tow CHEVROLET IMPALA 2011 9.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Impala Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-36
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-42
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-16
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-25
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-29
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-47
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Impala Owner ManualM
Wheels and Tires . . . . . . . . . . . 10-38
Jump Starting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-70
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-74
Appearance Care . . . . . . . . . . . 10-76
Service and Maintenance . . . 11-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Scheduled Maintenance . . . . . . 11-2
Recommended Fluids, Lubricants, and Parts . . . . . . . 11-6
Maintenance Records . . . . . . . . 11-9
Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Identification . . . . . . . . . 12-1
Vehicle Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-2
Customer Information . . . . . . . 13-1
Customer Information . . . . . . . . 13-1
Reporting Safety Defects . . . . 13-14
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13-16
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i-1

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-9
Mirror Adjustment
Exterior Mirrors
Controls for the outside power
mirrors are on the driver door
armrest.
Press the left or right side of
the selector located above the
control pad to adjust the driver or
passenger mirror. Then press the
control pad to move the mirror in
the desired direction.
SeePower Mirrors on page 2‑15.
Interior Mirror
Vehicles with a manual rearview
mirror can be adjusted by holding
the mirror in the center to move it for
a clearer view behind the vehicle.
Adjust the mirror to avoid glare from
the headlamps behind. Pull the
lever, located at the bottom of the
mirror for nighttime use. Return the
lever to its original position for the
day position.
SeeManual Rearview Mirror on
page 2‑15.
On vehicles with an automatic
dimming rearview mirror, the mirror
will automatically adjust to reduce
the glare of lights from behind the
vehicle. See Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror on page 2‑16.
Steering Wheel
Adjustment
The tilt wheel lever is located on the
left side of the steering column.
To adjust the steering wheel:
1. Hold the wheel and pull the lever toward you.
2. Move the steering wheel up or down.
3. Release the lever to lock the steering wheel in place.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
In Brief 1-19
Engine Oil Life System
The engine oil life system calculates
engine oil life based on vehicle use
and displays a DIC message when
it is necessary to change the engine
oil and filter. The oil life system
should be reset to 100% only
following an oil change.
Resetting the Oil Life System
1. Display OIL LIFE REMAININGon the DIC.
2. Press and hold the SET/RESET button on the DIC for more than
five seconds. The oil life will
change to 100%.
See Engine Oil Life System on
page 10‑10.
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
Vehicles that have a FlexFuel badge
and a yellow fuel cap can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) on
page 9‑37. For all other vehicles, use only the unleaded gasoline
described under
Recommended
Fuel on page 9‑35.
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible.
.Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
.Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
.Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
.When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
.Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
.Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated.
.Combine several trips into a
single trip.
.Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
.Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
Roadside Assistance
Program
U.S.: 1-800-243-8872
TTY Users: 1-888-889-2438
Canada: 1-800-268-6800
As the owner of a new Chevrolet,
you are automatically enrolled in the
Roadside Assistance program. This
program provides technically trained
advisors who are available 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year, to give
minor repair information or make
towing arrangements.
For more information see Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑7.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
2-16 Keys, Doors and Windows
Automatic Dimming
Rearview Mirror
The vehicle may have an automatic
dimming inside rearview mirror.
Automatic dimming reduces the
glare from the headlamps of the
vehicle behind you. The dimming
feature comes on and the indicator
light illuminates each time the
ignition is turned to start.
O(On/Off):Press to turn the
dimming feature on or off.
Vehicles with OnStar have three
additional control buttons for the
OnStar system. See your dealer for
more information about OnStar and
how to subscribe to it. See the
OnStar Owner Guide for more
information about the services
OnStar provides.
Cleaning the Mirror
Do not spray glass cleaner directly
on the mirror. Use a soft towel
dampened with water.
Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children, helpless adults,
or pets in a vehicle with the
windows closed is dangerous.
They can be overcome by the
extreme heat and suffer
permanent injuries or even death
from heat stroke. Never leave a
child, a helpless adult, or a pet
alone in a vehicle, especially with
the windows closed in warm or
hot weather.
The vehicle aerodynamics are
designed to improve fuel economy
performance. This may result in a
pulsing sound when either rear
window is down and the front
windows are up. To reduce the
sound, open either a front window
or the sunroof (if equipped).

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-9
To return the seats to the normal
position:
{WARNING
If either seatback is not locked, it
could move forward in a sudden
stop or crash. That could cause
injury to the person sitting there.
Always push and pull on the
seatbacks to be sure they
are locked.1. Raise the seatback and make
sure it latches.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is improperly
routed, not properly attached,
or twisted will not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
The person wearing the belt could
be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check
to be sure that the safety belts
are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
2. Make sure the safety belts are properly stowed over the
seatback in all three seating
positions. 3. Flip the bottom seat cushion
back into place. Push down
firmly on the seat cushion to
make sure it is secure.
When the seat is not in use, the
seatback should be placed in the
upright, locked position, and
the seat cushion should be in
the down position.
Under Seat Storage
The vehicle has a storage area
under the rear seat. See Rear
Storage on page 4‑2 for more
information.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
3-20 Seats and Restraints
5. To make the lap part tight, pullup on the shoulder belt.
It may be necessary to pull
stitching on the safety belt
through the latch plate to fully
tighten the lap belt on smaller
occupants.To unlatch the belt, push the button
on the buckle. The belt should
return to its stowed position.
Before a door is closed, be sure the
belt is out of the way. If a door is
slammed against a safety belt,
damage can occur to both the
safety belt and the vehicle.
Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
The vehicle has shoulder belt height
adjusters for the driver and right
front passenger positions.
Adjust the height so the shoulder
portion of the belt is on the shoulder
and not falling off of it. The belt
should be close to, but not
contacting, the neck. Improper
shoulder belt height adjustment
could reduce the effectiveness of
the safety belt in a crash. See How
to Wear Safety Belts Properly on
page 3‑13.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-31
Roof-rail airbags are not intended to
inflate in rollovers or rear impacts.
A seat-mounted side impact airbag
is intended to deploy on the side of
the vehicle that is struck. Both
roof-rail airbags will deploy when
either side of the vehicle is struck.
In any particular crash, no one can
say whether an airbag should have
inflated simply because of the
damage to a vehicle or because
of what the repair costs were.
For frontal airbags, inflation is
determined by what the vehicle hits,
the angle of the impact, and how
quickly the vehicle slows down.
For seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags, deployment is
determined by the location and
severity of the side impact.
What Makes an Airbag
Inflate?
In a deployment event, the sensing
system sends an electrical signal
triggering a release of gas from the
inflator. Gas from the inflator fills theairbag causing the bag to break out
of the cover and deploy. The inflator,
the airbag, and related hardware are
all part of the airbag module.
Frontal airbag modules are located
inside the steering wheel and
instrument panel. For vehicles with
seat‐mounted side impact airbags,
there are airbags modules in the
side of the front seatbacks closest
to the door. For vehicles with
roof-rail airbags, there are airbag
modules in the ceiling of the vehicle,
near the side windows that have
occupant seating positions.
How Does an Airbag
Restrain?
In moderate to severe frontal or
near frontal collisions, even belted
occupants can contact the steering
wheel or the instrument panel. In
moderate to severe side collisions,
even belted occupants can contact
the inside of the vehicle.
Airbags supplement the protection
provided by safety belts. Frontal
airbags distribute the force of the
impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually.
Seat-mounted side impact and
roof-rail airbags distribute the force
of the impact more evenly over the
occupant's upper body.
But airbags would not help in
many types of collisions, primarily
because the occupant's motion is
not toward those airbags. See
When
Should an Airbag Inflate? on
page 3‑30 for more information.
Airbags should never be regarded
as anything more than a supplement
to safety belts.

Black plate (38,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
3-38 Seats and Restraints
A wet seat can affect the
performance of the passenger
sensing system. Here is how:
.The passenger sensing system
may turn off the passenger
airbag when liquid is soaked into
the seat. If this happens, the off
indicator will be lit, and the
airbag readiness light on the
instrument panel will also be lit.
.Liquid pooled on the seat that
has not soaked in may make it
more likely that the passenger
sensing system will enable
(turn on) the passenger airbag
while a child restraint or child
occupant is on the seat. If the
passenger airbag is turned on,
the on indicator will be lit.
If the passenger seat gets wet, dry
the seat immediately. If the airbag
readiness light is lit, do not install a
child restraint or allow anyone to
occupy the seat. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑15 for
important safety information. The on indicator may be lit if an
object, such as a briefcase,
handbag, grocery bag, laptop or
other electronic device, is put on an
unoccupied seat. If this is not
desired, remove the object from
the seat.
{WARNING
Stowing of articles under the
passenger seat or between the
passenger seat cushion and
seatback may interfere with the
proper operation of the passenger
sensing system.
Servicing the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
Airbags affect how the vehicle
should be serviced. There are parts
of the airbag system in several
places around the vehicle. Your
dealer and the service manual have
information about servicing the
vehicle and the airbag system.To purchase a service manual, see
Service Publications Ordering
Information on page 13‑13.
{WARNING
For up to 10 seconds after the
ignition is turned off and the
battery is disconnected, an airbag
can still inflate during improper
service. You can be injured if you
are close to an airbag when it
inflates. Avoid yellow connectors.
They are probably part of the
airbag system. Be sure to follow
proper service procedures, and
make sure the person performing
work for you is qualified to do so.

Black plate (54,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
3-54 Seats and Restraints
Do not fold the empty rear seat
with a safety belt buckled. This
could damage the safety belt or
the seat. Unbuckle and return the
safety belt to its stowed position,
before folding the seat.
1. Attach and tighten the lowerattachments to the lower
anchors. If the child restraint
does not have lower
attachments or the desired
seating position does not have
lower anchors, secure the
child restraint with the top tether
and the safety belts. Refer to
your child restraint manufacturer
instructions and the instructions
in this manual.
1.1. Find the lower anchors for the desired seating
position.
1.2. Put the child restraint on the seat.
1.3. Attach and tighten the lower attachments on
the child restraint to the
lower anchors. 2. If the child restraint manufacturer
recommends that the top tether
be attached, attach and tighten
the top tether to the top tether
anchor, if equipped. Refer to the
child restraint instructions and
the following steps:
2.1. Find the top tether anchor.
2.2. Push on the depression
at the rear of the cover and
swing the lid open to
expose the top tether
anchor. 2.3. Route, attach, and tighten
the top tether according to
your child restraint
instructions and the
following instructions:
If the position you are using
has a fixed headrest and
you are using a single
tether, route the tether over
the head restraint.