2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA traction control

Black plate (30,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-30 Driving and Operating
The system may be heard or
felt while it is working, but this
is normal.
If cruise control is being used when
TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control will automatically
disengage. Cruise control may be
reengaged when road conditions
allow. SeeCruise Control on
page 9‑32.
The TCS operates in all
transmission shift lever positions.
But the system can upshift the
transmission only as high as the
shift lever position chosen, so
use the lower gears only when
necessary. See Automatic
Transmission on page 9‑25.
When the system is on, this warning
light comes on and stays on if there
is a problem.
A SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL
message also appears on the DIC.
When this warning light is on, the
system will not limit wheel spin.
Adjust your driving accordingly.
See Ride Control System Messages
on page 5‑32 for more information.
To limit wheel spin, especially in
slippery road conditions, TCS
should always be left on. But the
system can be turned off if needed.
Turn the system off if the vehicle
gets stuck in sand, mud, or snow and rocking the vehicle is required.
See
If the Vehicle is Stuck on
page 9‑11 for more information.
To turn the system on or off, press
the Traction Control button located
on the instrument panel.
When the system is turned off, the
traction control warning light comes
on and TRACTION CONTROL OFF
appears on the DIC. If the traction
control system is limiting wheel spin
when the button is pressed to turn
the system off, the warning light
comes on and the system will turn
off right away.
Press the Traction Control button
again to turn the system back on.
The Traction Control warning light
should go off.

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-31
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect the vehicle's performance.
SeeAccessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3 for more information.
Electronic Stability
Control (ESC)
Your vehicle may have an Electronic
Stability Control (ESC) system
which combines antilock brake,
traction, and stability control
systems and helps the driver
maintain directional control of the
vehicle in most driving conditions.
When you first start your vehicle
and begin to drive away, the system
performs several diagnostic checks
to ensure there are no problems.
You may hear or feel the system
working. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with
your vehicle. The system should
initialize before the vehicle reaches
32 km/h (20 mph). If the system fails to turn on or
activate, the ESC/TCS light will be
on solid, and the SERVICE
STABILITRAK message will be
displayed.
For more information, see
Ride
Control System Messages on
page 5‑32.
This light will flash on the instrument
panel cluster when the ESC system
is both on and activated.
You may also feel or hear the
system working; this is normal.
When the light is on solid and the
SERVICE STABILITRAK message
is displayed, the system will not
assist the driver in maintaining
directional control of the vehicle. Adjust your driving accordingly. See
Ride Control System Messages on
page 5‑32.
The Electronic Stability
Control (ESC) system is
automatically enabled whenever you
start your vehicle. To assist the
driver with vehicle directional
control, especially in slippery road
conditions, you should always leave
the system on. But, you can turn
ESC off if you ever need to.
If the vehicle is in cruise control
when the system begins to assist
the driver maintain directional
control of the vehicle, the ESC/TCS
light will flash and the cruise control
will automatically disengage. When
road conditions allow you to use

Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
9-32 Driving and Operating
cruise again, you may re-engage
the cruise control. SeeCruise
Control on page 9‑32.
The ESC/TCS button is located on
the instrument panel.
The traction control system can be
turned off or back on by pressing
the ESC/TCS button. To disable
both traction control and ESC, press
and hold the button briefly.
When the ESC system is turned off,
the TRACTION CONTROL OFF
message will appear, and the
ESC/TCS light will be on solid to
warn the driver that both traction
control and ESC are disabled.
It is recommended to leave the
system on for normal driving
conditions, but it may be necessary to turn the system off if your vehicle
is stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow,
and you want to
“rock”your vehicle
to attempt to free it. It may also be
necessary to turn off the system
when driving in extreme off-road
conditions where high wheel spin is
required. See If the Vehicle is Stuck
on page 9‑11.
ESC may also turn off automatically
if it determines that a problem exists
with the system. The SERVICE
STABILITRAK message and the
ESC/TCS light will be on solid to
warn the driver that ESC is disabled
and requires service. If the problem
does not clear after restarting the
vehicle, you should see your dealer
for service. See Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑32 for
more information.
Adding non‐dealer accessories can
affect your vehicle's performance.
See Accessories and Modifications
on page 10‑3 for more information.
Cruise Control
With cruise control, you can
maintain a speed of about 40 km/h
(25 mph) or more without keeping
your foot on the accelerator. Cruise
control does not work at speeds
below about 40 km/h (25 mph).
{WARNING
Cruise control can be dangerous
where you cannot drive safely at
a steady speed. So, do not use
the cruise control on winding
roads or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous
on slippery roads. On such roads,
fast changes in tire traction can
cause excessive wheel slip, and
you could lose control. Do not use
cruise control on slippery roads.
If your vehicle has the Traction
Control System (TCS) and the
cruise control is on, TCS will begin
to limit wheel spin and the cruise

Black plate (33,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-33
control automatically turns off . See
Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑29. When road conditions
allow you to safely use it again, the
cruise control can be turned
back on.
The cruise control buttons are
located on left side of the steering
wheel.
T(On/Off):Press to turn cruise
control on and off. The indicator is lit
when cruise control is on. +RES (Resume/Accelerate):
Press briefly to make the vehicle
resume to a previously set speed,
or press and hold to accelerate.
SET–
:Press to set the speed and
activate cruise control or make the
vehicle decelerate.
[(Cancel): Press to disengage
cruise control without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Setting Cruise Control
The cruise control light on the
instrument panel cluster comes on
after the cruise control has been set
to the desired speed. See
Instrument Cluster on page 5‑11.
If the cruise button is on when not in
use, it could get bumped and go into
cruise when not desired. Keep the
cruise control switch off when cruise
is not being used.
1. Press the
Tbutton to turn the
cruise system on.
2. Get up to the desired speed. 3. Press and release the
SET– button located on the
steering wheel.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator.
Resuming a Set Speed
If cruise control is set at a desired
speed and then the brakes are
applied, the cruise control is
disengaged without erasing the
set speed from memory.
Once the vehicle speed is
40 km/h (25 mph) or greater, press
the +RES button on the steering
wheel. The vehicle returns to the
previously selected speed and
stays there.

Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Proposition
65 Warning
Most motor vehicles, including this
one, contain and/or emit chemicals
known to the State of California to
cause cancer and birth defects or
other reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and systems,
many fluids, and some component
wear by-products contain and/or
emit these chemicals.
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
remote keyless transmitters, may
contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer accessories to
the vehicle can affect vehicle
performance and safety, including
such things as airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling,
emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems
like antilock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. Some of these
accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or use
of non‐GM certified parts, including
control module modifications, is not
covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.

Black plate (53,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-53
SeeTire Inspection on page 10‑51
and Tire Rotation on page 10‑51 for
additional information.
The rubber in tires ages over time.
This is also true for the spare tire,
if the vehicle has one, even if it is
not being used. Multiple conditions
affect how fast this aging takes
place, including temperatures,
loading conditions, and inflation
pressure maintenance. Tires will
typically need to be replaced due to
wear before they may need to be
replaced due to age. Consult the tire
manufacturer for more information
on when tires should be replaced.
Vehicle Storage
Tires age when stored normally
mounted on a parked vehicle. Park
a vehicle that will be stored for at
least a month in a cool, dry, clean
area away from direct sunlight to
slow aging. This area should be
free of grease, gasoline, or
other substances that can
deteriorate rubber. Parking for an extended period can
cause flat spots on the tires that
may result in vibrations while
driving. When storing a vehicle for
at least a month, remove the tires or
raise the vehicle to reduce the
weight from the tires.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched
specific tires for your vehicle.
The original equipment tires
installed on your vehicle, when it
was new, were designed to meet
General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria
Specification (TPC Spec)
system rating. If you need
replacement tires, GM strongly
recommends that you get tires
with the same TPC Spec rating.
This way, your vehicle will
continue to have tires that are
designed to give the same
performance and vehicle safety,
during normal use, as the
original tires.
GM's exclusive TPC Spec
system considers over a dozen
critical specifications that impact
the overall performance of your
vehicle, including brake system
performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire
pressure monitoring
performance. GM's TPC Spec
number is molded onto the tire's
sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all‐season tread
design, the TPC Spec number
will be followed by an MS for
mud and snow. See
Tire
Sidewall Labeling on page 10‑39
for additional information.

Black plate (55,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-55
Non‐TPC Spec rated tires may
give a low‐pressure warning
that is higher or lower than the
proper warning level you would
get with TPC Spec rated tires.
SeeTire Pressure Monitor
System on page 10‑46.
Your vehicle's original
equipment tires are listed on the
Tire and Loading Information
label. See Vehicle Load Limits
on page 9‑12 for more
information about the Tire and
Loading Information label and its
location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and
Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a
different size than your original
equipment wheels and tires, this
could affect the way your vehicle
performs, including its braking, ride
and handling characteristics,
stability, and resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle has
electronic systems such as antilock
brakes, rollover airbags, traction
control, and electronic stability
control, the performance of these
systems can be affected.
{WARNING
If you add different sized wheels,
your vehicle may not provide
an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires
not recommended for those
wheels are selected. You may
increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury.
Only use GM specific wheel and
tire systems developed for your
vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certified
technician.
See Buying New Tires on
page 10‑53 andAccessories and
Modifications on page 10‑3 for
additional information.
Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width.
For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA
Temperature A
The following information
relates to the system developed
by the United States National
Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA),
which grades tires
by treadwear, traction,
and temperature performance.

Black plate (56,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
10-56 Vehicle Care
This applies only to vehicles
sold in the United States. The
grades are molded on the
sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality
Grading (UTQG) system does
not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal
rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches
(25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on
General Motors passenger cars
and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they
must also conform to federal
safety requirements and
additional General Motors Tire
Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.All Passenger Car Tires Must
Conform to Federal Safety
Requirements In Addition To
These Grades.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test
course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and
a half (1½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may
depart significantly from the
norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices
and differences in road
characteristics and climate.Traction
–AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from
highest to lowest, are AA, A, B,
and C. Those grades represent
the tire's ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on
specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may
have poor traction performance.
Warning: The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning, or peak traction
characteristics.