Page 1 of 416

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-29
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-57
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-34
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-36
Storage Areas
.........................................2-40
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-42
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-21
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-28
Message Center
.......................................3-44Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-52
Trip Computer
.........................................3-54
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-55
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under
the Hood
.............................................5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-60
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-64
Tires
......................................................5-65
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identi cation
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Speci cations
...................5-110
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-12
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Owner ManualM
Page 7 of 416

Front Seats......................................................1-2
Manual Seats................................................1-2
Six-Way Power Seats.....................................1-3
Manual Lumbar..............................................1-3
Heated Seats.................................................1-4
Reclining Seatbacks........................................1-4
Head Restraints.............................................1-6
Seatback Latches...........................................1-6
Easy Entry Seat.............................................1-7
Rear Seats.......................................................1-8
Split Folding Rear Seat...................................1-8
Safety Belts...................................................1-10
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone................1-10
Questions and Answers About Safety Belts......1-15
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly.................1-15
Driver Position..............................................1-16
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy..................1-22
Right Front Passenger Position.......................1-23
Rear Seat Passengers..................................1-23
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults.......................................1-26
Safety Belt Extender.....................................1-28
Child Restraints.............................................1-29
Older Children..............................................1-29Infants and Young Children............................1-31
Child Restraint Systems.................................1-35
Where to Put the Restraint.............................1-38
Top Strap....................................................1-38
Top Strap Anchor Location.............................1-40
Lower Anchorages and Top Tethers
for Children (LATCH System)......................1-40
Securing a Child Restraint Designed for the
LATCH System (Rear)...............................1-42
Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Seat
Position...................................................1-43
Securing a Child Restraint in the Right Front
Seat Position............................................1-45
Air Bag Systems............................................1-48
Where Are the Air Bags?...............................1-51
When Should an Air Bag In ate?....................1-53
What Makes an Air Bag In ate?.....................1-54
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?.....................1-54
What Will You See After an Air Bag In ates? . . .1-55
Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle.........1-56
Restraint System Check..................................1-57
Checking Your Restraint Systems...................1-57
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash...................................................1-58
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
1-1
Page 11 of 416
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is
moving.
{CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle
is in motion can be dangerous. Even if you
buckle up, your safety belts can’t do their job
when you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash,
you could go into it, receiving neck or other
injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The
belt forces would be there, not at your pelvic
bones. This could cause serious internal
injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety belt
properly.
1-5
Page 14 of 416
Rear Seats
Split Folding Rear Seat
You can fold either side or both sides of the seatback
down for more cargo space. Make sure the front
seat isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback may not fold
down all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. If your vehicle is
equipped with this
feature, remove
the rear center
lap-shoulder belt latch
by using a pointed
object to press
the release button.2. Pull forward on the
seatback tab located
on the outboard side
of the back seat
cushion to fold the
seatback down.
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Page 15 of 416
This will allow you direct access to the trunk.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person
wearing the belt could be seriously injured.
After raising the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts are properly
routed and attached, and are not twisted.To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
1-9
Page 16 of 416

Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the release
button, and that both are facing the front of the
vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push and pull
on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
When the seat is not in use, the seatback should be
kept in the upright locked position.
Safety Belts
Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety
belts properly. It also tells you some things you should
not do with safety belts.
{CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t
wear a safety belt properly. If you are in a
crash and you’re not wearing a safety belt,
your injuries can be much worse. You can hit
things inside the vehicle or be ejected from it.
You can be seriously injured or killed. In the
same crash, you might not be, if you are
buckled up. Always fasten your safety belt,
and check that your passengers’ belts are
fastened properly too.
1-10
Page 17 of 416

{CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo
area, inside or outside of a vehicle. In a
collision, people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed. Do not
allow people to ride in any area of your vehicle
that is not equipped with seats and safety
belts. Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a safety belt properly.Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a
reminder to buckle up. See
Safety Belt Reminder
Light on page 3-32.
In most states and in all Canadian provinces, the law
says to wear safety belts. Here’s why:They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have a
crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up, a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles, the
facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter... a lot!
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Page 18 of 416
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat on
wheels.Put someone on it.
1-12