2007 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO check engine light

AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the automatic
headlamps are turned off. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 156for more information.
AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL ON
This message displays when the automatic
headlamps are turned on. SeeExterior Lamps on
page 156for more information.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects
that the battery voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable level. The battery saver system starts
reducing certain features of the vehicle that
you may be able to notice. At the point that the
features are disabled, this message is displayed.
It means that the vehicle is trying to save the
charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow the
battery to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is
11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when service is required
for the vehicle. See your dealer. SeeEngine Oil on
page 311andScheduled Maintenance on
page 406for more information.
Acknowledging the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will not reset the OIL LIFE REMAINING.
That must be done at the OIL LIFE screen
under the vehicle information menu. See “Oil Life”
underDIC Operation and Displays on page 187
andEngine Oil Life System on page 314.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
This message displays when the tire pressure in
one of the tires needs to be checked. This message
also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT
REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire needs
to be checked. You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To read the other
messages that may have been sent at the same
time, press the set/reset button. If a tire pressure
message appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you
can. Have the tire pressures checked and set to
those shown on the Tire Loading Information Label.
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SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there is a problem
with the airbag system. Have your vehicle serviced
by your dealer immediately. SeeAirbag Readiness
Light on page 174for more information.
SERVICE BATTERY CHARGING
SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
with the generator and battery charging systems.
Driving with this problem could drain the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories. Stop
and turn off the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. Have the electrical system checked by your
dealer immediately.
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays when service is required
on the brake system. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer as soon as possible.
The brake system warning light also appears on
the instrument panel cluster when this message
appears on the DIC. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 177.
SERVICE POWER STEERING
This message displays when a problem is
detected with the power steering system. When
this message is displayed, you may notice that the
effort required to steer the vehicle increases or
feels heavier, but you will still be able to steer the
vehicle. Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately.
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM
This message displays when there is a problem
with the theft-deterrent system programmed in the
key. A fault has been detected in the system
which means that the system is disabled and it is
not protecting the vehicle. The vehicle usually
restarts; however, you may want to take the
vehicle to your dealer before turning off the engine.
SeePASS-Key
®III+ Operation on page 107for
more information.
200

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by
heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with
traffic. This is a mistake. The brakes may not have
time to cool between hard stops. The brakes
will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy
braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and
allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump the
brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to
push down. If the engine stops, you will still have
some power brake assist. But you will use it
when you brake. Once the power assist is used
up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 296.Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle may have the Anti-Lock Brake
System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking
system that will help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel
cluster will come on
briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to
drive away, ABS will check itself. You may hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you may even notice that your brake
pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
251

Once you are moving on the freeway, make
certain you allow a reasonable following distance.
Expect to move slightly slower at night.
When you want to leave the freeway, move to the
proper lane well in advance. If you miss your
exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and
back up. Drive on to the next exit.
The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite
sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce
your speed according to your speedometer, not
to your sense of motion. After driving for any
distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think
you are going slower than you actually are.
Before Leaving on a Long Trip
Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested.
If you must start when you are not fresh — such
as after a day’s work — do not plan to make
too many miles that rst part of the journey.
Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can
easily drive in.Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it
serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs
service, have it done before starting out. Of course,
you will nd experienced and able service experts
in GM dealerships all across North America. They
will be ready and willing to help if you need it.
Here are some things you can check before a trip:
Windshield Washer Fluid:Is the reservoir
full? Are all windows clean inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:Are they in good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:Have you
checked all levels?
Lamps:Are they all working? Are the lenses
clean?
Tires:They are vitally important to a safe,
trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough
for long-distance driving? Are the tires
all inated to the recommended pressure?
Weather Forecasts:What is the weather
outlook along your route? Should you
delay your trip a short time to avoid a major
storm system?
Maps:Do you have up-to-date maps?
267

{CAUTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your
vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could
overcome you and kill you. You cannot see
it or smell it, so you might not know it is in
your vehicle. Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And
check around again from time to time to be
sure snow does not collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of
the vehicle that is away from the wind.
This will help keep CO out.Run the engine only as long as you must. This
saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go
a little faster than just idle. That is, push the
accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat
that you get and it keeps the battery charged.
You will need a well-charged battery to restart the
vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with
the headlamps. Let the heater run for a while.
Then, shut the engine off and close the window
almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start
the engine again and repeat this only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as
little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as
you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of
the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises
every half hour or so until help comes.
275

If your vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine (VIN
Code C), use premium unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane rating of 91 or higher. You may
also use regular unleaded gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, but your vehicle’s acceleration
may be slightly reduced, and you may notice a
slight audible knocking noise, commonly referred
to as spark knock. If the octane is less than
87, you may notice a heavy knocking noise when
you drive. If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as possible.
Otherwise, you might damage your engine.
If you are using gasoline rated at 87 octane or
higher and you hear heavy knocking, your engine
needs service.
Gasoline Specications
At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM
specication D 4814 in the United States or
CAN/CGSB-3.5 in Canada. Some gasolines may
contain an octane-enhancing additive called
methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT). General Motors recommends against the
use of gasolines containing MMT. SeeAdditives
on page 300for additional information.
California Fuel
If your vehicle is certied to meet California
Emissions Standards, it is designed to operate
on fuels that meet California specications.
See the underhood emission control label.
If this fuel is not available in states adopting
California emissions standards, your vehicle will
operate satisfactorily on fuels meeting federal
specications, but emission control system
performance may be affected. The malfunction
indicator lamp may turn on and your vehicle may
fail a smog-check test. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 181. If this occurs, return to
your authorized GM dealer for diagnosis. If it is
determined that the condition is caused by the
type of fuel used, repairs may not be covered
by your warranty.
299

Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
The 8th digit of your Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN) shows the code letter or number
that identies your engine. You will nd the VIN at
the top left of the instrument panel. SeeVehicle
Identication Number (VIN) on page 394.
If your vehicle has the 3.5L V6 engine (VIN
Code K only), you may use either regular unleaded
gasoline or ethanol fuel containing up to 85%
ethanol (E85); also seeFuel on page 298.Inall
other engines, including the 3.5L V6 (VIN Code N),
use only regular unleaded gasoline.
Only vehicles that have the 3.5L V6 engine
(VIN Code K) may use 85% ethanol fuel (E85).
General Motors encourages the use of E85
in vehicles that are designed to use it. The ethanol
in E85 is a “renewable” fuel, meaning it is made
from renewable sources such as corn and
other crops.Many service stations will not have an 85% ethanol
fuel (E85) pump available. The U. S. Department
of Energy has an alternative fuels website
(www.eere.energy.gov/afdc/infrastructure/
locator.html) that can help you nd E85 fuel. Those
stations that do have E85 should have a label
indicating ethanol content. Do not use the fuel if the
ethanol content is greater than 85%.
At a minimum, E85 should meet ASTM
Specication D 5798. By denition, this means
that fuel labeled E85 will have an ethanol content
between 70% and 85%. Filling the fuel tank
with fuel mixtures that do not meet ASTM
specications can affect driveability and could
cause the check engine light to come on.
301

How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine
what kind of transaxle uid to use. See
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants on page 415.
If the uid level is low, add only enough of the
proper uid to bring the level into the
cross-hatched area on the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long-neck funnel, add enough uid at
the dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It does not take much uid, generally less
than one pint (0.5 L). Do not overll.
Notice:Use of the incorrect automatic
transaxle uid may damage your vehicle, and
the damages may not be covered by your
warranty. Always use the automatic transaxle
uid listed inRecommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 415.
3. After adding uid, recheck the uid level as
described under “How to Check Automatic
Transaxle Fluid,” earlier in this section.
4. When the correct uid level is obtained, push
the dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is lled with
DEX-COOL®engine coolant. This coolant is
designed to remain in your vehicle for ve years or
150,000 miles (240 000 km), whichever occurs
rst, if you add only DEX-COOL
®extended
life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and
how to add coolant when it is low. If you have
a problem with engine overheating or if you need
to add coolant to the radiator, seeEngine
Overheating on page 323.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX-COOL
®coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to−34°F (−37°C).
Give boiling protection up to 265°F (129°C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as they
should.
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