2007 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO brakes

There are several different positions for the
shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels.
It is the best position to use when the engine is
started because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly
set. Your vehicle can roll. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be injured.
To be sure your vehicle will not move,
even when you are on fairly level ground,
use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer
on page 284.Make sure the shift lever is fully in PARK (P) before
starting the engine. Your vehicle has an automatic
transaxle shift lock control system. You must fully
apply your regular brakes rst and then press the
shift lever button before you can shift from
PARK (P) while the ignition is in RUN. If you cannot
shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure on the shift
lever by pushing it all the way into PARK (P) as you
maintain brake application. Then press the shift
lever button and move the shift lever into another
gear. SeeShifting Out of Park (P) on page 120.
REVERSE (R):Use this gear to back up.
Notice:Shifting to REVERSE (R) while your
vehicle is moving forward could damage the
transaxle. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Shift to REVERSE (R) only after
your vehicle is stopped.
To rock your vehicle back and forth to get out
of snow, ice or sand without damaging your
transaxle, seeIf Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 276.
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THIRD (3):It reduces vehicle speed more than
DRIVE (D) without using your brakes. You
might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when towing
a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears
and when going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
Notice:Driving in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also,
shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above
65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in
THIRD (3) or DRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2).FIRST (1):This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills,
or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward,
the transaxle will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only the
accelerator pedal may damage the transaxle.
If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When
stopping on a hill, use the brakes, or parking
brake to hold the vehicle in place.
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Shifting Out of Park (P)
Your vehicle has an automatic transaxle shift lock
control system. You must fully apply your
regular brakes before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition is in RUN. SeeAutomatic
Transaxle Operation on page 113.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever by pushing it all the way into
PARK (P) while keeping the brake pedal pushed
down. Release the shift lever button if you
have a console shift. Then move the shift lever out
of PARK (P), being sure to press the shift lever
button if you have a console shift.
If you ever hold the brake pedal down but still
cannot shift out of PARK (P), try this:
1. Turn the ignition key to RUN.
2. Apply and hold the brake pedal down until the
end of Step 4.
3. Shift to NEUTRAL.
4. Start the engine and shift to the drive gear
you want.
5. Have the vehicle xed as soon as you can.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers, leaves,
dry grass, or other things that can burn.
120

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning
light will also come on when you set your
parking brake. The light will stay on if your parking
brake does not release fully. If it stays on after
your parking brake is fully released, it means you
have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off
the road and stop carefully. You may notice that the
pedal is harder to push or, the pedal may go closer
to the oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is
still on, have the vehicle towed for service. See
Brake System Warning Light on page 177and
Towing Your Vehicle on page 282.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working
properly if the brake system warning light
is on. Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to an accident.
If the light is still on after you have pulled
off the road and stopped carefully, have
the vehicle towed for service.
Anti-Lock Brake System
Warning Light
If your vehicle is
equipped with anti-lock
brakes, the anti-lock
brake system warning
light should come on for
a few seconds when
you turn the ignition
key to RUN.
If the anti-lock brake system warning light stays on
longer than normal after you’ve started your
engine, turn the ignition off or, if the light comes
on and stays on when you are driving, stop
as soon as possible and turn the ignition off. Then
start the engine again to reset the system. If
the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you are driving, the anti-lock brake system needs
service and you do not have anti-lock brakes.
The anti-lock brake system warning light should
come on briey when you turn the ignition
key to RUN. This is normal. If the light does not
come on then, have it xed so it will be ready
to warn you if there is a problem.
178

Control of a Vehicle
You have three systems that make your
vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the
brakes, the steering, and the accelerator. All
three systems have to do their work at the places
where the tires meet the road.
Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or
ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems
than the tires and road can provide. That means
you can lose control of your vehicle. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 254.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 296.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 177.
Braking action involves perception time and
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake
pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to
bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time.
Average reaction time is about three-fourths of a
second. But that is only an average. It might be less
with one driver and as long as two or three seconds
or more with another. Age, physical condition,
alertness, coordination, and eyesight all play a part.
So do alcohol, drugs, and frustration. But even in
three-fourths of a second, a vehicle moving at
60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That
could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so
keeping enough space between your vehicle and
others is important.
And, of course, actual stopping distances vary
greatly with the surface of the road, whether it is
pavement or gravel; the condition of the road,
whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the
condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle;
and the amount of brake force applied.
250

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

Let us say the road is wet and you are driving
safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of
you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking.
Here is what happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the
computer will separately work the brakes at each
front wheel and at both rear wheels.ABS can change the brake pressure faster than
any driver could. The computer is programmed
to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the
obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.
252

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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