Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Storage 4-1
Storage
Storage Compartments
Glove Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Cupholders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Sunglasses Storage . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Armrest Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Rear Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Center Console Storage . . . . . . 4-2
Additional Storage Features
Convenience Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Storage
Compartments
Glove Box
Lift up on the glove box lever to
open it.
Cupholders
Cupholders may be built into the
front center console, front portion of
the front center seat, and rear
armrest of the vehicle.
Sunglasses Storage
A storage compartment for
sunglasses may be located above
the rearview mirror. Push on the
cover to open the compartment.
Armrest Storage
For vehicles with a rear seat
armrest, pull the tab on the armrest
forward to access it.
Black plate (6,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
6-6 Lighting
Courtesy Lamps
When a door is opened, the
courtesy lamps automatically come
on. They make it easy for you to
enter and leave your vehicle. You
can also manually turn these lamps
on by fully turning the instrument
panel brightness control clockwise.
The reading lamps, located on the
rearview mirror, can be turned on or
off independent of the automatic
courtesy lamps, when the doors are
closed.
Dome Lamps
The center mounted dome lamp
overhead comes on when a door is
opened. This lamp can also be
turned on by turning the instrument
panel brightness control clockwise.
Reading Lamps
The vehicle has reading lamps that
also act as the dome lamp. Press
the button near each lamp to turn
them on and off.
Map Lamps
The vehicle has map lamps on the
rearview mirror. Press the button
near each lamp on the mirror to turn
the map lamps on and off.
Black plate (4,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
8-4 Climate Controls
The air conditioning system
removes moisture from the air, so a
small amount of water may drip
under the vehicle while idling or
after turning off the engine. This is
normal.
%(Outside Air):Press to turn
on outside air. An indicator light
comes on to show that it is on.
Outside air will circulate throughout
the vehicle.
/(Recirculation): Press to
turn on the recirculation mode. An
indicator light comes on to show
that it is on.
This mode helps to quickly heat or
cool the air inside the vehicle once
the temperature inside the vehicle is
equal to or better than the outside
temperature. It can be used to
prevent outside air and odors
from entering the vehicle. The
recirculation mode is not available in
outside air, floor, defog, or defrost
modes. If the button is selected
while in these modes, the indicator
flashes three times.
Rear Window Defogger
The rear window defogger uses a
warming grid to remove fog from the
rear window.
1(Rear Window Defogger): The
rear window defogger turns off
automatically after it has been
activated for 10 minutes. It can be
turned off manually, by pressing the
button again or by turning the
ignition to the LOCK/OFF position.
The rear window defogger can be
turned on again for additional
window clearing. The length of
defogger operation will increase if
the vehicle is being driven. For vehicles with heated outside
rearview mirrors, the mirrors heat to
help clear fog or frost from the
surface of the mirror when the rear
window defog button is pressed.
See
Power Mirrors on page 2‑14.
Do not drive the vehicle until all the
windows are clear.
Notice: Do not use anything
sharp on the inside of the rear
window. If you do, you could cut
or damage the warming grid, and
the repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Do not
attach a temporary vehicle
license, tape, a decal, or anything
similar to the defogger grid.
Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-5
2. Turn the steering wheel aboutone-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. Then turn the steering wheel to go straight down the roadway.
Loss of Control
Skidding
There are three types of skids that
correspond to the vehicle's three
control systems:
.Braking Skid —wheels are not
rolling.
.Steering or Cornering
Skid —too much speed or
steering in a curve causes tires
to slip and lose cornering force.
.Acceleration Skid —too much
throttle causes the driving
wheels to spin.
Defensive drivers avoid most skids
by taking reasonable care suited to
existing conditions, and by not
overdriving those conditions. But
skids are always possible.
If the vehicle starts to slide, follow
these suggestions:
.Ease your foot off the
accelerator pedal and quickly
steer the way you want the
vehicle to go. The vehicle may
straighten out. Be ready for a
second skid if it occurs.
.Slow down and adjust your
driving according to weather
conditions. Stopping distance
can be longer and vehicle
control can be affected when
traction is reduced by water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other
material on the road. 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.
.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.
Remember: Antilock brakes help
avoid only the braking skid.
Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Driving and Operating 9-7
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention to
your surroundings while driving.
If you become tired or sleepy, find a
safe place to park the vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
.Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
.Keep the interior
temperature cool.
.Keep your eyes moving—scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
.Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
.Keep the vehicle serviced and in
good shape.
.Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
.Shift to a lower gear when going
down steep or long hills.
{WARNING
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
.Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
.Be alert on top of hills,
something could be in your lane
(stalled car, accident).
Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
9-8 Driving and Operating
.Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 0°C
(32°F) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently so
traction is not lost. Accelerating too
quickly causes the wheels to spin
and makes the surface under the
tires slick, so there is even less
traction.Try not to break the fragile traction.
If you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
The
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 9‑29 improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches can
occur on otherwise clear roads in
shaded areas. The surface of a
curve or an overpass can remain icy
when the surrounding roads are
clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while
on ice.
Turn off cruise control on slippery
surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use the Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑6.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.
.Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{WARNING
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may
cause exhaust gases to get
inside. Engine exhaust contains
Carbon Monoxide (CO) which
cannot be seen or smelled. It can
cause unconsciousness and even
death.
(Continued)
Black plate (44,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
9-44 Driving and Operating
Before starting, check all trailer hitch
parts and attachments, safety
chains, electrical connectors, lamps,
tires and mirror adjustments. If the
trailer has electric brakes, start the
vehicle and trailer moving and then
apply the trailer brake controller by
hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This checks the electrical
connection at the same time.
During the trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lamps and any trailer
brakes are still working.
Following Distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when
driving the vehicle without a trailer.
This can help to avoid situations
that require heavy braking and
sudden turns.
Passing
More passing distance is needed
when towing a trailer. Because the
rig is longer, it is necessary to go
much farther beyond the passed
vehicle before returning to the lane.
Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right.
Always back up slowly and,
if possible, have someone
guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns
while trailering could cause the
trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. The vehicle could be
damaged. Avoid making very
sharp turns while trailering. When turning with a trailer, make
wider turns than normal. Do this so
the trailer will not strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees
or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
The arrows on the instrument panel
flash whenever signaling a turn or
lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps also flash, telling
other drivers the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes or stopping.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on
the instrument panel flash for turns
even if the bulbs on the trailer are
burned out. For this reason you may
think other drivers are seeing the
signal when they are not. It is
important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still
working.
Black plate (32,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
10-32 Vehicle Care
FusesUsage
CHMSL/
BCK‐UP Center
High‐Mounted
Stoplamp,
Back‐up Lamp
DISPLAY Display
DRL 1 Daytime Running
Lamps 1
DRL 2 Daytime Running
Lamps 2
ECM IGN Engine Control
Module (ECM),
Ignition
ECM/TCM ECM,
Transmission
Control
Module (TCM) Fuses
Usage
EMISSIONS 1 Emissions 1
EMISSIONS 2 Emissions 2
ETC/ECM Electronic
Throttle
Control, ECM
FAN 1 Cooling Fan 1
FAN 2 Cooling Fan 2
FOG LAMPS Fog Lamps
(If Equipped)
FSCM Fuel System
Control Module
HDLP MDL Headlamp
Module
HORN Horn
HTD MIR Heated Mirror Fuses
Usage
IGN 1 Ignition 1
INJ 2 Injector 2
INT LIGHTS Interior Lamps
INT LTS/
PNL DIM Interior Lamps,
Instrument Panel
Dimmer
LT HI BEAM Driver Side
High‐Beam
Headlamp
LT LO BEAM Driver Side
Low‐Beam
Headlamp
LT PARK Driver Side
Parking Lamp
LT SPOT Left Spot
LT T/SIG Driver Side Turn
Signal Lamp