2002 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO tire pressure

5-35
Compact Spare Tire
Although the compact spare tire was fully inflated
when your vehicle was new, it can lose air after a time.
Check the inflation pressure regularly. It should be
60 psi (420 kPa).
After installing the compact spare on your vehicle,
you should stop as soon as possible and make sure
your spare tire is correctly inflated. The compact spare
is made to perform well at speeds up to 65 mph
(105 km/h) for distances up to 3,000 miles (5 000 km),
so you can finish your trip and have your full
-size tire
repaired or replaced where you want. You must calibrate
the tire inflation monitor system after installing or
removing the compact spare. See ªTire Inflation
Monitorº in the Index. The system may not work
correctly when the compact spare is installed on the
vehicle. Of course, it's best to replace your spare with a
full
-size tire as soon as you can. Your spare will last
longer and be in good shape in case you need it again.
NOTICE:
When the compact spare is installed, don't take
your vehicle through an automatic car wash with
guide rails. The compact spare can get caught on
the rails. That can damage the tire and wheel,
and maybe other parts of your vehicle.
Don't use your compact spare on other vehicles.
And don't mix your compact spare tire or wheel with
other wheels or tires. They won't fit. Keep your spare
tire and its wheel together.
NOTICE:
Tire chains won't fit your compact spare.
Using them can damage your vehicle and can
damage the chains too. Don't use tire chains on
your compact spare.

6-
6-1
Section 6 Service and Appearance Care
Here you will find information about the care of your vehicle. This section begins with service and fuel information,
and then it shows how to check important fluid and lubricant levels. There is also technical information about your
vehicle, and a part devoted to its appearance care.
6
-2 Service
6
-3 Fuel
6
-5 Fuels in Foreign Countries
6
-5 Filling Your Tank
6
-8 Filling a Portable Fuel Container
6
-8 Checking Things Under the Hood
6
-12 Engine Oil
6
-19 Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
6
-21 Passenger Compartment Air Filter
(If Equipped)
6
-22 Automatic Transaxle Fluid
6
-26 Engine Coolant
6
-30 Radiator Pressure Cap
6
-30 Power Steering Fluid
6
-31 Windshield Washer Fluid
6
-33 Brakes6
-36 Battery
6
-37 Bulb Replacement
6
-41 Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
6
-42 Tires
6
-52 Appearance Care
6
-53 Cleaning the Inside of Your Vehicle
6
-55 Care of Safety Belts
6
-56 Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle
6
-59 Finish Damage
6
-60 GM Vehicle Care/Appearance Materials
6
-61 Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
6
-61 Service Parts Identification Label
6
-62 Electrical System
6
-70 Replacement Bulbs
6
-70 Capacities and Specifications
6
-71 Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts

6-42
Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your Chevrolet Warranty booklet for details.
CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.

Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much friction.
You could have an air
-out and a serious
accident. See ªLoading Your Vehicleº in
the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

Underinflated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.

Overinflated tires are more likely to be
cut, punctured or broken by a sudden
impact
-- such as when you hit a pothole.
Keep tires at the recommended pressure.

Worn, old tires can cause accidents.
If your tread is badly worn, or if your
tires have been damaged, replace them.

6-43 Inflation -- Tire Pressure
The Tire-Loading Information label, which is on the
inside of the trunk lid, shows the correct inflation
pressures for your tires when they're cold. ªColdº
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least three
hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
NOTICE:
Don't let anyone tell you that underinflation or
overinflation is all right. It's not. If your tires
don't have enough air (underinflation), you can
get the following:

Too much flexing

Too much heat

Tire overloading

Bad wear

Bad handling

Bad fuel economy
NOTICE: (Continued)
NOTICE: (Continued)
If your tires have too much air (overinflation),
you can get the following:

Unusual wear

Bad handling

Rough ride

Needless damage from road hazards
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more.
Don't forget your compact spare tire. It should be at
60 psi (420 kPa).
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket
-type gage to check tire
pressure. You can't tell if your tires are properly inflated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look
properly inflated even when they're underinflated.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve
stems. They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt
and moisture.

6-44 Tire Inflation Monitor System
The tire inflation monitor system can alert you to a large
change in the pressure of one tire. The system ªlearnsº
the pressure at each tire throughout the operating speed
range of your vehicle. The system normally takes
between 45 and 90 minutes of driving to learn the tire
pressures. This time may be longer depending on
your individual driving habits. Learning need not be
accumulated during a single trip. Once learned, the
system will remember the tire pressures until the
system is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with properly
inflated tires, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message
will come on if the pressure in one tire becomes
12 psi (83 kPa) lower than the other three tires.
The tire inflation monitor system won't alert you if
the pressure in more than one tire is low, if the system
is not properly calibrated, or if the vehicle is moving
faster than 70 mph (110 km/h).The tire inflation monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes in
tire pressure. The system can alert you about a low
tire
-- but it doesn't replace normal tire maintenance.
See ªTiresº in the Index.
When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message comes on,
you should stop as soon as you can and check all your
tires for damage. (If a tire is flat, see ªIf a Tire Goes
Flatº in the Index.) Also check the tire pressure in all
four tires as soon as you can. See ªInflation
- Tire
Pressureº in the Index.
The LOW TIRE PRESSURE message will also be
displayed (while the ignition is on) until you reset
(calibrate) the system.
Don't reset the tire inflation monitor system without
first correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect, the
system will not work properly and may not alert you
when a tire is low.

6-45
Any time you adjust a tire's pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you'll
need to reset (calibrate) the tire inflation monitor
system. You'll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle's battery
has been disconnected.
To reset (calibrate) the system: The tire inflation
monitor system can be reset by turning the exterior lamp
control from OFF to parking lamps three times while the
ignition is in ON. It can also be reset through the radio
using the following steps:
1. Turn the ignition to ACC or ON and turn the
radio off.
2. Press and hold the TUNE DISP button on the
radio for at least five seconds until SETTINGS
is displayed.
3. Press the SEEK PSCAN up or down arrow to scroll
through the main menu.
4. Scroll until TIRE MON appears on the display.
5. Press the 1 PREV or 2 NEXT button to enter the
submenu. RESET will be displayed.6. Press the TUNE DISP button to reset. A chime will
be heard to verify the new setting and DONE will be
displayed for one second.
7. Once the monitor has been reset, scroll until EXIT
appears on the display.
8. Press the TUNE DISP button to exit programming.
A chime will be heard to verify exit.
The system completes the calibration process
during driving.
The system normally takes 15 to 20 minutes of driving
in each of three speed ranges to ªlearnº tire pressures.
The speed ranges are 15 to 40 mph (25 to 65 km/h),
40 to 65 mph (65 to 105 km/h) and above 65 mph
(105 km/h). When learning is complete, the system
will alert you after two to eight minutes if a tire is 12 psi
(83 kPa) different from the other three tires. Detection
thresholds may be higher and detection times may be
longer on rough roads, curves and at high speeds.
The system is not capable of detection at speeds
greater than 70 mph (110 km/h).

6-46 Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles
(10 000 to 13 000 km). Any time you notice unusual
wear, rotate your tires as soon as possible and check
wheel alignment. Also check for damaged tires or
wheels. See ªWhen It's Time for New Tiresº and
ªWheel Replacementº later in this section for
more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The first
rotation is the most important. See ªScheduled
Maintenance Servicesº in the Index for scheduled
rotation intervals.
When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.Don't include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear inflation pressures as shown on the Tire
-Loading
Information label. Reset the tire inflation monitor. See
ªResetting the Tire Inflation Monitorº in the Index.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See ªWheel Nut Torqueº in the Index.
CAUTION:
Rust or dirt on a wheel, or on the parts to which
it is fastened, can make wheel nuts become loose
after a time. The wheel could come off and cause
an accident. When you change a wheel, remove
any rust or dirt from places where the wheel
attaches to the vehicle. In an emergency, you can
use a cloth or a paper towel to do this; but be
sure to use a scraper or wire brush later, if you
need to, to get all the rust or dirt off. See
ªChanging a Flat Tireº in the Index.

7-15
Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services which
should be performed at the intervals specified to help
ensure the safety, dependability and emission control
performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any fluids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones,
as shown in Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant
to perform these underhood checks at each fuel fill.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil
if necessary. See ªEngine Oilº in the Index for
further details.Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX
-COOL

coolant mixture if necessary. See ªEngine Coolantº
in the Index for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer fluid level in the
windshield washer tank and add the proper fluid if
necessary. See ªWindshield Washer Fluidº in the
Index for further details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire Inflation Check
Make sure tires are inflated to the correct pressures.
Don't forget to check your spare tire. See ªTiresº
in the Index for further details.
Cassette Deck Service
Clean cassette deck. Cleaning should be done every
50 hours of tape play. See ªAudio Systemsº in the
Index for further details.