2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA instrument panel

Seats and Restraint Systems........................... 1-1
Front Seats
............................................... 1-2
Rear Seats
............................................... 1-6
Safety Belts
.............................................. 1-9
Child Restraints
.......................................1-31
Air Bag Systems
......................................1-51
Restraint System Check
............................1-60
Features and Controls..................................... 2-1
Keys
........................................................ 2-2
Doors and Locks
....................................... 2-8
Windows
.................................................2-13
Theft-Deterrent Systems
............................2-15
Starting and Operating Your Vehicle
...........2-17
Mirrors
....................................................2-33
OnStar
®System
......................................2-36
HomeLink®Transmitter
.............................2-38
Storage Areas
.........................................2-42
Sunroof
..................................................2-43
Vehicle Personalization
.............................2-44
Instrument Panel............................................. 3-1
Instrument Panel Overview
.......................... 3-4
Climate Controls
......................................3-20
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators
........3-26
Message Center
.......................................3-43
Driver Information Center (DIC)
..................3-52Trip Computer
.........................................3-55
Audio System(s)
.......................................3-56
Driving Your Vehicle....................................... 4-1
Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle
..... 4-2
Towing
...................................................4-30
Service and Appearance Care.......................... 5-1
Service
..................................................... 5-3
Fuel
......................................................... 5-5
Checking Things Under the Hood
...............5-10
Headlamp Aiming
.....................................5-58
Bulb Replacement
....................................5-58
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
.........5-63
Tires
......................................................5-64
Appearance Care
.....................................5-94
Vehicle Identication
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Specications
...................5-110
Maintenance Schedule..................................... 6-1
Maintenance Schedule
................................ 6-2
Customer Assistance and Information.............. 7-1
Customer Assistance and Information
........... 7-2
Reporting Safety Defects
...........................7-11
Index.................................................................1
2004 Chevrolet Impala Owner ManualM

Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this manual you will nd these notices:
Notice:These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
A notice tells about something that can damage your
vehicle. Many times, this damage would not be covered
by your vehicle’s warranty, and it could be costly. But
the notice will tell you what to do to help avoid the
damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors or in
different words.
There are also warning labels on your vehicle. They use
the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.
Vehicle Symbols
The vehicle has components and labels that use
symbols instead of text. Symbols are shown along with
the text describing the operation or information
relating to a specic component, control, message,
gage, or indicator.
If you need help guring out a specic name of a
component, gage, or indicator, reference the following
topics:
Seats and Restraint Systems in Section 1
Features and Controls in Section 2
Instrument Panel Overview in Section 3
Climate Controls in Section 3
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators in Section 3
Audio System(s) in Section 3
Engine Compartment Overview in Section 5
iv

The person keeps going until stopped by something. In
a real vehicle, it could be the windshield...or the instrument panel...
1-12

{CAUTION:
Both frontal and side impact air bags inate
with great force, faster than the blink of an
eye. If you are too close to an inating air bag,
as you would be if you were leaning forward, it
could seriously injure you. Safety belts help
keep you in position for air bag ination before
and during a crash. Always wear your safety
belt, even with frontal air bags. The driver
should sit as far back as possible while still
maintaining control of the vehicle, and should
not lean on the door.
{CAUTION:
Anyone who is up against, or very close to,
any air bag when it inates can be seriously
injured or killed.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Air bags plus lap-shoulder belts offer the best
protection for adults, but not for young
children and infants. Neither the vehicle’s
safety belt system nor its air bag system is
designed for them. Young children and infants
need the protection that a child restraint
system can provide. Always secure children
properly in your vehicle. To read how, see the
part of this manual called “Older Children” or
“Infants and Young Children.”
There is an air bag
readiness light on the
instrument panel, which
shows the air bag symbol.
The system checks the air bag electrical system for
malfunctions. The light tells you if there is an electrical
problem. SeeAir Bag Readiness Light on page 3-32
for more information.
1-53

Where Are the Air Bags?
The driver’s frontal air bag is in the middle of the
steering wheel.The right front passenger’s frontal air bag is in the
instrument panel on the passenger’s side.
1-54

What Makes an Air Bag Inate?
In an impact of sufficient severity, the air bag sensing
system detects that the vehicle is in a crash. For
both the frontal and side impact air bags, the sensing
system triggers a release of gas from the inator, which
inates the air bag. The inator, air bag and related
hardware are all part of the air bag modules. Frontal air
bag modules are located inside the steering wheel
and instrument panel. For vehicles with a driver’s side
impact air bag, the air bag modules are located in
the seatback closest to the driver’s door.
How Does an Air Bag 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.The air bag supplements the protection provided by
safety belts. Air bags distribute the force of the impact
more evenly over the occupant’s upper body, stopping
the occupant more gradually. But the frontal air bags
would not help you in many types of collisions, including
rollovers, rear impacts, and many side impacts,
primarily because an occupant’s motion is not toward
the air bag. A side impact air bag would not help you in
many types of collisions, including frontal or near
frontal collisions, rollovers, and rear impacts, primarily
because an occupant’s motion is not toward that air bag.
Air bags should never be regarded as anything more
than a supplement to safety belts, and then only
in moderate to severe frontal or near-frontal collisions
for the driver’s and right front passenger’s frontal
air bags, and only in moderate to severe side collisions
for vehicles with a driver’s side impact air bag.
1-57

What Will You See After an Air Bag
Inates?
After the air bag inates, it quickly deates, so quickly that
some people may not even realize the air bag inated.
Some components of the air bag module will be hot for a
short time. These components include the steering wheel
hub for the driver’s frontal air bag and the instrument
panel for the right front passenger’s frontal air bag. For
vehicle’s with a driver’s side impact air bag, the side of
the seatback closest to the driver’s door will be hot. The
parts of the bag that come into contact with you may be
warm, but not too hot to touch. There will be some smoke
and dust coming from the vents in the deated air bags.
Air bag ination doesn’t prevent the driver from seeing or
being able to steer the vehicle, nor does it stop people
from leaving the vehicle.
{CAUTION:
When an air bag inates, there is dust in the
air. This dust could cause breathing problems
for people with a history of asthma or other
breathing trouble. To avoid this, everyone in
the vehicle should get out as soon as it is safe
to do so. If you have breathing problems but
can not get out of the vehicle after an air bag
inates, then get fresh air by opening a
window or a door. If you experience breathing
problems following an air bag deployment, you
should seek medical attention.
Your vehicle has a feature that will automatically unlock
the doors and turn the interior lamps on when the air
bags inate (if battery power is available). You can lock
the doors again and turn the interior lamps off by
using the door lock and interior lamp controls.
1-58

In many crashes severe enough to inate an air bag,
windshields are broken by vehicle deformation.
Additional windshield breakage may also occur from the
right front passenger air bag.
Air bags are designed to inate only once. After an
air bag inates, you’ll need some new parts for
your air bag system. If you don’t get them, the air
bag system won’t be there to help protect you
in another crash. A new system will include air bag
modules and possibly other parts. The service
manual for your vehicle covers the need to replace
other parts.
Your vehicle is equipped with an electronic frontal
sensor, which helps the sensing system distinguish
between a moderate frontal impact and a more
severe frontal impact. Your vehicle is also equipped
with a crash sensing and diagnostic module,
which records information about the frontal air bag
system. The module records information about
the readiness of the system, when the system
commands air bag ination and driver’s safety belt
usage at deployment. The module also records
speed, engine RPM, brake and throttle data.
Let only qualied technicians work on your air bag
systems. Improper service can mean that an air
bag system won’t work properly. See your dealer for
service.
Notice:If you damage the covering for the driver’s
or the right front passenger’s air bag, or the air
bag covering on the driver’s seatback, the bag may
not work properly. You may have to replace the
air bag module in the steering wheel, both the air
bag module and the instrument panel for the
right front passenger’s air bag, or the air bag
module and seatback for the driver’s side impact air
bag. Do not open or break the air bag coverings.
1-59