Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
Driving and Operating 215
Making TurnsCaution
Turn more slowly and make wider
arcs when towing a trailer to
prevent damage to your vehicle.
Making very sharp turns could
cause the trailer to contact the
vehicle.
Make wider turns than normal when
towing, so trailer will not go over soft
shoulders, over curbs, or strike road
signs, trees, or other objects.
Always signal turns well in advance.
Do not steer or brake suddenly.
Driving on Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower
gear before starting down a long or
steep downhill grade. If the
transmission is not shifted down, the
brakes may overheat and result in
reduced braking efficiency. The vehicle can tow in D (Drive).
Shift the transmission to a lower
gear if the transmission shifts too
often under heavy loads and/or hilly
conditions.
When towing at higher altitudes,
engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at lower altitudes.
If the engine is turned off
immediately after towing at high
altitude on steep uphill grades, the
vehicle could show signs similar to
engine overheating. To avoid this,
let the engine run, preferably on
level ground, with the transmission
in P (Park) for a few minutes before
turning the engine off. If the
overheat warning comes on, see
Engine Overheating
0237.Parking on Hills
{Warning
To prevent serious injury or death,
always park your vehicle and
trailer on a level surface when
possible. When parking your vehicle and your
trailer on a hill:
1. Press the brake pedal, but do not shift into P (Park) yet. Turn
the wheels into the curb if
facing downhill or into traffic if
facing uphill.
2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels.
3. When the wheel chocks are in place, gradually release the
brake pedal to allow the chocks
to absorb the load of the trailer.
4. Reapply the brake pedal. Then apply the parking brake and
shift into P (Park).
5. Release the brake pedal.
Leaving After Parking on a Hill
1. Apply and hold the brake pedal.
.Start the engine.
. Shift into a gear.
. Release the parking brake.
2. Let up on the brake pedal.
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
216 Driving and Operating
3. Drive slowly until the trailer isclear of the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.
Maintenance when Trailer
Towing
The vehicle needs service more
often when used to tow trailers. See
Maintenance Schedule 0301. It is
especially important to check the
automatic transmission fluid, engine
oil, axle lubricant, belts, cooling
system, and brake system before
and during each trip.
Check periodically that all nuts and
bolts on the trailer hitch are tight.
Engine Cooling when Trailer
Towing
The cooling system may temporarily
overheat during severe operating
conditions. See Engine Overheating
0 237.
Trailer Towing
Caution
Towing a trailer improperly can
damage the vehicle and result in
costly repairs not covered by the
vehicle warranty. To tow a trailer
correctly, follow the directions in
this section and see your dealer
for important information about
towing a trailer with the vehicle.
Trailer Weight
{Warning
Never exceed the towing capacity
for your vehicle.
Safe trailering requires monitoring
the weight, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature,
dimensions of the front of the trailer,
and how frequently the vehicle is
used to tow a trailer. Before towing a trailer, always
separately weigh:
.
fully loaded vehicle and trailer
combination
. the trailer
. the trailer tongue
{Warning
You and others could be seriously
injured or killed if the trailer is too
heavy or the trailer brakes are
inadequate for the load. The
vehicle may be damaged, and the
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty.
Only tow a trailer if all the steps in
this section have been followed.
Ask your dealer for advice and
information about towing a trailer.
Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR)
For information about the vehicle's
maximum load capacity, see Vehicle
Load Limits 0168. When calculating
the GVWR with a trailer attached,
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
218 Driving and Operating
Towing Equipment
Hitches
Always use the correct hitch
equipment for your vehicle.
Crosswinds, large trucks going by,
and rough roads can affect the
trailer and the hitch.
Never attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches. Only use
frame-mounted hitches that do not
attach to the bumper.
Always seal any holes in your
vehicle if the trailer hitch removed.
If not sealed, dirt, water, and carbon
monoxide (CO) from the exhaust
may enter your vehicle. SeeEngine
Exhaust 0179.
Consider using mechanical sway
controls with any trailer. Ask a
trailering professional about sway
controls or refer to the trailer
manufacturer's recommendations
and instructions.
Tires
. Do not tow a trailer while using a
compact spare tire on the
vehicle.
. Tires must be properly inflated to
support loads while towing a
trailer. See Tires0256 for
instructions on proper tire
inflation.
Safety Chains
Always attach chains between the
vehicle and the trailer, and attach
the chains to the holes on the trailer
hitch platform. Instructions about
safety chains may be provided by
the hitch manufacturer or by the
trailer manufacturer.
Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer to help prevent
the tongue from contacting the road
if it becomes separated from the
hitch. Always leave just enough
slack so the combination can turn.
Never allow safety chains to drag on
the ground.
Trailer Brakes
State or local regulations may
require trailers to have their own
braking system if the loaded weight
of the trailer exceeds certain
minimums that can vary from state
to state. Read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
they are installed, adjusted, and
maintained properly. Never attempt
to tap into your vehicle's hydraulic
brake system. If you do, both the
vehicle anti-lock brakes and the
trailer brakes may not function,
which could result in a crash.
Turn Signals When Towing a
Trailer
When properly connected, the trailer
turn signals should will illuminate to
indicate the vehicle is turning,
changing lanes, or stopping. When
towing a trailer, the arrows on the
instrument cluster will illuminate
even if the trailer is not properly
connected or the bulbs are
burned out.
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
Driving and Operating 219
Trailer Tires
Special Trailer (ST) tires differ from
vehicle tires. Trailer tires are
designed with stiff sidewalls to help
prevent sway and to support heavy
loads. These features can make it
difficult to determine if the trailer tire
pressures are low only based on a
visual inspection.
Always check all trailer tire
pressures before each trip when the
tires are cool. Low trailer tire
pressure is a leading cause of trailer
tire blow-outs.
Trailer tires deteriorate over time.
The trailer tire sidewall will show the
week and year the tire was
manufactured. Many trailer tire
manufacturers recommend
replacing tires more than six
years old.Overloading is another leading
cause of trailer tire blow-outs. Never
load your trailer with more weight
than the tires are designed to
support. The load rating is located
on the trailer tire sidewall.
Always know the maximum speed
rating for the trailer tires before
driving. This may be significantly
lower than the vehicle tire speed
rating. The speed rating may be on
the trailer tire sidewall. If the speed
rating is not shown, the default
trailer tire speed rating is 105 km/h
(65 mph).
Conversions and
Add-Ons
Add-On Electrical
Equipment
{Warning
The Data Link Connector (DLC) is
used for vehicle service and
Emission Inspection/Maintenance
testing. See
Malfunction
Indicator Lamp (Check Engine
Light) 0122. A device connected
to the DLC —such as an
aftermarket fleet or
driver-behavior tracking device —
may interfere with vehicle
systems. This could affect vehicle
operation and cause a crash.
Such devices may also access
information stored in the vehicle’s
systems.
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
Vehicle Care 221
Vehicle Care
General Information
General Information . . . . . . . . . . 222
California Proposition65 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
California Perchlorate Materials Requirements . . . . . 223
Accessories and Modifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Vehicle Checks
Doing Your OwnService Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Engine Compartment Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
Engine Oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Engine Oil Life System . . . . . . . 230
Automatic Transmission Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter . . . . . . 232
Cooling System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Engine Overheating . . . . . . . . . . 237
Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Washer Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
Brakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Brake Fluid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240 Battery - North America . . . . . . 241
Starter Switch Check . . . . . . . . . 242
Automatic Transmission Shift
Lock Control Function
Check . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check . . . . . . . . . . 243
Wiper Blade Replacement . . . . 243
Windshield Replacement . . . . . 244
Gas Strut(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244
Headlamp Aiming
Headlamp Aiming . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Bulb Replacement
Bulb Replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Halogen Bulbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
LED Lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246
Headlamps, Front Turn Signal, Sidemarker, and Parking
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps, and Back-Up
Lamps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
License Plate Lamp . . . . . . . . . . 249
Electrical System
High Voltage Devices and Wiring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Electrical System Overload . . . 250
Fuses and Circuit Breakers . . . 251
Engine Compartment Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Instrument Panel Fuse
Block . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Wheels and Tires
Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256
All-Season Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257
Winter Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Low-Profile Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Summer Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
Tire Sidewall Labeling . . . . . . . . 259
Tire Designations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Tire Terminology andDefinitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Tire Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
Tire Pressure for High-Speed Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Pressure Monitor System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Tire Pressure Monitor Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Tire Inspection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Tire Rotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
When It Is Time for New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
Buying New Tires . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Different Size Tires and Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273
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222 Vehicle Care
Uniform Tire QualityGrading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Wheel Alignment and Tire Balance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Wheel Replacement . . . . . . . . . . 276
Tire Chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
If a Tire Goes Flat . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
Tire Changing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278
Compact Spare Tire . . . . . . . . . . 283
Jump Starting
Jump Starting - North
America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Towing the Vehicle
Towing the Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Recreational VehicleTowing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 287
Appearance Care
Exterior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Interior Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
Floor Mats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 297
General Information
For service and parts needs, visit
your dealer. You will receive
genuine GM parts and GM-trained
and supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of
these marks:
California Proposition
65 Warning
{Warning
Most motor vehicles, including
this one, as well as many of its
service parts and fluids, contain
and/or emit chemicals known to
the State of California to cause
cancer and birth defects or other
reproductive harm. Engine
exhaust, many parts and
systems, many fluids, and some
component wear by-products
contain and/or emit these
chemicals. For more information
go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/
passenger-vehicle.
See Battery - North America 0241
and Jump Starting - North America
0 284 and the back cover.
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
Vehicle Care 225
Engine Compartment Overview
2.5L L4 Engine
Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-12146115) -
2019 - crc - 8/27/18
226 Vehicle Care
1.Engine Air Cleaner/Filter 0232.
2. Engine Cover.
3. Engine Oil Fill Cap. See Engine Oil 0228.
4. Engine Oil Dipstick. See Engine Oil 0228.
5. Engine Cooling Fans (Out of View). See Cooling System
0 233.
6. Transmission Fluid Cap. See Automatic Transmission Fluid
0231.
7. Brake Fluid Reservoir. See Brake Fluid 0240.
8. Coolant Surge Tank and Pressure Cap. See Cooling
System 0233.
9. Battery (Under Cover). See Battery - North America 0241.
10. Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir. See Washer Fluid
0 238.
11. Engine Compartment Fuse
Block 0251.