instrument panel CHEVROLET IMPALA 2000 8.G Owner's Manual

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2-59
Instrument Panel Cluster
Standard Cluster: United States Version Shown, Canadian Similar
Your instrument cluster is designed to let you know at a glance how your vehicle is running. You'll know how fast
you're going, about how much fuel is in your tank and many other things you need to drive safely and economically.

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2-63 Air Bag Readiness Light
There is an air bag readiness light on the instrument
panel, which shows the air bag symbol. The system
checks the air bag's electrical system for malfunctions.
The light tells you if there is an electrical problem. The
system check includes the air bag sensors, the air bag
modules, the wiring and the crash sensing and
diagnostic module. For more information on the air bag
system, see ªAir Bagº in the Index.
This light will come on
when you start your vehicle,
and it will flash for a few
seconds. Then the light
should go out. This means
the system is ready.
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you start the
vehicle or comes on when you are driving, your air bag
system may not work properly. Have your vehicle
serviced right away.
CAUTION:
If the air bag readiness light stays on after you
start your vehicle, it means the air bag system
may not be working properly. The air bags in
your vehicle may not inflate in a crash, or they
could even inflate without a crash. To help avoid
injury to yourself or others, have your vehicle
serviced right away if the air bag readiness light
stays on after you start your vehicle.
The air bag readiness light should flash for a few
seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.

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2-65 Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light (Option)
The anti-lock brake system warning light should come on
for a few seconds when you turn the ignition key to ON.
If the anti
-lock brake system warning light stays on longer
than normal after you've started your engine, turn the
ignition off. Or, if the light comes on and stays on when
you're driving, stop as soon as possible and turn the
ignition off. Then start the engine again to reset the
system. If the light still stays on, or comes on again while
you're driving, the anti
-lock brake system needs service
and you don't have anti
-lock brakes. The brake pedal may
be harder to push, or it may go to the floor. It may take
longer to stop. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The anti
-lock brake system warning light should come
on briefly when you turn the ignition key to ON. If the
light doesn't come on then, have it fixed so it will be
ready to warn you if there is a problem.
Traction Control System Warning Light
(3800 V6 Engine)
The traction control system warning light may come on
for the following reasons:

If you turn the system off by pressing the traction
control button located on the instrument panel, a
chime will sound and the warning light will come on
and stay on. To turn the system back on, press the
button again. The warning light should go off.
(See ªTraction Control Systemº in the Index for
more information.)

If there's a brake system problem that is specifically
related to traction control, the traction control system
will turn off and the warning light will come on. If
your brakes begin to overheat, the traction control
system will turn off and the warning light will come
on until your brakes cool down.

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2-71 Fuel Gage
United
States
-Standard
ClusterUnited
States-Optional
Cluster
CanadaThe fuel gage, when the ignition is on, tells you about
how much fuel you have left in your tank.
The gage will first indicate empty before you are out of
fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon as possible.
Here are four situations you may experience with your
fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.

At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the
gage reads full.

It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
fuel gage indicated. For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank's capacity to fill
the tank.

The gage goes back to empty when you turn off
the ignition.
Message Center
The message center is located below the temperature
gage or the tachometer gage (if equipped) on the
instrument panel cluster. It gives you important safety
and maintenance facts.

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3-2
Comfort Controls
Manual Single Zone Climate Control
With this system, you can control the heating, cooling
and ventilation in your vehicle. The system works best if
you keep your windows closed while using it.
Fan Knob
The knob on the left side of the climate control panel controls
the fan speed. To turn the fan off, turn the knob to OFF.
If airflow seems very low when the fan knob is turned to
the highest setting, regardless of the mode setting, your
passenger compartment air filter (if equipped) may need
to be replaced. See ªMaintenance Scheduleº in the Index.Temperature Knob
The center knob on the control panel changes the
temperature of the air coming through the system. Turn
this knob toward red (clockwise) for warmer air. Turn it
toward blue (counterclockwise) for cooler air.
Mode Knob
The right knob on the control panel has several settings
to control the direction of airflow:
UPPER: This setting directs air through the
instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEVEL: This setting directs air two ways.
Half of the air is directed through the instrument panel
outlets. Most of the remaining air is directed through the
floor vents and a little to the windshield defroster and
side window outlets.
LOWER: This setting sends most of the air
through the ducts near the floor. The remaining air
comes out of the defroster and side window outlets.

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3-5
Mode Knob
The knob on the right side of the control panel has
several settings to control the direction of airflow:
UPPER: This setting directs air through the
instrument panel outlets.
BI-LEV: This setting directs air two ways.
Half of the air is directed through the instrument panel
outlets. Most of the remaining air is directed through the
floor vents and a little to the windshield defroster and
side window outlets.
LOWER: This setting sends most of the air
through the ducts near the floor. The remaining air
comes out of the defroster and side window outlets.
DEFOG: This setting sends half of the air to
the floor ducts and half to the defroster and side window
outlets. The air conditioning compressor will run
automatically in this setting unless the outside
temperature is below 40
F (4
C). Air inlet will also be
automatically set to outside air. The RECIRCULATION
button will not be selectable in this mode.
DEFROST: This setting directs most of the air
through the defroster and side window vents. Some of
the air also goes to the floor ducts. The air conditioning
compressor will run automatically in this setting unless
the outside temperature is below 40
F (4
C).
The air inlet will also be automatically set to outside air.
The RECIRCULATION button will not be selectable
in this mode.
OUTSIDE AIR: Press this button to force the
system to use outside air. This button is usable in all of
the mode settings. An indicator on the button will light
up when this button is selected.
RECIRCULATION: Press this button to limit
the amount of fresh air entering your vehicle. This is
helpful when you are trying to limit odors entering your
vehicle. This button is usable in UPPER, LOWER and
BI
-LEVEL modes. An indictor on the button will light
up when this button is selected.
A/C: Press this button to turn the air conditioning
on and off. The system will cool and dehumidify the air
inside the vehicle when the A/C light is on.

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4-7
Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in
spurts
-- heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking
-- rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a
mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between
hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you
do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means
better braking and longer brake life.
If your engine ever stops while you're driving, brake
normally but don't pump your brakes. If you do, the
pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine
stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But
you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is
used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal
will be harder to push.
Anti-Lock Brakes (Option)
Your vehicle may have anti-lock brakes (ABS). ABS is
an advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has anti-lock
brakes, this warning light on
the instrument panel will
come on briefly when you
start your vehicle.
When you start your engine, or when you begin to drive
away, your anti
-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on, and you may even notice that your
brake pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
If there's a problem with the anti
-lock brake system, the
anti
-lock brake system warning light will stay on. See
ªAnti
-Lock Brake System Warning Lightº in the Index.

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4-10
When the system is on, this
warning light will come
on to let you know if there's
a problem.
See ªTraction Control System Warning Lightº in the
Index. When this warning light is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
To limit wheel spin, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave the Traction
Control System on. But you can turn the system off if
you ever need to. (You should turn the system off if your
vehicle ever gets stuck in sand, mud, ice or snow.
See ªRocking Your Vehicleº in the Index.)To turn the system on
or off, press the TRAC
OFF button on the left
side of the instrument
cluster on the
instrument panel.
When you turn the system off, a chime will sound and
the Traction Control System warning light will come on
and stay on. If the Traction Control System is limiting
wheel spin when you press the button to turn the system
off, the warning light will come on and the system will
turn off right away.
You can turn the system back on at any time by pressing
the button again. The Traction Control System warning
light should go off.

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4-37 Making Turns
NOTICE:
Making very sharp turns while trailering could
cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you're turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won't strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need a different
turn signal flasher and/or extra wiring. Check with your
dealer. The arrows on your instrument panel will flash
whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly
hooked up, the trailer lamps will also flash, telling other
drivers you're about to turn, change lanes or stop.When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you
are seeing your signal when they are not. It's important
to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are
still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the
possibility of engine and transaxle overheating.
If you have overdrive, you may want to drive in
THIRD (3), instead of AUTOMATIC
OVERDRIVE (
).

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5-10
Engine Overheating
You will find a coolant temperature gage and a warning
light about a hot engine on your instrument panel. See
ªEngine Coolant Temperature Gageº and ªHot Coolant
Temperatureº in the Index. You also have a low coolant
light on your instrument panel. See ªLow Coolant
Levelº in the Index.
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode
This emergency operating mode allows your vehicle to
be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation.
Should an overheated engine condition exist, an
overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups
of cylinders helps prevent engine damage. In this mode,
you will notice a significant loss in power and engine
performance. The low coolant may come on and the
temperature gage will indicate an overheat condition
exists. Towing a trailer in the overheat protection mode
should be avoided.
NOTICE:
After driving in the overheated engine protection
operating mode, to avoid engine damage, allow
the engine to cool before attempting any repair.
The engine oil will be severely degraded. Repair
the cause of coolant loss and change the oil.
See ªEngine Oilº in the Index.