Every 2001 Monte Carlo under warranty is backed with the following services: 1-800-CHEV-USA ®
( For vehicles purchased in Canada, call 1-800-268-6800)
that provides in an emergency: Courtesy Transportation Free lockout assistance Free dead-battery assistance Free out-of-fuel assistance Free flat-tire change Emergency towing 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Owner's Manual Litho in U.S.A. Part Number 10421935 A First Edition © Copyright General Motors Corporation 2000 All Rights Reserved i Table of Contents
Seats and Restraint Systems
Section 1 Seats and Seat Controls Safety Belts Air Bag Systems Restraint Systems for Children Features and Controls
Section 2 Windows Keys and Door Locks Remote Keyless Entry System (If Equipped) Remote Trunk Release Automatic Transaxle Parking Brake Tilt Wheel Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever Windshield Wipers Cruise Control (If Equipped) Exterior and Interior Lamps Mirrors Storage Compartments Trunk Convenience Net (If Equipped) Accessory Power Outlet/Auxiliary Power Connection OnStar® System (If Equipped) Power Sunroof (Option) HomeLink® Transmitter (Option) Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages Driver Information Center (Option) ii Table of Contents (cont'd)
Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Section 3 Heating and Air Conditioning Setting the Radio Clock Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature Steering Wheel Controls (If Equipped) Your Driving and the Road
Section 4 Defensive Driving Drunken Driving Control of a Vehicle Braking Steering Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions Recreational Vehicle Towing Loading Your Vehicle Towing a Trailer Problems on the Road
Section 5 Hazard Warning Flashers Jump Starting Towing Your Vehicle Engine Overheating Changing a Flat Tire If You're Stuck iii Table of Contents (cont'd)
Service and Appearance Care
Section 6 Fuel Checking Fluids and Lubricants GM Oil Life SystemTM Engine Air Cleaner/Filter Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped) Brakes Bulb Replacement Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement Tires and Wheels Appearance Care Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers Capacities and Specifications Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts Maintenance Schedule
Section 7 Scheduled Maintenance Owner Checks and Services Periodic Maintenance Inspections Recommended Fluids and Lubricants Maintenance Records iv Table of Contents (cont'd)
Customer Assistance Information
Section 8 Customer Satisfaction Procedures Customer Assistance Offices Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation Warranty Information (See Warranty Manual) Reporting Safety Defects on page 8-10 Service Publications Index
Section 9 In the Index you will find an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual. You can use it to quickly find something you want to read. Please refer to the last page of this manual for your Service Station Guide v We support voluntary technician certification. 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. 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 vi 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. 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. 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 about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore the warning. 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." vii 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. viii Vehicle Symbols These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. Also see "Warning Lights and Gages" in the Index.
For example, these symbols are used on an original battery:
CAUTION POSSIBLE INJURY PROTECT EYES BY SHIELDING CAUSTIC BATTERY ACID COULD CAUSE BURNS AVOID SPARKS OR FLAMES SPARK OR FLAME COULD EXPLODE BATTERY These symbols are important for you and your passengers whenever your vehicle is driven:
CHILD RESTRAINT TOP STRAP ANCHOR These symbols have to do with your lamps:
MASTER LIGHTING SWITCH These symbols are on some of your controls:
WINDSHIELD WIPER These symbols are used on warning and indicator lights: Here are some other symbols you may see: ENGINE COOLANT TEMP WINDSHIELD WASHER BATTERY CHARGING SYSTEM FUSE TURN SIGNALS LIGHTER DOOR LOCK UNLOCK PARKING LAMPS WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER HORN BRAKE FASTEN SEAT BELTS HAZARD WARNING FLASHER POWER WINDOW DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER COOLANT FUEL ENGINE OIL PRESSURE VENTILATING FAN AIR BAG FOG LAMPS ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ix Service Station Guide
Windshield Washer Fluid
See Section 6 For a More Detailed Look at What's Under the Hood
See Section 6 Battery See Section 6 Cooling System
See Section 5 Tire Pressure
See Section 6 Spare Tire Pressure
See Section 5 Hood Release
See Section 6 Engine Oil Dipstick
See Section 6 Fuel Oil Viscosity
Engine Oil See Section 6 Use unleaded only. See Section 6 for octane ratings. 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 1-9 1-13 1-14 1-14 1-21 1-22 1-23 1-31 Seats and 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 Bag Systems Rear Seat Passengers 1-35 1-37 1-39 1-43 1-57 1-60 1-60 1-60 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults Center Passenger Position Children Restraint Systems for Children Older Children Safety Belt Extender Checking Your Restraint Systems Replacing Restraint System Parts After a Crash 1- 1-1 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 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 with your body to be sure the seat is locked in place. 1-2 6-Way Power Seat (Option) D Raise or lower the front portion of the seat cushion
by sliding the front of the switch up or down. sliding the rear of the switch up or down. D Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat cushion by
Manual Lumbar This switch is designed to control the movements of your seat cushion. It is located on the outboard side of the front seats toward the front of the seat cushion. To adjust the seat cushion, do any of the following: D Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
switch to the front or the rear. switch up or down. D Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by sliding the The knob that controls this feature 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 Heated Front Seat (Option)
The driver's and passenger's heated seat switches are on the center console. Reclining Front Seatbacks 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, place the switch in the center position. 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. 1-4 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. But don't have a seatback reclined if your vehicle is moving. 1-5 Head Restraints Seatback Latches
There is a latch located on the lower back of the front seat. The front seat folds forward to let people get into or out of the rear seat. To fold the locked seatback forward, push the seatback toward the rear and lift the latch. Then the seatback will fold forward. The latch must be down for the seat to work properly. Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash. 1-6 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. 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 seat and tilt the right front 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. Easy Entry Manual Seat 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. 1-7 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. There is a tab located on the outboard sides of the seatbacks. To lower either of the rear seatbacks, follow these steps: 1. Pull forward on the seat tab to unlock the seatback. 2. Fold the seatback down. This will allow you direct access to the trunk. To raise either of the rear seatbacks, lift the seatback up and push it back into place. Make sure it latches. Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is locked into position. 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. 1-8 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:
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. 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. Your vehicle has a light that comes on as a reminder to buckle up. See "Safety Belt Reminder Light" in the Index. 1-9 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. 1-10 Put someone on it. Get it up to speed. Then stop the vehicle. The rider doesn't stop. 1-11 The person keeps going until stopped by something. In a real vehicle, it could be the windshield ... or the instrument panel ... 1-12 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. If my vehicle has air bags, why should I have to wear safety belts? 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. Q: A:
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. 1-13 Q: A: If I'm a good driver, and I never drive far from home, why should I wear safety belts? You may be an excellent driver, but if you're in an accident -- even one that isn't your fault -- you and your passengers can be hurt. Being a good driver doesn't protect you from things beyond your control, such as bad drivers. Most accidents occur within 25 miles (40 km) of home. And the greatest number of serious injuries and deaths occur at speeds of less than 40 mph (65 km/h). Safety belts are for everyone. How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
Adults
This part is only for people of adult size. Be aware that there are special things to know about safety belts and children. And there are different rules for smaller children and babies. If a child will be riding in your vehicle, see the part of this manual called "Children." Follow those rules for everyone's protection. First, you'll want to know which restraint systems your vehicle has. We'll start with the driver position. Driver Position
This part describes the driver's restraint system. 1-14 Lap-Shoulder Belt The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here's how to wear
it properly. 1. Close and lock the door. 2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see how, see "Seats" in the Index. 3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. 4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. If the belt isn't long enough, see "Safety Belt Extender" at the end of this section. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1-15 5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you'd be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. 1-16 Q: What's wrong with this? CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body. A: The shoulder belt is too loose. It won't give nearly as much protection this way. 1-17 Q: What's wrong with this? CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if your belt is buckled in the wrong place like this. In a crash, the belt would go up over your abdomen. The belt forces would be there, not at the pelvic bones. This could cause serious internal injuries. Always buckle your belt into the buckle nearest you. A: The belt is buckled in the wrong place. 1-18 Q: What's wrong with this? CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured if you wear the shoulder belt under your arm. In a crash, your body would move too far forward, which would increase the chance of head and neck injury. Also, the belt would apply too much force to the ribs, which aren't as strong as shoulder bones. You could also severely injure internal organs like your liver or spleen. A: The shoulder belt is worn under the arm. It should be worn over the shoulder at all times. 1-19 Q: What's wrong with this? CAUTION:
You can be seriously injured by a twisted belt. In a crash, you wouldn't have the full width of the belt to spread impact forces. If a belt is twisted, make it straight so it can work properly, or ask your dealer to fix it. A: The belt is twisted across the body. 1-20 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
Safety belts work for everyone, including pregnant women. Like all occupants, they are more likely to be seriously injured if they don't wear safety belts. To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. The belt should go back out of the way. Before you close the door, be sure the belt is out of the way. If you slam the door on it, you can damage both the belt and your vehicle. A pregnant woman should wear a lap-shoulder belt, and the lap portion should be worn as low as possible, below the rounding, throughout the pregnancy. 1-21 The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it's more likely that the fetus won't be hurt in a crash. For pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making safety belts effective is wearing them properly. Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger's safety belt properly, see "Driver Position" earlier in this section. The right front passenger's safety belt works the same way as the driver's safety belt -- except for two things. If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle the belt. On some vehicles, if you pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature. If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way and start again. 1-22 Air Bag Systems
This part explains the frontal and side impact air bag systems. Your vehicle has air bags -- a frontal air bag for the driver and another frontal air bag for the right front passenger. Your vehicle may also have a side impact air bag for the driver. If your vehicle has a side impact air bag for the driver it will say AIR BAG on the air bag covering on the side of the driver's seatback closest to the door. Frontal air bags are designed to help reduce the risk of injury from the force of an inflating frontal air bag. But these air bags must inflate very quickly to do their job and comply with federal regulations. 1-23 Here are the most important things to know about the air bag systems: CAUTION: (Continued) Frontal air bags for the driver and right front passenger are designed to work only in moderate to severe crashes where the front of your vehicle hits something. They aren't designed to inflate at all in rollover, rear, side or low-speed frontal crashes. And, for unrestrained occupants, frontal air bags may provide less protection in frontal crashes than more forceful air bags have provided in the past. The side impact air bag for the driver is designed to inflate only in moderate to severe crashes where something hits the driver's side of the vehicle. It isn't designed to inflate in frontal, in rollover or in rear crashes. Everyone in your vehicle should wear a safety belt properly -- whether or not there's an air bag for that person. CAUTION:
You can be severely injured or killed in a crash if you aren't wearing your safety belt -- even if you have air bags. Wearing your safety belt during a crash helps reduce your chance of hitting things inside the vehicle or being ejected from it. Air bags are "supplemental restraints" to the safety belts. All air bags are designed to work with safety belts but don't replace them. CAUTION: (Continued) 1-24 CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact air bags inflate with great force, faster than the blink of an eye. If you're too close to an inflating air bag, as you would be if you were leaning forward, it could seriously injure you. Safety belts help keep you in position for air bag inflation before and during a crash. Always wear your safety belt, even with frontal air bags. The driver should sit as far back as possible while still maintaining control of the vehicle, and should not lean on the door. CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to, any air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best protection for adults, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle's safety belt system nor its air bag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. Always secure children properly in your vehicle. To read how, see the part of this manual called "Children." 1-25 There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument panel, which shows the air bag symbol. How the Air Bag Systems Work
Where are the air bags? The system checks the air bag electrical system for malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. See "Air Bag Readiness Light" in the Index for more information. The driver's frontal air bag is in the middle of the steering wheel. 1-26 The right front passenger's frontal air bag is in the instrument panel on the passenger's side. The driver's side impact air bag is in the side of the driver's seatback closest to the door. 1-27 CAUTION:
If something is between an occupant and an air bag, the bag might not inflate properly or it might force the object into that person. The path of an inflating air bag must be kept clear. Don't put anything between an occupant and an air bag, and don't attach or put anything on the steering wheel hub or on or near any other air bag covering and don't let seat covers block the inflation path of a side impact air bag. When should an air bag inflate? The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are designed to inflate in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal crashes. But they are designed to inflate only if the impact speed is above the system's designed "threshold level." In addition, your vehicle has "dual stage" frontal air bags, which tailor the amount of restraint according to crash severity. For moderate frontal impacts, these air bags inflate at a level less than full deployment. For more severe frontal impacts, full deployment occurs. If the front of your vehicle goes straight into a wall that doesn't move or deform, the threshold level for the reduced deployment is about 12 to 16 mph (19 to 26 km/h), and the threshold level for a full deployment is about 18 to 24 mph (29 to 38.5 km/h). The threshold level can vary, however, with specific vehicle design, so that it can be somewhat above or below this range. If your vehicle strikes something that will move or deform, such as a parked car, the threshold level will be higher. The driver's and right front passenger's frontal air bags are not designed to inflate in rollovers, side impacts, or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. The driver's side impact air bag is designed to inflate in moderate to severe side crashes involving the driver's door. The side impact air bag will inflate if the crash severity is above the system's designed "threshold level." The threshold level can vary with specific vehicle design. The driver's side impact air bag is not designed to inflate in frontal or near-frontal impacts, rollovers or rear impacts, because inflation would not help the occupant. 1-28 In any particular crash, no one can say whether an air bag should have inflated simply because of the damage to a vehicle or because of what the repair costs were. For frontal air bags, inflation is determined by the angle of the impact and how quickly the vehicle slows down in frontal and near-frontal impacts. For the side impact air bag, inflation is determined by the location and severity of the impact. What makes an air bag inflate? In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For both frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing system triggers a release of gas from the inflator, which inflates the air bag. The inflator, air bag and related hardware are all part of the air bag modules inside the steering wheel, instrument panel and the side of the driver's seatback closest to the 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 side impacts, primarily because an occupant's motion is not toward the air bag. The 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 the 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 the driver's side impact air bag. What will you see after an air bag inflates? After an air bag inflates, it quickly deflates, so quickly that some people may not even realize the air bag inflated. Some components of the air bag module -- the steering wheel hub for the driver's air bag, the instrument panel for the right front passenger's bag, the side of the seatback closest to the door for the driver's side impact air bag -- will be hot for a short time. The parts of the bag that come into contact with you may be warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke and dust coming from the vents in the deflated air bags. Air bag inflation doesn't prevent the driver from seeing or being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people from leaving the vehicle. 1-29 D Air bags are designed to inflate only once. After an CAUTION:
When an air bag inflates, there is dust in the air. This dust could cause breathing problems for people with a history of asthma or other breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe to do so. If you have breathing problems but can't get out of the vehicle after an air bag inflates, then get fresh air by opening a window or a door. Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the air bags inflate (if battery power is available). You can lock the doors again and turn the interior lamps off by using the door lock and interior lamp controls. In many crashes severe enough to inflate an air bag, windshields are broken by vehicle deformation. Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the right front passenger air bag. air bag inflates, you'll need some new parts for your air bag system. If you don't get them, the air bag system won't be there to help protect you in another crash. A new system will include air bag modules and possibly other parts. The service manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace other parts. sensor, which helps the sensing system distinguish between a moderate frontal impact and a more severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped with a crash sensing and diagnostic module, which records information about the frontal air bag system. The module records information about the readiness of the system, when the system commands air bag inflation and driver's safety belt usage at deployment. The module also records speed, engine rpm, brake and throttle data. bag systems. Improper service can mean that an air bag system won't work properly. See your dealer for service. D Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic frontal D Let only qualified technicians work on your air 1-30 NOTICE:
If you damage the covering for the driver's or the right front passenger's air bag, or the air bag covering on the driver's seatback, the bag may not work properly. You may have to replace the air bag module in the steering wheel, both the air bag module and the instrument panel for the right front passenger's air bag, or the air bag module and seatback for the driver's side impact air bag. Do not open or break the air bag coverings. CAUTION:
For up to 10 seconds after the ignition key is turned off and the battery is disconnected, an air bag can still inflate during improper service. You can be injured if you are close to an air bag when it inflates. Avoid yellow connectors. They are probably part of the air bag systems. Be sure to follow proper service procedures, and make sure the person performing work for you is qualified to do so. The air bag systems do not need regular maintenance. Servicing Your Air Bag-Equipped Vehicle
Air bags affect how your vehicle should be serviced. There are parts of the air bag systems in several places around your vehicle. Your dealer and the service manual have information about servicing your vehicle and the air bag systems. To purchase a service manual, see "Service and Owner Publications" in the Index. Rear Seat Passengers
It's very important for rear seat passengers to buckle up! Accident statistics show that unbelted people in the rear seat are hurt more often in crashes than those who are wearing safety belts. Rear passengers who aren't safety belted can be thrown out of the vehicle in a crash. And they can strike others in the vehicle who are wearing safety belts. 1-31 Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions Lap-Shoulder Belt The positions next to the windows have lap-shoulder belts. Here's how to wear one properly. 1. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Don't let it get twisted. The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt across you more slowly. 2. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks. 1-32 If the belt stops before it reaches the buckle, tilt the latch plate and keep pulling until you can buckle it. Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure. On some vehicles, when the shoulder belt is pulled out all the way, it will lock. If it does, let it go back all the way and start again. If the belt is not long enough, see "Safety Belt Extender" at the end of this section. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 3. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder part. 1-33 CAUTION:
You can be seriously hurt if your shoulder belt is too loose. In a crash, you would move forward too much, which could increase injury. The shoulder belt should fit against your body. The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies force to the strong pelvic bones. And you'd be less likely to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of the body are best able to take belt restraining forces. The safety belt locks if there's a sudden stop or a crash, or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor. To unlatch the belt, just push the button on the buckle. 1-34 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for Children and Small Adults
Rear shoulder belt comfort guides will provide added safety belt comfort for older children who have outgrown booster seats and for small adults. When installed on a shoulder belt, the comfort guide better positions the belt away from the neck and head. There is one guide for each outside passenger position in the rear seat. To provide added safety belt comfort for children who have outgrown child restraints and for smaller adults, the comfort guides may be installed on the shoulder belts. Here's how to install a comfort guide and use the safety belt: 1. Pull the elastic cord out from between the edge of the seatback and the interior body to remove the guide from its storage clip. 1-35 2. Slide the guide under and past the belt. The elastic cord must be under the belt. Then, place the guide over the belt, and insert the two edges of the belt into the slots of the guide. 3. Be sure that the belt is not twisted and it lies flat. The elastic cord must be under the belt and the guide on top. 1-36 To remove and store the comfort guides, squeeze the belt edges together so that you can take them out from the guides. Pull the guide upward to expose its storage clip, and then slide the guide onto the clip. Turn the guide and clip inward and in between the seatback and interior body, leaving only the loop of elastic cord exposed. Center Passenger Position 4. Buckle, position and release the safety belt as described in "Rear Seat Outside Passenger Positions" earlier in this section. Make sure that the shoulder belt crosses the shoulder. 1-37 Lap Belt To make the belt shorter, pull its free end as shown until the belt is snug. When you sit in the center seating position, you have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along the belt. Buckle, position and release it the same way as the lap part of a lap-shoulder belt. If the belt isn't long enough, see "Safety Belt Extender" at the end of this section. Make sure the release button on the buckle is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 1-38 Children
Everyone in a vehicle needs protection! This includes infants and all other children. Neither the distance traveled nor the age and size of the traveler changes the need, for everyone, to use safety restraints. In fact, the law in every state in the United States and in every Canadian province says children up to some age must be restrained while in a vehicle. Infants and Young Children
Every time infants and young children ride in vehicles, they should have the protection provided by the appropriate restraint. Young children should not use the vehicle's safety belts, unless there is no other choice. 1-39 CAUTION: (Continued) For example, in a crash at only 25 mph (40 km/h), a 12-lb. (5.5 kg) baby will suddenly become a 240-lb. (110 kg) force on a person's arms. A baby should be secured in an appropriate restraint. CAUTION:
People should never hold a baby in their arms while riding in a vehicle. A baby doesn't weigh much -- until a crash. During a crash a baby will become so heavy it is not possible to hold it. CAUTION: (Continued) 1-40 Q: CAUTION: A:
Children who are up against, or very close to, any air bag when it inflates can be seriously injured or killed. Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer outstanding protection for adults and older children, but not for young children and infants. Neither the vehicle's safety belt system nor its air bag system is designed for them. Young children and infants need the protection that a child restraint system can provide. What are the different types of add-on child restraints? Add-on child restraints, which are purchased by the vehicle's owner, are available in four basic types. Selection of a particular restraint should take into consideration not only the child's weight, height and age but also whether or not the restraint will be compatible with the motor vehicle in which it will be used. For most basic types of child restraints, there are many different models available. When purchasing a child restraint, be sure it is designed to be used in a motor vehicle. If it is, the restraint will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. The restraint manufacturer's instructions that come with the restraint state the weight and height limitations for a particular child restraint. In addition, there are many kinds of restraints available for children with special needs. 1-41 CAUTION:
Newborn infants need complete support, including support for the head and neck. This is necessary because a newborn infant's neck is weak and its head weighs so much compared with the rest of its body. In a crash, an infant in a rear-facing seat settles into the restraint, so the crash forces can be distributed across the strongest part of an infant's body, the back and shoulders. Infants always should be secured in appropriate infant restraints. CAUTION:
The body structure of a young child is quite unlike that of an adult or older child, for whom the safety belts are designed. A young child's hip bones are still so small that vehicle's regular safety belt may not remain low on the hip bones, as it should. Instead, it may settle up around the child's abdomen. In a crash, the belt would apply force on a body area that's unprotected by any bony structure. This alone could cause serious or fatal injuries. Young children always should be secured in appropriate child restraints. 1-42 Restraint Systems for Children 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 flat 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. 1-43 A forward-facing child seat (C-E) provides restraint for the child's body with the harness and also sometimes with surfaces such as T-shaped or shelf-like shields. A booster seat (F-G) is a child restraint designed to improve the fit of the vehicle's safety belt system. Some booster seats have a shoulder belt positioner, and some high-back booster seats have a five-point harness. A booster seat can also help a child to see out the window. 1-44 Q: A: How do child restraints work? A child restraint system is any device designed for use in a motor vehicle to restrain, seat, or position children. A built-in child restraint system is a permanent part of the motor vehicle. An add-on child restraint system is a portable one, which is purchased by the vehicle's owner. For many years, add-on child restraints have used the adult belt system in the vehicle. To help reduce the chance of injury, the child also has to be secured within the restraint. The vehicle's belt system secures the add-on child restraint in the vehicle, and the add-on child restraint's harness system holds the child in place within the restraint. One system, the three-point harness, has straps that come down over each of the infant's shoulders and buckle together at the crotch. The five-point harness system has two shoulder straps, two hip straps and a crotch strap. A shield may take the place of hip straps. A T-shaped shield has shoulder straps that are attached to a flat pad which rests low against the child's body. A shelf- or armrest-type shield has straps that are attached to a wide, shelf-like shield that swings up or to the side. When choosing a child restraint, be sure the child restraint is designed to be used in a vehicle. If it is, it will have a label saying that it meets federal motor vehicle safety standards. Then follow the instructions for the restraint. You may find these instructions on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both. These restraints use the belt system in your vehicle, but the child also has to be secured within the restraint to help reduce the chance of personal injury. When securing an add-on child restraint, refer to the instructions that come with the restraint which may be on the restraint itself or in a booklet, or both, and to this manual. The child restraint instructions are important, so if they are not available, obtain a replacement copy from the manufacturer. 1-45 Where to Put the Restraint
Accident statistics show that children are safer if they are restrained in the rear rather than the front seat. General Motors, therefore, recommends that child restraints be secured in the rear seat including an infant riding in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding in a forward-facing child seat and an older child riding in a booster seat. Never put a rear-facing child restraint in the front passenger seat. Here's why: Wherever you install it, be sure to secure the child restraint properly. Keep in mind that an unsecured child restraint can move around in a collision or sudden stop and injure people in the vehicle. Be sure to properly secure any child restraint in your vehicle -- even when no child is in it. Top Strap
Some child restraints have a top strap, or "top tether." It can help restrain the child restraint during a collision. For it to work, a top strap must be properly anchored to the vehicle. If the child restraint does not have a top strap, one can be obtained, in kit form, for many child restraints. Ask the child restraint manufacturer whether or not a kit is available. CAUTION:
A child in a rear-facing child restraint can be seriously injured or killed if the right front passenger's air bag inflates. This is because the back of the rear-facing child restraint would be very close to the inflating air bag. Always secure a rear-facing child restraint in a rear seat. You may secure a forward-facing child restraint in the right front seat, but before you do, always move the front passenger seat as far back as it will go. It's better to secure the child restraint in a rear seat. 1-46 In Canada, the law requires that forward-facing child restraints have a top strap, and that the strap be anchored. In the United States, some child restraints also have a top strap. If your child restraint has a top strap, it should be anchored. Your vehicle has top strap anchors already installed for the rear seating positions. You'll find them behind the rear seat on the filler panel. Anchor the top strap to one of these anchor points. Be sure to use an anchor point located on the same side of the vehicle as the seating position where the child restraint will be placed. Once you have the top strap anchored, you'll be ready to secure the child restraint itself. Tighten the top strap when and as the child restraint manufacturer's instructions say. 1-47 Securing a Child Restraint in a Rear Outside Seat Position You'll be using the lap-shoulder belt. See the earlier part about the top strap if the child restraint has one. Be sure to follow the instructions that came with the child restraint. Secure the child in the child restraint when and as the instructions say. 1. Put the restraint on the seat. 2. Pick up the latch plate, and run the lap and shoulder portions of the vehicle's safety belt through or around the restraint. The child restraint instructions will show you how. Tilt the latch plate to adjust the belt if needed. If the shoulder belt goes in front of the child's face or neck, put it behind the child restraint. 1-48 3. Buckle the belt. Make sure the release button is positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the safety belt quickly if you ever had to. 4. Some vehicles have a child restraint locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor. You can tell if your vehicle has this feature by pulling the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor. Then, let the belt go back a few inches, and try to pull the belt out again. If you can't pull the belt out because it has locked, it means the retractor has the child restraint locking feature. If the belt doesn't lock and you can pull the belt out of the retractor again, it means your vehicle doesn't have the child restraint locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor. 1-49 D If your vehicle doesn't have the child restraint locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor, tighten the belt by pulling up on the shoulder belt while you push down on the child restraint. If you're using a forward-facing child restraint you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 5. Push and pull the child restraint in different directions to be sure it is secure. To remove the child restraint, just unbuckle the vehicle's safety belt and let it go back all the way. The safety belt will move freely again and be ready to work for an adult or larger child passenger. D If your vehicle has the child restraint locking feature on the shoulder belt retractor, pull the rest of the shoulder belt all the way out of the retractor to set the lock. To tighten the belt, feed the shoulder belt back into the retractor while you push down on the child restraint. If you're using a forward-facing child restraint, you may find it helpful to use your knee to push down on the child restraint as you tighten the belt. 1-50 Securing a Child Restraint in the Center Rear Seat Position You'll be using the lap belt. Be sure to fol