2004 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO engine coolant

Keys...............................................................2-2
Remote Keyless Entry System.........................2-3
Remote Keyless Entry System Operation...........2-4
Doors and Locks.............................................2-8
Door Locks....................................................2-8
Power Door Locks..........................................2-9
Programmable Automatic
Door Locks................................................2-9
Lockout Protection........................................2-10
Leaving Your Vehicle....................................2-10
Trunk..........................................................2-10
Windows........................................................2-13
Power Windows............................................2-14
Sun Visors...................................................2-14
Theft-Deterrent Systems..................................2-15
Content Theft-Deterrent.................................2-15
Passlock
®....................................................2-16
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle................2-17
New Vehicle Break-In....................................2-17
Ignition Positions..........................................2-17
Starting Your Engine.....................................2-18
Engine Coolant Heater..................................2-20
Automatic Transaxle Operation.......................2-21
Parking Brake..............................................2-25
Shifting Into Park (P).....................................2-26Shifting Out of Park (P).................................2-28
Parking Over Things That Burn.......................2-28
Engine Exhaust............................................2-29
Running Your Engine While You Are Parked. . . .2-30
Mirrors...........................................................2-31
Manual Rearview Mirror.................................2-31
Manual Rearview Mirror with OnStar
®..............2-31
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror................2-32
Automatic Dimming Rearview Mirror with
OnStar
®...................................................2-32
Outside Power Mirrors...................................2-33
Outside Convex Mirror...................................2-34
Outside Heated Mirrors..................................2-34
OnStar
®System.............................................2-34
HomeLink®Transmitter...................................2-36
Programming the HomeLink®Transmitter.........2-36
Storage Areas................................................2-40
Glove Box...................................................2-40
Center Console Storage Area.........................2-40
Rear Storage Area........................................2-40
Convenience Net..........................................2-40
Sunroof.........................................................2-41
Vehicle Personalization...................................2-42
Section 2 Features and Controls
2-1

Engine Coolant Heater
Your vehicle may be equipped with this feature. 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. At temperatures
above 32°F (0°C), use of the coolant heater is not
required.
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 diagonal
brace, which is located above the engine air
cleaner/lter 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 re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
2-20

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.Automatic Transaxle Operation
Your automatic transaxle has a shift lever located on
the console between the front seats.
2-21

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-3
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-5
Other Warning Devices...................................3-5
Horn.............................................................3-6
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-6
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-6
Cruise Control..............................................3-10
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-13
Interior Lamps..............................................3-15
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-18
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-19
Climate Controls............................................3-20
Dual Climate Control System..........................3-20
Passenger Compartment Air Filter...................3-26
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators.............3-27
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-28
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-31
Tachometer.................................................3-32
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-32
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-33
Voltmeter Gage............................................3-34
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-34
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-36Traction Control System (TCS) Warning Light . . .3-36
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-37
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-38
Oil Pressure Indicator Light............................3-40
Cruise Control Light......................................3-41
Fuel Gage...................................................3-42
Message Center.............................................3-43
Service Traction System Warning Message......3-43
Traction Active Message................................3-43
Battery Warning Message..............................3-44
Hot Coolant Temperature Warning Message.....3-44
Low Oil Pressure Message............................3-45
Low Engine Oil Level Message.......................3-45
Change Engine Oil Message..........................3-46
Low Tire Message........................................3-46
Door Ajar Warning Message...........................3-47
Trunk Ajar Warning Message.........................3-47
Security Message.........................................3-48
Low Washer Fluid Warning Message...............3-48
Low Fuel Warning Message...........................3-49
Low Brake Fluid Warning Message.................3-49
Service Vehicle Soon Message.......................3-50
Highbeam Out Warning Message....................3-50
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

Heating
Adjust the air temperature by using the following levers:
D (Driver):Slide this lever up or down to raise or
lower the temperature on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
P (Passenger):Slide this lever up or down to raise
or lower the temperature on the passenger’s side of the
vehicle.
To warm your vehicle on cold days, do the following:
1. Select the oor mode.
2. Select the warmest temperature.
3. Select the fan speed.
4. Select outside air mode, after the air has warmed,
to prevent it from becoming too stale.
When it’s cold outside 0°F (−18°C) or lower, use the
engine coolant heater, if equipped, to provide warmer air
faster to your vehicle. An engine coolant heater warms
the coolant that the engine uses to provide heat to
warm the inside of your vehicle. For more information,
seeEngine Coolant Heater on page 2-20.
Cooling
On hot days, open the windows to let hot air escape;
then close them. This helps to reduce the time it takes
for your vehicle to cool down. It also helps the system
to operate more efficiently.
#(Air Conditioning):Press this button to turn the
air-conditioning system on or off. When the system is on,
an indicator light will come on and the system will
begin to cool and dehumidify the air inside of your
vehicle. During daylight hours, you may have to adjust
the instrument panel brightness control to the highest
setting in order to see the indicator light. SeeInterior
Lamps on page 3-16for more information.
You may notice a slight change in engine performance
when the air-conditioning compressor shuts off and
turns on again. This is normal. The system is designed
to make adjustments to help with fuel economy while
still maintaining the selected temperature.
The Air Conditioning System removes moisture from
the air, so you may notice a small amount of water
dripping underneath your vehicle when idling or after
turning off the engine.
3-23

Engine Coolant Temperature GageThis 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 uctuate 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.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-34.
United States-3400
V6 Engine Cluster
United States-3800
V6 Engine Cluster
Canada-3400 V6 Engine
ClusterCanada-3800 V6 Engine
Cluster
3-38

Battery Warning Message
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.
Hot Coolant Temperature Warning
Message
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. SeeEngine Coolant on page 5-31,Engine Coolant
Temperature Gage on page 3-38andEngine
Overheating on page 5-34for further information.
United StatesCanada
3-45

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-3
Adding Equipment to the Outside of Your
Vehicle......................................................5-4
Fuel................................................................5-4
Gasoline Octane............................................5-4
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-5
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-6
Filling Your Tank............................................5-7
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.......................5-9
Checking Things Under
the Hood....................................................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-10
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-18
Supercharger Oil..........................................5-24
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-26
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-28
Engine Coolant.............................................5-31
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-34
Engine Overheating.......................................5-34
Cooling System............................................5-37Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-47
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-48
Brakes........................................................5-50
Battery........................................................5-53
Jump Starting...............................................5-54
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-60
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-60
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-60
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker,
and Parking Lamps....................................5-60
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Sidemarker Lamps.....................................5-62
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-63
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-63
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-64
Tires..............................................................5-65
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-72
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-73
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-75
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-76
Buying New Tires.........................................5-76
Uniform Tire Quality Grading..........................5-77
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance..................5-79
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1