2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA Owners Manual

7,500 Miles (12 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
15,000 Miles (25 000 km)
qInspect engine air cleaner ®lter. If necessary, replace
the ®lter. If vehicle is driven in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect ®lter at every engine oil change. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more
information.An Emission Control Service. (See
footnote ².)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
22,500 Miles (37 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
30,000 Miles (50 000 km)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
qReplace engine air cleaner ®lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more information.An Emission Control Service.
37,500 Miles (62 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
45,000 Miles (75 000 km)
qInspect engine air cleaner ®lter. If necessary, replace
the ®lter. If vehicle is driven in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect ®lter at every engine oil change. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more
information.An Emission Control Service. (See
footnote ².)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
6-7

50,000 Miles (83 000 km)
qChange automatic transaxle ¯uid and ®lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
þ In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or
higher
þ In hilly or mountainous terrain.
þ When doing frequent trailer towing.
þ Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
If you do not use your vehicle under any of these
conditions, change the ¯uid and ®lter at 100,000 miles
(166 000 km).
52,500 Miles (87 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
60,000 Miles (100 000 km)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
qReplace engine air cleaner ®lter. SeeEngine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more information.An Emission Control Service.
67,500 Miles (112 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
75,000 Miles (125 000 km)
qInspect engine air cleaner ®lter. If necessary, replace
the ®lter. If vehicle is driven in dusty/dirty conditions,
inspect ®lter at every engine oil change. See
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more
information.An Emission Control Service. (See
footnote ².)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.
qRotate tires. See
Tire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
82,500 Miles (137 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
6-8

90,000 Miles (150 000 km)
qIf Equipped: Replace passenger compartment air
®lter. If you drive regularly under dusty conditions,
the ®lter may require replacement more often.
qReplace engine air cleaner ®lter. See
Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter on page 5-22for more information.An Emission Control Service.
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
97,500 Miles (162 500 km)
qRotate tires. SeeTire Inspection and Rotation on
page 5-65for proper rotation pattern and additional
information.(See footnote .) (See footnote +.)
100,000 Miles (166 000 km)
qInspect spark plug wires.An Emission Control
Service.
qReplace spark plugs.An Emission Control Service.
qChange automatic transaxle ¯uid and ®lter if the
vehicle is mainly driven under one or more of
these conditions:
þ In heavy city traffic where the outside
temperature regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or
higher.
þ In hilly or mountainous terrain.
þ When doing frequent trailer towing.
þ Uses such as found in taxi, police or delivery
service.
qIf you haven't used your vehicle under severe
conditions listed previously and, therefore, haven't
changed your automatic transaxle ¯uid, change both
the ¯uid and ®lter.
150,000 Miles (240 000 km)
qDrain, ¯ush and re®ll cooling system (or every
60 months since last service, whichever occurs ®rst).
See
Engine Coolant on page 5-27for what to use.
Inspect hoses. Clean radiator, condenser, pressure
cap and neck. Pressure test the cooling system
and pressure cap.
An Emission Control Service.
qInspect engine accessory drive belt.An Emission
Control Service.
6-9

Part B: Owner Checks and Services
Listed in this part are owner checks and services
which should be performed at the intervals speci®ed to
help ensure the safety, dependability and emission
control performance of your vehicle.
Be sure any necessary repairs are completed at once.
Whenever any ¯uids or lubricants are added to your
vehicle, make sure they are the proper ones, as shown
in Part D.
At Each Fuel Fill
It is important for you or a service station attendant to
perform these underhood checks at each fuel ®ll.
Engine Oil Level Check
Check the engine oil level and add the proper oil if
necessary. SeeEngine Oil on page 5-16for
further details.
Engine Coolant Level Check
Check the engine coolant level and add DEX-COOLž
coolant mixture if necessary. SeeEngine Coolant
on page 5-27for further details.
Windshield Washer Fluid Level Check
Check the windshield washer ¯uid level in the windshield
washer tank and add the proper ¯uid if necessary.
See
Windshield Washer Fluid on page 5-44for further
details.
At Least Once a Month
Tire In¯ation Check
Visually inspect your tires and make sure tires are
in¯ated to the correct pressures. Don't forget to check
your spare tire. See
Tires on page 5-61for further
details.
Cassette Tape Player Service
Clean cassette tape player. Cleaning should be done
every 50 hours of tape play. SeeAudio System(s)
on page 3-53for further details.
6-10

At Least Twice a Year
Restraint System Check
Make sure the safety belt reminder light and all your
belts, buckles, latch plates, retractors and anchorages
are working properly. Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts. If you see anything
that might keep a safety belt system from doing its
job, have it repaired. Have any torn or frayed safety
belts replaced.
Also look for any opened or broken air bag coverings,
and have them repaired or replaced. (The air bag
system does not need regular maintenance.)
Wiper Blade Check
Inspect wiper blades for wear or cracking. Replace
blade inserts that appear worn or damaged or that
streak or miss areas of the windshield. Also see
Cleaning the Outside of Your Vehicle on page 5-88.
Weatherstrip Lubrication
Silicone grease on weatherstrips will make them last
longer, seal better, and not stick or squeak. Apply
silicone grease with a clean cloth. During very cold,
damp weather more frequent application may be
required. See
Part D: Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 6-16.
Automatic Transaxle Check
Check the transaxle ¯uid level; add if needed. SeeAutomatic Transaxle Fluid on page 5-24. A ¯uid loss
may indicate a problem. Check the system and repair
if needed.
At Least Once a Year
Key Lock Cylinders Service
Lubricate the key lock cylinders with the lubricant
speci®ed in Part D.
Body Lubrication Service
Lubricate all hinges and latches, including those for the
body doors, hood, secondary latch, pivots, spring
anchor, release pawl, rear compartment, glove box door,
console door and any folding seat hardware. Part D
tells you what to use. More frequent lubrication may be
required when exposed to a corrosive environment.
6-11

Starter Switch Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle
could move suddenly. If it does, you or others
could be injured. Follow the steps below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle.
2. Firmly apply both the parking brake and the regular
brake. See
Parking Brake on page 2-27if
necessary.
Do not use the accelerator pedal, and be ready to
turn off the engine immediately if it starts.
3. Try to start the engine in each gear. The starter
should work only in PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N).
If the starter works in any other position, your
vehicle needs service.
Automatic Transaxle Shift Lock Control
System Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, the vehicle
could move suddenly. If it does, you or others
could be injured. Follow the steps below.
1. Before you start, be sure you have enough room
around the vehicle. It should be parked on a level
surface.
2. Firmly apply the parking brake. See
Parking Brake
on page 2-27if necessary.
Be ready to apply the regular brake immediately if
the vehicle begins to move.
3. With the engine off, turn the key to the ON position,
but don't start the engine. Without applying the
regular brake, try to move the shift lever out
of PARK (P) with normal effort. If the shift lever
moves out of PARK (P), your vehicle needs service.
6-12

Ignition Transaxle Lock Check
While parked, and with the parking brake set, try to turn
the ignition key to OFF in each shift lever position.
·The key should turn to OFF only when the shift lever
is in PARK (P).
·The key should come out only in OFF.
Parking Brake and Automatic Transaxle
Park (P) Mechanism Check
{CAUTION:
When you are doing this check, your vehicle
could begin to move. You or others could be
injured and property could be damaged. Make
sure there is room in front of your vehicle in
case it begins to roll. Be ready to apply the
regular brake at once should the vehicle begin
to move.Park on a fairly steep hill, with the vehicle facing
downhill. Keeping your foot on the regular brake, set the
parking brake.
·To check the parking brake's holding ability: With
the engine running and transaxle in NEUTRAL
(N), slowly remove foot pressure from the regular
brake pedal. Do this until the vehicle is held by the
parking brake only.
·To check the PARK (P) mechanism's holding
ability: With the engine running, shift to PARK (P).
Then release the parking brake followed by the
regular brake.
Underbody Flushing Service
At least every spring, use plain water to ¯ush any
corrosive materials from the underbody. Take care to
clean thoroughly any areas where mud and other debris
can collect.
6-13

Part C: Periodic
MaintenanceInspections
Listed in this part are inspections and services which
should be performed at least twice a year (for instance,
each spring and fall).
You should let your dealer's
service department do these jobs. Make sure any
necessary repairs are completed at once.
Proper procedures to perform these services may be
found in a service manual. SeeService Publications
Ordering Information on page 7-11.
Steering, Suspension and Front
Drive Axle Boot and Seal Inspection
Inspect the front and rear suspension and steering
system for damaged, loose or missing parts, signs of
wear or lack of lubrication. Inspect the power steering
lines and hoses for proper hook-up, binding, leaks,
cracks, cha®ng, etc. Clean and then inspect the drive
axle boot seals for damage, tears or leakage. Replace
seals if necessary.
Exhaust System Inspection
Inspect the complete exhaust system. Inspect the body
near the exhaust system. Look for broken, damaged,
missing or out-of-position parts as well as open seams,
holes, loose connections or other conditions which
could cause a heat build-up in the ¯oor pan or could let
exhaust fumes into the vehicle. See
Engine Exhaust
on page 2-31.
6-14