2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA brake

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.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-20 Driving and Operating
Engine Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and
better fuel economy during engine
warm‐up in cold weather conditions
at or below−18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least four
hours before starting.
To Use the Engine Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap the electrical cord. The cord is
attached to the underside of the
diagonal brace, which is located
above the engine air cleaner/
filter assembly.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine parts,
and prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑41.

Black plate (21,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-21
Steering Column Shift Lever
If the vehicle has a steering column
shift lever, use this procedure to
shift the vehicle into P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)by pulling the shift lever toward
you and moving it up as far as it
will go.
3. With your foot still holding the brake pedal down, set the
parking brake. See Parking
Brake on page 9‑29 for more
information.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Console Shift Lever
If the vehicle is equipped with a
console shift lever, use this
procedure to shift the vehicle into
P (Park):
1. Hold the brake pedal down.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park)by pushing the lever all the way
toward the front of the vehicle.
3. While keeping the brake pedal applied, set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake on page 9‑29
for more information.
4. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
5. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can leave the vehicle
with the ignition key in your
hand, the vehicle is in P (Park).
Leaving the Vehicle With the
Engine Running
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure your
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. See Parking Brake on
page 9‑29 for more information.

Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-22 Driving and Operating
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight
of the vehicle puts too much force
on the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see“Shifting Into Park” in
this section.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
Automatic Transmission
Shift Lock
The vehicle has an electronic shift
lock release system. The shift lock
release is designed to:
.Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in
P (Park).
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock is always functional
except in the case of a an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting on
page 10‑70. Console Shift
If the console shift lever cannot be
moved out of P (Park):
1. Apply and maintain the regular
brakes.
2. Turn the ignition to ON/RUN position. See Ignition Positions
on page 9‑16 for more
information.
3. Let up on the shift lever and make sure the shift lever is
pushed all the way into P (Park).
4. Press the shift lever button.
5. Then, move the shift into the desired gear.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-23
Column Shift
If the column shift lever cannot be
moved out of P (Park):
1. Apply and maintain the regularbrakes.
2. Turn the ignition key to the ON/RUN position. See Ignition
Positions on page 9‑16 for more
information. 3. Shift out of the P (Park) position
to the N (Neutral) position.
4. Move the vehicle to a safe location.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.Parking Over Things
That Burn
{WARNING
Things that can burn could touch
hot exhaust parts under the
vehicle and ignite. Do not park
over papers, leaves, dry grass,
or other things that can burn.

Black plate (25,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-25
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the automatic
transmission shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
Follow the proper steps to be sure
the vehicle will not move. See
Shifting Into Park on page 9‑20.
If parking on a hill and pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑41.
Automatic
Transmission
The automatic transmission has a
shift lever on the steering column or
on the console between the seats.
There is a display, located on the
instrument panel cluster, that will
indicate the gear the vehicle is in.
Maximum engine speed is limited on
automatic transmission vehicles
while in P (Park) or N (Neutral) to
protect driveline components from
improper operation.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever. P (Park):
This position locks the
front wheels. It is the best position
to use when the engine is started
because the vehicle cannot
move easily.
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑41.
Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.

Black plate (26,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-26 Driving and Operating
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You must fully apply the
brakes first, then press the shift
lever button before you can shift
from P (Park) while the ignition is in
ON/RUN. If you cannot shift out of
P (Park), ease pressure on the shift
lever and push the shift lever all the
way into P (Park) as you maintain
brake application. Then press the
shift lever button and move the shift
lever into another gear. SeeShifting
Out of Park on page 9‑22.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see If
the Vehicle is Stuck on page 9‑11. N (Neutral):
In this position,
the engine does not connect with
the wheels. To restart the engine
when the vehicle is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only. Also, use
N (Neutral) when the vehicle is
being towed.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed.
Notice: Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle. D (Drive) :
This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:
.Going less than 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator pedal
all the way down.
The transmission will shift down
to the next gear and the vehicle
will have more power.
Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see “Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑5.
Notice: Driving the vehicle if you
notice that it is moving slowly or
not shifting gears as you increase
speed may damage the
transmission. Have the vehicle
serviced right away. You can
drive in 2 (Second) when you are