2006 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO Owners Manual

A Tire and Loading Information label is attached to the
vehicle’s center pillar (B-pillar), below the driver’s
door latch. This label shows your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressures for
your tires when they are cold. The recommended
cold tire ination pressure, shown on the label, is the
minimum amount of air pressure needed to support your
vehicle’s maximum load carrying capacity.
For additional information regarding how much weight
your vehicle can carry, and an example of the tire
and loading information label, seeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-29. How you load your vehicle affects
vehicle handling and ride comfort, never load your
vehicle with more weight than it was designed to carry.
When to Check
Check your tires once a month or more. Do not forget to
check the compact spare tire, it should be at 60 psi
(420 kPa). For additional information regarding the
compact spare tire, seeCompact Spare Tire on
page 5-85.
How to Check
Use a good quality pocket-type gage to check tire
pressure. You cannot tell if your tires are properly inated
simply by looking at them. Radial tires may look properly
inated even when they are under-inated. Check the
tire’s ination pressure when the tires are cold. Cold
means your vehicle has been sitting for at least
three hours or driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Remove the valve cap from the tire valve stem. Press
the tire gage rmly onto the valve to get a pressure
measurement. If the cold tire ination pressure matches
the recommended pressure on the Tire and Loading
Information label, no further adjustment is necessary.
If the ination pressure is low, add air until you reach the
recommended amount.
If you overll the tire, release air by pushing on the
metal stem in the center of the tire valve. Re-check the
tire pressure with the tire gage.
Be sure to put the valve caps back on the valve stems.
They help prevent leaks by keeping out dirt and
moisture.
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Tire Pressure Monitor System
Your vehicle may have a Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS). This system uses radio and sensor technology
to check tire pressure levels. If your vehicle has this
feature, sensors are mounted onto each tire and wheel
assembly, except for the spare tire. The TPMS
sensors monitor the air pressure in your vehicle’s tires
and transmit tire pressure readings to a receiver located
in the vehicle.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be
checked monthly when cold and inated to the ination
pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer
on the vehicle placard or tire ination pressure label.
(If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the
size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire ination
pressure label, you should determine the proper ination
pressure for those tires.)As an added safety feature,
your vehicle has been
equipped with a tire
pressure monitoring system
(TPMS) that illuminates a
low tire pressure telltale
when one or more of your
tires is signicantly
under-inated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as
soon as possible, and inate them to the proper
pressure. Driving on a signicantly under-inated tire
causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-ination also reduces fuel efficiency and tire
tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling
and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper
tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to
maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-ination has
not reached the level to trigger illumination of the
TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
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When a low tire pressure condition is detected, the
TPMS will illuminate the low tire pressure warning
symbol on the instrument panel cluster, and at the same
time a message to check the pressure in a specic
tire will appear on the Driver Information Center (DIC)
display. The low tire pressure warning symbol on
the instrument panel cluster and the check tire pressure
message will appear at each ignition cycle until the
tires are inated to the correct ination pressure. Using
the DIC, tire pressure levels can be viewed by the
driver. For additional information and details about the
DIC operation and displays seeDIC Operation and
Displays on page 3-40andDIC Warnings and Messages
on page 3-46.
The tire pressure warning light may come on in cool
weather when the vehicle is rst started, and then
turn off as you start to drive. This may be an early
indicator that the air pressure in the tire(s) are getting
low and need to be inated to the proper pressure.
A tire and Loading Information label, attached to your
vehicle, shows the size of your vehicle’s original
equipment tires and the correct ination pressure for
your vehicle’s tires when they are cold. SeeLoading
Your Vehicle on page 4-29, for an example of the
tire information label and its location on your vehicle.
Also seeInation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60.Your vehicle’s TPMS system can warn you about a low
tire pressure condition but it does not replace normal
tire maintenance. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation
on page 5-66andTires on page 5-54.
Notice:Do not use a tire sealant if your vehicle
has Tire Pressure Monitors. The liquid sealant can
damage the tire pressure monitor sensors.
The TPMS will not function properly if one or more of
the TPMS sensors are missing or inoperable. If the
system detects a missing or inoperable sensor, an error
message SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM will be
shown on the DIC display. If you have replaced a
tire/wheel assembly without transferring the TPMS
sensors, the error message will be displayed. Once
you re-install the TPMS sensors, the error message
should go off. See your GM dealer for service if
all TPMS sensors are installed and the error message
comes on and stays on.
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TPMS Sensor Identication Codes
Each TPMS sensor has a unique identication code.
Any time you replace one or more of the TPMS sensors
or rotate the vehicle’s tires, the identication codes
will need to be matched to the new tire/wheel position.
The sensors are matched, to the tire/wheel positions,
in the following order: driver’s side front tire, passenger’s
side front tire, passenger’s side rear tire, and driver’s
side rear tire using a TPMS diagnostic tool. See
your GM dealer for service.
The TPMS sensors may also be matched to each
tire/wheel position by increasing or decreasing the tire’s
air pressure. When increasing the tire’s pressure, do
not exceed the maximum ination pressure indicated on
the tire’s sidewall.
You will have two minutes to match each tire and wheel
position. If it takes longer than two minutes to match
any tire and wheel position, the matching process stops
and you will need to start over.The TPMS matching process is outlined below:
1. Set the parking brake.
2. Turn the ignition switch to RUN with the engine off.
3. Using the DIC, press the vehicle information
button until the LEARN TIRE POSITIONS message
displays.
4. Press the set/reset button to allow the system to
learn the tire positions. The horn will sound twice
to indicate the receiver is ready, and the TIRE
LEARNING ACTIVE message will display. The
TPMS system is ready for the sensor matching
process to begin.
5. Start with the driver’s side front tire.
6. Remove the valve cap from the tire’s valve stem.
Activate the TPMS sensor by increasing or
decreasing the tire’s air pressure for ve seconds,
or until a horn chirp sounds. The horn chirp, which
may take up to 30 seconds to sound, conrms that
the sensor identication code has been matched
to the tire/wheel position. To decrease the tire’s
air-pressure use the pointed end of the valve cap,
a pencil-style air pressure gage, or a key.
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7. Proceed to the passenger’s side front tire, and
repeat the procedure in Step 6.
8. Proceed to the passenger’s side rear tire, and
repeat the procedure in Step 6.
9. Proceed to the driver’s side rear tire, and repeat
the procedure in Step 6.
10. After hearing the conrming horn chirp for the
driver’s side rear tire, the tire learning process
ends. Turn the ignition switch to OFF.
11. Set all four tires to the recommended air pressure
level as indicated on the tire and loading information
label.
12. Put the valve caps back on the valve stems.Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) and Industry and Science
Canada
The Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) operates
on a radio frequency and complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules and with RSS-210 of Industry and
Science Canada. Operation is subject to the following
two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference.
2. This device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Changes or modications to this system by other than
an authorized service facility could void authorization to
use this equipment.
5-65

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 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. SeeWhen It Is Time
for New Tires on page 5-67andWheel Replacement
on page 5-71for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4for scheduled rotation intervals.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Do not include the compact spare tire in your tire
rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label. SeeInation - Tire Pressure
on page 5-60andLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-29.
Reset the Tire Pressure Monitor System. See “TPMS
Sensor Identication Codes” underTire Pressure
Monitor System on page 5-62.
Make certain that all wheel nuts are properly tightened.
See “Wheel Nut Torque” underCapacities and
Specications on page 5-100.
5-66

{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 needed, to get all
the rust or dirt off. SeeChanging a Flat Tire on
page 5-74.
When It Is Time for New Tires
One way to tell when it is
time for new tires is to
check the treadwear
indicators, which will
appear when your tires
have only 1/16 inch
(1.6 mm) or less of tread
remaining.
You need a new tire if any of the following statements
are true:
You can see the indicators at three or more places
around the tire.
You can see cord or fabric showing through the
tire’s rubber.
The tread or sidewall is cracked, cut, or snagged
deep enough to show cord or fabric.
The tire has a bump, bulge, or split.
The tire has a puncture, cut, or other damage that
cannot be repaired well because of the size or
location of the damage.
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Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for your
vehicle. The original equipment tires installed on
your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria Specication
(TPC Spec) system rating. If you need replacement
tires, GM strongly recommends that you get tires with
the same TPC Spec rating. This way, your vehicle
will continue to have tires that are designed to give the
same performance and vehicle safety, during normal
use, as the original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over a
dozen critical specications that impact the overall
performance of your vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling, traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring performance. GM’s TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire’s sidewall by the
tire manufacturer. If the tires have an all-season tread
design, the TPC Spec number will be followed by an
MS for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 5-55for additional information.{CAUTION:
Mixing tires could cause you to lose control
while driving. If you mix tires of different sizes,
brands, or types (radial and bias-belted tires),
the vehicle may not handle properly, and you
could have a crash. Using tires of different
sizes, brands, or types may also cause damage
to your vehicle. Be sure to use the correct size,
brand, and type of tires on all wheels. It is
all right to drive with your compact spare
temporarily, as it was developed for use on your
vehicle. SeeCompact Spare Tire on page 5-85.
{CAUTION:
If you use bias-ply tires on your vehicle, the
wheel rim anges could develop cracks after
many miles of driving. A tire and/or wheel
could fail suddenly, causing a crash. Use only
radial-ply tires with the wheels on your vehicle.
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