
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
122 Instruments and Controls
The DLC is under the instrument
panel to the left of the steering
wheel. Connecting devices that are
not used to perform an Emissions
Inspection/Maintenance test or to
service the vehicle may affect
vehicle operation. SeeAdd-On
Electrical Equipment 0247. See
your dealer if assistance is needed.
The vehicle may not pass
inspection if:
. The light is on when the engine
is running.
. The light does not come on
when the ignition is in ON/RUN
with the engine not running for
Key Access or in Service Only
Mode for Keyless Access.
. Critical emission control systems
have not been completely
diagnosed. If this happens, the
vehicle would not be ready for
inspection and might require
several days of routine driving
before the system is ready for
inspection. This can happen if
the 12-volt battery has recently been replaced or run down, or if
the vehicle has been recently
serviced.
See your dealer if the vehicle will
not pass or cannot be made ready
for the test.
Brake System Warning
Light
The vehicle brake system consists
of two hydraulic circuits. If one
circuit is not working, the remaining
circuit can still work to stop the
vehicle. For normal braking
performance, both circuits need to
be working.
If the warning light comes on, there
is a brake problem. Have the brake
system inspected right away.
MetricEnglish This light should come on briefly
when the engine is started. If it does
not come on then, have it fixed so it
will be ready to warn you if there is
a problem.
If the light comes on and stays on,
there is a brake problem.
{Warning
The brake system might not be
working properly if the brake
system warning light is on.
Driving with the brake system
warning light on can lead to a
crash. If the light is still on after
the vehicle has been pulled off
the road and carefully stopped,
have the vehicle towed for
service.

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
150 Lighting
AUTO (Automatic) :Automatically
turns the exterior lamps on and off,
depending on outside lighting.
;: Turns on the parking lamps
including all lamps, except the
headlamps.
2: Turns on the headlamps
together with the parking lamps and
instrument panel lights.
Exterior Lamps Off
Reminder
A warning chime sounds if the driver
door is opened while the ignition is
off and the exterior lamps are on.
Headlamp High/
Low-Beam Changer
Push the turn signal lever away
from you and release to turn the
high beams on. To return to low
beams, push the lever again or pull
it toward you and release.
This indicator light turns on in the
instrument cluster when the
high-beam headlamps are on.
Flash-to-Pass
To flash the high beams, pull the
turn signal lever toward you, and
release.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
DRL can make it easier for others to
see the front of your vehicle during
the day. Fully functional DRL are
required on all vehicles first sold in
Canada.
The DRL system turns on the
low-beam headlamps at a reduced
brightness. For vehicles with High
Intensity Discharge (HID)
headlamps, there is a dedicated DRL. The DRL will come on when
all of the following conditions
are met:
.
The ignition is on.
. The exterior lamp control is
in AUTO.
. The light sensor determines it is
daytime.
. The vehicle is not in P (Park).
When the DRL are on, the taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, instrument panel
lights, and other lamps will not
be on.
The DRL turn off when the
headlamps are turned to
Oor the
ignition is off.
This vehicle may have a DRL
disabling function. When the DRL
are on and a turn signal is activated,
the DRL on that side will be off until
the turn signal goes off.

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
Driving and Operating 191
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Track Events and CompetitiveDriving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 196
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 196
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 198
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 199
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 202
Ignition Positions (Key Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Ignition Positions (Keyless Access) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208 Retained Accessory
Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 210
Parking over Things That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 212
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 215
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 217
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 221
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 228
Assistance Systems forParking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 229
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Forward Collision Alert (FCA) System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Forward Automatic Braking (FAB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 235
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
Fuel
Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
California FuelRequirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 239
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Filling a Portable Fuel Container . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
192 Driving and Operating
Driving Characteristics andTowing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
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.

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
Driving and Operating 199
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 get
the vehicle out after a few tries, it
might need to be towed out. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out,
seeTowing the Vehicle 0314.
Vehicle Load Limits
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo, and all
nonfactory-installed options.
Two labels on the vehicle may
show how much weight it may properly carry: the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the 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
vehicle handles. This could
cause loss of control and a
crash. Overloading can also
reduce stopping distance,
damage the tires, and 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). The Tire and
Loading Information label shows
the number of occupant seating
positions (1), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (2) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading
Information label also shows the
tire size of the original

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
200 Driving and Operating
equipment tires (3) and the
recommended cold tire inflation
pressures (4). For more
information on tires and inflation
seeTires 0283 andTire
Pressure 0291.
There is also important loading
information on the Certification
label. It may show the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for the front and
rear axle. See “Certification
Label” later in this section.
“Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit–
1.Locate the statement "The
combined weight of
occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or
XXX lbs." on your vehicle’s
placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be
riding in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers from XXX kg or
XXX lbs.
4.The resulting figure equals
the available amount of
cargo and luggage load
capacity. For example, if the
"XXX" amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be
five 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) =
650 lbs.)
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo
and luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing
a trailer, load from your
trailer will be transferred to your vehicle. Consult this
manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.”
See Trailer Towing 0245 for
important information on towing
a trailer, towing safety rules, and
trailering tips.
Example 1
1.Vehicle Capacity Weight
for Example 1 = 453 kg
(1,000 lbs).

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
Driving and Operating 209
Warning (Continued)
condition, or using a
damaged heater or
extension cord, could make
it overheat and cause a fire,
property damage, electric
shock, and injury.
. Do not operate the vehicle
with the heater cord
permanently attached to the
vehicle. Possible heater
cord and thermostat
damage could occur.
. While in use, do not let the
heater cord touch vehicle
parts or sharp edges. Never
close the hood on the
heater cord.
. Before starting the vehicle,
unplug the cord, reattach
the cover to the plug, and
securely fasten the cord.
Keep the cord away from
any moving parts. 4. Before starting the engine, be
sure to unplug and store the
cord as it was before to keep it
away from moving engine
parts.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Retained Accessory
Power (RAP)
These vehicle accessories can be
used for up to 10 minutes after the
engine is turned off:
. Audio System
. Power Windows
. Sunroof (if equipped)
These features continue to work up
to 10 minutes after the ignition is
turned to LOCK/OFF.
The power windows and sunroof will
work until any door is opened.
The radio continues to work until the
driver door is opened. All these features operate when the
key is in ON/RUN or ACC/
ACCESSORY.
Shifting Into Park
1. Hold the brake pedal down and
set the parking brake. See
Electric Parking Brake 0215.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by holding in the
button on the shift lever and
pushing the shift lever all the
way toward the front of the
vehicle.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. If equipped, remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave the vehicle with the
ignition key in your hand, the
vehicle is in P (Park).

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-9921197) -
2017 - crc - 3/30/16
210 Driving and Operating
Leaving the Vehicle with the
Engine Running
{Warning
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
It could overheat and catch fire.
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when the
engine is running. If you have left
the engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
SeeShifting Into Park 0209.
If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved the shift lever into P (Park), hold the
regular brake pedal down. Then,
see if you can move the shift lever
away from P (Park) without first
pressing the button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked in
P (Park).
Torque Lock
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force on
the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly, then it is difficult to
shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see
“Shifting Into Park”
listed previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park). If you are towing a trailer and
parking on a hill, see
Driving
Characteristics and Towing
Tips 0243.
Shifting out of Park
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is
designed to:
.
Prevent ignition key removal (if
equipped) unless the shift lever
is in P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released.
. Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park), unless the
ignition is in ON/RUN and the
brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of an
uncharged or low voltage (less than
9-volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. See Jump Starting - North
America 0311.
To shift out of P (Park):