2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA ignition

Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-4 Instruments and Controls
Windshield Wiper/Washer
Turn the band with the wiper symbol
to control the windshield wipers.
8(Mist):Single wipe, turn to8,
then release. Several wipes, hold
the band on
8longer.
9(Off): Turns the windshield
wipers off.
6(Adjustable Interval Wipes):
Turn the band up for more
frequent wipes or down for
less frequent wipes.
6(Low Speed): Slow
wipes.
?(High Speed): Fast wipes.
Clear ice and snow from the wiper
blades before using them. If frozen
to the windshield, carefully loosen or
thaw them. Damaged wiper blades
should be replaced. See Wiper
Blade Replacement on page 10‑27.
Heavy snow or ice can overload the
wiper motor. A circuit breaker will
stop the motor until it cools down.
Windshield Washer
Push the paddleLat the top of the
lever to spray washer fluid on the
windshield. The wipers run for
several sweeps and then either
stop or return to the preset speed.
The ignition key must be in ACC/ACCESSORY or ON/RUN for
this to work. See
Washer Fluid on
page 10‑22.
{WARNING
In freezing weather, do not use
your washer until the windshield
is warmed. Otherwise the washer
fluid can form ice on the
windshield, blocking your vision.
When the vehicle is low on washer
fluid, the WASHER FLUID LOW
ADD FLUID displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) for
60 seconds. When the ignition is
turned off, this message displays
again for three seconds to remind
you that the fluid level is low.
Until the fluid reservoir is refilled,
every time the vehicle is started, the
WASHER FLUID LOW ADD FLUID
message displays in the Driver
Information Center (DIC) for
60 seconds. See Washer Fluid
Messages on page 5‑36.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-13
When the ignition is on, the fuel
gauge indicates about how much
fuel is left in the fuel tank.
An arrow on the fuel gauge
indicates the side of the vehicle
the fuel door is on.
Here are four things that some
owners ask about. None of these
show a problem with the fuel gauge:
.At the gas station, the gas pump
shuts off before the gauge
reads full.
.It takes a little more or less fuel
to fill up than the gauge
indicated. For example, the
gauge may have indicated the
tank was half full, but it actually
took a little more or less than
half the fuel tank's capacity to
fill the tank.
.The gauge moves a little when
while turning a corner or
speeding up.
.The gauge does not go back to
empty when the ignition is
turned off.
Engine Coolant
Temperature Gauge
English
Metric
This gauge shows the engine
coolant temperature. If the
gauge pointer moves toward the
“H” (United States) or torward the
shaded thermostat (Canada), it
means that the engine coolant has
overheated. If the vehicle has been
operating under normal driving
conditions, pull off the road, stop
the vehicle, and turn off the engine
as soon as possible.
See Engine Overheating on
page 10‑19 for more information.

Black plate (16,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-16 Instruments and Controls
Passenger Airbag Status
Indicator
The vehicle has the passenger
sensing system. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 3‑34 for
important safety information. The
instrument panel has a passenger
airbag status indicator.
United States
Canada
When the vehicle is started, the
passenger airbag status indicator
will light ON and OFF, or the symbol
for on and off, for several seconds as a system check. If you are using
remote start, if equipped, to start the
vehicle from a distance, you may
not see the system check. Then,
after several more seconds, the
status indicator will light either
ON or OFF, or either the on or off
symbol to let you know the status of
the right front passenger frontal
airbag.
If the word ON or the on symbol is
lit on the passenger airbag status
indicator, it means that the right
front passenger frontal airbag is
enabled (may inflate).
If the word OFF or the off symbol is
lit on the airbag status indicator, it
means that the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right front
passenger frontal airbag.
If, after several seconds, both status
indicator lights remain on, or if there
are no lights at all, there may be a
problem with the lights or the
passenger sensing system.
See your dealer for service.
{WARNING
If the airbag readiness light ever
comes on and stays on, it means
that something may be wrong
with the airbag system. To help
avoid injury to yourself or others,
have the vehicle serviced right
away. See
Airbag Readiness
Light on page 5‑15 for more
information, including important
safety information.
Charging System Light
This light comes on briefly when the
ignition key is turned to START, but
the engine is not running, as a
check to show it is working.

Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-17
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer.
The light should go out once the
engine starts. If it stays on,
or comes on while driving, there
could be a problem with the
charging system. A charging system
message in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) can also appear.
SeeBattery Voltage and Charging
Messages on page 5‑29 for more
information. This light could indicate
that there are problems with a
generator drive belt, or that there is
an electrical problem. Have it
checked right away. If the vehicle
must be driven a short distance with
the light on, turn off accessories,
such as the radio and air
conditioner.
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp
A computer system called OBD II
(On-Board Diagnostics-Second
Generation) monitors operation of
the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems. It ensures that
emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to
produce a cleaner environment.
This light should come on when the
ignition is on, but the engine is not
running, as a check to show it is
working. If it does not, have the
vehicle serviced by your dealer.
If the Malfunction Indicator Lamp
comes on and stays on while the
engine is running, this indicates that
there is an OBD II problem and
service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by
the system before any problem is
apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage
to the vehicle. This system assists
the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.Notice:
If the vehicle is
continually driven with this light
on, after a while, the emission
controls might not work as well,
the vehicle fuel economy might
not be as good, and the engine
might not run as smoothly. This
could lead to costly repairs that
might not be covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Notice: Modifications made to the
engine, transmission, exhaust,
intake, or fuel system of the
vehicle or the replacement
of the original tires with other
than those of the same Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC) can
affect the vehicle's emission
controls and can cause this light
to come on. Modifications to
these systems could lead to
costly repairs not covered by
the vehicle warranty. This could
also result in a failure to pass a
required Emission Inspection/
Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on
page 10‑3.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-19
Emissions Inspection and
Maintenance Programs
Some state/provincial and local
governments may have programs to
inspect the on-vehicle emission
control equipment. For the
inspection, the emission system
test equipment is connected to
the vehicle’s Data Link
Connector (DLC).
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. See your dealer if assistance
is needed. The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
.The malfunction indicator lamp is
on with the engine running, or if
the light does not come on when
the ignition is turned to ON/RUN
while the engine is off.
.The critical emission control
systems have not been
completely diagnosed by the
system. This can happen if the
battery has recently been
replaced or if the battery has
run down. The diagnostic system
evaluates critical emission
control systems during normal
driving. This can take
several days of routine driving.
If this has been done and the
vehicle still does not pass the
inspection, your dealer can
prepare the vehicle for
inspection.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need
to be working
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
EnglishMetric
This light should come on briefly
when the engine is started. If it does
not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn if there is
a problem.

Black plate (20,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-20 Instruments and Controls
When the ignition is on, the brake
system warning light also comes on
when the parking brake is set. The
light stays on if the parking brake
does not fully release. If it stays on
after the parking brake is fully
released, it means the vehicle has
a brake problem.
If the light comes on while driving,
pull off the road and stop carefully.
The pedal might be harder to push,
or the pedal can go closer to the
floor. It may take longer to stop.
If the light is still on, have the
vehicle towed for service. See
Towing the Vehicle on page 10‑74.
{WARNING
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.
Antilock Brake System
(ABS) Warning Light
The Antilock Brake System (ABS)
light comes on briefly when the
engine is started.
If it does not, have the vehicle
serviced by your dealer. If the
system is working normally the
indicator light then goes off. If the ABS light stays on, turn the
ignition off. If the light comes on
while 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
stays on, or comes on again while
driving, the vehicle needs service.
If the regular brake system warning
light is not on, the vehicle still has
brakes, but not antilock brakes.
If the regular brake system warning
light is also on, the vehicle does not
have antilock brakes and there is a
problem with the regular brakes.
See
Brake System Warning Light on
page 5‑19.
See Brake System Messages on
page 5‑29 for all brake related
DIC messages.

Black plate (23,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Instruments and Controls 5-23
A tire pressure message can
accompany the light. SeeTire
Messages on page 5‑34 for more
information. Stop as soon as
possible, and inflate the tires to the
pressure value shown on the Tire
and Loading Information Label.
See Tire Pressure on page 10‑44
for more information.
When the Light Flashes First and
Then is On Steady
This indicates that there may be a
problem with the Tire Pressure
Monitor System. The light flashes
for about a minute and stays on
steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence
repeats with every ignition cycle.
See Tire Pressure Monitor
Operation on page 10‑47 for
more information.Engine Oil Pressure Light
{WARNING
Do not keep driving if the oil
pressure is low. The engine can
become so hot that it catches fire.
Someone could be burned. Check
the oil as soon as possible and
have the vehicle serviced.
Notice: Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule for changing engine oil.
This light comes on briefly while
starting the engine. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced by your dealer. If the system is working
normally, the indicator light then
goes off.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not flowing through
the engine properly. The vehicle
could be low on oil and it might
have some other system problem.
Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle's security system,
see
Anti-Theft Alarm System on
page 2‑12.

Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
5-24 Instruments and Controls
High-Beam on Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 6‑3 for more
information.
Front Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp lights come on when
the fog lamps are in use. The lights go out when the fog
lamps are turned off. See
Fog
Lamps on page 6‑5 for more
information.
Cruise Control Light
The cruise control light comes on
whenever the cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. See Cruise
Control on page 9‑32 for more
information.
Information Displays
Driver Information
Center (DIC)
Your vehicle has a Driver
Information Center (DIC).
All messages will appear in the
DIC display located below the
speedometer in the instrument
panel cluster. The DIC buttons are
located on the instrument panel, to
the right of the instrument panel
cluster.
The DIC comes on when the ignition
is on. After a short delay, the DIC
will display the information that was
last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
The DIC displays trip, fuel, and
vehicle system information, and
warning messages if a system
problem is detected. The bottom line
of the DIC shows the shift lever
position indicator. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑25 for
more information.