check engine light CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 1981 4.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine A WORD TO MONTE CARLO OWNERS
This man ual has been prepared to acquaint -you with the operation an"d main~
tenance of your 1981 Monte Carlo, and to provide important safety informa­
tion, It is supplemented by a Maintenance Schedule and two Warranty Informa ­tion folders. We ur ge you to·read these four publication s carefully. Follow the
recommendations to he lp assure the most enjoyable, safe and troublefree opera­
ti on of your vehicle .
While reading this manual, you will notice that specifications are given in both metric and customary measures. Where precise.--accuracy is not needed, some
conversions have been rounded to even numbers for your handy use.
When it comes to service, remember that your Chevrolet dealer knows your
vehicle best and ' is int eres te d in your complete satisfaction.
Fotadded mechanIcal and electrical protection beyond the end of the New
Vehicle
and Pow er Protection Plus Limited Warranty, consider the GM Con­
tinuous Protection Plan. The Plan is an optional service agreeO"lent which covers
repairs to specified major vehicle-components, provides rental car allowances,
towing and road service allowances, and many other features which enhance
ownership
both during and after the warranty. It cover~ your car for a total
of 36 month, or 36,000 mile, (50 000 kilometers in Canada) , whichever comes
first or for 48 months, 50,000 miles depending upon which of the four Plans
offered is purchased. Be sure to discuss the GM Continuous Protection Plan with your dealer, if you haven't already done so. The ~an is available to you for
up
to 6 months and/or 6,000 odometer miles from the date your new car was
put in dealer service or delivered to you as a new vehicle.
To help dealers handle you r needs, Chevrolet ha s a number of Zone Offices throughout the country. If you have a problem that has not been handled to
your satisfaction, follow the steps in "Owner Assistance." Section 6 of this
manual.
We thank you for choosing a Chevrolet product, and want to assure you of our
continuing interest in your motoring pleasure and satisfaction.
NOTE TO CANADIAN OWNERS:
Some cars sold in Canada have the Computer Command Control system, while
others do not. If a " CHECK ENGINE" light comes on during engine starting,
your car does have this system. For those cars sold
in Canada which DO NOT
HAVE the Computer Command Control system or are equipped with the
optional diesel engine, please refer to the Owner' s Manual Supplement supplied
with your car for information on engine starting, specifications, etc. The
"CHECK ENGINE" light is described in the Instrument Panel se ction of the
Owner's Manual.
If preferred , a French Owner's Manual can be obtained either from yollr dealer or by writing to General 'Motors of Canada Limited, Technical Publication s
Department ,
Oshawa. Ontario L lJ 526,'
Aux proprietaires canadiens
Vous pouvez vous pro curer un exemplaire de ce
guide en francais chez votre
concessionnair e au au "Service des publication s techniques, General Motors
du Canada Limitee. Oshawa.
Ontario L lJ 5Z6.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine SEcnON 1
BEFORE DRIVING YOUR MONTE
CARLO
DRIVER DAILY CHECKLIST
Be sure you know your vehicle and its equipment and how to use it safely .
Before Entering the Vehicle '
1. See that windows, mirrors and lights are clean and unobstructed.
2. Check whether any tire is low or flat (H any tire ,looks different from
normal,
we recommend you check it with a tire pressure gage.)
3. Look for fluid leaks.
4. Be sure everything is properly stowed.
5. Check the area behind the vehicle ~ you are about to back up.
Before Driving Off
1. Lock all doors .
2. Adjust the seat and movable head restraints, if so equipped .
3. Adjust inside and outside mirrors.
4. Fasten seat belts.
5. Check that all the warning lights work as the ,key is turned to "Start."
6. Check all gages (including the fuel gage).
7 . Release the parking brake
(and see that the "Brake" light turns off).
See related topics in this manual , or the Maintenance Schedule folder, il
~" problems are found.
Guard Against Theft
For tips on how to protect your vehicle and its contents, see "'Starting and
Operating," Section 2 of this manual.
KEYS
Two different keys are provided for the locks on your vehicle. The key code is
stamped
on the "knock-out" plug in each key head.
• Key withsquar, head -for ignition lock only .
'IDENTIFYING
IGNITION LOCK DOOR LOCKS & ALL OTHER LOCKS
• Key with oval head -for all other locks.
1-1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE: 00 not adjust a manually operated driver'. seat while· the vehicle is moving. The seat could move suddenly and unexpectecily and could cause the driver to lose control of the vehicle.
After adjusting a manually operated seat, push forward and rearward on the
seat to be sure the seat adjusters have latched. Take the vehicle to your dealer
for service
if you find that either seat adjuster does not latch.
Front Seatback Latches
Vehicles with folding front seats have inertial seatback latches. The latches are
designed to prevent forward movement of the front seatback only during a
sudden slowing of the vehicle.
Normally, the seatback can be tilted forward
without unlatching,
to get in or out of the rear seat. But when the vehicle is "nose down," such as on a very steep hill, the inertial latch may keep the
seatback from being moved forward.
If this happens, there is a latch release
lever at the bottom, on the outboard side or in the center rear of each front
seatback.
Pull rearward slightly on the seatback while pulling up on the
seatback latch release lever. This will release the latch
and let the seatback be
mOVed forward.
The latch release lever must be in the "down" position for the inertial latch to
work properly during a sudden slowing of the vehicle. Check now
and then to
see if each seatback latch release lever moves
up and down freely. If the lever
does not move
freely, take the vehicle to your dealer for service. There is no convenient owner test of the inertial seatback latch. If you suspect the latch is
not working, ask your dealer to inspect
it.
Keep seat belt webbing and hardware clear of seat parts when you tilt fOlding
seats forward or rearward. This helps prevent damage to these belt systems.
Power Operated Front Seats (optional)
The six-way power seat control switch is located on the driver's seat left side
panel. •
The seat can be operated as follows:
1-4

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine -_. .••.• ,-.1., ...... ,.,--.-
Restraint Of Pregnant Women
General Motors urges that pregnant women use a lap-shoulder belt whenever one is present. This will help lessen the chance of a pregnant woman and her
unborn
chil .d being injured andlor will help reduce the severity of their injury in an acc ident. The tap belt should be used alone if a shoulder ben is not present
7: such as in a rear ·seat. In eitlJer case, the lap belt should be worn as low and snug over th.(hips a! f possible , as advised for regular seat belt use (see
the .preced i
ng instructions) .
SEAT BELT LIGHT/BUZZER REMINDER
,.".,." ·;t "W h'eii '1hI>'key ·is .turned to "AUn" or "Start ," a remi!)der IightilLdesigned to
corne
on for four to eight secondS,." is to remind riders to fasten their seat
. belts.
•
If the driver's seat belt has not been buCkled. before turning the key to "Aun " or "Start ", a b uzzeri. diiSigned to sOund for four to eight seconds
(or
until buckled) as a reminder.
~ the seat belt or reminder system does not work as descri~. see your dealer
tor service.
Lap Belts For Rear Seat (And Center Front Seat) Passengers
• Aear seat lap belts next to side windows have retractors which are
designed to take . up extra webbing.
• In a single motion, pull the rear seat outboard lap ben across your lap lar enough to push the latch plate Into the buckle, until it clicks . If the belt is
not
pulled outter enough to reach the buckle , let the lap belt rewind fully
into its retractor . This .unlocks it so the belt can be pulled out to the proper
length .
• These belts should be positioned , worn and released as described -above under "Front Seal LapoShouider Belt ." After fastening , check that the belt
is
SNUG by pulling the belt firmly across your lap toward the lap belt retractor . This will allow the retractor to take up slack.
• Lap belts at center seats also should be positioned, worn and released as described above : however, they do not have retractors . They should be
adjusted to a SNUG FIT by pulling on the end of the belt coming from the
adjustable latch plate.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine • Firmly apply the parking brake. Do not use ·the transmission as asubsmute for the parking I)rake.
•
Move the automatic transmission shift lever to "P"(Park).
•
Turn the key to "Lock ."
•
Remove the key (the · buzzer is designed to remind you).
• Lock all doors .
TURN SIGNAL AND HEADLIGHT BEAM LEVER
The turn signal lever on the left side of the steering column also controls
headlight low-beam and high-beam and the optional Cruise Control. (For Cruise Control operation, see page 2-12.)
• Turn Signal -Move the lever up to the second stop to signal a right turn.
Move it down to the second stop to signal a left turn. When the turn is
completed, the signal will cancel and the lever will return to horizontal.
• Lane Change Signal -In some turns, such as changing lanes, the steering wheel is not turned far enough to cancel the turn signal . ·For convenience,
you can flash the turn signal by moving the lever part way (to the first stop)
and holding it there. The lever will return to horizontal when you release it.
TURN SIGNAL MOVE UPWARD -R.H. TURN MOVE DOWNWARD -l.H. TURN
I LANE CHANGE I MOVE UPWARD TO
HEADLIGHT BEAM CHANGER (HEADUGHTS ON)
PUtl LEVER TQWARDYOU
l$T STOP-CHANGE FROM LEFT TO 'RIGHT lANE
MOVE DOWNWARD TO 1ST STOP-CHANGE FROM RIGHT TO LEFT LANE
A green light on the instrument panel is designed to flash to tell, you that the
lront and rear turn signal lights are working . If the light stays on, but does not
flash, check for burned-out turn signal bulbs.
If the green light does not come on when you move the lever, check the fuse and indicator bulb. However, if
you ordered a traiter towing option in which extra wiring was added to attach
the
trailer lighting, a different type'of flasher was installed. In tliis case, the
green light will continue to flash even if a turn signal bulb bUrns out. Therefore ,
you must
regularly look at the front and rear turn signal lights to be sure they
are working.
• Headlight Beam Changer -With the headlights on, pull the lever toward
you until you hear a click, then release it. The lights will change from Iow­
beamto high-beam or from high-beam to low-beam . When the hig~-beams
are on, a blue light will appear on the instrument panel.
CORNERING UGHTS
The front fender cornering lights operate in conjunction with the turn signals.
When the turn signal is operating in either direction, and the headlights or
parking
lights are on, the corresponding cornering light emits a steady
sideward beam to provide additional illumination .
2-7

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine STARTING THE ENGINE
For vehicles sold in Canada which do NOT. have the. Computer Command
Control system, pleru;e refer to the Owner's Manual Supplement supplied with
your
vehicle for engine starting procedures . (If a "Check Engine" light comes
on during engine starting, your
vehicle does have the Computer Command
Control system.)
1. Apply the parking brake.
2 . Move
the transmission shill lever to "P"(Park) or "N"(Neutral) ("P"
preferred). A starter . safety device is designed to keep the starter from
operating if the shift
lever is in .any drive position . (If you need to re-start
the engine while the vehicle is moving, move the shift lever to "N ." )
3 . Start the engine .as outlined below for different conditions . Be sure to
follow the instructions which apply to your engine . (The Engine Code is the
8th digit on the
VIN plate at the lower left side of your windshield . See
. "SpeCifications" .Section 7 oUhis manual for more details.) "~" ...
NOTICE: Do not crank the engine 'or more than about 15 seconcls at a time. Wait 10 to 15 seconds before trying again. Thla will hetp prevent damage to the starter.
• COLD ENGINE
•
All Engines -Press the accelerator pedal to the floor and slowly
release it. With your foot 011 the pedat, crank the engine by turning
the ignition key to "Start." Release the key when the engine starts.
If the engine does not start or starts, but fails to run, repeat this
procedure
.
• .• • .
,., .•..• ·Whe!\. '.he engine is running smoothly (about 30 seconds), you can reduce
the engine
idle speed by pressing clown onthe.accelerator · pedal. then slowly releasing ~. .
NOTICE : If the engine runS a long time (S minutes or more) without pressing down the accelerator pedal, overheating OOl,lkf'C;.auM : damage -to 'the engine and exhaust system. ' I, .
Do not Ie.Y~ yoot vehicle ,unattended with the engine . running. H the engine should overllut, you would not be there to I'NCt to the temperatwe wwnlng light Of gaga. This
could reaun if! costly damage to your vehicle and Ita contents.
• Warm Engine
• All -Do not press clown the accelerator pedal. With your foot off
the
pedal , crank the engine by turning the ignition key to "Start." II the
engine
does not start after 3 seconds of cranking, press clown the
accelerator pedal to 1 /3 of its. travel while cranking. Release the key
(and accelerator pedal) when the enginjl starts.
• Very Cold We'lther (Below -1S"C Or O"F Or After Vehicle Has Been Standing Idle Several Days) • Before cranking the engine, fully depress
and release the accelerator
pedal one or . two times more than stated for
your engine under
"Cold Engine" .starting. Then, with your foot-oil the
accelerator pedal, crank the engine by turning the ignition key to "Start." Release the key when the engine starts.
4 .
Apply the regular brakes and shift into. the proper gear. Release the
parking brake and
drive off.
2-8

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine DISC BRAKE WEAR INDICATORS
Front disc brakes have bum-in we .ar indicators which are desigled to make a
high-pitched squeating or
cricket·tike warning sound when the brake pads are
worn to where new pads are needed . The sound will come
and go. or be heard
all the time when the wheels are rolling, but will stop when the brake pedal is
pushed down
firmly. Expensive damage can result if pads are not replaced When needed .
See also the brake checks listed in the Maintenance Schedule folder.
INSTRUMENT PANEL AND CONTROLS
INSTRUMENTS
The instruments . gages and indicator lights convenienlly grouped in the
instrument cluster are designed to tell you at a glance many important things
about the perform ance of your
vehicle. The following information will enabl e
you to more quickly understand and properly interpret these instruments.
Speedometer
The speedometer hand indicates vehicle speed in miles per hour and
kilometers per hour.
Odometer
The group of six figures in the, speedometer lower center sectiori indicates the
accumulated mileage.
Trip Odometer (optional)
The trip odometer may be reset to zero by turning stem to. the right This
instrument may be used to 1TI<\':!1 .. aPC~rately record trip mileages 'or kilometers .
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage will register the APPROXIMATE fuel level in the tank. when the
ignition is in the
RUN position .
When the
gage registers EMPTY. some fuel is still available as a reserve .
When the gage registers FULL. some
additional fuel can still be added to the
tank. The following conditions maybe considered normal:
•
Gas station pump may shut off before fuel gage indicates FULL
• Amount of gasoline reqUired ior fill~up may not exaclly correspond to gage.
• Needle
may not move awa y from FULL until some time aiter fill·up .
• Needle
may move during turns. stops and accelerations.
When the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position, the needle will not
necessarily return all the way·to the EMPTY mark.
2·15

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine ~
OSTANDARD OOPTIONAL
'"
OPTIONAL
r , ).
1. Fuel Gage 2. Warning Lights 3. Speedometer 4. Hi-Beam Indicotor 5, Odometer 6. Clock 7. Glove Box 8. Wind'shield Wip.r Control 9. Light Switch
10. Rea r Window Defogger Switch 11. Heater and Optionol Air Conditioning Control
m
12. Ashtray 13. Cigarette lighter U. Radio and Control. 1.5. Turn Signal Indicator 16. Tachometer 17, Warning Gages
18. Shift Indicator
19. Check Engine 20 . R.H . Outside Remote Mirror

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Oil! Choke Indicator Light
This light will come on to prov~ a "bulb check", when the ignition is turnee
on, but should go out after the engine is startee. If light fails to come on with
ignition turnee on,
it could indicate a bumee -out bulb , a defective electric
choke heater circuit or a
blown instrument lamp fuse. Have system repairee if
light
does not come on during check.
Occasionally, this light may flicker . momentarily while the engine is running but
this will· not harm ,the ' system. However, if the ,light remains on during normal
engine operation , the engine shoutd be stopped until the cause of the
trouble can be Iocatee .andcorrectee. The source of the troubte could be any of the following.
•
Loss of engine oil pressure.
• Blown "Choke Heater" or Gage fuse.
• Loss of electric choke heater vo~age.
NOTICE: Continuing to run the engine with an illuminated oil/choke pressure light can cause serious damage to the engine or unusually high exhaust system temp*'ratures which could resuh in serious d8mage to the vehicte.
Choke Warning Indicator Light
On some vehicles equippec with tlie optional .Oil pressure gage, an amber
choke warning indicator
-light replaces the red oil pressure ' indicator light in the
instrument cluster. If this light comes on, indicating loss of electric choke
heater voltage , have your authorizee
Oealer locate and correct the trouble as
soon as possible.
Generator Indicator Light
The red .light VOLT is designee to come on when the ignition.key is in the "run " pos~ion,bul t>efiJrethe 'engine;;, startee. After the engine starts, the
light should go out and remain oul.
H the light remains on when engine is
running , have your Authorized Dealer locate and correct ' the trouble as soon as
possible .
Engine Temperature Indicator Light
This indicator light is providee .in the instrument cluster to. quickly warn of an
overheated engine. 'With the ignition in the START position, the ree TEMP
indicator (hot light) will light to
let you know that it is operating properly.
When the engine is starlee,
the ree light will go out immediately. tt will light up
at no other time unless for some
reason the engine reaches a dangerously
high operating temperature. Glance .at the instrument cluster freqtJentiyas you
drive, if this light is on see
"Engine Cooing System" on page 3,3.
Brake System Warning Light
The regular braking system is a dual system designee so that one part will
provide some braking action
n there is a loss of hydraulic pressure in the other
part of the system. The system has a "Brake" warning Ught Iocatee in the
instrument · panel.
• To serve as a reminder, the "6RAKE" light is designee to stay on when
the parking brake is not fully released and the ignition key is on.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine "
• The lighl is also designed to come oi, briefly during engine starting so you . can check that the bulb is okay .
• Have the system repaired ifth'e light .d~es· not .come on during engine
. starting or when th.e Parking brake is set.
•
This warning light does not do away with the heed for brake inspection and
maintenance. The brake fluid level must be checked regularly . See your
Maintenance
Schedule folder for other brake checks.
If the light 'comes on andstavson when the ignition key is on, after the brake pedal has been firmly pushed down, it may mean that there is somelhing
'
wrongwith I?"" of the br"kesyjitem.
What to do:
1. Check to see that the parking brake hec been released . If it has been ..
2. Pull off the road and stop carefully, And remember that:
" .• " Stopping ,distances may be longer.
•
You may have to push harder on the pedal.
•
The pedal may go down farther than normal.
3, Try out the brakes by starting and stopping on the road shoulder--then:
• If you judge it to be safe, drive cautiously at a safe speed to the .near,est dealer for ,repair, or
• Have vooicle t6w~ to the nearest dealer for repair.
Continued driving without getting necessary repairs could be dangerous .
"'''''''~''., ENGINE" LIGHT
All gasoline"~~gine VehiCles sold in ttwl,lnited States (aridsorne ' vehidle. sok:!
in Canada) have the Computer Command Control sYstem, (canadian owners
should
also ' read the Nole on the. inside front cover of this manual. )
If your vehicle has thElCoTP\Jter :,eommand:'ContrOI-system, ,a , "CHECK
ENGINE" light
on the instrument panel is designed to come on during engine
starting to let you know the bulb is working ; (The light will stay on a short time .
after
the engine starts,) If the light comes on while driving, service to the
Computer , Command
Control system may be required , Although. the. v.ehicle
may still be drivable, see , your Chevrolet dealer as soon as possible . for an inspection of the system , (Some vehicles sold in Canada, DO NOT HAVE the
Computer Command Controtsystem ,
ILyeur vehicle does not have a "Check
Engine " light, then it does not have the Computer Command Control system,)
Continued, driving without having the Computer Command Control system
serviced
could cause damegeto' the emission control system, It could also affect fuel economy and drivability, .
See also "Computer
Command Control' system" in "Service and Maintenance," Section: 5 of this manual.
Tachometer
The optional tachometer i. ndicates the speed of the engine in revolutions per
minute, The' indicated num,ber, times 100, gives the engine speed, Operating
the engine
with. the tachometer . reading .in the colQr-coded high-speed area could lead to seriOUS engine damage,