transmission CHEVROLET IMPALA 2013 9.G Owners Manual

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
2013 Chevrolet Impala Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-3
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-13
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Keys, Doors, and Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-9
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-13
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-33
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-39
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-13
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-19 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-13
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-20
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-25
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-41
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-22
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-26

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-3
With Remote Start Shown, WithoutRemote Start Similar
/(Remote Vehicle Start): For
vehicles with this feature, press to
start the engine from outside the
vehicle using the RKE transmitter.
See Remote Vehicle Start on
page 2‑4 for additional information.
Q(Lock):Press to lock all the
doors. If enabled through the Driver
Information Center (DIC), the
parking lamps flash once to indicate
locking has occurred. If enabled
through the DIC, the horn chirps
when
Qis pressed again within five seconds. See
Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑33 for
additional information.
Pressing
Qmay arm the content
theft-deterrent system. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑10.
K(Unlock): Press once to unlock
the driver door. If
Kis pressed
again within five seconds, all
remaining doors unlock. The interior
lamps come on and stay on for
20 seconds or until the ignition is
turned on. If enabled through the
DIC, the parking lamps flash twice
to indicate unlocking has occurred.
See Vehicle Personalization on
page 5‑33.
Pressing
Kon the RKE transmitter
disarms the content theft-deterrent
system. See Vehicle Alarm System
on page 2‑10.
V(Remote Trunk Release):
Press and hold for about
one second to open the trunk. The
transmission must be in P (Park).
L(Vehicle Locator/Panic
Alarm): Press and release to
locate the vehicle. The turn signal
lamps flash and the horn sounds
three times. Press and hold
Lfor
more than two seconds to activate
the panic alarm. The turn signal
lamps flash and the horn sounds
repeatedly for 30 seconds. The
alarm turns off when the ignition is
turned to ON/RUN or
Lis pressed
again. The ignition must be in
LOCK/OFF for the panic alarm
to work.
Programming Transmitters to
the Vehicle
Only RKE transmitters programmed
to the vehicle will work. If a
transmitter is lost or stolen, a
replacement can be purchased and
programmed through your dealer.
When the replacement transmitter is
programmed to the vehicle, all
remaining transmitters must also be
programmed. Any lost or stolen
transmitters no longer work once the
new transmitter is programmed.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Instruments and Controls 5-1
Instruments and
Controls
Controls
Steering Wheel Adjustment . . . 5-2
Steering Wheel Controls . . . . . . 5-2
Horn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Windshield Wiper/Washer . . . . . 5-3
Compass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
Power Outlets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
Cigarette Lighter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators
Warning Lights, Gauges, andIndicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Instrument Cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-9
Speedometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Odometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Tachometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Fuel Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Engine Coolant Temperature Gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11 Safety Belt Reminders . . . . . . . 5-12
Airbag Readiness Light . . . . . . 5-12
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-13
Charging System Light . . . . . . 5-14
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-14
Brake System Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-17
Antilock Brake System (ABS) Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) Off Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-18
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)/Traction Control
System (TCS) Indicator/
Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Engine Coolant Temperature Warning Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-19
Tire Pressure Light . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
Engine Oil Pressure Light . . . . 5-20
Security Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-20
High-Beam On Light . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Front Fog Lamp Light . . . . . . . . 5-21
Cruise Control Light . . . . . . . . . 5-21
Information Displays
Driver Information Center (DIC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-22
Vehicle Messages
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Battery Voltage and ChargingMessages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Brake System Messages . . . . 5-26
Door Ajar Messages . . . . . . . . . 5-26
Engine Cooling System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-27
Engine Oil Messages . . . . . . . . 5-28
Engine Power Messages . . . . 5-29
Fuel System Messages . . . . . . 5-29
Key and Lock Messages . . . . . 5-29
Lamp Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-29
Ride Control System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-30
Airbag System Messages . . . . 5-31
Security Messages . . . . . . . . . . 5-31
Service Vehicle Messages . . . 5-31
Tire Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-32
Transmission Messages . . . . . 5-33
Vehicle Reminder Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-33
Washer Fluid Messages . . . . . 5-33

Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Instruments and Controls 5-15
If the malfunction indicator lamp
comes on while the engine is
running, this indicates that the OBD
II system has detected a problem
and diagnosis and service might be
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 also
assists the service technician in
correctly diagnosing any
malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, 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.
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, find a
safe place to stop and 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.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
5-22 Instruments and Controls
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. SeeAutomatic
Transmission on page 9‑20 for more
information. If your vehicle has these features,
the DIC also displays the compass
direction and the outside air
temperature when viewing the trip
and fuel information. The compass
direction appears on the top right
corner of the DIC display. The
outside air temperature
automatically appears in the bottom
right corner of the DIC display.
If there is a problem with the system
that controls the temperature
display, the numbers will be
replaced with dashes. If this occurs,
have the vehicle serviced by your
dealer.
The DIC also allows some features
to be customized. See
Vehicle
Personalization on page 5‑33 for
more information.
DIC Operation and Displays
The DIC has different displays
which can be accessed by pressing
the DIC buttons located on the
instrument panel, to the right of the
instrument panel cluster. DIC Buttons
The buttons are the trip/fuel, vehicle
information, customization, and set/
reset buttons. The button functions
are detailed in the following pages.
3(Trip/Fuel):
Press this button
to display the odometer, trip
odometers, fuel range, average
economy, instantaneous economy,
Active Fuel Management™ indicator
on vehicles with this feature, and
average speed.

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Instruments and Controls 5-33
Loading Information label. SeeTires
on page 10‑31, Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑9, and Tire Pressure on
page 10‑38. The DIC also shows
the tire pressure values. See Driver
Information Center (DIC) on
page 5‑22.
Transmission Messages
SERVICE TRANSMISSION
This message displays when there
is a problem with the transmission.
See your dealer for service.
TRANSMISSION HOT IDLE
ENGINE
This message displays when the
transmission fluid in your vehicle is
too hot. Stop the vehicle and allow it
to idle until it cools down. If the
warning message continues to
display, have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.
Vehicle Reminder
Messages
ICE POSSIBLE DRIVE
WITH CARE
This message displays when the
outside air temperature is cold
enough to create icy road
conditions. Adjust your driving
accordingly.
Washer Fluid Messages
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD
FLUID
This message displays when the
windshield washer fluid is low. Fill
the windshield washer reservoir as
soon as possible. See Engine
Compartment Overview on
page 10‑5 for the location of the
windshield washer reservoir. Also,
see Washer Fluid on page 10‑16 for
more information.
Vehicle
Personalization
Your vehicle has customization
capabilities that allow you to
program certain features to one
preferred setting. Customization
features can only be programmed to
one setting on the vehicle and
cannot be programmed to a
preferred setting for two different
drivers.
All of the customization options may
not be available on your vehicle.
Only the options available will be
displayed on the DIC.
The default settings for the
customization features were set
when your vehicle left the factory,
but may have been changed from
their default state since then.
The customization preferences are
automatically recalled.
To change customization
preferences, use the following
procedure.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-6
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-13
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-20
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-31
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-31
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-33
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41

Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
9-6 Driving and Operating
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is to
slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
.Allow extra following distance.
.Pass with caution.
.Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
.Keep the windshield washer fluid
reservoir filled.
.Have good tires with proper
tread depth. SeeTires on
page 10‑31.
.Turn off cruise control.
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest. Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving
—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill.
(Continued)

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
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
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
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 getthe 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 10‑63.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight your vehicle can
carry. Two labels on your vehicle
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Vehicle Certification label.
{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center
pillar (B-pillar). With the driver

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
9-14 Driving and Operating
To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Notice:Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF): When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑17
This position locks the ignition and
steering wheel. It also locks the
transmission. This is the only
position in which the ignition key
can be inserted or removed.
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel from left to right while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle needs
service.
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
If the vehicle must be shut off in an
emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steady
pressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to N (Neutral). This can be done while the
vehicle is moving. After shifting
to N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a
safe location.
3. Come to a complete stop, shift to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑24
{WARNING
Turning off the vehicle while
moving may cause loss of power
assist in the brake and steering
systems and disable the airbags.
While driving, only shut the
vehicle off in an emergency.
If the vehicle cannot be pulled over,
and must be shut off while driving,
turn the ignition to ACC/
ACCESSORY.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is the
position in which you can operate
the radio and windshield wipers
while the engine is off. To use ACC/
ACCESSORY, turn the key
clockwise.