trailer.If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. If your air conditioner is on, turn it off.
2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
3. If you're in a traffic jam, shift to NEUTRAL (N);
otherwise, shift to the highest gear while
driving
-- AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (
).
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, idle the engine for three
minutes while you're parked. If you still have the
warning, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the
vehicle until it cools down. Also, see ªOverheated
Engine Protection Operating Modeº listed previously in
this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.

6-4
Be sure the posted octane is at least 87. If the octane is
less than 87, you may get a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If it's bad enough, it can damage your engine.
If you're using fuel rated at 87 octane or higher and
you hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
But don't worry if you hear a little pinging noise when
you're accelerating or driving up a hill. That's normal,
and you don't have to buy a higher octane fuel to get
rid of pinging. It's the heavy, constant knock that
means you have a problem.
If your vehicle is certified to meet California Emission
Standards (indicated on the underhood emission control
label), it is designed to operate on fuels that meet
California specifications. If such fuels are not available
in states adopting California emissions standards, your
vehicle will operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting
federal specifications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction indicator
lamp on your instrument panel may turn on and/or your
vehicle may fail a smog
-check test. See ªMalfunction
Indicator Lampº in the Index. If this occurs, return to
your authorized Chevrolet dealer for diagnosis to
determine the cause of failure. In the event it is
determined that the cause of the condition is the type of
fuels used, repairs may not be covered by your warranty.Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane
-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask your service station operator whether or not
the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does not
recommend the use of such gasolines. If fuels containing
MMT are used, spark plug life may be reduced and your
emission control system performance may be affected.
The malfunction indicator lamp on your instrument
panel may turn on. If this occurs, return to your
authorized Chevrolet dealer for service.
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the United States
are now required to contain additives that will help
prevent deposits from forming in your engine and fuel
system, allowing your emission control system to
function properly. Therefore, you should not have to add
anything to the fuel. In addition, gasolines containing
oxygenates, such as ethers and ethanol, and
reformulated gasolines may be available in your area to
contribute to clean air. General Motors recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they comply with
the specifications described earlier.

6-9 Hood Release
To open the hood, first pull
the handle located inside the
vehicle near the parking
brake pedal.
Then go to the front of the vehicle and release the
secondary hood release. Lift the hood.

6-10 Engine Compartment Overview
When you open the hood on the 3400 V6 (Code E) engine, you'll see:
A. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
B. Underhood Fuse Block
C. Radiator Pressure CapD. Engine Coolant Reservoir
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
F. Engine Oil Fill Cap
G. Engine Oil DipstickH. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter

6-11
When you open the hood on the 3800 V6 (Code K) engine, you'll see:
A. Windshield Washer
Fluid Reservoir
B. Underhood Fuse Block
C. Radiator Pressure CapD. Engine Coolant Reservoir
E. Power Steering Fluid Reservoir
(low in engine compartment)
F. Engine Oil DipstickG. Engine Oil Fill Cap
H. Transaxle Fluid Dipstick
I. Brake Fluid Reservoir
J. Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
Before closing the hood, be sure all the filler caps are on properly. Then just pull the hood down and close it firmly.

6-38
To remove the headlamps do the following:
1. Open the hood.
2. Remove the air baffle.
3. Remove the two headlamp fasteners by pulling up
on them.
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 assembly.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 Steps 1 through 5 to reinstall the
headlamp assembly.
11. Close the hood. 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.