Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
2011 Chevrolet Impala Owner ManualM
In Brief. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Instrument Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-2
Initial Drive Information . . . . . . . . 1-4
Vehicle Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-14
Performance and Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-17
Keys, Doors and Windows . . . 2-1
Keys and Locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-10
Vehicle Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-12
Exterior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-14
Interior Mirrors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-16
Roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-19
Seats and Restraints . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Rear Seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Child Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41 Storage
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Storage Compartments . . . . . . . . 4-1
Additional Storage Features . . . 4-2
Instruments and Controls . . . . 5-1
Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Warning Lights, Gauges, and
Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-10
Information Displays . . . . . . . . . . 5-24
Vehicle Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-28
Vehicle Personalization . . . . . . . 5-36
Universal Remote System . . . . 5-42
Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Exterior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Interior Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Lighting Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Infotainment System . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Radio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Audio Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-14
Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20 Climate Controls
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-1
Climate Control Systems . . . . . . 8-1
Air Vents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Driving and Operating . . . . . . . . 9-1
Driving Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Starting and Operating . . . . . . . 9-16
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 9-25
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-27
Ride Control Systems . . . . . . . . 9-29
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41
Conversions and Add-Ons . . . 9-47
Vehicle Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Vehicle Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 10-29
Electrical System . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-33
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
1-8 In Brief
Safety Belt
Refer to the following sections for
important information on how to use
safety belts properly.
.Safety Belts on page 3‑10.
.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly on page 3‑13.
.Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 3‑19.
.Lap Belt on page 3‑24.
.Lower Anchors and Tethers for
Children (LATCH System) on
page 3‑50.
Sensing System for
Passenger Airbag
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag under certain
conditions. The driver airbags,
seat‐side impact airbags, and
roof‐rail airbags are not affected
by this.
The passenger airbag status
indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle
is started.
United States
Canada
See Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑34 for important information.
Black plate (17,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Keys, Doors and Windows 2-17
Power Windows
{WARNING
Leaving children in a vehicle with
the keys is dangerous for many
reasons. Children or others could
be badly injured or even killed.
They could operate the power
windows or other controls or even
make the vehicle move. The
windows will function and they
could be seriously injured or killed
if caught in the path of a closing
window. Do not leave keys in a
vehicle with children.
When there are children in the
rear seat use the window lockout
button to prevent unintentional
operation of the windows.
The switches on the driver door
armrest are used to control each of
the windows. Each passenger door
has its own window switch.The power window switches work
while the ignition is in ON/RUN,
ACC/ACCESSORY, or while
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) is
active. See
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) on page 9‑18.
To lower the window, press and
hold the front of the switch to the
first position until the window is at
the desired level. To raise the
window, pull up and hold the front of
the switch.
Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-1
Seats and
Restraints
Head Restraints
Head Restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Front Seats
Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Center Seat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Power Seat Adjustment . . . . . . . 3-4
Lumbar Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Reclining Seatbacks . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Heated Front Seats . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Rear Seats
Rear Seats (Split Folding) . . . . . 3-8
Safety Belts
Safety Belts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
How to Wear Safety BeltsProperly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Lap-Shoulder Belt . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-23
Lap Belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-24
Safety Belt Extender . . . . . . . . . 3-24 Safety System Check . . . . . . . . 3-24
Safety Belt Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Replacing Safety Belt System
Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-25
Airbag System
Airbag System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-26
Where Are the Airbags? . . . . . 3-28
When Should an AirbagInflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-30
What Makes an Airbag Inflate? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
How Does an Airbag Restrain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-31
What Will You See After an Airbag Inflates? . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-32
Passenger Sensing
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-34
Servicing the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-38
Adding Equipment to the Airbag-Equipped Vehicle . . . 3-39
Airbag System Check . . . . . . . . 3-40
Replacing Airbag System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-40
Child Restraints
Older Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-41
Infants and YoungChildren . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-43
Child Restraint Systems . . . . . 3-46
Where to Put the Restraint . . . 3-48
Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH
System) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-50
Replacing LATCH System Parts After a Crash . . . . . . . . . 3-55
Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat Position) . . . . . . . . 3-55
Securing Child Restraints (Center Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-57
Securing Child Restraints (Right Front Seat
Position) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-58
Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-13
Q: If my vehicle has airbags,why should I have to wear
safety belts?
A: Airbags are supplemental
systems only; so they work with
safety belts —not instead of
them. Whether or not an airbag
is provided, all occupants still
have to buckle up to get the
most protection. That is true not
only in frontal collisions, but
especially in side and other
collisions. Q: If I am a good driver, and
I never drive far from
home, why should I wear
safety belts?
A: You may be an excellent driver,
but if you are in a crash —even
one that is not your fault —you
and your passenger(s) can be
hurt. Being a good driver does
not protect you from things
beyond your control, such as
bad drivers.
Most accidents occur within
40 km (25 miles) of home. And
the greatest number of serious
injuries and deaths occur at
speeds of less than
65 km/h (40 mph).
Safety belts are for everyone.How to Wear Safety Belts
Properly
This section is only for people of
adult size.
Be aware that there are special
things to know about safety belts
and children. And there are different
rules for smaller children and
infants. If a child will be riding in the
vehicle, see Older Children on
page 3‑41 orInfants and Young
Children on page 3‑43. Follow those
rules for everyone's protection.
It is very important for all occupants
to buckle up. Statistics show that
unbelted people are hurt more often
in crashes than those who are
wearing safety belts.
Occupants who are not buckled
up can be thrown out of the vehicle
in a crash. And they can strike
others in the vehicle who are
wearing safety belts.
Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
Seats and Restraints 3-19
Lap-Shoulder Belt
All seating positions in the vehicle
have a lap-shoulder belt except for
the center front passenger position
(if equipped), which has a lap belt.
SeeLap Belt on page 3‑24 for more
information.
The following instructions explain
how to wear a lap-shoulder belt
properly.
1. Adjust the seat, if the seat is adjustable, so you can sit up
straight. To see how, see
“Seats” in the Index.
2. Pick up the latch plate and pull the belt across you. Do not let it
get twisted.
The lap-shoulder belt may lock if
you pull the belt across you very
quickly. If this happens, let the
belt go back slightly to unlock it.
Then pull the belt across you
more slowly. If the shoulder portion of a
passenger belt is pulled out all
the way, the child restraint
locking feature may be engaged.
If this happens, let the belt go
back all the way and start again.
Engaging the child restraint
locking feature in the right front
seating position may affect the
passenger sensing system. See
Passenger Sensing System on
page 3‑34.
3. Push the latch plate into the
buckle until it clicks. If the latch plate will not go fully
into the buckle, check if the
correct buckle is being used.
Pull up on the latch plate to
make sure it is secure. If the belt
is not long enough, see
Safety
Belt Extender on page 3‑24.
Position the release button on
the buckle so that the safety belt
could be quickly unbuckled if
necessary.
4. If equipped with a shoulder belt height adjuster, move it to the
height that is right for you. See
“Shoulder Belt Height Adjuster”
in this section for instructions on
use and important safety
information.
Black plate (22,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
3-22 Seats and Restraints
Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides
This vehicle may have rear shoulder
belt comfort guides for each
outboard passenger position in the
rear seat. If not, they are available
through your dealer. The guides
may provide added safety belt
comfort for older children who have
outgrown booster seats and for
some adults. When installed and
properly adjusted, the comfort guide
positions the belt away from the
neck and head.Here is how to install a comfort
guide to the safety belt:
1. Pull the guide out from the
pocket on the edge of the
seatback.
2. Place the guide over the belt,and insert the two edges of the
belt into the slots of the guide.
3. Be sure that the belt is nottwisted and it lies flat. The
elastic cord must be under the
belt and the guide on top.
{WARNING
A safety belt that is not properly
worn may not provide the
protection needed in a crash.
(Continued)
Black plate (24,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2011
3-24 Seats and Restraints
Lap Belt
This section is only for the lap belt.
To learn how to wear a lap-shoulder
belt, seeLap-Shoulder Belt on
page 3‑19.
The vehicle may have a center
seating position. When you sit in the
center front seating position, you
have a lap safety belt, which has
no retractor.
To make the belt longer, tilt the latch
plate and pull it along the belt. Buckle, position, and release it the
same way as the lap part of a
lap-shoulder belt.
To make the belt shorter, pull its free
end as shown until the belt is snug.
If the belt is not long enough, see
Safety Belt Extender on page 3‑24.
Make sure the release button on the
buckle is positioned so you would
be able to unbuckle the safety belt
quickly if necessary.
Safety Belt Extender
If the vehicle's safety belt will fasten
around you, you should use it.
But if a safety belt is not long
enough, your dealer will order you
an extender. When you go in to
order it, take the heaviest coat you
will wear, so the extender will be
long enough for you. To help avoid
personal injury, do not let someone
else use it, and use it only for the
seat it is made to fit. The extender
has been designed for adults.
Never use it for securing child seats.
To wear it, attach it to the regular
safety belt. For more information,
see the instruction sheet that comes
with the extender.
Safety System Check
Now and then, check that the safety
belt reminder light, safety belts,
buckles, latch plates, retractors, and
anchorages are working properly.
Look for any other loose or
damaged safety belt system parts
that might keep a safety belt system