2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA ABS

When the ignition is on, the brake system warning light
will also come on when you set your parking brake.
The light will stay on if your parking brake does
not release fully. If it stays on after your parking brake is
fully released, it means you have a brake problem.
If the light comes on while you are driving, pull off the
road and stop carefully. You may notice that the pedal is
harder to push, or the pedal may go closer to the
oor. It may take longer to stop. If the light is still on,
have the vehicle towed for service. SeeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-26.
{CAUTION:
Your brake system may not be working properly
if the brake system warning light is on. Driving
with the brake system warning light on can lead
to an accident. If the light is still on after you
have pulled off the road and stopped carefully,
have the vehicle towed for service.
Antilock Brake System
Warning Light
For vehicles with the
Antilock Brake System
(ABS), this light will come
on briey when you
start the engine.
That is normal. If the light does not come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a problem.
If the ABS light stays on, turn the ignition off, if the light
comes on when you are driving, stop as soon as it
is safely possible and turn the ignition off. Then start the
engine again to reset the system. If the ABS light still
stays on, or comes on again while you are driving, your
vehicle needs service. If the regular brake system
warning light is not on, you still have brakes, but you do
not have antilock brakes. If the regular brake system
warning light is also on, you do not have antilock brakes
and there is a problem with your regular brakes.
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 3-34
For vehicles with a Driver Information Center (DIC),
seeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-52for all
brake related DIC messages.
3-35

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunk Driving.................................................4-2
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-3
Braking.........................................................4-3
Antilock Brake System (ABS)...........................4-4
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-5
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-6
Electronic Stability Control...............................4-7
Steering........................................................4-9
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-11
Passing.......................................................4-11
Loss of Control.............................................4-12
Driving at Night............................................4-13Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-13
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-14
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-14
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-15
Winter Driving..............................................4-16
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice,
or Snow...................................................4-20
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-20
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-21
Towing..........................................................4-26
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-26
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-26
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-27
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes might not have time to
cool between hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you
keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following
distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary
braking. That means better braking and longer
brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do,
the pedal could get harder to push down. If the
engine stops, you will still have some power brake
assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the
power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle might have the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will
help prevent a braking skid.
If your vehicle has ABS,
this warning light on the
instrument panel cluster will
come on briey when you
start your vehicle.
When you start the engine, or when you begin to drive
away, ABS will check itself. You might hear a
momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is
going on, and you might even notice that the brake
pedal moves or pulses a little. This is normal.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down.
If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
4-4

ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
As you brake, the computer keeps receiving updates
on wheel speed and controls braking pressure
accordingly.
Remember: ABS does not change the time you need to
get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease
stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle
in front of you, you will not have time to apply the brakes
if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave
enough room up ahead to stop, even though you
have ABS.
Using ABS
Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal
down rmly and let antilock work for you. You might feel
a slight brake pedal pulsation or notice some noise,
but this is normal.
Braking in Emergencies
At some time, nearly every driver gets into a situation
that requires hard braking.
If you have ABS, you can steer and brake at the same
time. However, if you do not have ABS, your rst
reaction — to hit the brake pedal hard and hold it
down — might be the wrong thing to do. Your wheels
can stop rolling. Once they do, the vehicle cannot
respond to your steering. Momentum will carry it in
whatever direction it was headed when the wheels
stopped rolling. That could be off the road, into the very
thing you were trying to avoid, or into traffic.
If you do not have ABS, use a “squeeze” braking
technique. This will give you maximum braking while
maintaining steering control. You can do this by pushing
on the brake pedal with steadily increasing pressure.
In an emergency, you will probably want to squeeze the
brakes hard without locking the wheels. If you hear or
feel the wheels sliding, ease off the brake pedal.
This will help you retain steering control. If you do have
ABS, it is different. SeeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-4.
In many emergencies, steering can help you more than
even the very best braking.
4-5

Loss of Control
Let us review what driving experts say about what
happens when the three control systems — brakes,
steering, and acceleration — do not have enough friction
where the tires meet the road to do what the driver
has asked.
In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to
steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of
less danger.
Skidding
In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable
care suited to existing conditions, and by not overdriving
those conditions. But skids are always possible.
The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s
three control systems. In the braking skid, the wheels are
not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much
speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose
cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much
throttle causes the driving wheels to spin.
A cornering skid and an acceleration skid are best
handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want
the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough,
your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready
for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice,
gravel, or other material is on the road. For safety, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery
surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try
your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration,
or braking, including reducing vehicle speed by shifting
to a lower gear. Any sudden changes could cause
the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is
slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize
warning clues — such as enough water, ice, or packed
snow on the road to make a mirrored surface — and
slow down when you have any doubt.
If you have the Antilock Brake System (ABS),
remember: It helps avoid only the braking skid. If you do
not have ABS, then in a braking skid, where the
wheels are no longer rolling, release enough pressure
on the brakes to get the wheels rolling again. This
restores steering control. Push the brake pedal down
steadily when you have to stop suddenly. As long as the
wheels are rolling, you will have steering control.
4-12

Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS),
it will improve your ability to accelerate when driving
on a slippery road. Even though you have TCS,
slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions.
Under certain conditions, you might want to turn the
TCS off, such as when driving through deep snow and
loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at
lower speeds. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-6.
If your vehicle does not have TCS, accelerate gently.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If you accelerate too
fast, the drive wheels will spin and polish the surface
under the tires even more.
Unless your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System
(ABS), you will want to brake very gently, too. If you
do have ABS, seeAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-4. ABS improves your vehicle’s stability when
you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether
your vehicle has ABS or not, begin stopping sooner than
you would on dry pavement. Without ABS, if you feel
your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little.
Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most
traction you can.Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you brake
so hard that the wheels stop rolling, your vehicle will just
slide. Brake so the wheels always keep rolling and
you can still steer.
Whatever your vehicle’s braking system, allow
greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne
until you hit a spot that is covered with ice.
On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear
in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach,
such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings,
or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve
or an overpass can remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead
of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake
while you are actually on the ice, and avoid
sudden steering maneuvers.
4-17

3. When the wheel chocks are in place, release the
regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load.
4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your
parking brake, and then shift to PARK (P).
5. Release the regular brakes.
When You Are Ready to Leave After
Parking on a Hill
1. Apply your regular brakes and hold the pedal down
while you:
start your engine,
shift into a gear, and
release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the
chocks.
Maintenance When Trailer Towing
Your vehicle will need service more often when you are
pulling a trailer. See the Maintenance Schedule for
more on this. Things that are especially important in
trailer operation are automatic transmission uid (do not
overll), engine oil, drive belts, cooling system and
brake system. Each of these is covered in this manual,
and the Index will help you nd them quickly. If you
are trailering, it is a good idea to review this information
before you start your trip.
Check periodically to see that all hitch nuts and bolts
are tight.
Engine Cooling When Trailer Towing
Your cooling system may temporarily overheat during
severe operating conditions. SeeEngine Overheating on
page 5-29.
4-33

Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
The engine air cleaner/lter is located in the engine
compartment on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
SeeEngine Compartment Overview on page 5-14
for more information on location.
When to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
Inspect the air cleaner/lter at the MaintenanceII
intervals and replace it at the rst oil change after each
50,000 mile (80 000 km) interval. SeeScheduled
Maintenance on page 6-4for more information. If you
are driving in dusty/dirty conditions, inspect the lter
at each engine oil change.
How to Inspect the Engine Air
Cleaner/Filter
To inspect the air cleaner/lter, remove the lter from
the vehicle and lightly shake the lter to release
loose dust and dirt. If the lter remains caked with dirt,
a new lter is required.
To inspect or replace the engine air cleaner/lter do the
following:
1. Lift the lter cover tabs on top of the engine air
cleaner/lter housing.
5-22