Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-26 Instruments and Controls
Trip A and Trip B
Press the trip/fuel button until
TRIP A or TRIP B displays. This
display shows the current distance
traveled in either miles (mi) or
kilometers (km) since the last reset
for each trip odometer. Both trip
odometers can be used at the
same time.
Each trip odometer can be reset to
zero separately by pressing the
set/reset button while the desired
trip odometer is displayed.
The trip odometer has a feature
called the retro-active reset. This
can be used to set the trip odometer
to the number of miles (kilometers)
driven since the ignition was last
turned on. This can be used if the
trip odometer is not reset at the
beginning of the trip.
To use the retro-active reset feature,
press and hold the set/reset button
for at least four seconds. The trip
odometer will display the number of
miles (mi) or kilometers (km) drivensince the ignition was last turned on
and the vehicle was moving. Once
the vehicle begins moving, the trip
odometer will accumulate mileage.
For example, if the vehicle was
driven 8 km (5 miles) before it is
started again, and then the
retro-active reset feature is
activated, the display will show
8 km (5 miles). As the vehicle
begins moving, the display will then
increase to 8.2 km (5.1 miles),
8.4 km (5.2 miles), etc.
If the retro-active reset feature is
activated after the vehicle is started,
but before it begins moving, the
display will show the number of
miles (mi) or kilometers (km) that
were driven during the last
ignition cycle.
Fuel Range
Press the trip/fuel button until
FUEL RANGE displays. This
display shows the approximate
number of remaining miles (mi) or
kilometers (km) the vehicle can be
driven without refueling.The fuel range estimate is based on
an average of the vehicle's fuel
economy over recent driving history
and the amount of fuel remaining in
the fuel tank. This estimate will
change if driving conditions change.
For example, if driving in traffic and
making frequent stops, this display
may read one number, but if the
vehicle is driven on a freeway, the
number may change even though
the same amount of fuel is in the
fuel tank. This is because different
driving conditions produce different
fuel economies. Generally, freeway
driving produces better fuel
economy than city driving.
If your vehicle is low on fuel, the
FUEL LEVEL LOW message
displays. See
Fuel System
Messages on page 5‑32 for
more information.
Black plate (29,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-29
Battery Voltage and
Charging Messages
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
system detects that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable level. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
the features are disabled, this
message is displayed. It means
that the vehicle is trying to save the
charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery
to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is
11.5 to 15.5 volts.
SERVICE BATTERY
CHARGING SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the generator and
battery charging systems. Driving
with this problem could drain the
battery. Turn off all unnecessary
accessories. Stop and turn off the
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. Have the electrical system
checked by your dealer immediately.
Brake System Messages
SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM
This message displays when
service is required on the brake
system. Have the brake system
serviced by your dealer as soon as
possible. The brake system warning
light also appears on the instrument
panel cluster when this message
appears on the DIC. SeeBrake
System Warning Light on
page 5‑19.
Door Ajar Messages
DRIVER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
driver door is not closed properly.
Make sure that the door is closed
completely.
HOOD OPEN
If your vehicle has the remote start
feature, this message displays when
the hood is not closed properly.
Make sure that the hood is closed
completely. See Hood on page 10‑5.
LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
driver side rear door is not closed
properly. Make sure that the door is
closed completely.
PASSENGER DOOR OPEN
This message displays when the
front passenger door is not closed
properly. Make sure that the door is
closed completely.
Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-42 Instruments and Controls
Universal Remote
System
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑17 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-210/220/310.
Universal Remote System
Programming
This vehicle may have the Universal
Home Remote System. This system provides a way to
replace up to three remote control
transmitters used to activate
devices such as garage door
openers, security systems, and
home automation devices.
Do not use this system with any
garage door opener that does not
have the stop and reverse feature.
This includes any garage door
opener model manufactured before
April 1, 1982.
Read the instructions completely
before attempting to program the
transmitter. Because of the steps
involved, it may be helpful to have
another person available to assist in
programming the transmitter.
Be sure to keep the original remote
control transmitter for use in other
vehicles, as well as for future
programming. Only the original
remote control transmitter is needed
for Fixed Code programming. The
programmed buttons should be
erased when the vehicle is sold or
the lease ends. See
“Erasing
Universal Home Remote Buttons” in
this section.
Park the vehicle outside of the
garage when programming a garage
door. Be sure that people and
objects are clear of the garage door
or gate that is being programmed.
Programming Universal Home
Remote —Rolling Code
For questions or help programming
the Universal Home Remote
System, call 1-866-572-2728 or go
to www.learcar2u.com.
Most garage door openers sold after
1996 are Rolling Code units.
Programming a garage door opener
involves time-sensitive actions, so
read the entire procedure before
starting. Otherwise, the device will
time out and the procedure will have
to be repeated.
Black plate (15,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Infotainment System 7-15
the player, the CD starts to play
where it stopped, if it was the last
selected audio source.
Buttons and Knobs
The buttons and knobs on the radio
control the following features.
f(Tune):Turn to select tracks on
the CD.
©SEEK: Press to go to the start
of the current track, if more than
10 seconds have played. Press
and hold or press multiple times to
continue moving backward through
the tracks on the CD.
¨SEEK: Press to go to the next
track. Press and hold or press
multiple times to continue moving
forward through the tracks on
the CD.
sREV (Reverse): Press and hold
to reverse playback quickly within a
track. Sound is heard at a reduced
volume and the elapsed time of the
track displays. Release to resume
playing the track.
\FWD (Fast Forward): Press
and hold to advance playback
quickly within a track. Sound is
heard at a reduced volume and the
elapsed time of the track displays.
Release to resume playing the
track.
4(Information): Press to display
available additional information
about the current track.
BAND: Press to listen to the radio
while a CD is playing. The CD
remains inside the CD player.
CD/AUX (CD/Auxiliary): Press to
play a CD while listening to the
radio or a portable audio device.
Press this button again and the
system automatically searches for
an auxiliary input device, such as a
portable audio player. If a portable
audio player is not connected, No
Aux Input Device Found may
display. Softkeys
The six softkeys below the radio
display are used to control functions
that display as tabs.
The softkeys below the radio display
control the following features.
RDM (Random):
Tracks can be
listened to in random, rather than
sequential order.
To use random:
1. Press the softkey below the
RDM tab until Random Current
Disc displays.
2. Press the softkey again to turn off random play.
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-6 Driving and Operating
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 the 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.
If the 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, the 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,
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 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
the 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 the vehicle has the Antilock Brake
System (ABS), remember: It helps
avoid only the braking skid. If the
vehicle does 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.
Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-11
Repeat this until help arrives
but only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold.
Moving about to keep warm
also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If the vehicle has a traction
system, it can often help to free
a stuck vehicle. Refer to the
vehicle's traction system in theIndex. If stuck too severely for the
traction system to free the vehicle,
turn the traction system off and use
the rocking method.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 55 km/h (35 mph) as
shown on the speedometer.
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, see Tire
Chains on page 10‑58.
Rocking the Vehicle to
Get it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction or
stability system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a forward
gear, spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission
wear, wait until the wheels stop
spinning before shifting gears.
Release the accelerator pedal while
shifting, and press lightly on the
accelerator pedal when the
transmission is in gear. Slowly
spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions causes a
rocking motion that could free the
vehicle. If that does not get the
vehicle out after a few tries, it might
need to be towed out. If the vehicle
does need to be towed out, see
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑74.
Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-16 Driving and Operating
Starting and
Operating
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:The vehicle does not
need an elaborate break-in. But it
will perform better in the long run
if you follow these guidelines:
.Do not drive at any
one constant speed, fast or
slow, for the first 805 km
(500 miles). Do not make
full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake or
slow the vehicle.
.Avoid making hard stops for
the first 322 km (200 miles) or
so. During this time the new
brake linings are not yet
broken in. Hard stops with
new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier
replacement. Follow this
breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake
linings.
.Do not tow a trailer during
break-in. See Trailer Towing
on page 9‑44 for the trailer
towing capabilities of your
vehicle and more
information.
Following break‐in, engine speed
and load can be gradually
increased.
Ignition Positions
The ignition switch has four different
positions. To shift out of P (Park), the ignition
must be in ON/RUN and the brake
pedal must be applied.
Notice:
Using a tool to force the
key to turn in the ignition could
cause damage to the switch or
break the key. Use the correct
key, make sure it is all the way in,
and turn it only with your hand.
If the key cannot be turned by
hand, see your dealer.
A (STOPPING THE ENGINE/
LOCK/OFF): When the vehicle is
stopped, turn the ignition switch to
LOCK/OFF to turn the engine off.
Retained Accessory Power (RAP)
will remain active. See Retained
Accessory Power (RAP) on
page 9‑18
This position locks the ignition.
It also locks the transmission. This
is the only position in which the
ignition key can be inserted or
removed.
Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-17
Do not turn the engine off when the
vehicle is moving. This will cause a
loss of power assist in the brake
and steering systems and disable
the airbags.
In an emergency:
1. Brake using a firm and steadypressure. Do not pump the
brakes repeatedly. This may
deplete power assist, requiring
increased brake pedal force.
2. Shift the vehicle to neutral. This can be done while the vehicle is
moving. After shifting to neutral,
firmly apply the brakes and steer
the vehicle to a safe location. 3. Come to a complete stop, shift
to P (Park), and turn the ignition
to LOCK/OFF. On vehicles with
an automatic transmission, the
shift lever must be in P (Park) to
turn the ignition switch to the
LOCK/OFF position.
4. Set the parking brake. See Parking Brake on page 9‑29
The steering can bind with the
wheels turned off center. If this
happens, move the steering wheel
from left to right while turning the
key to ACC/ACCESSORY. If this
doesn't work, then the vehicle
needs service.
B (ACC/ACCESSORY): This is the
position in which you can operate
the radio and windshield wipers
while the engine is off. To use
ACC/ACCESSORY, turn the key
clockwise. C (ON/RUN):
This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start the vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time.
D (START): This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning chime will sound and the
Driver Information Center (DIC) will
display DRIVER DOOR OPEN
when the driver door is opened, the
ignition is in ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF, and the key is in the
ignition. See Door Ajar Messages
on page 5‑29 for more information.