engine CHEVROLET IMPALA 2004 8.G Owners Manual

Windshield Washer Fluid
What to Use
When you need windshield washer uid, be sure to read
the manufacturer’s instructions before use. If you will
be operating your vehicle in an area where the
temperature may fall below freezing, use a uid that has
sufficient protection against freezing.
Adding Washer Fluid
When this message is displayed, it means the vehicle is
low on windshield washer uid. You should add more
windshield washer uid soon.Open the cap with the
washer symbol on it.
Add washer uid until the
tank is full. SeeEngine
Compartment Overview
on page 5-12for more
information on location.
Notice:
When using concentrated washer uid, follow the
manufacturer’s instructions for adding water.
Do not mix water with ready-to-use washer uid.
Water can cause the solution to freeze and
damage your washer uid tank and other parts of
the washer system. Also, water does not clean as
well as washer uid.
Fill your washer uid tank only three-quarters full
when it is very cold. This allows for expansion if
freezing occurs, which could damage the tank if
it is completely full.
Do not use engine coolant (antifreeze) in your
windshield washer. It can damage your washer
system and paint. United States
Canada
5-46

Brakes
Brake Fluid
Your brake master cylinder reservoir is lled with DOT-3
brake uid. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for the location of the reservoir.
There are only two reasons why the brake uid level in
the reservoir might go down. The rst is that the
brake uid goes down to an acceptable level during
normal brake lining wear. When new linings are put in,
the uid level goes back up. The other reason isthat uid is leaking out of the brake system. If it is, you
should have your brake system xed, since a leak
means that sooner or later your brakes will not work
well, or will not work at all.
So, it is not a good idea to “top off” your brake uid.
Adding brake uid will not correct a leak. If you add uid
when your linings are worn, then you will have too
much uid when you get new brake linings. You should
add (or remove) brake uid, as necessary, only when
work is done on the brake hydraulic system.
{CAUTION:
If you have too much brake uid, it can spill on
the engine. The uid will burn if the engine is
hot enough. You or others could be burned,
and your vehicle could be damaged. Add brake
uid only when work is done on the brake
hydraulic system.
When your brake uid falls to a low level, your brake
warning light will come on. SeeBrake System Warning
Light on page 3-33.
5-47

What to Add
When you do need brake uid, use only DOT-3 brake
uid. Use new brake uid from a sealed container
only. SeeRecommended Fluids and Lubricants on
page 6-12.
Always clean the brake uid reservoir cap and the area
around the cap before removing it. This will help keep
dirt from entering the reservoir.
{CAUTION:
With the wrong kind of uid in your brake
system, your brakes may not work well, or
they may not even work at all. This could
cause a crash. Always use the proper brake
uid.Notice:
Using the wrong uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they will have to be replaced.
Do not let someone put in the wrong kind of
uid.
If you spill brake uid on your vehicle’s painted
surfaces, the paint nish can be damaged.
Be careful not to spill brake uid on your
vehicle. If you do, wash it off immediately.
SeeAppearance Care on page 5-94.
5-48

Replacing Brake System Parts
The braking system on a vehicle is complex.
Its many parts have to be of top quality and work well
together if the vehicle is to have really good braking.
Your vehicle was designed and tested with top-quality
GM brake parts. When you replace parts of your braking
system — for example, when your brake linings wear
down and you need new ones put in — be sure you get
new approved GM replacement parts. If you do not,
your brakes may no longer work properly. For example,
if someone puts in brake linings that are wrong for
your vehicle, the balance between your front and rear
brakes can change — for the worse. The braking
performance you have come to expect can change in
many other ways if someone puts in the wrong
replacement brake parts.
Battery
Your new vehicle comes with a maintenance free
ACDelco®battery. When it is time for a new battery,
get one that has the replacement number shown on the
original battery’s label. We recommend an ACDelco
®
battery. SeeEngine Compartment Overview on
page 5-12for battery location.
Warning:Battery posts, terminals and related
accessories contain lead and lead compounds,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer and reproductive harm. Wash hands after
handling.
5-50

Notice:If the other vehicle’s system is not a 12-volt
system with a negative ground, both vehicles can
be damaged. Only use vehicles with 12-volt systems
with negative grounds to jump start your vehicle.
1. Check the other vehicle. It must have a 12-volt
battery with a negative ground system.
2. Get the vehicles close enough so the jumper cables
can reach, but be sure the vehicles aren’t touching
each other. If they are, it could cause a ground
connection you don’t want. You wouldn’t be able to
start your vehicle, and the bad grounding could
damage the electrical systems.
To avoid the possibility of the vehicles rolling, set the
parking brake rmly on both vehicles involved in the
jump start procedure. Put an automatic transaxle in
PARK (P) or a manual transaxle in NEUTRAL before
setting the parking brake.Notice:If you leave your radio or other accessories
on during the jump starting procedure, they could
be damaged. The repairs would not be covered
by your warranty. Always turn off your radio and
other accessories when jump starting your vehicle.
3. Turn off the ignition on both vehicles. Unplug
unnecessary accessories plugged into the cigarette
lighter or in the accessory power outlets. Turn off
the radio and all lamps that aren’t needed. This will
avoid sparks and help save both batteries. And it
could save your radio!
4. Open the hoods and locate the batteries. Find the
positive (+) and negative (−) terminal locations on
each vehicle.
You will not need to access your battery for jump
starting. Your vehicle has a remote positive (+) jump
starting terminal for that purpose. The remote
positive (+) terminal is located in the engine
compartment on the passenger’s side of the vehicle,
next to the upper underhood fuse block. See
Engine Compartment Overview on page 5-12for
more information on location.
5-52

To uncover the remote positive (+) terminal, lift the
plastic cap. You should always use the remote
positive (+) terminal instead of the positive (+)
terminal on the battery.
{CAUTION:
An electric fan can start up even when the
engine is not running and can injure you.
Keep hands, clothing and tools away from any
underhood electric fan.
{CAUTION:
Using a match near a battery can cause battery
gas to explode. People have been hurt doing
this, and some have been blinded. Use a
ashlight if you need more light.
Be sure the battery has enough water. You do
not need to add water to the ACDelco
®battery
installed in your new vehicle. But if a battery
has ller caps, be sure the right amount of
uid is there. If it is low, add water to take care
of that rst. If you do not, explosive gas could
be present.
Battery uid contains acid that can burn you.
Do not get it on you. If you accidentally get it
in your eyes or on your skin, ush the place
with water and get medical help immediately.
5-53

{CAUTION:
Fans or other moving engine parts can injure
you badly. Keep your hands away from moving
parts once the engine is running.
5. Check that the jumper cables don’t have loose or
missing insulation. If they do, you could get a
shock. The vehicles could be damaged, too.
Before you connect the cables, here are some
basic things you should know. Positive (+) will go to
positive (+) or to a remote positive (+) terminal if
the vehicle has one. Negative (−) will go to a heavy,
unpainted metal engine part or to a remote
negative (−) terminal if the vehicle has one.
Don’t connect positive (+) to negative (−), or you’ll
get a short that would damage the battery and
maybe other parts, too. And don’t connect
the negative (−) cable to the negative (−) terminal
on the dead battery because this can cause sparks.6. Connect the red positive (+) cable to the positive (+)
terminal location of the vehicle with the dead
battery. Use a remote positive (+) terminal if the
vehicle has one.
5-54

9. Connect the other end of the negative (−) cable at
least 18 inches (45 cm) away from the dead battery,
but not near engine parts that move. The electrical
connection is just as good there, and the chance
of sparks getting back to the battery is much less.10. Now start the vehicle with the good battery and run
the engine for a while.
11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery.
If it won’t start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:If the jumper cables are removed in the
wrong order, electrical shorting may occur and
damage the vehicle. The repairs would not be
covered by your warranty. Remove the jumper
cables in the correct order, making sure that the
cables do not touch each other or other metal.
5-56

A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) TerminalTo disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles,
do the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (−) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other
vehicle.
5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover to its
original position.
Jumper Cable Removal
5-57

Tire Size
The following illustration shows an example of a typical
passenger car tire size.
(A) P-Metric Tire:The United States version of a
metric tire sizing system. The letter “P” as the
rst character in the tire size means a passenger
vehicle tire engineered to standards set by the
U. S. Tire and Rim Association.
(B) Tire Width:The three-digit number indicates the
tire section width in millimeters from sidewall to sidewall.(C) Aspect Ratio:A two-digit number that indicates
the tire height-to-width measurements. For example,
if the tire size aspect ratio is “70,” as shown in item “C”
of the illustration, it would mean that the tire’s sidewall
is 70% as high as it is wide.
(D) Construction Code:A letter code is used to
indicate the type of ply construction in the tire. The letter
“R” means radial ply construction; the letter “D” means
diagonal or bias ply construction; and the letter “B”
means belted-bias ply construction.
(E) Rim Diameter:Diameter of the wheel in inches.
(F) Service Description:These characters represent
the load range and the speed rating of a tire. The load
range represents the load carrying capacity a tire is
certied to carry. The load index can range from
1 to 279. The speed rating is the maximum speed a tire
is certied to carry a load. Speed ratings range from
“A” to “Z”.
5-68