Page 137 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/5/19
136 Climate Controls
on, see“Climate and Air Quality”
under Vehicle Personalization
0 113.
Rear Window Defogger
K:Press to turn the rear window
defogger on or off. An indicator light
on the button comes on to show that
the rear window defogger is on.
The upper region of gridlines on the
rear window are antenna lines and
are not intended to heat when the
defogger is activated.
If equipped with heated outside
mirrors, they turn on with the rear
window defogger and help to clear
fog or frost from the surface of the
mirror. See Heated Mirrors 024.
Caution
Using a razor blade or sharp
object on the inside rear window
can damage the antenna or
defogger. Repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Do not stick anything to the rear
window. Remote Start Climate Control
Operation :
If equipped with remote
start, the climate control system
may run when the vehicle is started
remotely. The system uses the
driver ’s previous settings to heat or
cool the inside of the vehicle. The
rear defog may come on during
remote start based on cold ambient
conditions. The rear defog indicator
light may not come on during a
remote start. The front heated seats
may turn on if it is cold outside. The
heated seat indicator lights may not
come on during a remote start. See
Remote Vehicle Start 014 and
Heated and Ventilated Front Seats
0 40, if equipped.
Sensors
The solar sensor on top of the
instrument panel near the
windshield monitors the solar heat.
The climate control system uses the
sensor information to adjust the
temperature, fan speed,
recirculation, and air delivery mode
for best comfort.
If the sensor is covered, the
automatic climate control system
may not work properly.
Page 138 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/5/19
Climate Controls 137
Air Vents
Center Air Vents
Move the thumbwheels (1) left or
right to open or close off the airflow.
Use the slider knobs (2) on the air
vents to change the direction of the
airflow.Side Air Vents
Move the thumbwheels (1) up or
down to open or close off the
airflow.
Use the slider knobs (2) to change
the direction of the airflow.
Operation Tips
.
Clear away any ice, snow,
or leaves from air inlets at the
base of the windshield that could
block the flow of air into the
vehicle. .
Clear snow off the hood to
improve visibility and help
decrease moisture drawn into
the vehicle.
. Keep all outlets open whenever
possible for best system
performance.
. Keep the paths under all seats
clear of objects to help circulate
the air inside the vehicle more
effectively.
. Use of non-GM approved hood
deflectors can adversely affect
the performance of the system.
. Do not attach any devices to the
air vent louvers. This restricts
airflow and may cause damage
to the air vents.
Page 139 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/5/19
138 Climate Controls
Maintenance
Passenger Compartment
Air Filter
The passenger compartment air
filter reduces dust, pollen, and other
airborne irritants from outside air
that is pulled into the vehicle. The
filter will need to be replaced
periodically. SeeMaintenance
Schedule 0276.
Using the climate control system
without an air filter installed is not
recommended. Water or other
debris could enter the system and
result in leaks or noises. Always
install a new filter when removing
the old filter.
For more information on filter
replacement, see your dealer.
Service
All vehicles have a label underhood
that identifies the refrigerant used in
the vehicle. The refrigerant system
should only be serviced by trained
and certified technicians. The air
conditioning evaporator should
never be repaired or replaced by
one from a salvage vehicle.
It should only be replaced by a new
evaporator to ensure proper and
safe operation.
During service, all refrigerants
should be reclaimed with proper
equipment. Venting refrigerants
directly to the atmosphere is harmful
to the environment and may also
create unsafe conditions based on
inhalation, combustion, frostbite,
or other health-based concerns.
The air conditioning system requires
periodic maintenance. See
Maintenance Schedule 0276.
Page 140 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
Driving and Operating 139
Driving and
Operating
Driving Information
Driving for Better FuelEconomy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Distracted Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Defensive Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Drunk Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141
Control of a Vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Braking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Off-Road Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Loss of Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Driving on Wet Roads . . . . . . . . 144
Hill and Mountain Roads . . . . . 145
Winter Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
If the Vehicle Is Stuck . . . . . . . . 147
Vehicle Load Limits . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Starting and Operating
New Vehicle Break-In . . . . . . . . . 151
Ignition Positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Starting the Engine . . . . . . . . . . . 153
Engine Heater . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Shifting Into Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 Shifting out of Park . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Parking over Things
That Burn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Extended Parking . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Engine Exhaust
Engine Exhaust . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Running the Vehicle While Parked . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Automatic Transmission
Automatic Transmission . . . . . . 158
Manual Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
Brakes
Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Electric Parking Brake . . . . . . . . 161
Brake Assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Hill Start Assist (HSA) . . . . . . . . 163
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control/Electronic Stability Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Cruise Control
Cruise Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Adaptive Cruise Control . . . . . . 167
Driver Assistance Systems
Driver Assistance Systems . . . 174 Assistance Systems for
Parking or Backing . . . . . . . . . . 176
Assistance Systems for Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Forward Collision Alert (FCA)
System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Side Blind Zone Alert (SBZA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
Lane Change Alert (LCA) . . . . . 182
Lane Departure Warning (LDW) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
Fuel
Top Tier Fuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Recommended Fuel . . . . . . . . . . 185
Prohibited Fuels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Fuels in Foreign Countries . . . 186
Fuel Additives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
E85 or FlexFuel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Filling the Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Filling a Portable FuelContainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Trailer Towing
General TowingInformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Driving Characteristics and
Towing Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Trailer Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Page 141 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
140 Driving and Operating
Towing Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Conversions and Add-Ons
Add-On ElectricalEquipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 197
Driving Information
Driving for Better Fuel
Economy
Driving habits can affect fuel
mileage. Here are some driving tips
to get the best fuel economy
possible:
. Set the climate controls to the
desired temperature after the
engine is started, or turn them
off when not required.
. Avoid fast starts and accelerate
smoothly.
. Brake gradually and avoid
abrupt stops.
. Avoid idling the engine for long
periods of time.
. When road and weather
conditions are appropriate, use
cruise control.
. Always follow posted speed
limits or drive more slowly when
conditions require.
. Keep vehicle tires properly
inflated. .
Combine several trips into a
single trip.
. Replace the vehicle's tires with
the same TPC Spec number
molded into the tire's sidewall
near the size.
. Follow recommended scheduled
maintenance.
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, keep
your eyes on the road, keep your
hands on the steering wheel, and
focus your attention on driving.
Page 142 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
Driving and Operating 141
.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 manual for
more information on using that
system and the navigation system,
if equipped, 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 seat belt. See Seat Belts043.
. Assume that other road users
(pedestrians, bicyclists, and
other drivers) are going to be
careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they may do and
be ready. .
Allow enough following distance
between you and the driver in
front of you.
. Focus on the task of driving.
Drunk Driving
Death and injury associated with
drinking and driving is a global
tragedy.
{Warning
Drinking and then driving is very
dangerous. Your reflexes,
perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even
a small amount of alcohol. You
can have a serious —or even
fatal —collision if you drive after
drinking.
Do not drink and drive or ride with
a driver who has been drinking.
Ride home in a cab; or if you are
with a group, designate a driver
who will not drink.
Page 143 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
142 Driving and Operating
Control of a Vehicle
Braking, steering, and accelerating
are important factors in helping to
control a vehicle while driving.
Braking
Braking action involves perception
time and reaction time. Deciding to
push the brake pedal is perception
time. Actually doing it is
reaction time.
Average driver reaction time is
about three-quarters of a second. In
that time, a vehicle moving at
100 km/h (60 mph) travels 20 m
(66 ft), which could be a lot of
distance in an emergency.
Helpful braking tips to keep in mind
include:
.Keep enough distance between
you and the vehicle in front
of you.
. Avoid needless heavy braking.
. Keep pace with traffic. If the engine ever stops while the
vehicle is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. Doing so could make the
pedal harder to push down. If the
engine stops, there will be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop and the
brake pedal will be harder to push.
Steering
Caution
To avoid damage to the steering
system, do not drive over curbs,
parking barriers, or similar objects
at speeds greater than 3 km/h
(1 mph). Use care when driving
over other objects such as lane
dividers and speed bumps.
Damage caused by misuse of the
vehicle is not covered by the
vehicle warranty.
Electric Power Steering
The vehicle has electric power
steering. It does not have power
steering fluid. Regular maintenance
is not required.
If power steering assist is lost due
to a system malfunction, the vehicle
can be steered, but may require
increased effort.
If the steering assist is used for an
extended period of time while the
vehicle is not moving, power assist
may be reduced.
Page 144 of 328

Chevrolet Impala Owner Manual (GMNA-Localizing-U.S./Canada-13688912) -
2020 - CRC - 6/11/19
Driving and Operating 143
If the steering wheel is turned until it
reaches the end of its travel and is
held against that position for an
extended period of time, power
steering assist may be reduced.
Normal use of the power steering
assist should return when the
system cools down.
See your dealer if there is a
problem.
Curve Tips
.Take curves at a reasonable
speed.
. Reduce speed before entering a
curve.
. Maintain a reasonable steady
speed through the curve.
. Wait until the vehicle is out of
the curve before accelerating
gently into the straightaway.
Steering in Emergencies
.There are some situations when
steering around a problem may
be more effective than braking. .
Holding both sides of the
steering wheel allows you to turn
180 degrees without removing
a hand.
. The Antilock Brake System
(ABS) allows steering while
braking.
Off-Road Recovery
The vehicle's right wheels can drop
off the edge of a road onto the
shoulder while driving. Follow
these tips: 1. Ease off the accelerator and
then, if there is nothing in the
way, steer the vehicle so that it
straddles the edge of the
pavement.
2. Turn the steering wheel about one-eighth of a turn, until the
right front tire contacts the
pavement edge.
3. 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.