CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 1995 5.G Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where your tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between your tires and the
road, you can have a very slippery situation. You’ll have a
lot less traction or “grip” and will need to be very careful.
What’s the worst time for this? “Wet ice.” Very cold
snow or ice can be slick and hard
to drive on. But wet
ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction
of all. You can get “wet ice” when it’s
about freezing
(32” F; OOC) and freezing rain begins to
fall. Try
to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition
-- smooth ice, packed, blowing
or loose snow
-- drive with caution. Accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate
too fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Your anti-lock brakes improve your ability to make a
hard stop
on a slippery road. Even though you have the
anti-lock braking system, you’ll want to begin stopping
sooner than you would on dry pavement. See
“Anti-Lock”
in the Index.
0
0
Allow greater following distance on any slippery
road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine
until you hit a spot that’s covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear
in
shaded areas where the sun can’t reach: around
clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges.
Sometimes the surface
of a curve or an overpass may
remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If
you see
a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you
are
on it. Try not to brake while you’re actually on
the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers.
4-23

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You’re Caught in a Blizzard
If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a
serious situation.
You should probably stay with your
vehicle unless you
know for sure that you are near help
and you can hike through the snow. Here are some
things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your
passengers safe: Turn on your hazard flashers. Tie a red cloth to your vehicle
to alert police that you’ve been
stopped by the snow. Put
on extra clothing or wrap a
blanket around you.
If you have no blankets or extra
clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, floor mats
-- anything you can wrap around
yourself or tuck under your clothing
to keep warm.
You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful.
4-24

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Run your 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 your headlamps. Let the heater run for awhile.
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.
4-25

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Loading Your Vehicle
r
OCCUPANTS VEHICLE CAP. WT.
TIRE-LOADING INFORMATION
FRT. CTR.
RR. TOTAL LBS. KG
MAX. LOADING & GVWR SAME AS VEHICLE
CAPACITY WEIGHT
XXX COLD TIRE
TIRE
SIZE SPEED PRESSURE
RTG PSIiKPa
FRT.
RR.
SPA.
IF TIRES ARE HOT, ADD 4PSIi28KPa
SEE OWNER’S MANUAL
FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Two labels on your vehicle show how much weight it
may properly carry. The Tire-Loading Information label
is inside the trunk lid. The label tells you the proper size,
speed rating and recommended inflation pressures for
the tires on your vehicle.
It also gives you important
information about the number of people that can be in
your vehicle and the total weight
you can carry. This
includes the weight
of all occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.
MFD BY GENERAL MOTORS CORP
DATE
GVWR GAWR FRT GAWR RR
THIS VEHICLE CONFORMS TO ALL APPLI-
CABLE U.S. FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE
SAFETY, BUMPER,
AND THEFT PREVENTION
STANDARDS
IN EFFECT ON THE DATE OF
MANUFACTURE SHOWN ABOVE.
The other label is the Certification label, found on the
rear edge of
the driver’s door. It tells you the gross
weight capacity of your vehicle, called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The GVWR includes the
weight of the vehicle, all occupants, fuel and cargo.
Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle or the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear
axle.
If you do have a heavy load, spread it out. Don’t carry
more than
167 pounds (75 kg) in your trunk.
4-26

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine NOTICE:
Your warranty does not cover parts or
components that fail because of overloading.
If you put things inside your vehicle -- like suitcases,
tools, packages
or anything else -- they will go as fast as
the vehicle goes. If you have to stop or turn quickly, or
if there is a crash, they’ll keep going.
4-27

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Towing a Trailer
NOTICE:
Pulling a trailer improperly can damage your
vehicle and result in costly repairs not covered by
your warranty.
To pull a trailer correctly, follow
the advice in this part, and see your Chevrolet dealer for important information about towing a
trailer with your vehicle.
Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify what the
vehicle trailering capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in “Weight of the Trailer’’
that appears later in this section. But trailering is
different than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in handling, durability, and
fuel economy. Successful, safe trailering takes correct
equipment, and it has to be used properly.
That’s the reason for this part. In
it are many
time-tested, important trailering tips and safety rules.
Many of these are important for your safety and that of
your passengers.
So please read this section carefully
before you pull
a trailer.
Load-pulling components such
as the engine, transaxle,
wheel assemblies, and tires are forced to work harder
against the drag of the added weight. The engine is
required to operate at relatively higher speeds and under
greater loads, generating extra heat. What’s more, the
trailer adds considerably to wind resistance, increasing
the pulling requirements.

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer
If you do, here are some important points.
0 There are many different laws, including speed limit
restrictions, having to
do with trailering. Make sure
your rig will be legal,
not only where you live but
also where you’ll be driving. A good source for this
information can be state or provincial police.
Consider using a sway control.
You can ask
a hitch dealer about sway controls.
0
0
0
Don’t tow a trailer at all during the first 1,000 miles
(1 600 km) your new vehicle is driven. Your engine,
axle or other parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first
500 miles (800 km) that you
tow a trailer, don’t drive over 50 mph (80 kdh) and
don’t make starts at
full throttle. This helps your
engine and other parts
of your vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.
Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer.
Don’t drive faster than the maximum posted speed
for trailers (or
no more than 55 mph (90 km/h)) to
save wear on your vehicle’s parts. Three important considerations have
to do with weight:
Weight of the Trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be?
It should never weigh more than
1,000 pounds (450 kg).
But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your rig. For
example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside
temperature and how much your vehicle is used to
pull a
trailer are all important. And, it can also depend on any
special equipment that you have on your vehicle.
You can
ask your dealer for our trailering information or
advice, or you can write us at Chevrolet Customer
Assistance Center,
P.O. Box 7047, Troy, MI
48007-7047.
In Canada, write to General Motors of Canada Limited,
Customer Assistance Center,
1908 Colonel Sam Drive,
Qshawa, Ontario
Ll H 8P7.
4-29

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Weight of the Trailer Tongue
The tongue load (A) of any trailer is an important
weight to measure because
it affects the total capacity
weight of your vehicle.
The capacity weight includes the
curb weight of the vehicle, any cargo you may carry in
it, and the people who will be riding in
the vehicle. And
if you will tow a trailer, you must subtract the tongue
load from your vehicle’s capacity weight because your vehicle will be carrying that weight, too. See “Loading
Your Vehicle”
in the Index for more information about
your vehicle’s maximum load capacity.
A B
If you’re using a “dead-weight” hitch, the trailer
tongue
(A) should weigh 10% of the total loaded
trailer weight
(B). If you have a “weight-distributing’’
hitch, the trailer tongue
(A) should weigh 12% of the
total loaded trailer weight
(B).
After you’ve loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer and
then the tongue, separately,
to see if the weights are
proper. If they aren’t, you may be able to get them right
simply by moving some items around in the trailer.
Total Weight on Your Vehicle’s Tires
Be sure your vehicle’s tires are inflated to the
recommended pressure for cold tires. You’ll find these
numbers on the Tire-Loading Information label (found
inside the trunk lid) or see “Loading Your Vehicle” in
the Index. Then be sure
you don’t go over the GVW
limit for your vehicle, including the weight of the trailer
tongue.
4-30

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Hitches Safety Chains
It’s
important to have the correct hitch equipment.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by, and rough roads are
a
few reasons why you’ll need the right hitch. Here are
some rules to follow:
e
e
Will you have to make any holes in the body of your
vehicle when you install
a trailer hitch? If you do,
then be sure to seal the holes later when you remove
the hitch.
If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon
monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can get into your
vehicle (see “Carbon Monoxide”
in the Index). Dirt
and water can, too.
The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for
hitches. Do not attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use only
a
frame-mounted hitch that does not attach to the
bumper.
You should always attach chains between your vehicle
and your trailer. Cross the safety chains under the tongue
of the trailer
so that the tongue will not drop to the road
if it becomes separated from the hitch. Instructions
about safety chains may be provided by the hitch
manufacturer or by the trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for attaching safety
chains and do not attach them to the bumper. Always
leave just enough slack
so you can turn with your rig.
And, never allow safety chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes
Because you have anti-lock brakes, do not try to tap into
your vehicle’s brake system. If you do, both brake
systems won’t work well, or at
all.
4-3 1

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine Driving with a Trailer
Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience.
Before setting out for the open road, you’ll want to get
to know your rig. Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that the vehicle
you are
driving is now
a good deal longer and not nearly as
responsive
as your vehicle is by itself.
Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform
(and attachments), safety chains, electrical connector,
lamps, tires and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has
electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving and
then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure
the brakes are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the
load
is secure, and that the lamps and any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you
would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This
can
help you avoid situations that require heavy braking
and sudden turns.
Passing
You’ll need more passing distance up ahead when
you’re towing a trailer. And, because you’re a good deal
longer, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the
passed vehicle before you can return
to your lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to
the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if
possible, have someone guide you.
Making Turns
I NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle.
Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal.
Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well
in advance.
4-32