Chevrolet 2002 Monte Carlo User manual

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2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
Owner’s Manual
Litho in U.S.A. E Copyright General Motors Corporation 06/20/01
Part Number 10315384 A First Edition All Rights Reserved

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GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and
the name MONTE CARLO are registered trademarks
of General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division
whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will
be there if you ever need it when you’re on the road.
If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207

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How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
SafetyWarnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce
the hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t,
you or others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

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Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could damage
your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that
can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would not be covered by your warranty, and it could
be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different
colors or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
Your vehicle may be equipped with components and
labels that use symbols instead of text. Symbols,
used on your vehicle, are shown along with the text
describing the operation or information relating to a
specific component, control, message, gage or indicator.
If you need help figuring out a specific name of a
component, gage or indicator reference the following
topics in the Index:
D “Engine Compartment Overview”
D “Instrument Panel”
D “Comfort Controls”
D “Audio Systems”
Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

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These are some examples of vehicle symbols you may find on your vehicle:

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Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-10 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-14 Here Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-15 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-16 Driver Position
1-22 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-23 Right Front Passenger Position
1-23 Air Bag Systems
1-32 Rear Seat Passengers
1-35 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children
and Small Adults
1-37 Children
1-41 Restraint Systems for Children
1-54 Older Children
1-57 Safety Belt Extender
1-57 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-57 Replacing Restraint System Parts
After a Crash

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Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains reclining seatbacks and head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving. Lift the bar located under the front of the seat to unlock
it. Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Try to move the seat back and forth to be sure the seat is
locked in place.

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Six-Way Power Seat (Option)
If your vehicle is equipped with this option, the control
is located on the outboard side of the front seats toward
the front of each seat cushion. To adjust the seat
cushion, do any of the following:
D Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
control to the front or the rear.
D Raise or lower the seat cushion by sliding the control
up or down.
D Raise or lower the front portion of the seat cushion
by sliding the front of the control up or down.
D Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat cushion by
sliding the rear of the control up or down.
Manual Lumbar
The knob that operates this feature is located on the
outboard side of the driver’s seat. Turn the knob forward
to increase lumbar support. Turn the knob rearward to
decrease lumbar support.

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Heated Front Seat (Option)
If your vehicle has this
this option, the switches
that control the seats
temperature are located
on the center console.
There are two settings, LO and HI.
Press LO to warm the seat to a lower temperature. Press
HI to warm the seat to a higher temperature. To turn this
feature off, move the switch to the center position.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move
the seatback to where you want it. Release the lever
to lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever
without pushing on the seatback, and the seatback
will move forward.

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But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job. In a crash you
could go into it, receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash the
belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.

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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.

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CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.
Easy Entry Manual Seat
The right front passenger seat is designed to make it
easy to get into and out of the rear seat.
1. Lift the latch on the back of the right front seat and
tilt the seatback forward. The seat will slide or can
be pushed forward to allow someone to get into or
out of the rear seat area.
2. Return the seatback upright to lock it. Slide the seat
fully rearward to lock it into its original position.
3. The front passenger must try to slide the entire
seat back and forth to make sure the seat is locked
into place.
CAUTION:
If an easy entry right front seat isn’t locked,
it can move. In a sudden stop or crash, the
person sitting there could be injured. After
you’ve used it, be sure to slide the easy entry
seat back and forth to be sure it is locked.

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Split Folding Rear Seat
You can fold either side of the seatback (or both sides)
down in your vehicle for more cargo space. Make sure
the front seat isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback
may not fold down all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Remove the rear center
lap-shoulder belt latch
by using a key to press
the release button.
2. Pull forward on the
seatback tab located on
the outboard side of the
back seat cushion to fold
the seatback down.
This will allow you direct access to the trunk.
CAUTION:
If the seatback isn’t locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it
is locked.

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CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person wearing
the belt could be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check to be sure that
the safety belts are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked
in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the
release button, and that both are facing the front of
the vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push
and pull on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
When the seat is not in use, it should be kept in the
upright locked position. If you plan to load items
into the trunk through the split folding rear seat,
you must first turn off the trunk release sensor.
See “Trunk Release Sensor” in the Index for
more information.

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Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not do
with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.
CAUTION:
It is extremely dangerous to ride in a cargo area,
inside or outside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more likely to
be seriously injured or killed. Do not allow
people to ride in any area of your vehicle that is
not equipped with seats and safety belts. Be sure
everyone in your vehicle is in a seat and using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehicle has a light
that comes on as a reminder
to buckle up. See “Safety
Belt Reminder Light” in
the Index.

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In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why: They work.
You never know if you’ll be in a crash. If you do have
a crash, you don’t know if it will be a bad one.
A few crashes are mild, and some crashes can be so
serious that even buckled up a person wouldn’t survive.
But most crashes are in between. In many of them,
people who buckle up can survive and sometimes walk
away. Without belts they could have been badly hurt
or killed.
After more than 30 years of safety belts in vehicles,
the facts are clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter ... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride in or on anything, you go as fast as
it goes.
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’s just a seat
on wheels.

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Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider
doesn’t stop.

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The person keeps going until stopped by something.
In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ...
or the instrument panel ...

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or the safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get more time to stop. You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bones take the forces. That’s why
safety belts make such good sense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
Q: Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle after an
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt or not. But you can unbuckle a safety belt,
even if you’re upside down. And your chance of
being conscious during and after an accident, so
you can unbuckle and get out, is much greater if
you are belted.
Q: If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have
to wear safety belts?
A: Air bags are in many vehicles today and will
be in most of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systems only; so they work with
safety belts -- not instead of them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use of
safety belts. Even if you’re in a vehicle that has air
bags, you still have to buckle up to get the most
protection. That’s true not only in frontal collisions,
but especially in side and other collisions.