tow CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 2004 Owners Manual

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-8
Safety Belts
.............................................1-10
Child Restraints
.......................................1-29
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-48
Restraint System Check
............................1-57
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-31
OnStar
®System
......................................2-34
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-36
Storage Areas
.........................................2-40
Sunroof
..................................................2-41
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-42
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-21
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
.........3-28
Message Center
.......................................3-44Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-52
Trip Computer
.........................................3-54
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-55
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-31
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-4
Checking Things Under
the Hood
.............................................5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-60
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-60
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-64
Tires
......................................................5-65
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Specications
...................5-110
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-12
Index................................................................ 1
2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Owner ManualM

Six-Way Power Seats
If your vehicle has this feature, the control is located on
the outboard side of the front seats toward the front of the
seat cushion. To adjust the seat do any of the following:
Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control to the front or the rear.
Raise or lower the seat by sliding the control up
or down.
Raise or lower the front portion of the seat cushion by
sliding the front of the control up or down.
Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat cushion by
sliding the rear of the control up or down.
Manual Lumbar
If your vehicle has this feature, the knob is located on
the outboard side of the driver’s seat. Turn the knob
toward the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar
support. Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to
decrease lumbar support.
1-3

Head Restraints
Adjust your head restraint so that the top of the restraint
is closest to the top of your head. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches
There is a latch located on
the lower back of the front
seat that enables the
front seatback to
fold forward.
This allows more room for entry and exit of rear seat
passengers.
To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback
toward the rear and lift the latch. The seatback will
fold forward. The latch must be down for the seat to
work properly.
1-6

{CAUTION:
Never do this.
Here two children are wearing the same belt.
The belt can’t properly spread the impact
forces. In a crash, the two children can be
crushed together and seriously injured. A belt
must be used by only one person at a time.
Q:What if a child is wearing a lap-shoulder belt,
but the child is so small that the shoulder belt
is very close to the child’s face or neck?
A:If the child is sitting in a seat next to a window,
move the child toward the center of the vehicle. If
the child is sitting in the center rear seat
passenger position, move the child toward the
safety belt buckle. In either case, be sure that the
shoulder belt still is on the child’s shoulder, so
that in a crash the child’s upper body would have
the restraint that belts provide. If the child is
sitting in a rear seat outside position, seeRear
Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small
Adults on page 1-26.
1-30

Child Restraint Systems
An infant car bed (A), a special bed made for use in a
motor vehicle, is an infant restraint system designed
to restrain or position a child on a continuous at
surface. Make sure that the infant’s head rests toward
the center of the vehicle.A rear-facing infant seat (B) provides restraint with the
seating surface against the back of the infant. The
harness system holds the infant in place and, in a crash,
acts to keep the infant positioned in the restraint.
1-35

What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both the frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the air bag. The inator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules. Frontal air
bag modules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver’s side
impact air bag, the air bag modules are located in
the seatback closest to the driver’s door.
How Does an Air Bag Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or near frontal collisions,
even belted occupants can contact the steering wheel or
the instrument panel. In moderate to severe side
collisions, even belted occupants can contact the inside
of the vehicle. The air bag supplements the protection
provided by safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of
the impact more evenly over the occupant’s upper body,
stopping the occupant more gradually. But the frontal air
bags would not help you in many types of collisions,
including rollovers, rear impacts, and many side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward the
air bag. A side impact air bag would not help you in many
types of collisions, including frontal or near frontal
collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily because
an occupant’s motion is not toward that air bag. Air bags
should never be regarded as anything more than a
supplement to safety belts, and then only in moderate to
severe frontal or near-frontal collisions for the driver’s and
right front passenger’s frontal air bags, and only in
moderate to severe side collisions for vehicles with a
driver’s side impact air bag.
1-54

Doors and Locks
Door Locks
{CAUTION:
Unlocked doors can be dangerous.
Passengers — especially children — can
easily open the doors and fall out of a
moving vehicle. When a door is locked, the
handle will not open it. You increase the
chance of being thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash if the doors are not locked.
So, wear safety belts properly and lock the
doors whenever you drive.
Young children who get into unlocked
vehicles may be unable to get out. A child
can be overcome by extreme heat and can
suffer permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Always lock your vehicle
whenever you leave it.
Outsiders can easily enter through an
unlocked door when you slow down or
stop your vehicle. Locking your doors can
help prevent this from happening.There are several ways to lock and unlock the vehicle.
From the outside, use your key or the optional
remote keyless entry transmitter. From the inside, use
the manual or power door locks.
To manually unlock the driver’s door from the outside,
insert the key and turn it toward the front of the vehicle.
To manually lock the driver’s door from the outside,
insert the key and turn it toward the rear of the vehicle.
To lock a door from the inside, push the manual lock
lever forward. To unlock a door, push the lever rearward.
2-8

Trunk Lock
To unlock the trunk from the outside, insert the key in
the lock and turn it. You can also press the car
symbol on your remote keyless entry transmitter.
Remote Trunk Release
You can also unlock the trunk from inside the vehicle.
Press the button located
below the exterior lamps
control on the underside of
the dashboard. The shift
lever must be in PARK (P)
for the remote trunk
release button to work.
Trunk Assist Handle
There is an assist handle
located on the inside of
the trunk lid toward
the driver’s side of the
vehicle.
Pull down on the handle to lower the trunk lid. Then
close the trunk with your other hand. If the trunk is not
properly closed, the TRUNK OPEN message will
appear in the message center of your instrument panel
cluster. SeeTrunk Ajar Warning Message on
page 3-47for more information.
Notice:Using the trunk assist handle as a tie-down
or anchor point when securing items in the trunk
may damage it. Use the trunk assist handle only to
help you close the trunk lid.
2-11

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an elaborate
“break-in.” But it will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
Do not drive at any one speed — fast or
slow — for the rst 500 miles (805 km). Do not
make full-throttle starts.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst 200 miles
(322 km) or so. During this time your new
brake linings are not yet broken in. Hard stops
with new linings can mean premature wear
and earlier replacement. Follow this breaking-in
guideline every time you get new brake
linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in. SeeTowing
a Trailer on page 4-38for more information.
Ignition Positions
With the key in the ignition, you can turn the switch to
four positions.
The ignition switch is
located on the instrument
panel, to the right of
the steering column.
OFF:This position locks your steering column in a
vehicle with a manual transmission. It is a theft-deterrent
feature. You will only be able to remove your key
when the ignition is turned to OFF.
Notice:If your key seems stuck in OFF and you
can not turn it, be sure you are using the correct
key; if so, is it all the way in? Turn the key only with
your hand. Using a tool to force it could break the
key or the ignition switch. If none of this works, then
your vehicle needs service.
2-17

The above graphic is displayed on your instrument
panel cluster.
Maximum engine speed is limited on automatic transaxle
vehicles while you’re in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) to
protect driveline components from improper operation.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your front wheels. It’s
the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle can’t move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is 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.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine is
running unless you have to. 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, always set
your parking brake and move the shift lever to
PARK (P). SeeShifting Into Park (P) on
page 2-26. If you are pulling a trailer, see
Towing a Trailer on page 4-38.
2-22