oil change CHEVROLET IMPALA 2009 9.G Owners Manual

Vehicle Symbol Chart
Here are some additional symbols that may be found on
the vehicle and what they mean. For more information
on the symbol, refer to the index.
9:Airbag Readiness Light
#:Air Conditioning
!:Antilock Brake System (ABS)
g:Audio Steering Wheel Controls or OnStar®
$:Brake System Warning Light
":Charging System
I:Cruise Control
B:Engine Coolant Temperature
O:Exterior Lamps
#:Fog Lamps
.:Fuel Gage
+:Fuses
i:Headlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
j:LATCH System Child Restraints
*:Malfunction Indicator Lamp
::Oil Pressure
}:Power
/:Remote Vehicle Start
>:Safety Belt Reminders
7:Tire Pressure Monitor
F:Traction Control
M:Windshield Washer Fluid
iv

2. If the engine does not start after 5-10 seconds,
especially in very cold weather (below 0°F or
−18°C), it could be ooded with too much gasoline.
Try pushing the accelerator pedal all the way to
the oor and holding it there as you hold the key in
START for up to a maximum of 15 seconds.
Wait at least 15 seconds between each try, to allow
the cranking motor to cool down. When the
engine starts, let go of the key and accelerator. If
the vehicle starts briey but then stops again, repeat
these steps. This clears the extra gasoline from
the engine. Do not race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the engine and
transmission gently until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Notice:The engine is designed to work with the
electronics in the vehicle. If you add electrical parts
or accessories, you could change the way the
engine operates. Before adding electrical equipment,
check with your dealer/retailer. If you do not, the
engine might not perform properly. Any resulting
damage would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty.Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can provide easier starting
and better fuel economy during engine warm-up in cold
weather conditions at or below 0°F (−18°C). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater should be plugged
in at least four hours before starting.
To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The
cord is attached to the underside of the diagonal
brace, which is located above the engine air
cleaner/lter assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
2-22

If your vehicle has the Active Fuel Management™
feature, an Active Fuel Management™ indicator
will display on the right side of the DIC, while
INST ECONOMY displays on the left side. Active
Fuel Management™ allows the engine to operate
on either all or half of its cylinders, depending on
your driving demands.
For vehicles with a V8 engine, when Active Fuel
Management™ is active, 4CYL MODE will display.
When Active Fuel Management™ is inactive,
8CYL MODE will display.
SeeActive Fuel Management™ (5.3L V8 Engine) on
page 2-23for more information.
Average Speed
Press the trip/fuel button until AVERAGE SPEED
displays. This display shows the average speed of the
vehicle in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour
(km/h). This average is calculated based on the various
vehicle speeds recorded since the last reset of this value.
To reset the value, press and hold the set/reset button.
The display will return to zero.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.
Vehicle Information Menu Items
T
(Vehicle Information):Press this button to scroll
through the following menu items:
Oil Life
Press the vehicle information button until OIL LIFE
REMAINING displays. This display shows an estimate of
the oil’s remaining useful life. If you see 99% OIL LIFE
REMAINING on the display, that means 99% of the
current oil life remains. The engine oil life system will alert
you to change the oil on a schedule consistent with your
driving conditions.
When the remaining oil life is low, the CHANGE
ENGINE OIL SOON message will appear on the
display. See “CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON” under
DIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49. You should
change the oil as soon as possible. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-17. In addition to the engine oil life system
monitoring the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. SeeScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
for more information.
3-45

Remember, you must reset the OIL LIFE yourself
after each oil change. It will not reset itself. Also, be
careful not to reset the OIL LIFE accidentally at any
time other than when the oil has just been changed.
It cannot be reset accurately until the next oil change.
To reset the engine oil life system, seeEngine Oil
Life System on page 5-20.
Units
Press the vehicle information button until UNITS
displays. This display allows you to select between
English or Metric units of measurement. Once in this
display, press the set/reset button to select between
ENGLISH or METRIC units.
Tire Pressure
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor
System (TPMS), the pressure for each tire can be
viewed in the DIC. The tire pressure will be shown in
either pounds per square inch (psi) or kilopascals (kPa).
Press the vehicle information button until the DIC
displays FRONT TIRES PSI (kPa) LEFT ## RIGHT ##.
Press the vehicle information button again until the
DIC displays REAR TIRES PSI (kPa) LEFT ##
RIGHT ##.If a low or high tire pressure condition is detected by the
system while driving, a message advising you to check
the pressure in a specic tire will appear in the display.
SeeInflation - Tire Pressure on page 5-60andDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-49for more
information.
If the tire pressure display shows dashes instead of
a value, there may be a problem with your vehicle. If this
consistently occurs, see your dealer/retailer for service.
Change Compass Zone
Your vehicle may have this feature. To change the
compass zone through the DIC, seeDIC Compass
on page 3-47.
Calibrate Compass
Your vehicle may have this feature. The compass
can be manually calibrated. To calibrate the compass
through the DIC, seeDIC Compass on page 3-47.
3-46

AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL ON
This message displays when the automatic headlamps
are turned on. SeeExterior Lamps on page 3-12for
more information.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects that the
battery voltage is dropping beyond a reasonable level.
The battery saver system starts reducing certain features
of the vehicle that you may be able to notice. At the point
that the features are disabled, this message is displayed.
It means that the vehicle is trying to save the charge in
the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow the battery
to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is 11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when service is required for the
vehicle. See your dealer/retailer. SeeEngine Oil on
page 5-17andScheduled Maintenance on page 6-4
for more information.
Acknowledging the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message will not reset the OIL LIFE REMAINING.That must be done at the OIL LIFE screen under the
vehicle information menu. See “Oil Life” underDIC
Operation and Displays on page 3-42andEngine Oil
Life System on page 5-20.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
On vehicles with the Tire Pressure Monitor System
(TPMS), this message displays when the pressure in
one or more of the vehicle’s tires needs to be checked.
This message also displays LEFT FRONT, RIGHT
FRONT, LEFT REAR, or RIGHT REAR to indicate which
tire needs to be checked. You can receive more than
one tire pressure message at a time. To read the other
messages that may have been sent at the same time,
press the set/reset button. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you can. Have the
tire pressures checked and set to those shown on the
Tire Loading Information label. SeeTires on page 5-53,
Loading the Vehicle on page 4-20, andInflation - Tire
Pressure on page 5-60. The DIC also shows the tire
pressure values. SeeDIC Operation and Displays on
page 3-42. If the tire pressure is low, the low tire pressure
warning light comes on. SeeTire Pressure Light on
page 3-35.
3-50

However, some gasolines contain only the minimum
amount of additive required to meet U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations. To help keep fuel injectors
and intake valves clean, or if the vehicle experiences
problems due to dirty injectors or valves, look for gasoline
that is advertised as TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
For customers who do not use TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline regularly, one bottle of GM Fuel System
Treatment PLUS, added to the fuel tank at every engine
oil change, can help clean deposits from fuel injectors
and intake valves. GM Fuel System Treatment PLUS is
the only gasoline additive recommended by General
Motors.
Also, your dealer/retailer has additives that will help
correct and prevent most deposit-related problems.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as ethers and
ethanol, and reformulated gasolines might be available in
your area. We recommend that you use these gasolines,
if they comply with the specications described earlier.However, E85 (85% ethanol) and other fuels containing
more than 10% ethanol must not be used in vehicles that
were not designed for those fuels.
Notice:This vehicle was not designed for fuel
that contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the vehicle
warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated for low
emissions can contain an octane-enhancing additive
called methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl
(MMT); ask the attendant where you buy gasoline
whether the fuel contains MMT. We recommend against
the use of such gasolines. Fuels containing MMT can
reduce the life of spark plugs and the performance of
the emission control system could be affected. The
malfunction indicator lamp might turn on. If this occurs,
return to your dealer/retailer for service.
5-7

If you do switch fuels, it is recommended that you
add as much fuel as possible — do not add less than
three gallons (11 L) when refueling. You should drive
the vehicle immediately after refueling for at least
seven miles (11 km) to allow the vehicle to adapt to the
change in ethanol concentration.
E85 has less energy per gallon than gasoline, so
you will need to rell the fuel tank more often when
using E85 than when you are using gasoline. SeeFilling
the Tank on page 5-10.
Notice:Some additives are not compatible with E85
fuel and can harm the vehicle’s fuel system. Do not
add anything to E85. Damage caused by additives
would not be covered by the vehicle warranty.Notice:This vehicle was not designed for fuel that
contains methanol. Do not use fuel containing
methanol. It can corrode metal parts in the fuel
system and also damage plastic and rubber parts.
That damage would not be covered under the vehicle
warranty.
Fuels in Foreign Countries
If you plan on driving in another country outside the
United States or Canada, the proper fuel might 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
the vehicle 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.
5-9

Engine Oil Additives / Engine Oil
Flushes
Do not add anything to the oil. The recommended
oils with the starburst symbol that meet
GM Standard GM6094M are all that is needed
for good performance and engine protection.
Engine oil system ushes are not recommended and
could cause engine damage not covered by the vehicle
warranty.
Engine Oil Life System
When to Change Engine Oil
This vehicle has a computer system that indicates when
to change the engine oil and lter. This is based on
engine revolutions and engine temperature, and not on
mileage. Based on driving conditions, the mileage at
which an oil change is indicated can vary considerably.
For the oil life system to work properly, the system must
be reset every time the oil is changed.When the system has calculated that oil life has been
diminished, it indicates that an oil change is necessary.
A CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes on.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-49. Change
the oil as soon as possible within the next 600 miles
(1 000 km). It is possible that, if driving under the best
conditions, the oil life system might not indicate that an oil
change is necessary for over a year. However, the engine
oil and lter must be changed at least once a year and at
this time the system must be reset. Your dealer/retailer
has trained service people who will perform this work
using genuine parts and reset the system. It is also
important to check the oil regularly and keep it at the
proper level.
If the system is ever reset accidentally, the oil must be
changed at 3,000 miles (5 000 km) since the last oil
change. Remember to reset the oil life system whenever
the oil is changed.
5-20

How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System
The Engine Oil Life System calculates when to change
the engine oil and lter based on vehicle use. Whenever
the oil is changed, reset the system so it can calculate
when the next oil change is required. If a situation occurs
where the oil is changed prior to a CHANGE ENGINE OIL
SOON message being turned on, reset the system.
Always reset the engine oil life to 100% after every oil
change. It will not reset itself. To reset the Engine
Oil Life System:
1. Display the OIL LIFE REMAINING on the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC
for more than ve seconds. The oil life will change
to 100%.
If the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON message comes
back on when the vehicle is started, the Engine Oil Life
System has not reset. Repeat the procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that can be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Do not let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good hand
cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer’s
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it in
the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Recycle it by taking it to a
place that collects used oil.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/lter is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14for
more information on location.
5-21

When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change after each
50,000 mile (80 000 km) interval. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for more information. If you
are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the lter
at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air Cleaner/
Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter from the
vehicle and lightly shake the lter to release loose dust
and dirt. If the lter remains caked with dirt, a new lter is
required.To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter do the
following:
1. Lift the lter cover tabs on top of the engine air
cleaner/lter housing.
5-22