octane CHEVROLET IMPALA 2005 8.G Owners Manual

If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.
If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to do so,
stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park your vehicle.
Turn the key off, wait at least 10 seconds and restart
the engine. If the light remains on steady, see “If the
Light Is On Steady” following. If the light is still ashing,
follow the previous steps, and see your dealer for
service as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You also may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully install
the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 5-8. The
diagnostic system can determine if the fuel cap has
been left off or improperly installed. A loose or missing
fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap properly installed
should turn the light off.Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The condition
will usually be corrected when the electrical system
dries out. A few driving trips should turn the light off.
Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel.
SeeGasoline Octane on page 5-5. Poor fuel quality will
cause your engine not to run as efficiently as designed.
You may notice this as stalling after start-up, stalling
when you put the vehicle into gear, misring, hesitation
on acceleration, or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine is warmed up.)
This will be detected by the system and cause the
light to turn on.
If you experience one or more of these conditions,
change the fuel brand you use. It will require at least
one full tank of the proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
your dealer can check the vehicle. Your dealer has
the proper test equipment and diagnostic tools to x
any mechanical or electrical problems that may
have developed.
3-37

Service............................................................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-6
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-18
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-21
Supercharger Oil..........................................5-24
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-25
Automatic Transaxle Fluid..............................5-26
Engine Coolant.............................................5-29
Radiator Pressure Cap..................................5-31
Engine Overheating.......................................5-32Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-34
Cooling System............................................5-34
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-43
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-44
Brakes........................................................5-45
Battery........................................................5-48
Jump Starting...............................................5-49
Headlamp Aiming...........................................5-54
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-54
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-54
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps..........................................5-55
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Sidemarker Lamps.....................................5-57
Back-Up Lamps............................................5-58
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-59
Tires..............................................................5-60
Tire Sidewall Labelling...................................5-61
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-64
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-66
Tire Pressure Monitor System.........................5-68
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1

Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle
Things you might add to the outside of your vehicle
can affect the airow around it. This may cause
wind noise and affect windshield washer performance.
Check with your dealer before adding equipment to
the outside of your vehicle.
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an important part of the
proper maintenance of your vehicle.
Gasoline Octane
If your vehicle has the 3400 V6 engine (VIN Code E)
or the 3800 V6 engine (VIN Code K), use regular
unleaded gasoline with a posted octane of 87 or higher.If the octane is less than 87, you may get a heavy
knocking noise when you drive. If this occurs, use a
gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. Otherwise, you might damage your engine.
A little pinging noise when you accelerate or drive uphill
is considered normal. This does not indicate a problem
exists or that a higher-octane fuel is necessary.
If you are using 87 octane or higher-octane fuel and you
hear heavy knocking, your engine needs service.
If your vehicle has the 3800 Supercharged V6 engine
(VIN Code 1), use only premium unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane of 91 or higher. In an emergency,
you may be able to use a lower octane — as low
as 87 — if heavy knocking does not occur. Rell your
tank with premium fuel as soon as possible. Otherwise,
you might damage your engine. If you are using
91 octane or higher-octane fuel and you hear heavy
knocking, your engine needs service.
5-5

Notice:Your vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in your fuel
system and also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be covered under
your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions may contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. General Motors does
not recommend the use of such gasolines. Fuels
containing MMT can reduce the life of spark plugs and
the performance of the emission control system may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp may turn on.
If this occurs, return to your authorized GM dealer for
service.Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel may be hard
to nd. Never use leaded gasoline or any other fuel
not recommended in the previous text on fuel. Costly
repairs caused by use of improper fuel would not
be covered by your warranty.
To check the fuel availability, ask an auto club, or
contact a major oil company that does business in the
country where you will be driving.
5-7

This schedule is for vehicles that:
carry passengers and cargo within recommended
limits. You will nd these limits on the tire and
loading information label. SeeLoading Your Vehicle
on page 4-30.
are driven on reasonable road surfaces within legal
driving limits.
use the recommended fuel. SeeGasoline Octane
on page 5-5.
The services inScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
should be performed when indicated. SeeAdditional
Required Services on page 6-6andMaintenance
Footnotes on page 6-7for further information.
{CAUTION:
Performing maintenance work on a vehicle
can be dangerous. In trying to do some jobs,
you can be seriously injured. Do your own
maintenance work only if you have the
required know-how and the proper tools and
equipment for the job. If you have any doubt,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer to have a
qualied technician do the work.Some maintenance services can be complex. So,
unless you are technically qualied and have the
necessary equipment, you should have your
GM Goodwrench
®dealer do these jobs.
When you go to your GM Goodwrench
®dealer for your
service needs, you will know that GM-trained and
supported service technicians will perform the work
using genuine GM parts.
If you want to purchase service information, seeService
Publications Ordering Information on page 7-11.
Owner Checks and Services on page 6-9tells you what
should be checked, when to check it and what you
can easily do to help keep your vehicle in good
condition.
The proper replacement parts, uids and lubricants to
use are listed inRecommended Fluids and Lubricants
on page 6-12andNormal Maintenance Replacement
Parts on page 6-13. When your vehicle is serviced,
make sure these are used. All parts should be replaced
and all necessary repairs done before you or anyone
else drives the vehicle. We recommend the use of
genuine GM parts.
6-3

Electrical System (cont.)
Power Windows and Other Power Options......5-99
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-103
Windshield Wiper Fuses...............................5-99
Engine
Air Cleaner/Filter.........................................5-25
Battery.......................................................5-48
Change Oil Message...................................3-44
Check and Service Engine Soon Light............3-35
Coolant......................................................5-29
Coolant Heater............................................2-19
Coolant Temperature Gage...........................3-34
Engine Compartment Overview......................5-12
Exhaust.....................................................2-26
Low Oil Level Message................................3-43
Oil .............................................................5-18
Oil Life System...........................................5-21
Overheated Protection Operating Mode...........5-34
Overheating................................................5-32
Starting......................................................2-17
Supercharger Oil.........................................5-24
Entry Lighting.................................................3-17
Event Data Recorders (EDR)............................. 7-9
Extender, Safety Belt.......................................1-28
Exterior Lamps...............................................3-14F
Filter
Engine Air Cleaner......................................5-25
Finish Damage...............................................5-96
Flash-to-Pass................................................... 3-9
Flat Tire........................................................5-77
Flat Tire, Changing.........................................5-78
Flat Tire, Storing.............................................5-86
Fluid
Automatic Transaxle.....................................5-26
Power Steering...........................................5-43
Windshield Washer......................................5-44
Fog Lamps....................................................3-16
Folding Rear Seat............................................ 1-6
Front Storage Area.........................................2-36
Fuel............................................................... 5-5
Additives...................................................... 5-6
California Fuel.............................................. 5-6
Filling a Portable Fuel Container....................5-10
Filling Your Tank........................................... 5-8
Fuels in Foreign Countries.............................. 5-7
Gage.........................................................3-39
Gasoline Octane........................................... 5-5
Gasoline Specications.................................. 5-6
Low Warning Message.................................3-47
5

Fuses
Fuses and Circuit Breakers...........................5-99
Instrument Panel Fuse Block.......................5-100
Underhood Fuse Block...............................5-103
Windshield Wiper.........................................5-99
G
Gage
Engine Coolant Temperature.........................3-34
Fuel..........................................................3-39
Speedometer..............................................3-30
Tachometer.................................................3-30
Garage Door Opener.......................................2-32
Gasoline
Octane........................................................ 5-5
Specications............................................... 5-6
Glove Box.....................................................2-36
GM Mobility Reimbursement Program.................. 7-5
H
Hazard Warning Flashers................................... 3-6
Head Restraints............................................... 1-6
Headlamp
Aiming.......................................................5-54Headlamp Wiring............................................5-99
Headlamps
Bulb Replacement.......................................5-54
Daytime Running Lamps/Automatic
Headlamp System....................................3-16
Delayed.....................................................3-15
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-9
Halogen Bulbs............................................5-54
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, and
Parking Lamps.........................................5-55
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-8
Heated Seats................................................... 1-4
Heater...........................................................3-21
Highbeam On Light.........................................3-38
Highbeam Out Warning Message......................3-48
Highway Hypnosis...........................................4-23
Hill and Mountain Roads..................................4-23
HomeLink
®Wireless Control System.................2-32
HomeLink®Wireless Control System
Operation...................................................2-32
Hood
Checking Things Under................................5-10
Release.....................................................5-11
Horn............................................................... 3-6
Hot Coolant Temperature Warning Message........3-42
How to Use This Manual...................................... ii
How to Wear Safety Belts Properly...................1-13
6