2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA service

Using the Accelerator Pedal
1. Turn the ignition to ON, with the engine off.
2. Fully press and release the accelerator pedal three
times within ®ve seconds. If the CHANGE ENGINE
OIL message ¯ashes, the system is reset.
However, if it stays on, it did not reset. You'll need
to repeat the reset procedure.
What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain elements that may be
unhealthy for your skin and could even cause cancer.
Don't let used oil stay on your skin for very long. Clean
your skin and nails with soap and water, or a good
hand cleaner. Wash or properly dispose of clothing or
rags containing used engine oil. See the manufacturer's
warnings about the use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the environment. If you
change your own oil, be sure to drain all the oil from the
®lter before disposal. Never dispose of oil by putting it
in the trash, pouring it on the ground, into sewers, or into
streams or bodies of water. Instead, recycle it by
taking it to a place that collects used oil. If you have a
problem properly disposing of your used oil, ask
your dealer, a service station or a local recycling center
for help.
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/®lter at every oil change and
replace at the ®rst oil change after 25,000 miles
(40,000 km).
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/®lter remove the ®lter from the
vehicle and lightly shake ®lter to release loose dust
and dirt. If the ®lter remains ªcakedº with dirt, a new ®lter
is required.
5-22

Automatic Transaxle Fluid
When to Check and Change
A good time to check your automatic transaxle ¯uid
level is when the engine oil is changed.
Change both the ¯uid and ®lter every 50,000 miles
(83 000 km) if the vehicle is mainly driven under one or
more of these conditions:
·In heavy city traffic where the outside temperature
regularly reaches 90ÉF (32ÉC) or higher.
·In hilly or mountainous terrain.
·When doing frequent trailer towing.
·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).
See
Scheduled Maintenance on page 6-5.
How to Check
Because this operation can be a little difficult, you may
choose to have this done at the dealership service
department.
If you do it yourself, be sure to follow all the instructions
here, or you could get a false reading on the dipstick.
Notice:Too much or too little ¯uid can damage
your transaxle. Too much can mean that some of the
¯uid could come out and fall on hot engine or
exhaust system parts, starting a ®re. Too little ¯uid
could cause the transaxle to overheat. Be sure
to get an accurate reading if you check your
transaxle ¯uid.
Wait at least 30 minutes before checking the transaxle
¯uid level if you have been driving:
·When outside temperatures are above 90ÉF (32ÉC).
·At high speed for quite a while.
·In heavy traffic ± especially in hot weather.
·While pulling a trailer.
To get the right reading, the ¯uid should be at normal
operating temperature, which is 180ÉF to 200ÉF
(82ÉC to 93ÉC).
Get the vehicle warmed up by driving about 15 miles
(24 km) when outside temperatures are above 50ÉF
(10ÉC). If it's colder than 50ÉF (10ÉC), you may have to
drive longer.
5-24

If No Steam Is Coming From Your
Engine
An overheat warning along with a low coolant message
can indicate a serious problem.
If you get an engine overheat warning, but see or hear
no steam, the problem may not be too serious.
Sometimes the engine can get a little too hot when you:
·Climb a long hill on a hot day.
·Stop after high-speed driving.
·Idle for long periods in traffic.
·Tow a trailer.
If you get the overheat warning with no sign of steam,
try this for a minute or so:
1. In heavy traffic, let the engine idle in NEUTRAL (N)
while stopped. If it is safe to do so, pull off the road,
shift to PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N)l and let the
engine idle.2. Turn on your heater to full hot at the highest fan
speed and open the window as necessary.
If you no longer have the overheat warning, you can
drive. Just to be safe, drive slower for about 10 minutes.
If the warning doesn't come back on, you can
drive normally.
If the warning continues, pull over, stop, and park your
vehicle right away.
If there's still no sign of steam, you can idle the engine
for three minutes while you're parked. If you still
have the warning,
turn off the engine and get everyone
out of the vehicleuntil it cools down. Also, see
ªOverheated Engine Protection Operating Modeº listed
previously in this section.
You may decide not to lift the hood but to get service
help right away.
5-32

{CAUTION:
An electric engine cooling fan under the hood
can start up even when the engine is not
running and can injure you. Keep hands,
clothing and tools away from any underhood
electric fan.
If the coolant inside the coolant recovery tank is boiling,
don't do anything else until it cools down. The vehicle
should be parked on a level surface.
The coolant level should
be at or above the COLD
mark on the coolant
recovery tank.To check the coolant level, look for the COLD mark on
the side of the coolant recovery tank that faces the
engine. When the engine is cold, the coolant level
should be at or above the COLD mark on the coolant
recovery tank. If it isn't, you may have a leak at the
pressure cap or in the radiator hoses, heater hoses,
radiator, water pump or somewhere else in the
cooling system.
{CAUTION:
Heater and radiator hoses, and other engine
parts, can be very hot. Don't touch them. If you
do, you can be burned.
Don't run the engine if there is a leak. If you
run the engine, it could lose all coolant. That
could cause an engine ®re, and you could be
burned. Get any leak ®xed before you drive the
vehicle.
If there seems to be no leak, with the engine on, check
to see if the electric engine cooling fans are running.
If the engine is overheating, both fans should be
running. If they aren't, your vehicle needs service.
5-34

Notice:
·Using the wrong ¯uid can badly damage brake
system parts. For example, just a few drops of
mineral-based oil, such as engine oil, in your
brake system can damage brake system
parts so badly that they'll have to be replaced.
Don't let someone put in the wrong kind of ¯uid.
·If you spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle's painted
surfaces, the paint ®nish can be damaged. Be
careful not to spill brake ¯uid on your vehicle. If
you do, wash it off immediately. See
ªAppearance Careº in the Index.
Brake Wear
Your vehicle has four-wheel disc brakes.
Disc brake pads have built-in wear indicators that make
a high-pitched warning sound when the brake pads
are worn and new pads are needed. The sound
may come and go or be heard all the time your vehicle
is moving (except when you are pushing on the
brake pedal ®rmly).
{CAUTION:
The brake wear warning sound means that
soon your brakes won't work well. That could
lead to an accident. When you hear the brake
wear warning sound, have your vehicle
serviced.
Notice:Continuing to drive with worn-out brake
pads could result in costly brake repair.
Some driving conditions or climates may cause a brake
squeal when the brakes are ®rst applied or lightly
applied. This does not mean something is wrong with
your brakes.
Properly torqued wheel nuts are necessary to help
prevent brake pulsation. When tires are rotated, inspect
brake pads for wear and evenly tighten wheel nuts in
the proper sequence to GM torque speci®cations.
Brake linings should always be replaced as complete
axle sets.
See
Brake System Inspection on page 6-15.
5-47

11. Try to start the vehicle that had the dead battery. If
it won't start after a few tries, it probably needs
service.
Notice:Damage to your vehicle may result from
electrical shorting if jumper cables are removed
incorrectly. To prevent electrical shorting, take care
that the cables don't touch each other or any
other metal. The repairs wouldn't be covered by
your warranty.
A. Heavy, Unpainted Metal Engine Part
B. Good Battery or Remote Positive (+) Terminal
C. Dead Battery or Remote Positive (+) TerminalTo disconnect the jumper cables from both vehicles, do
the following:
1. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle that had the dead battery.
2. Disconnect the black negative (-) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
3. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the
vehicle with the good battery.
4. Disconnect the red positive (+) cable from the other
vehicle.
5. Return the remote positive (+) terminal cover to its
original position.
Jumper Cable Removal
5-54

Headlamp Aiming
If your vehicle is damaged in an accident, the headlamp
aim may be affected. Aim adjustment to the low beam
may be necessary if it is difficult to see lane markers (for
horizontal aim), or if oncoming drivers ¯ash their high
beams at you (for vertical aim). If you believe your
headlamps need to be re-aimed, we recommend that
you take your vehicle to the dealer for service. However,
it is possible for you to re-aim your headlamps by
following the procedure in the service manual for
your vehicle.
Notice:To make sure your headlamps are aimed
properly, read all the instructions before beginning.
Failure to follow these instructions could cause
damage to headlamp parts.
5-55

Tires
Your new vehicle comes with high-quality tires made by
a leading tire manufacturer. If you ever have questions
about your tire warranty and where to obtain service,
see your Chevrolet Warranty booklet for details.
{CAUTION:
Poorly maintained and improperly used tires
are dangerous.
·Overloading your tires can cause
overheating as a result of too much
friction. You could have an air-out and a
serious accident. See ªLoading Your
Vehicleº in the Index.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
·
Underin¯ated tires pose the same danger
as overloaded tires. The resulting accident
could cause serious injury. Check all tires
frequently to maintain the recommended
pressure. Tire pressure should be checked
when your tires are cold.
·Overin¯ated tires are more likely to be cut,
punctured or broken by a sudden impact
Ð such as when you hit a pothole. Keep
tires at the recommended pressure.
·Worn, old tires can cause accidents. If
your tread is badly worn, or if your tires
have been damaged, replace them.
5-61