2007 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO ESP

Entering the Feature Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place the vehicle in
PARK (P).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery, it is
recommended that the headlamps are
turned off.
2. Press the customization button to enter the
feature settings menu.
If the menu is not available, FEATURE
SETTINGS AVAILABLE IN PARK will display.
Before entering the menu, make sure the
vehicle is in PARK (P).
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following are customization features that allow
you to program settings to the vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a language other
than English has been set. This feature allows you
to change the language in which the DIC
messages appear to English.
Press the customization button until the PRESS
V
TO DISPLAY IN ENGLISH screen appears on
the DIC display. Press the set/reset button
to display all DIC messages in English.
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select the language in
which the DIC messages will appear.
Press the customization button until the DISPLAY
LANGUAGE screen appears on the DIC display.
Press the set/reset button to access the settings
for this feature. Then press the customization
button to scroll through the following choices:
ENGLISH (default):All messages will appear
in English.
FRANCAIS (French):All messages will appear
in French.
ESPANOL (Spanish):All messages will appear
in Spanish.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this
feature. The current setting will remain.
Select one of the available choices and press the
set/reset button while it is displayed on the
DIC to select it.
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Radio Reception
You may experience frequency interference and
static during normal radio reception if items
such as cellphone chargers, vehicle convenience
accessories, and external electronic devices
are plugged into the accessory power outlet.
If there is interference or static, unplug the item
from the accessory power outlet.
AM
The range for most AM stations is greater than for
FM, especially at night. The longer range can
cause station frequencies to interfere with each
other. For better radio reception, most AM
radio stations will boost the power levels during
the day, and then reduce these levels during
the night. Static can also occur when things like
storms and power lines interfere with radio
reception. When this happens, try reducing the
treble on your radio.
FM Stereo
FM stereo will give the best sound, but FM signals
will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km).
Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM
signals, causing the sound to fade in and out.
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ Satellite Radio Service gives digital radio
reception from coast-to-coast in the 48 contiguous
United States, and in Canada. Just as with FM, tall
buildings or hills can interfere with satellite radio
signals, causing the sound to fade in and out. In
addition, traveling or standing under heavy foliage,
bridges, garages, or tunnels may cause loss of the
XM™ signal for a period of time. The radio may
display NO XM SIGNAL to indicate interference.
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But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC
of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving
skills of many people are impaired at a BAC
approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are
worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC
levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the
chance of being in a collision increases sharply for
drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above.
A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has
doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a
BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver
having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level of
0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the
alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or
number of cold showers will speed that up. “I will
be careful” is not the right answer. What if
there is an emergency, a need to take sudden
action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be
able to react quickly enough to avoid the
collision.There is something else about drinking and driving
that many people do not know. Medical research
shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make
crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the
brain, spinal cord, or heart. This means that when
anyone who has been drinking — driver or
passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance
of being killed or permanently disabled is
higher than if the person had not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reexes, perceptions,
attentiveness, and judgment can be
affected by even a small amount of
alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after
drinking. Please do not drink and drive
or ride with a driver who has been
drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you
are with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
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Remember: ABS does not change the time you
need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or
always decrease stopping distance. If you get too
close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have
time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly
slows or stops. Always leave enough room up
ahead to stop, even though you have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake
pedal down rmly and let anti-lock work for you.
You may feel a slight brake pedal pulsation
or notice some noise, but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a
situation that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the
same time. However, if you do not have ABS, your
rst reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and
hold it down — may be the wrong thing to do. Your
wheels can stop rolling. Once they do, the
vehicle cannot respond to your steering.Momentum will carry it in whatever direction it was
headed when the wheels stopped rolling. That
could be off the road, into the very thing you were
trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking
while maintaining steering control. You can do this
by pushing on the brake pedal with steadily
increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze
the brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you
hear or feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake
pedal. This will help you retain steering control. If
you do have ABS, it is different. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System (ABS) on page 251.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more
than even the very best braking.
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Traction Control System (TCS)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a Traction
Control System that limits wheel spin. This is
especially useful in slippery road conditions. The
system operates only if it senses that one or both of
the front wheels are spinning or beginning to lose
traction. When this happens, the system reduces
engine power and may also upshift the transaxle
and apply the front brakes to limit wheel spin.
This light will ash when
your Traction Control
System is limiting wheel
spin. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS)
Warning Light on
page 179.
You may feel or hear the system working, but this
is normal.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the
traction control system begins to limit wheel spin,
the cruise control will automatically disengage.
When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control.
SeeCruise Control Light on page 185.The Traction Control System operates in all
transaxle shift lever positions. But the system can
upshift the transaxle only as high as the shift
lever position you’ve chosen, so you should use
the lower gears only when necessary. See
Automatic Transaxle Operation on page 113.
The SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL message
will appear in the Driver Information (DIC) to
let you know if there is a problem with the system.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 195.
When this message appears, the system will
not limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Traction
Control System on. But you can turn the system off
if you ever need to.
You should turn the system off if your vehicle ever
gets stuck in sand, mud or snow and rocking
the vehicle is required. SeeIf Your Vehicle
is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 276.
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clear. Never cross a solid line on your side of
the lane or a double solid line, even if the road
seems empty of approaching traffic.
Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to
pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For
one thing, following too closely reduces your
area of vision, especially if you are following a
larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate
space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or
stops. Keep back a reasonable distance.
When it looks like a chance to pass is coming
up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane
and do not get too close. Time your move so
you will be increasing speed as the time comes
to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to
pass, you will have a running start that more
than makes up for the distance you would lose
by dropping back. And if something happens to
cause you to cancel your pass, you need only
slow down and drop back again and wait for
another opportunity.
If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow
vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that
someone is not trying to pass you as you pullout to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to
glance over your shoulder and check the
blind spot.
Check your vehicle’s mirrors, glance over your
shoulder, and start your left lane change signal
before moving out of the right lane to pass.
When you are far enough ahead of the passed
vehicle to see its front in your vehicle’s inside
mirror, activate the right lane change signal and
move back into the right lane. Remember that
your vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is
convex. The vehicle you just passed may seem
to be farther away from you than it really is.
Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time
on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing
the next vehicle.
Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too
rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not
ashing, it may be slowing down or starting
to turn.
If you are being passed, make it easy for the
following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps
you can ease a little to the right.
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Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough
friction where the tires meet the road to do what the
driver has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or
area of less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking
reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and
by not overdriving those conditions. But skids
are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your
vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid,
your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or
cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a
curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force.
And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle
causes the driving wheels to spin.A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are
best handled by easing your foot off the
accelerator pedal.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off
the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the
way you want the vehicle to go. If you start
steering quickly enough, your vehicle may
straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid
if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow,
ice, gravel, or other material is on the road.
For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust
your driving to these conditions. It is important
to slow down on slippery surfaces because
stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control
more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration, or
braking, including reducing vehicle speed by
shifting to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could
cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the
surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding.
Learn to recognize warning clues — such as
enough water, ice, or packed snow on the road to
make a mirrored surface — and slow down when
you have any doubt.
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If you have the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If
you do not have ABS, then in a braking skid,
where the wheels are no longer rolling, release
enough pressure on the brakes to get the wheels
rolling again. This restores steering control.
Push the brake pedal down steadily when you
have to stop suddenly. As long as the wheels are
rolling, you will have steering control.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, you may need
to slow down and keep more space between
you and other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or
even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust
to the dark.
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