Page 1 of 420

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 Identi cation
...............................5-102
Electrical System
....................................5-103
Capacities and Speci cations
...................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
Page 8 of 420
Front Seats
Manual Seats
{CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle
is moving. The sudden movement could startle
and confuse you, or make you push a pedal
when you do not want to. Adjust the driver’s
seat only when the vehicle is not moving.
If your vehicle has manual seats, lift the bar located under
the front of the seat to unlock it. Slide the seat to where
you want it and release the bar. Try to move the seat
back and forth to be sure the seat is locked in place.
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Page 10 of 420
Heated Seats
If your vehicle has this option, the driver’s and
passenger’s heated seat switches are located on the
outboard side of the seat near the front.
Press LO to warm the seat to a lower temperature. Press
HI to warm the seat to a higher temperature. To turn this
feature off, move the switch to the center position.
Reclining Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to lock
the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever without
pushing on the seatback and the seatback will move
forward.
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Page 14 of 420

To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
{CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted will not provide
the protection needed in a crash.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
The person wearing the belt could be seriously
injured. After raising the rear seatback, always
check to be sure that the safety belts are
properly routed and attached, and are not
twisted.
Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the release
button, and that both are facing the front of the
vehicle. Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push and pull
on the latch plate to be sure it is secure.
{CAUTION:
If the seatback is not locked, it could move
forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could
cause injury to the person sitting there. Always
press rearward on the seatback to be sure it is
locked.
When the seat is not in use, it should be kept in the
upright locked position.
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Page 21 of 420
Lap-Shoulder Belt
The driver has a lap-shoulder belt. Here’s how to wear it
properly.
1. Close and lock the door.
2. Adjust the seat so you can sit up straight. To see
how, see “Seats” in the Index.3. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you.
Don’t let it get twisted.
The shoulder belt may lock if you pull the belt
across you very quickly. If this happens, let the belt
go back slightly to unlock it. Then pull the belt
across you more slowly.
4. Push the latch plate into the buckle until it clicks.
Pull up on the latch plate to make sure it is secure.
If the belt isn’t long enough, seeSafety Belt
Extender on page 1-30.
Make sure the release button on the buckle is
positioned so you would be able to unbuckle the
safety belt quickly if you ever had to.
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Page 22 of 420
5. To make the lap part tight, pull down on the buckle
end of the belt as you pull up on the shoulder belt.The lap part of the belt should be worn low and snug on
the hips, just touching the thighs. In a crash, this applies
force to the strong pelvic bones. And you’d be less likely
to slide under the lap belt. If you slid under it, the belt
would apply force at your abdomen. This could cause
serious or even fatal injuries. The shoulder belt should go
over the shoulder and across the chest. These parts of
the body are best able to take belt restraining forces.
The safety belt locks if there’s a sudden stop or crash,
or if you pull the belt very quickly out of the retractor.
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Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster
Before you begin to drive, move the shoulder belt
adjuster to the height that is right for you.To move it down, squeeze the release lever and the
shoulder belt guide as shown and move the height
adjuster to the desired position. You can move
the adjuster up just by pushing up on the shoulder belt
guide. After you move the adjuster to where you
want it, try to move it down without squeezing the
release lever to make sure it has locked into position.
Adjust the height so that the shoulder portion of the belt is
centered on your shoulder. The belt should be away from
your face and neck, but not falling off your shoulder.
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Page 29 of 420

The best way to protect the fetus is to protect the
mother. When a safety belt is worn properly, it’s more
likely that the fetus won’t be hurt in a crash. For
pregnant women, as for anyone, the key to making
safety belts effective is wearing them properly.
Right Front Passenger Position
To learn how to wear the right front passenger’s safety
belt properly, seeDriver Position on page 1-14.
The right front passenger’s safety belt works the same
way as the driver’s safety belt – except for one thing.
If you ever pull the shoulder portion of the belt out all the
way, you will engage the child restraint locking feature.
If this happens, just let the belt go back all the way
and start again.
Center Front Passenger Position
Lap Belt
If your vehicle has a front bench seat, someone can sit
in the center position.
When you sit in the center front seating position, you
have a lap safety belt, which has no retractor. To make
the belt longer, tilt the latch plate and pull it along
the belt.
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