2013 CHEVROLET IMPALA traction control

Black plate (31,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Instruments and Controls 5-31
Any of the following conditions may
cause the TCS to turn off:
.The TCS is turned off by
pressing the traction control
button. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 9‑25 for
more information.
.The battery is low.
TRACTION CONTROL ON
If your vehicle has the Traction
Control System (TCS), this message
displays when the TCS is turned on.
See Traction Control System (TCS)
on page 9‑25 for more information.
Airbag System Messages
SERVICE AIR BAG
This message displays when there
is a problem with the airbag system.
Have your vehicle serviced by your
dealer immediately. See Airbag
Readiness Light on page 5‑12 for
more information.
Security Messages
SERVICE THEFT SYSTEM
This message displays when there
is a problem with the theft-deterrent
system programmed in the key.
A fault has been detected in the
system which means that the
system is disabled and it is not
protecting the vehicle. The vehicle
usually restarts; however, you may
want to take the vehicle to your
dealer before turning off the engine.
See Immobilizer Operation on
page 2‑11 for more information.
THEFT ATTEMPTED
This message displays if the
theft-deterrent system has detected
a break-in attempt while you were
away from your vehicle. See Vehicle
Alarm System on page 2‑10 for
more information.
Service Vehicle Messages
ERROR
This message displays while
viewing the odometer or trip
odometers if there is a problem with
the instrument panel cluster. See
your dealer for service.
SERVICE POWER STEERING
This message displays when a
problem is detected with the power
steering system. When this
message is displayed, you may
notice that the effort required to
steer the vehicle increases or feels
heavier, but you will still be able to
steer the vehicle. Have your vehicle
serviced by your dealer immediately.
SERVICE VEHICLE SOON
This message displays when a
non-emissions related malfunction
occurs. Have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer as soon as possible.

Black plate (19,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Infotainment System 7-19
Phone
Bluetooth
For vehicles equipped with
Bluetooth capability, the system can
interact with many cell phones,
allowing:
.Placement and receipt of calls in
a hands-free mode.
.Sharing of the cell phone’s
address book or contact list with
the vehicle.
To minimize driver distraction,
before driving, and with the vehicle
parked:
.Become familiar with the
features of the cell phone.
Organize the phone book and
contact lists clearly and delete
duplicate or rarely used entries.
If possible, program speed dial
or other shortcuts.
.Review the controls and
operation of the infotainment
system.
.Pair cell phone(s) to the vehicle.
The system may not work with
all cell phones. See “Pairing”in
this section for more information.
.If the cell phone has voice
dialing capability, learn to use
that feature to access the
address book or contact list. See
“Voice Pass-Thru” in this section
for more information.
.See “Storing and Deleting Phone
Numbers” in this section for
more information.
{WARNING
When using a cell phone, it can
be distracting to look too long or
too often at the screen of the
phone or the infotainment
(navigation) system. Taking your
eyes off the road too long or too
often could cause a crash
resulting in injury or death. Focus
your attention on driving. A Bluetooth system can use a
Bluetooth-capable cell phone with a
Hands-Free Profile to make and
receive phone calls. The system
can be used while the key is in the
ON/RUN or ACC/ACCESSORY
position. The range of the Bluetooth
system can be up to 9.1 m (30 ft).
Not all phones support all functions,
and not all phones work with the
in-vehicle Bluetooth system. See
www.gm.com/bluetooth for more
information on compatible phones.
Voice Recognition
The Bluetooth system uses voice
recognition to interpret voice
commands to dial phone numbers
and name tags.
For additional information, say
“Help”
while you are in a voice
recognition menu.
Noise: Keep interior noise levels to
a minimum. The system may not
recognize voice commands if there
is too much background noise.

Black plate (1,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-1
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Highway Hypnosis . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-6
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . . 9-6
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . . 9-8
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 9-9
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . 9-13
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-13
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . 9-15
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-16Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-17
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . 9-18
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-19
Running the Vehicle WhileParked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-20
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . 9-20
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-22
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-23
Parking Brake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-24
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control System (TCS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-25
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-26
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-28
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-30
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Gasoline Specifications . . . . . . 9-31
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-31
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 9-31
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-32
Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol) . . . . . 9-33
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-34
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-35
Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Driving Characteristics and Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-36
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-39
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . 9-40
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-41

Black plate (2,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
9-2 Driving and Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving
Distraction comes in many forms
and can take your focus from the
task of driving. Exercise good
judgment and do not let other
activities divert your attention away
from the road. Many local
governments have enacted laws
regarding driver distraction. Become
familiar with the local laws in
your area.
To avoid distracted driving, always
keep your eyes on the road, hands
on the wheel, and mind on the drive.
.Do not use a phone in
demanding driving situations.
Use a hands-free method to
place or receive necessary
phone calls.
.Watch the road. Do not read,
take notes, or look up
information on phones or other
electronic devices.
.Designate a front seat
passenger to handle potential
distractions.
.Become familiar with vehicle
features before driving, such as
programming favorite radio
stations and adjusting climate
control and seat settings.
Program all trip information into
any navigation device prior to
driving.
.Wait until the vehicle is parked
to retrieve items that have fallen
to the floor.
.Stop or park the vehicle to tend
to children.
.Keep pets in an appropriate
carrier or restraint.
.Avoid stressful conversations
while driving, whether with a
passenger or on a cell phone.
{WARNING
Taking your eyes off the road too
long or too often could cause a
crash resulting in injury or death.
Focus your attention on driving.
Refer to the infotainment section for
more information on using that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
If equipped, refer to the navigation
manual for information on that
system, including pairing and using
a cell phone.
Defensive Driving
Defensive driving means “always
expect the unexpected.” The first
step in driving defensively is to wear
the safety belt. See Safety Belts on
page 3‑9.
.Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-5
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 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.
Driving on Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep‐standing or flowing water.
{WARNING
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle. (Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
flowing water could cause the
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through flowing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under the vehicle's
tires so they actually ride on the
water. This can happen if the road is
wet enough and you are going fast
enough. When the vehicle is
hydroplaning, it has little or no
contact with the road.

Black plate (7,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-7
WARNING (Continued)
Steering may also be affected
when ignition is off. 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).
.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)
improves vehicle stability during
hard stops on slippery roads, butapply the brakes sooner than when
on dry pavement. See
Antilock
Brake System (ABS) on page 9‑23.
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 Roadside
Assistance. See Roadside
Assistance Program on page 13‑5.
To get help and keep everyone in
the vehicle safe:
.Turn on the hazard warning
flashers.

Black plate (8,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
9-8 Driving and Operating
.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.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
.Clear away snow from around
the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking
the exhaust pipe.
.Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
.Open a window about 5 cm
(2 in) on the side of the
vehicle that is away from the
wind to bring in fresh air.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
.Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
.Adjust the climate control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
“Climate Control Systems” in
the Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑19.
To save fuel, run the engine for only
short periods as needed to warm
the vehicle and then shut the engine
off and close the window most of
the way to save heat. Repeat this
until help arrives but only when you
feel really uncomfortable from the
cold. Moving about to keep warm
also helps. If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine runs
faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to restart
the vehicle and to signal for help
with the headlamps. Do this as little
as possible to save fuel.
If the Vehicle Is Stuck
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
If stuck too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method. See
Traction
Control System (TCS) on
page 9‑25.
{WARNING
If the vehicle's tires spin at high
speed, they can explode, and you
or others could be injured. The
(Continued)

Black plate (9,1)Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual - 2013 - crc - 8/27/12
Driving and Operating 9-9
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle can overheat, causing an
engine compartment fire or other
damage. Spin the wheels as little
as possible and avoid going
above 56 km/h (35 mph).
Rocking the Vehicle to Get
it Out
Turn the steering wheel left and
right to clear the area around the
front wheels. Turn off any traction
system. Shift back and forth
between R (Reverse) and a low
forward gear, spinning the wheels
as little as possible. To prevent
transmission wear, wait until the
wheels stop spinning before shifting
gears. Release the accelerator
pedal while shifting, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal
when the transmission is in gear.
Slowly spinning the wheels in the
forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that could
free the vehicle. If that does not getthe vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
see
Towing the Vehicle on
page 10‑63.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight your vehicle can
carry. Two labels on your vehicle
show how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Vehicle Certification label.
{WARNING
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR), or either the
maximum front or rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
This can cause systems to
break and change the way the
(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
Label Example
A vehicle-specific Tire and
Loading Information label is
attached to the vehicle's center
pillar (B-pillar). With the driver