2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA Owners Manual

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-7
The remote vehicle start feature will
not operate if any of the follow
occur:
.The vehicle's key is in the
ignition.
.The vehicle's hood is open.
.The hazard warning flashers
are on.
.The check engine light is on.
SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp
on page 5‑16.
.The engine coolant temperature
is too high.
.The oil pressure is low.
.The content theft-deterrent alarm
has been activated.
.Two remote vehicle starts,
or one start with a time
extension, have already been
provided for that ignition cycle.
Door Locks
{WARNING
Unlocked doors can be
dangerous.
.Passengers, especially
children, can easily open the
doors and fall out of a moving
vehicle. When a door is
locked, the handle will not
open it. The chance of being
thrown out of the vehicle in a
crash is increased if the
doors are not locked. So, all
passengers should wear
safety belts properly and the
doors should be locked
whenever the vehicle is
driven.
.Young children who get into
unlocked vehicles may be
unable to get out. A child can
be overcome by extreme heat
and can suffer permanent
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
injuries or even death from
heat stroke. Always lock the
vehicle whenever leaving it.
.Outsiders can easily enter
through an unlocked door
when you slow down or stop
the vehicle. Locking the doors
can help prevent this from
happening.
From the outside, use the key in the
driver door or use the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to
lock and unlock the vehicle. From
the inside, use the manual or power
door locks.
To lock or unlock the driver side
door from the outside with the key,
insert the key and turn it clockwise
or counterclockwise.
To lock or unlock the door from the
inside, push or pull the manual
lock knob.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
2-8 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Power Door Locks
A power door lock switch is located
on both front doors next to the door
handle.
Press the top of the switch to unlock
all doors or press the bottom of the
switch to lock all doors.
If the vehicle has the optional
content theft-deterrent system and it
is armed, the power door lock
switches will be disabled. You must
use the RKE transmitter or the keyto unlock the doors when the
system is armed. See
Anti-theft
Alarm System on page 2‑11.
Delayed Locking
This feature allows the driver to
delay the actual locking of the
doors. When the driver power door
lock switch is pressed with the key
removed from the ignition, and the
driver door open, a chime will sound
three times to signal that the
delayed locking system is active.
When all doors have been closed,
the doors will lock automatically
after several seconds. If any door is
opened before this, the timer will
reset itself once all the doors have
been closed again.
Pressing the driver or passenger
power door lock switch again or the
RKE transmitter button will override
this feature.
Personal Choice Programming
The delayed locking feature can be
turned on or off, using the Driver
Information Center (DIC) to program
this feature. See “DELAY DOOR
LOCK” underVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑37.
Automatic Door Locks
The doors will automatically lock
when the shift lever is moved out of
P (Park). The automatic door locking
feature cannot be disabled.
Programmable Automatic Door
Unlock
The vehicle is programmed so that
when the shift lever is moved into
P (Park) all doors will unlock.
With the vehicle stopped and the
engine running, door unlocking can
be programmed through prompts
displayed on the Driver Information
Center (DIC). These prompts allow
the driver to choose various unlock

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-9
settings. For programming
information, seeVehicle
Personalization on page 5‑37.
Lockout Protection
This feature helps prevent you from
locking the doors while the key is in
the ignition. Always remember to
take your key with you when exiting
the vehicle.
If the lock switch is pressed on the
door that is open and the key is in
the ignition, all of the doors will lock
and then the open door will unlock.
A chime sounds continuously until
the driver door is closed.
Safety Locks
Rear door security locks prevent
passengers from opening the rear
doors from the inside.
The rear door security locks are
located on the inside edge of each
rear door. The rear doors must be
opened to access them. To assist in finding the lock, the
vehicle has the following:
To use the lock:
1. Insert the key into the security
lock slot and turn it so the slot is
in the horizontal position.
2. Close the door.
3. Do the same for the other rear door. To open a rear door when the
security lock is on, do the following:
1. Unlock the door by using the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
transmitter, if the vehicle has
one, by pressing the power door
lock switch, or by lifting the rear
door manual lock.
2. Open the door from the outside.
To cancel the rear door
security lock:
1. Unlock the door and open it from the outside.
2. Insert the key into the security lock slot and turn it so the slot is
in the vertical position.
3. Do the same for the other rear door.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
2-10 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Doors
Trunk
{WARNING
Exhaust gases can enter the
vehicle if it is driven with the
liftgate, trunk/hatch open, or with
any objects that pass through the
seal between the body and the
trunk/hatch or liftgate. Engine
exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle must be driven with
the liftgate, or trunk/hatch open:
.Close all of the windows.
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
brings in only outside air and
set the fan speed to the
highest setting. See Climate
Control System in the Index.
.If the vehicle is equipped with
a power liftgate, disable the
power liftgate function.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑24.
Trunk Release
To open the trunk from the outside,
press
Von the RKE transmitter.
See Remote Keyless Entry (RKE)
System Operation on page 2‑3.
Or, use the key in the lock cylinder,
if equipped.
Remote Trunk Release
To open the trunk from the inside,
press
V. See Trunk on page 2‑10.
The trunk can also be opened by
lowering the rear seat and pulling
the emergency trunk release handle
located inside the trunk. See Rear
Seats (Split Folding) on page 3‑8
and “Emergency Trunk Release
Handle” following.

Black plate (11,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-11
Emergency Trunk Release
Handle
Notice:Do not use the
emergency trunk release handle
as a tie-down or anchor point
when securing items in the trunk
as it could damage the handle.
The emergency trunk release
handle is only intended to aid a
person trapped in a latched trunk,
enabling them to open the trunk
from the inside.
There is a glow-in-the-dark trunk
release handle located on the latch
inside the trunk . This handle will
glow following exposure to light. Pull
the release handle to open the trunk
from the inside.
Vehicle Security
This vehicle has theft-deterrent
features; however, they do not make
it impossible to steal.
Anti-theft Alarm System
Your vehicle may have the optional
content theft-deterrent alarm
system.
To activate the theft-deterrent
system:
1. Open the door.
2. Lock the door with the power door lock switch or the Remote
Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
If you are using the RKE
transmitter, the door does not
need to be open.
3. Close all doors.

Black plate (12,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
2-12 Keys, Doors, and Windows
Once armed, the alarm will go off if
someone tries to enter the vehicle
without using the RKE transmitter or
a key or turns the ignition on with an
incorrect key. The horn will sound
and the turn signal lamps will flash
for about 30 seconds.
When the alarm is armed, the trunk
may be opened with the RKE
transmitter. The power door lock
switches are disabled and the doors
remain locked. You must use your
RKE transmitter or your key to
unlock the doors when the system is
armed.
Arming with the Power Lock
Switch
The alarm system will arm when
you use either power lock switch to
lock the doors while any door is
open and the key is removed from
the ignition. The alarm system will
not arm if the trunk is open when
you use either power lock switch to
lock the doors.
Arming with the RKE
Transmitter
The alarm system will arm when
you use your RKE transmitter to
lock the doors, if the key is not in
the ignition.
Disarming with the RKE
Transmitter
The alarm system will disarm when
you use your RKE transmitter to
unlock the doors.
The first time a remote unlock
command is received, three flashes
will be seen and three horn chirps
heard to indicate an alarm condition
has occurred since last arming.
Disarming with Your Key
The alarm system will disarm when
you use your key to unlock the
doors or insert your key in the
ignition and turn it from the LOCK/
OFF position.
Immobilizer
SeeRadio Frequency Statement on
page 13‑16 for information
regarding Part 15 of the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
rules and Industry Canada
Standards RSS-GEN/210/220/310.
Immobilizer Operation
This vehicle has PASS-Key®III+
(Personalized Automotive Security
System) theft-deterrent system.
PASS-Key III+ is a passive
theft-deterrent system.
The system is automatically armed
when the key is removed from the
ignition.
The system is automatically
disarmed when the key is turned to
ON/RUN, ACC/ACCESSORY,
or START from the LOCK/OFF
position.
You do not have to manually arm or
disarm the system.

Black plate (13,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
Keys, Doors, and Windows 2-13
The security light will come on if
there is a problem with arming or
disarming the theft-deterrent
system.
When the PASS-Key III+ system
senses that someone is using the
wrong key, it prevents the vehicle
from starting. Anyone using a
trial-and-error method to start the
vehicle will be discouraged because
of the high number of electrical key
codes.
If the engine does not start and the
security light on the instrument
panel cluster comes on when trying
to start the vehicle, there may be a
problem with the theft-deterrent
system. Turn the ignition off and try
again.If the engine still does not start, and
the key appears to be undamaged,
try another ignition key. At this time,
you may also want to check the
fuse. See
Fuses and Circuit
Breakers on page 10‑30. If the
engine still does not start with the
other key, the vehicle needs service.
If the vehicle does start, the first key
may be faulty. See your dealer who
can service the PASS-Key III+ to
have a new key made.
It is possible for the PASS-Key III+
decoder to learn the transponder
value of a new or replacement key.
Up to 10 keys may be programmed
for the vehicle. The following
procedure is for programming
additional keys only. If all the
currently programmed keys are lost
or do not operate, you must see
your dealer or a locksmith who can
service PASS-Key III+ to have keys
made and programmed to the
system. See your dealer or a locksmith who
can service PASS-Key III+ to get a
new key blank cut exactly as the
ignition key that operates the
system.
To program the new additional key:
1. Verify that the new key has
a
1stamped on it.
2. Insert the original, already programmed key in the ignition
and start the engine. If the
engine will not start, see your
dealer for service.
3. After the engine has started, turn the key to LOCK/OFF, and
remove the key.

Black plate (14,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2012
2-14 Keys, Doors, and Windows
4. Insert the new key to beprogrammed and turn it to the
ON/RUN position within
five seconds of turning the
ignition to the LOCK/OFF
position in Step 3.
The security light will turn off
once the key has been
programmed.
5. Repeat Steps 1 through 4 if additional keys are to be
programmed.
If you lose or damage your
PASS-Key III+ key, see your dealer
or a locksmith who can service
PASS-Key III+ to have a new
key made.
Do not leave the key or device
that disarms or deactivates the
theft-deterrent system in the vehicle.Exterior Mirrors
Convex Mirrors
{WARNING
A convex mirror can make things,
like other vehicles, look farther
away than they really are. If you
cut too sharply into the right lane,
you could hit a vehicle on the
right. Check the inside mirror or
glance over your shoulder before
changing lanes.
The passenger side mirror is convex
shaped. A convex mirror's surface is
curved so more can be seen from
the driver seat.
Power Mirrors
Controls for the outside power
mirrors are located on the driver
door armrest.
1. Press the left or right side of the selector switch located above
the control pad, to select the
driver or passenger mirror.