maintenance CHEVROLET IMPALA 2005 8.G Owner's Manual

Tire Pressure Monitor System
If your vehicle has the tire pressure monitor system,
it can alert you to a large change in the pressure of one
tire. The system “learns” the pressure at each tire
throughout the operating speed range of your vehicle.
The system normally takes between 45 and 90 minutes
of driving to learn the tire pressures. This time may
be longer depending on your individual driving habits.
Learning need not be accumulated during a single
trip. Once learned, the system will remember the tire
pressures until the system is recalibrated.
After the system has learned tire pressures with
properly inated tires, the LOW TIRE PRESSURE
message will come on if the pressure in one tire
becomes 12 psi (83 kPa) lower than the other
three tires. The tire pressure monitor system won’t
alert you if the pressure in more than one tire is low,
if the system is not properly calibrated, or if the vehicle
is moving faster than 70 mph (110 km/h).
The tire pressure monitor system detects differences
in tire rotation speeds that are caused by changes
in tire pressure. The system can alert you about a
low tire — but it doesn’t replace normal tire
maintenance. SeeTires on page 5-60.When the LOW TIRE PRESSURE message comes on,
you should stop as soon as you can and check all
your tires for damage. (If a tire is at, seeIf a Tire Goes
Flat on page 5-77.) Also check the tire pressure in all
four tires as soon as you can. SeeInation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-66.
The LOW TIRE PRESSURE message will also be
displayed (while the ignition is on) until you reset
(calibrate) the system.
Don’t reset the tire pressure monitor system without rst
correcting the cause of the problem and checking
and adjusting the pressure in all four tires. If you reset
the system when the tire pressures are incorrect,
the system will not work properly and may not alert you
when a tire is low.
Any time you adjust a tire’s pressure, rotate your tires,
or have one or more tires repaired or replaced, you’ll
need to reset (calibrate) the tire pressure monitor
system. You’ll also need to reset the system whenever
you buy new tires and whenever the vehicle’s battery
has been disconnected.
5-68

Tire Inspection and Rotation
Tires should be rotated every 5,000 to 8,000 miles
(8 000 to 13 000 km).
Any time you notice unusual wear, rotate your tires as
soon as possible and check wheel alignment. Also check
for damaged tires or wheels. SeeWhen It Is Time for
New Tires on page 5-71andWheel Replacement on
page 5-74for more information.
The purpose of regular rotation is to achieve more
uniform wear for all tires on the vehicle. The rst rotation
is the most important. SeeScheduled Maintenance
on page 6-4for scheduled rotation intervals.When rotating your tires, always use the correct rotation
pattern shown here.
Don’t include the compact spare tire in your tire rotation.
After the tires have been rotated, adjust the front and
rear ination pressures as shown on the Tire and
Loading Information label.
Reset the Tire Ination Monitor System. SeeTire
Pressure Monitor System on page 5-68.
5-70

If a Tire Goes Flat
It is unusual for a tire to blowout while you’re driving,
especially if you maintain your tires properly. If air goes
out of a tire, it is much more likely to leak out slowly.
But if you should ever have a blowout, here are a
few tips about what to expect and what to do:
If a front tire fails, the at tire will create a drag that
pulls the vehicle toward that side. Take your foot off the
accelerator pedal and grip the steering wheel rmly.
Steer to maintain lane position, and then gently brake to
a stop well out of the traffic lane.
A rear blowout, particularly on a curve, acts much like a
skid and may require the same correction you would;
use in a skid. In any rear blowout, remove your foot from
the accelerator pedal. Get the vehicle under control
by steering the way you want the vehicle to go. It may
be very bumpy and noisy, but you can still steer.
Gently brake to a stop, well off the road if possible.{CAUTION:
Lifting a vehicle and getting under it to do
maintenance or repairs is dangerous without
the appropriate safety equipment and training.
The jack provided with your vehicle is
designed only for changing a at tire. If it is
used for anything else, you or others could be
badly injured or killed if the vehicle slips off
the jack. Use the jack provided with your
vehicle only for changing a at tire.
If a tire goes at, the next part shows how to use your
jacking equipment to change a at tire safely.
5-77

Sheet Metal Damage
If the vehicle is damaged and requires sheet metal
repair or replacement, make sure the body repair shop
applies anti-corrosion material to parts repaired or
replaced to restore corrosion protection.
Original manufacturer replacement parts will provide the
corrosion protection while maintaining the warranty.
Finish Damage
Any stone chips, fractures or deep scratches in the
nish should be repaired right away. Bare metal
will corrode quickly and may develop into major repair
expense.
Minor chips and scratches can be repaired with touch-up
materials available from your GM dealer. Larger areas
of nish damage can be corrected in your GM dealer’s
body and paint shop.
Underbody Maintenance
Chemicals used for ice and snow removal and dust
control can collect on the underbody. If these are not
removed, corrosion and rust can develop on the
underbody parts such as fuel lines, frame, oor pan,
and exhaust system even though they have corrosion
protection.
At least every spring, ush these materials from the
underbody with plain water. Clean any areas where mud
and debris can collect. Dirt packed in close areas of
the frame should be loosened before being ushed.
Your dealer or an underbody car washing system can
do this for you.
Chemical Paint Spotting
Some weather and atmospheric conditions can create a
chemical fallout. Airborne pollutants can fall upon and
attack painted surfaces on the vehicle. This damage can
take two forms: blotchy, ring-shaped discolorations,
and small, irregular dark spots etched into the
paint surface.
Although no defect in the paint job causes this, GM will
repair, at no charge to the owner, the surfaces of
new vehicles damaged by this fallout condition within
12 months or 12,000 miles (20 000 km) of purchase,
whichever occurs rst.
5-96

Maintenance Schedule......................................6-2
Introduction...................................................6-2
Maintenance Requirements..............................6-2
Your Vehicle and the Environment....................6-2
Using the Maintenance Schedule......................6-2
Scheduled Maintenance...................................6-4
Additional Required Services............................6-6
Maintenance Footnotes...................................6-7Owner Checks and Services............................6-9
At Each Fuel Fill............................................6-9
At Least Once a Month...................................6-9
At Least Once a Year...................................6-10
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants...............6-12
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts..........6-13
Maintenance Record.....................................6-14
Section 6 Maintenance Schedule
6-1

Maintenance Schedule
Introduction
Important: Keep engine oil at the proper level and
change as recommended.
Have you purchased the GM Protection Plan? The Plan
supplements your new vehicle warranties. See your
Warranty and Owner Assistance booklet or your dealer
for details.
Maintenance Requirements
Notice:Maintenance intervals, checks, inspections,
replacement parts, and recommended uids and
lubricants as prescribed in this manual are
necessary to keep your vehicle in good working
condition. Any damage caused by failure to follow
scheduled maintenance may not be covered by
warranty.
Your Vehicle and the Environment
Proper vehicle maintenance not only helps to keep your
vehicle in good working condition, but also helps the
environment. All recommended maintenance is
important. Improper vehicle maintenance can even
affect the quality of the air we breathe. Improper uid
levels or the wrong tire ination can increase the level of
emissions from your vehicle. To help protect our
environment, and to keep your vehicle in good condition,
be sure to maintain your vehicle properly.
Using the Maintenance Schedule
We at General Motors want to help you keep your
vehicle in good working condition. But we do not know
exactly how you will drive it. You may drive very
short distances only a few times a week. Or you may
drive long distances all the time in very hot, dusty
weather. You may use your vehicle in making deliveries.
Or you may drive it to work, to do errands or in many
other ways.
Because of all the different ways people use their
vehicles, maintenance needs vary. You may need more
frequent checks and replacements. So please read
the following and note how you drive. If you have any
questions on how to keep your vehicle in good condition,
see your GM Goodwrench
®dealer.
6-2

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

Scheduled Maintenance
When the CHANGE ENGINE OIL message comes on,
it means that service is required for your vehicle. Have
your vehicle serviced as soon as possible within the next
600 miles (1 000 km). It is possible that, if you are driving
under the best conditions, the engine oil life system may
not indicate that vehicle service is necessary for over a
year. However, your engine oil and lter must be changed
at least once a year and at this time the system must be
reset. Your GM Goodwrench
®dealer has GM-trained
service technicians who will perform this work using
genuine GM parts and reset the system.
If the engine oil life system is ever reset accidentally,
you must service your vehicle within 3,000 miles
(5 000 km) since your last service. Remember to
reset the oil life system whenever the oil is changed.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-21for
information on the Engine Oil Life System and
resetting the system.When the change engine oil message appears,
certain services, checks, and inspections are required.
Required services are described in the following for
“MaintenanceI” and “MaintenanceII.” Generally,
it is recommended that your rst service be
MaintenanceI, your second service be MaintenanceII,
and that you alternate MaintenanceIand MaintenanceII
thereafter. However, in some cases, MaintenanceII
may be required more often.
MaintenanceI— Use MaintenanceIif the change
engine oil message comes on within 10 months since
the vehicle was purchased or MaintenanceIIwas
performed.
MaintenanceII— Use MaintenanceIIif the previous
service performed was MaintenanceI. Always use
MaintenanceIIwhenever the message comes on
10 months or more since the last service or if the
message has not come on at all for one year.
6-4

Scheduled Maintenance
Service MaintenanceIMaintenanceII
Change engine oil and lter. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-18. Reset oil life system.
SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 5-21.An Emission Control Service.••
Visually check for any leaks or damage.See footnote (k).••
Inspect engine air cleaner lter. If necessary, replace lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-25.See footnote (m).•
Rotate tires and check ination pressures and wear. SeeTire Inspection and
Rotation on page 5-70and “Tire Wear Inspection” inAt Least Once a Month on
page 6-9.••
Inspect brake system.See footnote (a).••
Check engine coolant and windshield washer uid levels and add uid as needed.••
Perform any needed additional services. See “Additional Required Services” in
this section.••
Inspect suspension and steering components.See footnote (b).•
Inspect engine cooling system.See footnote (c).•
Inspect wiper blades.See footnote (d).•
Inspect restraint system components.See footnote (e).•
Lubricate body components.See footnote (f).•
Check transaxle uid level and add uid as needed.•
Replace passenger compartment air lter (if equipped).See footnote (g).•
Inspect throttle system.See footnote (j).•
6-5

Additional Required Services
The following services should be performed at the rst maintenance service (IorII) after the indicated miles
(kilometers) shown for each item.
Additional Required Services
Service and Miles (Kilometers)25,000
(41 500)50,000
(83 000)75,000
(125 000)100,000
(166 000)125,000
(207 500)150,000
(240 000)
Inspect fuel system for damage or leaks.••••••
Inspect exhaust system for loose or
damaged components.••••••
Replace engine air cleaner lter.
SeeEngine Air Cleaner/Filter on
page 5-25.•• •
Supercharger service, if equipped.
An Emission Control Service.
See footnotes † and (l).••••••
Change automatic transaxle uid and
lter (severe service).See footnote (h).•• •
Change automatic transaxle uid and
lter (normal service).•
Replace spark plugs and inspect spark
plug wires.An Emission Control Service.•
6-6