steering CHEVROLET IMPALA 2012 9.G Owner's Manual

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Lighting 6-5
Fog Lamps
#(Fog Lamps):For vehicles with
fog lamps, the button is located on
the exterior lamps control. The
exterior lamps control is located on
the instrument panel to the left of
the steering column. The ignition must be in the ON/RUN
position for the fog lamps to
come on.
Press
#to turn the fog lamps on or
off. A light will come on in the
instrument panel cluster.
When the headlamps are changed
to high beam, the fog lamps also
go off.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be on
along with the fog lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
D(Instrument Panel
Brightness): This knob is located
on the instrument panel to the left of
the steering wheel. Push the knob in
all the way until it extends out and
then turn the knob clockwise or
counterclockwise to brighten or dim
the lights. Push the knob back in
when finished.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-7
.To scan preset stations in the
selected band, press and hold
©SEEK for four seconds until a
double beep sounds. The radio
goes to a stored preset, plays for
a few seconds, then goes to
the next stored preset. Press
©SEEK again to stop scanning
preset stations.
¨SEEK: Press to seek or scan
stations with a strong signal in the
selected band.
.To seek stations, press and
release
¨SEEK to go to the
next station and stay there.
.To scan stations, press and hold¨SEEK for a few seconds until
the radio beeps once. The radio
goes to a station, plays for a
few seconds, then goes to the
next station. Press
¨SEEK
again to stop scanning.
.To scan preset stations in the
selected band, press and hold
¨SEEK for four seconds until a
double beep sounds. The radio
goes to a stored preset, plays
for a few seconds, then goes
to the next stored preset. Press
¨SEEK again to stop scanning
preset stations.
Storing Radio Stations
Drivers are encouraged to store
radio station while the vehicle is
parked. See Defensive Driving on
page 9‑3. Tune to stored radio
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature.
Radios that have a FAV button store
radio stations as favorites, up to
36 stations can be programmed as
favorites using the 6 softkeys below
the radio station frequency tabs and
by using the FAV button. Press the
FAV button to go through up to
6 pages of favorites, each having
6 favorite stations available per page. Each page of favorites can
contain any combination of AM, FM,
or XM, if equipped, stations.
Radios that do not have a FAV
button store radio stations as
presets, up to 18 stations (6 FM1,
6 FM2, and 6 AM), can be
programmed on the 6 numbered
pushbuttons.
Storing a Radio Station as a
Preset, Radio with CD (Base)
Radios that have numbered
pushbuttons store radio stations as
presets.
Up to 18 stations (6 FM1, 6 FM2,
and 6 AM), can be programmed on
the six numbered buttons.
To store preset stations:
1. Tune to a radio station.
2. Press and hold one of the
6 numbered pushbuttons for
3 seconds until a beep sounds.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2 to store additional radio stations.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
7-10 Infotainment System
3. To exit the category searchmode, press the FAV button or
BAND button to display the
favorites again.
Adding and Removing Categories
Categories cannot be added or
removed while the vehicle is moving
faster than 8 km/h (5 mph).
To add or remove a category:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below the XM CAT tab.
3. Turn the
fknob to display the
category you want to add or
remove.
4. Press the softkey located under the Add or Remove tab.
To restore all removed
categories, press the softkey
under the Restore All tab.
5. Repeat the steps to remove more categories.
Storing XM Channels
Drivers are encouraged to store
radio station while the vehicle is
parked. See Defensive Driving on
page 9‑3. Tune to stored radio
stations using the presets, favorites
button, and steering wheel controls,
if the vehicle has this feature.
Up to 36 stations can be
programmed as favorites using the
6 softkeys below the radio station
frequency tabs and by using the
FAV button. Press the FAV button to
go through up to 6 pages of
favorites, each having 6 favorite
stations available per page. Each
page of favorites can contain any
combination of AM, FM, or XM,
if equipped, stations.
Storing an XM Channel as a
Favorite
To store a station as a favorite:
1. Tune to an XM channel.
2. Press the FAV button to display the page where the station will
be stored. 3. Press and hold one of the
6 softkeys until a beep sounds.
4. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 to store additional radio stations.
The number of favorites pages can
be set up using the MENU button.
To set up the number of favorites
pages:
1. Press the MENU button.
2. Press the softkey located below the FAV 1-6 tab.
3. Select the number of favorites pages by pressing the softkey
located below the displayed
page numbers.
4. Press the FAV button, or let the menu time out, to return to the
original main radio screen
showing the radio station
frequency tabs and to begin the
process of programming
favorites.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Infotainment System 7-21
Voice Recognition
The Bluetooth system uses voice
recognition to interpret voice
commands to dial phone numbers
and name tags.
For additional information, say
“Help”while you are in a voice
recognition menu.
Noise: Keep interior noise levels to
a minimum. The system may not
recognize voice commands if there
is too much background noise.
When to Speak: A short tone
sounds after the system responds
indicating when it is waiting for a
voice command. Wait until the tone
and then speak.
How to Speak: Speak clearly in a
calm and natural voice.
Audio System
When using the in‐vehicle Bluetooth
system, sound comes through the
vehicle's front audio system
speakers and overrides the audio
system. Use the audio system
volume knob, during a call, to
change the volume level. The
adjusted volume level remains in
memory for later calls. To prevent
missed calls, a minimum volume
level is used if the volume is turned
down too low.
Bluetooth Controls
Use the buttons located on the
steering wheel to operate the in‐
vehicle Bluetooth system. See
Steering Wheel Controls on
page 5‑3 for more information.
b/g(Push To Talk): Press to
answer incoming calls, confirm
system information, and start
speech recognition.
c/x(Phone On Hook): Press
to end a call, reject a call, or cancel
an operation.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone
must be paired to the Bluetooth
system and then connected to the
vehicle before it can be used. See
the cell phone manufacturer's user
guide for Bluetooth functions before
pairing the cell phone. If a Bluetooth
phone is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar Hands‐Free
Calling, if equipped. See OnStar
Overview on page 14‑1 for more
information.
Pairing Information
.A Bluetooth phone with MP3
capability cannot be paired to
the vehicle as a phone and an
MP3 player at the same time.
.Up to five cell phones can be
paired to the Bluetooth system.
.The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-7
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-8
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 9-10
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . 9-11
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-16
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Retained AccessoryPower (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20 Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-21
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-26
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-29
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Gasoline Specifications (U.S.and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
California Fuel
Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-37
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-37
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-38
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-39
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-42
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-43
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-46
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-48
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-49

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-3
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means“always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3‑10.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do
and be ready.
.Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
.Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{WARNING
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three‐fourths of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
.Avoid needless heavy braking.
.Keep pace with traffic.

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
9-4 Driving and Operating
If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Hydraulic Power Steering
Your vehicle has hydraulic
power steering. It may require
maintenance. SeePower Steering
Fluid on page 10‑17.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
.Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
.Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
.Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking.
.Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
.The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips:
1. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Then turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. Learn to
recognize warning clues —such
as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a
mirrored surface —and slow
down when you have any doubt.
.Try to avoid sudden steering,
acceleration, or braking,
including reducing vehicle speed
by shifting to a lower gear. Any
sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑29 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
9-10 Driving and Operating
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If the vehicle has a traction system,
it can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the vehicle's
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction system
to free the vehicle, turn the traction
system off and use the rocking
method.{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph).
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑54.
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction or
stability system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑67.