lights CHEVROLET IMPALA 2000 8.G Owners Manual

Page 6 of 365

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v
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:
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
SPEAKER
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle.

Page 64 of 365

2-
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2-1
Section 2 Features and Controls
Here you can learn about the many standard and optional features on your vehicle, and information on starting,
shifting and braking. Also explained are the instrument panel and the warning systems that tell you if everything is
working properly
-- and what to do if you have a problem.
2
-2 Keys
2-4 Door Locks
2
-6 Remote Keyless Entry (Option)
2
-10 Trunk
2
-11 Theft
2
-12 Content Theft-Deterrent (If Equipped)
2
-14 Vehicle Customization Settings
2
-19 Passlock
2-20 New Vehicle ªBreak-Inº
2
-20 Ignition Switch
2
-21 Starting Your Engine
2
-24 Engine Coolant Heater (If Equipped)
2
-25 Automatic Transaxle Operation
2
-30 Parking Brake
2
-31 Shifting Into PARK (P)
2
-34 Shifting Out of PARK (P)
2
-34 Parking Over Things That Burn
2
-35 Engine Exhaust
2
-35 Running Your Engine While You're Parked2
-36 Windows
2
-37 Tilt Wheel Adjustable Steering Column
2
-38 Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
2
-44 Exterior Lamps
2
-46 Interior Lamps
2
-48 Mirrors
2
-52 Accessory Power Receptacle
2
-52 Auxiliary Power Connection (Power Drop)
2
-53 Cellular Phone Readiness Package (If Equipped)
2
-53 OnStar System (Option)
2
-54 Power Sunroof (Option)
2
-55 Universal Transmitter (If Equipped)
2
-58 The Instrument Panel -- Your
Information System
2
-59 Instrument Panel Cluster
2
-62 Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
2
-71 Message Center
2
-77 Driver Information Center (DIC) (Option)

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2-16
AUTOLOCK (Automatic Door Lock and Unlock): With
the ignition in ON and the vehicle's doors closed, this
feature allows the vehicle doors to automatically lock
and unlock when the driver shifts the vehicle's transaxle
into and out of PARK (P). To customize the automatic
door lock and unlock:
1. Scroll, using the SEEK up or down arrows, until
AUTOLOCK appears on the display.
2. Press the PREV or NEXT button to enter the
submenu. The current selection will have an asterisk
next to it. Scroll through the following options:
OFF
- Turns feature off.
LCK ONLY
- Automatic door lock on/automatic
door unlock off.
DRVR UNL
- Automatic door lock on/automatic
door unlock on (driver's door only).
ALL UNL
- Automatic door lock on/automatic
door unlock on.
3. With your preference displayed, press the DISP
button to select. A chime will be heard to verify the
new setting. The new selection will be displayed
with an asterisk for one second.FOB LIGHT (Remote Visual Verification): This feature
allows the exterior lights to flash when the remote
keyless entry transmitter is used to lock or unlock the
vehicle. To customize remote visual verification:
1. Scroll, using the SEEK up or down arrows, until
FOB LIGHT appears on the display.
2. Press the PREV or NEXT button to enter the
submenu. The current selection will have an asterisk
next to it. Scroll through the following options:
OFF
- Turns feature off.
ON
- One flash for each remote lock/two flashes
for each remote unlock.
3. With your preference displayed, press the DISP
button to select. A chime will be heard to verify the
new setting. A new selection will be displayed with
an asterisk for one second.
If your vehicle is equipped with the content
theft
-deterrent system, the first time the remote unlock
is pressed three flashes will be seen to indicate an alarm
condition has occurred since last arming. See ªContent
Theft
-Deterrent Systemº in the Index.

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2-21
NOTICE:
If your key seems stuck in OFF and you can't
turn it, be sure you are using the correct key; if
so, is it all the way in? If it is, then turn the
steering wheel left and right while you turn the
key hard. But 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.
ACC (ACCESSORY): This is an operation in which
you can operate your electrical power accessories. With
the key in this position., the automatic transaxle and
steering column will unlock.
ON: This is the position to which the switch returns
after you start the engine and release the switch. The
switch stays in ON when the engine is running. But even
when the engine is not running, you can use ON to
operate your electrical power accessories and to display
some instrument panel messages and warning lights.START: This position starts the engine. When the
engine starts, release the key. The ignition switch will
return to ON for normal driving.
When the engine is not running, ACC and ON allow you
to operate your electrical accessories, such as the radio.
A warning tone will sound if you open the driver's door when
the ignition is in OFF or ACC and the key is in the ignition.
Starting Your Engine
Move your shift lever to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
Your engine won't start in any other position
-- that's a
safety feature. To restart when you're already moving,
use NEUTRAL (N) only.
NOTICE:
Don't try to shift to PARK (P) if your vehicle is
moving. If you do, you could damage the
transaxle. Shift to PARK (P) only when your
vehicle is stopped.

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2-44
Exterior Lamps
The lamp controls are located on the instrument panel.
They control these systems:
Headlamps
Taillamps
Parking Lamps
License Lamps
Instrument Panel Lights
Dome Lamp
Fog Lamps
If you pull the knob out
halfway, it will turn on your
parking lamps and your
other operating lamps. If
you pull the knob all the
way out, your headlamps
will then come on.
Push the knob in all the way to turn off the lamps.
A warning chime will sound if you open the driver's
door when you turn the ignition switch to OFF or ACC
with the lamps on.

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2-46 Fog Lamps (If Equipped)
To turn the fog lamps on, press the fog lamps switch
located next to the exterior lamp control on the left side
of the steering column.
A light will glow on the switch to let you know that they
are on. (Your parking lamps must be on or your fog
lamps won't come on.) Press the switch again to turn the
fog lamps off. The fog lamps will go off whenever you
change to high
-beam headlamps. When you return to
low beams, the fog lamps will come on again.
Interior Lamps
Instrument Panel Brightness Control
You can brighten or dim the instrument panel lights by
turning the panel light thumbwheel. Turn the control
clockwise to increase the brightness of the instrument
panel, and counterclockwise to decrease the brightness.
Courtesy Lamps
When any door is opened, several lamps come on. These
lamps are courtesy lamps. They make it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle. You can also turn these
lamps on by moving the panel light thumbwheel all the
way to the right.Some of the lamps have switches so you can turn them
on, even when the doors are closed. These lamps are
reading lamps.
Illuminated Entry (If Equipped)
Your courtesy lamps will come on and stay on for a set
time whenever you press UNLOCK on the remote
keyless entry transmitter.
If you open a door, the lamps will stay on while it's open
and then turn off automatically about 25 seconds after
you close it. If you press UNLOCK and don't open a
door, the lamps will turn off after about 40 seconds.
Illuminated entry includes a feature called theater
dimming. With theater dimming, the lamps don't just
turn off at the end of the delay time. Instead, they slowly
dim after the delay time until they go out. The delay
time is canceled if you turn the ignition key to ON,
START or press the power door lock switch so the
lamps will dim right away.
When the ignition is on, illuminated entry is inactive,
which means the courtesy lamps won't come on unless a
door is opened.

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2-49 Electrochromic Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror (If Equipped)
Your vehicle may have an electrochromic day/night
rearview mirror. Push the button in the center of the
mirror to turn this feature on. The mirror will darken
gradually to reduce glare from headlamps behind you.
This may take a few moments.
The mirror's two outer buttons operate the lights on the
bottom sides of the mirror.
One photocell on the front of the mirror senses when it
is becoming dark outside. Another photocell, facing
rearward, senses headlamps behind you. To turn the electrochromic feature off, press the button
in the center of the mirror again.
To keep the photocells operating well, occasionally
clean them with a cotton swab and glass cleaner.
Power Outside Mirrors
The power mirror control
switch is located near the
driver's side window, on
the armrest.
To choose either the left or right outside mirror, press the
top switch. Press any of the four buttons located below the
top switch to move the mirrors in the desired direction.
Adjust each mirror so you can see the side of your
vehicle and the area behind your vehicle.

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2-62
Warning Lights, Gages and Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages that
may be on your vehicle. The pictures will help you
locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that something is
wrong before it becomes serious enough to cause an
expensive repair or replacement. Paying attention to
your warning lights and gages could also save you or
others from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle's functions. As you
will see in the details on the next few pages, some
warning lights come on briefly when you start the
engine just to let you know they're working. If you are
familiar with this section, you should not be alarmed
when this happens.
Gages can indicate when there may be or is a problem
with one of your vehicle's functions. Often gages and
warning lights work together to let you know when
there's a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when you are driving, or when one of the gages shows
there may be a problem, check the section that tells you
what to do about it. Please follow this manual's advice. Waiting to do repairs can be costly
-- and even
dangerous. So please get to know your warning lights
and gages. They're a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a driver information system
that works along with the warning lights and gages.
See ªDriver Information Systemº in the Index.
Safety Belt Reminder Light
When the key is turned to ON or START, a chime will
come on for about eight seconds to remind people to
fasten their safety belts, unless the driver's safety belt is
already buckled.
The safety belt light will
also come on and stay on
for about 20 seconds, then
it will flash for about
55 seconds.
If the driver's belt is already buckled, the light will come
on for about three seconds, but the chime will not sound.

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4-17
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Don't drink and drive.
Adjust your inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you can't see as well, you may need to
slow down and keep more space between you and
other vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your
headlamps can light up only so much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you're tired, pull off the road in a safe place
and rest.
Night Vision
No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as
we get older these differences increase. A 50
-year-old
driver may require at least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20
-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your night
vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright
sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will
have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you're
driving, don't wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they
also make a lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several
seconds, for your eyes to readjust to the dark. When you
are faced with severe glare (as from a driver who
doesn't lower the high beams, or a vehicle with
misaimed headlamps), slow down a little. Avoid staring
directly into the approaching headlamps.
Keep your windshield and all the glass on your vehicle
clean
-- inside and out. Glare at night is made much
worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass
can build up a film caused by dust. Dirty glass makes
lights dazzle and flash more than clean glass would,
making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that your headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it's easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as your headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes
be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night
blindness
-- the inability to see in dim light -- and
aren't even aware of it.

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6-23 How to Add Fluid
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule to determine what
kind of transaxle fluid to use. See ªRecommended
Fluids and Lubricantsº in the Index.
If the fluid level is low, add only enough of the proper
fluid to bring the level into the cross
-hatched area
on the dipstick.
1. Pull out the dipstick.
2. Using a long
-neck funnel, add enough fluid at the
dipstick hole to bring it to the proper level.
It doesn't take much fluid, generally less than
one pint (0.5 L). Don't overfill.
NOTICE:
We recommend you use only fluid labeled
DEXRON-III, because fluid with that label is
made especially for your automatic transaxle.
Damage caused by fluid other than
DEXRON
-III is not covered by your new
vehicle warranty.
3. After adding fluid, recheck the fluid level as
described under ªHow to Check.º
4. When the correct fluid level is obtained, push the
dipstick back in all the way.
Engine Coolant
The cooling system in your vehicle is filled with
DEX
-COOL engine coolant. This coolant is designed
to remain in your vehicle for 5 years or 150,000 miles
(240 000 km), whichever occurs first, if you add only
DEX
-COOL extended life coolant.
The following explains your cooling system and how to
add coolant when it is low. If you have a problem with
engine overheating or if you need to add coolant to your
radiator, see ªEngine Overheatingº in the Index.
A 50/50 mixture of clean, drinkable water and
DEX
-COOL coolant will:
Give freezing protection down to
-34F (-37C).
Give boiling protection up to 265F (129C).
Protect against rust and corrosion.
Help keep the proper engine temperature.
Let the warning lights and gages work as
they should.