engine CHEVROLET IMPALA 2011 9.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-17
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. A charging system
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) can also appear.
SeeBattery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑29 for more
information. This light could indicate
that there are problems with a
generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. If the vehicle
must be driven a short distance with
the light on, turn off accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems. It ensures that
emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to
produce a cleaner environment.
This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, after a while, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement
of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.

Black plate (18,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-18 Instruments and Controls
This light comes on during a
malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing:A misfire condition
has been detected. A misfire
increases vehicle emissions and
could damage the emission control
system on the vehicle. Diagnosis
and service might be required.
To prevent more serious damage to
the vehicle:
.Reduce vehicle speed.
.Avoid hard accelerations.
.Avoid steep uphill grades.
.If towing a trailer, reduce the
amount of cargo being hauled as
soon as it is possible.
If the light continues to flash, when
it is safe to do so, stop the vehicle.
Find a safe place to park the
vehicle. Turn the vehicle off, wait at
least 10 seconds, and restart the
engine. If the light is still flashing,
follow the previous steps and
see your dealer for service as
soon as possible. Light On Steady:
An emission
control system malfunction has
been detected on the vehicle.
Diagnosis and service might
be required.
An emission system malfunction
might be corrected:
.Make sure the fuel cap is fully
installed. See Filling the Tank on
page 9‑38. The diagnostic
system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or
improperly installed. A loose or
missing fuel cap allows fuel to
evaporate into the atmosphere.
A few driving trips with the cap
properly installed should turn
the light off.
.If the vehicle has been driven
through a deep puddle of water,
the vehicle's electrical system
might be wet. The condition is
usually corrected when the
electrical system dries out.
A few driving trips should turn
the light off.
.Make sure to fuel the vehicle
with quality fuel. Poor fuel quality
causes the engine not to run as
efficiently as designed and can
cause: stalling after start-up,
stalling when the vehicle is
changed into gear, misfiring,
hesitation on acceleration,
or stumbling on acceleration.
These conditions might go away
once the engine is warmed up.
If one or more of these
conditions occurs, change the
fuel brand used. It will require at
least one full tank of the proper
fuel to turn the light off.
See Recommended Fuel on
page 9‑35.
If none of the above have made the
light turn off, your dealer can check
the vehicle. The dealer has the
proper test equipment and
diagnostic tools to fix any
mechanical or electrical problems
that might have developed.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-19
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local
governments may have programs to
inspect the on-vehicle emission
control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected to
the vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed. The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
.The critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the
system. This can happen if the
battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has
run down. The diagnostic system
evaluates critical emission
control systems during normal
driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection, your dealer can
prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need
to be working
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light should come on briefly
when the engine is started. If it does
not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is
a problem.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-20 Instruments and Controls
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully
released, it means the vehicle has
a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push,
or the pedal can go closer to the
floor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑74.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off. If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while driving, stop as soon as it is
safely possible and turn the ignition
off. Then start the engine again to
reset the system. If the ABS light
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑19.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5‑29 for all brake related
DIC messages.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-21
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
Indicator Light
This light comes on briefly while the
engine is started. If it does not, have
the vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the system is working normally the
indicator light will then go off.
This light can come on after the
vehicle is first driven and the
STABILITRAK NOT READY
message appears in the Driver
Information Center (DIC). See
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on
page 9‑31for more information. If the light stays on, or comes
on while driving a SERVICE
STABILITRAK message appears in
the DIC. This indicates that there
may be a problem with the
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
system and the vehicle may need
service. When this warning light is
on and the SERVICE STABILITRAK
message appears on the DIC, the
ESC system does not assist in
controlling the vehicle.
When the system is active, the light
flashes while the system is assisting
in controlling the vehicle.
See
Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) on page 9‑31 andRide
Control System Messages on
page 5‑32 for more information.
Traction Control System
(TCS) Warning Light
For vehicles with a Traction Control
System (TCS) and StabiliTrak®
warning light, this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off.
When the system is active, the light
flashes while the system is limiting
wheel spin or assisting with
controlling the vehicle.
If it stays on or comes on while
driving a SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL message appears in the
Driver Information Center (DIC).

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-22 Instruments and Controls
This indicates that there could be a
problem with the traction control
system and the vehicle may need
service. When this warning light is
on and the SERVICE TRACTION
CONTROL message appears on
the DIC, the system does not limit
wheel spin.
If the traction control system is
manually turned off, this light comes
on and the TRACTION CONTROL
OFF message appears on the DIC.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑29 andRide Control
System Messages on page 5‑32 for
more information.Engine Coolant
Temperature
Warning Light
This light comes on briefly while
starting the vehicle.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by the dealer. If the system
is working normally the indicator
light goes off.
Notice: Driving with the engine
coolant temperature warning light
on could cause the vehicle to
overheat. See Engine Overheating
on page 10‑19. The vehicle's
engine could be damaged, and it
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty. Never drive with
the engine coolant temperature
warning light on. The engine coolant temperature
warning light comes on when the
engine has overheated.
If this happens pull over and turn off
the engine as soon as possible.
See
Engine Overheating on
page 10‑19 for more information.
Tire Pressure Light
For vehicles with a Tire Pressure
Monitor System, this light comes on
briefly when the engine is started.
It provides information about tire
pressures and the Tire Pressure
Monitor System.
When the Light is On Steady
This indicates that one or more of
the tires are significantly
underinflated.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-23
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. SeeTire
Messages on page 5‑34 for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information Label.
See Tire Pressure on page 10‑44
for more information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑47 for
more information.Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your dealer. If the system is working
normally, the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see
Anti-Theft Alarm System on
page 2‑12.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-24 Instruments and Controls
High-Beam on Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑3 for more
information.
Front Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp lights come on when
the fog lamps are in use. The lights go out when the fog
lamps are turned off. See
Fog
Lamps on page 6‑5 for more
information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑32 for more
information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the
DIC display located below the
speedometer in the instrument
panel cluster. The DIC buttons are
located on the instrument panel, to
the right of the instrument panel
cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected. The bottom line
of the DIC shows the shift lever
position indicator. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑25 for
more information.

Black plate (27,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-27
Average Economy
Press the trip/fuel button until AVG
ECONOMY displays. This display
shows the approximate average
miles per gallon (mpg) or liters per
100 kilometers (L/100 km). This
number is calculated based on the
number of mpg (L/100 km) recorded
since the last time this menu item
was reset. To reset this display
to zero, press and hold the
set/reset button.
Instantaneous Economy
Press the trip/fuel button until INST
ECONOMY displays. This display
shows the current fuel economy at a
particular moment and will change
frequently as driving conditions
change. This display shows the
instantaneous fuel economy in
miles per gallon (mpg) or liters per
100 kilometers (L/100 km). Unlike
average economy, this screen
cannot be reset.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
Engine Oil Messages on
page 5‑31. You should change the
oil as soon as possible. See Engine
Oil on page 10‑8. In addition to the
engine oil life system monitoring the
oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance
Schedule in this manual. See
Scheduled Maintenance on
page 11‑2 for more information.
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.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-28 Instruments and Controls
It cannot be reset accurately until
the next oil change. To reset the
engine oil life system, seeEngine
Oil Life System on page 10‑10.
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 tire pressure condition is
detected by the system while
driving, a message advising you to
add air to a specific tire will appear
in the display. See
Tire Pressure on
page 10‑44 andTire Messages on
page 5‑34 for 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 for service.
Change Compass Zone
Your vehicle may have this feature.
To change the compass zone
through the DIC, see Compass on
page 5‑5.
Calibrate Compass
Your vehicle may have this feature.
The compass can be manually
calibrated. To calibrate the compass
through the DIC, see Compass on
page 5‑5.
Blank Display
This display shows no information.Vehicle Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC
to notify the driver that the status of
the vehicle has changed and that
some action may be needed by the
driver to correct the condition.
Multiple messages may appear one
after another. Some messages may
not require immediate action, but
you can press the set/reset button
to acknowledge that you received
the message and clear it from the
DIC display. Pressing any of the
DIC buttons also acknowledges and
clears any messages. Some
messages cannot be cleared from
the DIC display because they are
more urgent. These messages
require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any
messages that appear on the
display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages will only
make the messages disappear, not
correct the problem. The following
are the possible messages that can
be displayed and some information
about them.