Chevrolet MONTE CARLO 1998 User manual

e The 1998 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Owner’s Manual
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3-1
Seats and Restraint Systems
This section tells you how to use your seats and safety belts properly. It also explains the “air bag” system.
Features and Controls
This section explains how to start and operate your vehicle.
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
This section tells you how to adjust the ventilation and comfort controls and how to operate your audio system.
4-1 YourDrivingandtheRoad
Hereyou’ll find helpful information and tips about the road and how to drive under different conditions.
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7-1
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9-1
Problems on the Road
This section tells what to do if you have a problem while driving, such as a flat tire or overheated engine, etc.
Service and Appearance Care
Here the manual tells you how to keep your vehicle running properly and looking good.
Maintenance Schedule
This section tells you when to perform vehicle maintenance and what fluids and lubricants to use.
Customer Assistance Information
This section tells you how to contact Chevroletfor assistance and how to get service and owner publications.
It also gives you information on “Reporting Safety Defects” on page 8-10,
Index
Here’s an alphabetical listingof almost every subject in this manual.You can useit to quickly find
something you want to read.
i

GENERAL MOTORS,GM,the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and the
name MONTE CARLO are registered trademarksof
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includesthe latest information at the time it
was printed.We reserve the right to make changes in the
product after thattime without further notice.
For
vehiclesfirst sold in Canada,substitute the name
“General Motorsof CanadaLimited” for Chevrolet
Motor Division whenever itappearsin this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle,
so it willbe
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.
Litho
in U.S.A.
Part No. 10285607A First Edition
ii
f We supportvoluntarytechnician certification.
- I - ...
WE SUPPORT
VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN
CERTIFICATION THROUGH
National Institute for
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE
EXCELLENCE
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propribtaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer unexemplairede ce guideen franpischez
votre concessionaireou au:
DGN Marketing Services Ltd.
1500Bonhill Rd.
Mississauga, OntarioL5T 1C7
@CopyrightGeneral Motors Corporation 1997
All Rights Reserved

The dynamic William C. “Billy”
Durant shiftedgears frommaking
carriages
to making cars,
forming half the team thatgave
birth to Chevrolet.

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In 1932 Chevrolet
introduced the
Synchro-Mesh
transmissionand
ofSered a host
of
accessories -- including
such niceties as aclock!
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The legacy of America'sfavorite sportscar
began in
1953, when 319 hand-assembled I
white Corvettes
launchedthe
I
first use of a
Jiberglassbody
in I
aproduction car:
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,,,,,,,,,,,,I

I The 1957 Chevy started a romance with the American
public
-- and was poweredby anavailablefuel-injected V8.
60 S automotive excitement
included Chevrolet landmarks
like the Corvette
Sting Ray,
the sporty Camaro, and
powerplants like the
legendary
327 V8.
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Your new Chevrolet continuesa tradition of quality and value.
V

How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manualfrombeginning
to endwhen they first receive their
new vehicle. If you
do
this, it will help you learnaboutthe features and
controls for your vehicle.In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Index
A good place to lookfor what you need is theIndexin
back
of the manual.It’s an alphabetical listof what’s in
the manual, and thepage number where you’ll find it.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell
you
aboutthings that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
r
These mean thereissomething that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area,we tell you what the hazard is. Then
we tell you what todo to help avoidor reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions.If you don’t, you or
others couldbe hurt.
11 You will also find a circle
with a slash through
it in
this book.This safety
symbol means “Don’t,’’
“Don’t dothis’’ or “Don’t
let this happen.”

Vehicle Damage Warnings
In the notice area, we tell you about something that
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be costly.But the notice will tell you what todoto help
can damageyour vehicle. Many times, this damage
Also,inthisbookyouwill find these notices:wouldnotbecoveredby your warranty,and itcould
NOTICE:
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
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These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle,
CAUnON and NOTICE warr&gs in different colors
or in different words.
I
-.
I You’ll also seewarninglabels on yourvehicle.Theyuse
the same words, CAUTIONor NOTICE.
vii

Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.
For example,
these symbols
are used
on an
original battery:
POSSIBLE A
CAUTION
INJURY
PROTECT
EYESBY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BURNS
SPARK OR ,\I/,
COULD
FLAME
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important
for you and
your passengers
whenever your
vehicle
is
driven:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
L
These symbols
have
to do with
your lamps:
A
FLASHER
FOG LAMPS $0
These symbols
are on someof
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are usedon
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE k
CHARGING I-1
BATTERY
SYSTEM
BRAKE (a)
COOLANT
a
ENGINE OIL w,
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK (@)
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
P
LIGHTER
HORN )tr
SPEAKER
b
FUEL p3

0 Section 1 SeatsandRestraintSystems
Here you’llfind information about the seats in your Chevrolet and how to use your safety belts properly.You can also
learn aboutsomethings you should not dowith air bags and safety belts.
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Seatsand Seat Controls
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
Here
Are Questions Many People Ask About
Safety Belts
-- and the Answers
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Driver Position
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Right Front Passenger Position
Air BagSystem
Center Passenger Position
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1-33
1-36
1-48
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1-51
1-51
Rear Seat Passengers
Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guidesfor
Children and Small Adults
Children
Child Restraints
Larger Children
Safety Belt Extender
CheckingYour Restraint Systems
Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains reclining seatbacks, folding rear seats and
head restraints.
2-Way Manual Front Seat
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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 under thefrontof the seat to unlockit. Slide
the seat to whereyou want it and release the bar.
Try to
move the seat with your body to
be sure the seat is
locked into place.

Driver’s 4-Way Manual Seat (Option)
The driver’s seat mayhave a bar and ahandleunder the
front edge of the seat. Lift thebar to unlock the seat and
slide itforwardand backward.
Lift thishandleto tilt the seatup or down.
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Driver’s Side Power Seat (Option)
FRONT (A): Raise thefront of the seatby holding the
switch
up. Hold the switch down tolowerthe frontof
the seat.
CENTER (B): Move the seat forwardor backward by
holding the control to the frontor to the back. Raise or
lowerthe seat by holdingthe control up or down.
REAR (C): Raise the rearof the seat by holding the
switch up. Hold the switch down to lower the rear
of
the seat.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to whereyou want
it. Release the lever to
lockthe seatback into place. Pullup onthe lever
without pushing on the seatback and the seatback will
move forward.
1-4

But don’thave a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
Sitting in a reclined position when yourvehicle is
in motion canbe dangerous. Even
if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their jobwhen
you’re reclined likethis.
The shoulder beltcan’t
do its job.In a crash you
could
go into it, receiving neckor other injuries.
The lap belt can’t doitsjob either. In a crash the
belt couldgo up over your abdomen. The belt
forceswould be there, notatyour pelvic bones.
This could cause seriousinternal injuries.
For proper protectionwhen thevehicle is in
motion, havethe seatback upright. Then sit
well back in the seat and wear your safety
belt properly.

HeadRestraintsSplitFoldingRearSeat
Slidethe head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the topof your ears.This position
reduces the chance of
a neck injury in a crash.
Seatback Latches
The front seat folds forward
to let people get into the
back seat.Your seatback
will move back and forth
freely, unless you cometo a
sudden stop. Then it will
lock intoplace.
If your vehicleis parked facing down
a fairly steep hill,
the seatbackmay not fold without some help from you.
To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback
toward the rear and lift this latch.
Then the seatback will
fold forward.The latch must be downfor the seat to
work properly.
Pull forward on the seat tab latchto fold the seat cushion
down. This feature allows you direct access
to the trunk.
To return the seat to its original position, push it back up
and make sure
it latches.

Safety Belts: They’refor Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how touse safety belts
properly.It alsotells you somethings you should not
do
with safetybelts.
And it explainsthe air bag system.
Don’t let anyoneride where heorshe can’t wear
a safety belt properly.
If you arein a crash and
you’re not wearinga safety belt,your injuries
canbe much worse.You can hit things inside the
vehicle orbe ejected from it.
You canbe seriously
injured orkilled. Inthe samecrash, you might
not beif you
are buckled up. Alwaysfastenyour
safety belt,and check that your passengers’ belts
arefastenedproperlytoo.
Itis extremelydangerous
to ride in a cargo area,
insideoroutside of a vehicle. In a collision,
people ridingin theseareas aremore likelytobe
seriouslyinjured or killed. Do not allow peopleto
ride in anyarea of your vehiclethat is not
equipped with seatsand safety belts. Besure
everyone in your vehicle is in
a seatand using a
safety belt properly.
Your vehiclehas a light
that comes
on as areminder
to buckleup. (See “Safety
Belt ReminderLight” in
the Index.)

In most states and Canadian provinces, the law says to
wear safety belts. Here’s why:
They work.
You never knowif 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 crashescan be so
serious that even buckledup 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 factsare clear. In most crashes buckling up does
matter
... a lot!
Why Safety Belts Work
When you ride inor on anything, you go as fastas
it goes.
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..
Take the simplest vehicle. Suppose it’sjust a seat
on wheels.

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

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

orthe safety belts!
With safety belts, you slow down as the vehicle does.
You get moretime to stop.You stop over more distance,
and your strongest bonestake the forces.That’s why
safety belts makesuchgood sense.
Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
@ Won’t I be trapped in the vehicle afteran
accident if I’m wearing a safety belt?
A: You could be -- whether you’re wearing a safety
belt
or not. But you canunbucklea safety belt,
even if you’reupside down. And your chance
of
being consciousduring and after an accident, so
you can unbuckleand get out,is much greater if
you are belted.
@ If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to
wear safety belts?
A: Air bags arein many vehicles today and will be
in most
of them in the future. But they are
supplemental systemsonly;
so they work with
safety belts -- not insteadof them. Every air bag
system ever offered for sale has required the use
of safety belts. Evenif you’rein 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 inside and other collisions.
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