Chevrolet 2001 Impala User manual

Courtesy
Transportation
Every
2001 Impala
under warranty is
backed with the
following
services:
Free lockout assistance
Free dead-battery assistance
Free out-of-fuel assistance
Free flat-tire change
Emergency towing
1-800-CHEV-USA
( For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
that provides in an emergency:
1-800-CHEV-USA
( For vehicles purchased in Canada,
call
1-800-268-6800)
®

2001 Chevrolet Impala
Owner's Manual
Litho in U.S.A.
Part Number 10421934 A First Edition © Copyright General Motors Corporation 2000 All Rights Reserved i

Table of Contents
Windows
Keys and Door Locks
Remote Keyless Entry System (If Equipped)
Remote Trunk Release
Automatic Transaxle
Parking Brake
Tilt Wheel
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever
Windshield Wipers
Cruise Control (If Equipped)
Exterior and Interior Lamps
Mirrors
Storage Compartments
Trunk Convenience Net (If Equipped)
Accessory Power Outlet/Auxiliary Power Connection
OnStar® System (If Equipped)
Power Sunroof (Option)
HomeLink® Transmitter (Option)
Instrument Panel, Warning Lights and Gages
Driver Information Center (Option)
Seats and Seat Controls
Safety Belts Air Bag Systems Restraint Systems for Children
Section
1
Section
2
Seats and Restraint Systems
Features and Controls
ii

Comfort Controls and Audio Systems
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Defensive Driving
Drunken Driving
Control of a Vehicle
Braking
Steering
Driving Tips for Various Road Conditions
Recreational Vehicle Towing
Loading Your Vehicle
Towing a Trailer
Heating and Air Conditioning
Setting the Radio Clock
Radio/Cassette Player/CD Player
Radio Theft-Deterrent Feature
Steering Wheel Controls (Option)
Hazard Warning Flashers
Jump Starting
Towing Your Vehicle
Engine Overheating
Changing a Flat Tire
If You're Stuck
Problems on the Road
iii
Section
3
Section
4
Section
5
Your Driving and the Road

Table of Contents (cont'd)
Maintenance Schedule
Service and Appearance Care
Section
7
Section
6
Scheduled Maintenance
Owner Checks and Services
Periodic Maintenance Inspections
Recommended Fluids and Lubricants
Maintenance Records
Fuel
Checking Fluids and Lubricants
GM Oil Life System™
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter
Passenger Compartment Air Filter (If Equipped)
Brakes
Bulb Replacement
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement
Tires and Wheels
Appearance Care
Electrical System/Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Capacities and Specifications
Normal Maintenance Replacement Parts
iv

v
Table of Contents (cont'd)
Customer Assistance Information
In the Index you will find an alphabetical listing of almost every subject in this manual.
You can use it to quickly find something you want to read.
Section
8
Customer Satisfaction Procedures
Customer Assistance Offices
Roadside Assistance and Courtesy Transportation
Warranty Information (See Warranty Manual)
Reporting Safety Defects on page 8-10
Service Publications
Index
Section
9
Please refer to the last page of this manual for your Service Station Guide

vi
GENERAL MOTORS, GM, the GM Emblem,
CHEVROLET, the CHEVROLET Emblem and
the name IMPALA are registered trademarks of
General Motors Corporation.
This manual includes the latest information at the time
it was printed. We reserve the right to make changes
after that time without further notice. For vehicles first
sold in Canada, substitute the name “General Motors
of Canada Limited” for Chevrolet Motor Division
whenever it appears in this manual.
Please keep this manual in your vehicle, so it will be
there if you ever need it when you’re on the road.
If you sell the vehicle, please leave this manual in it
so the new owner can use it.
We support voluntary
technician certification.
For Canadian Owners Who Prefer a
French Language Manual:
Aux propriétaires canadiens: Vous pouvez vous
procurer un exemplaire de ce guide en français chez
votre concessionaire ou au:
Helm, Incorporated
P.O. Box 07130
Detroit, MI 48207

vii
How to Use this Manual
Many people read their owner’s manual from beginning
to end when they first receive their new vehicle. If you
do this, it will help you learn about the features and
controls for your vehicle. In this manual, you’ll find
that pictures and words work together to explain
things quickly.
Safety Warnings and Symbols
You will find a number of safety cautions in this book.
We use a box and the word CAUTION to tell you
about things that could hurt you if you were to ignore
the warning.
CAUTION:
These mean there is something that could hurt
you or other people.
In the caution area, we tell you what the hazard is.
Then we tell you what to do to help avoid or reduce the
hazard. Please read these cautions. If you don’t, you or
others could be hurt.
You will also find a circle
with a slash through it in
this book. This safety
symbol means “Don’t,”
“Don’t do this” or “Don’t
let this happen.”

viii
Vehicle Damage Warnings
Also, in this book you will find these notices:
NOTICE:
These mean there is something that could
damage your vehicle.
In the notice area, we tell you about something that
can damage your vehicle. Many times, this damage
would not be covered by your warranty, and it could
be costly. But the notice will tell you what to do to help
avoid the damage.
When you read other manuals, you might see
CAUTION and NOTICE warnings in different colors
or in different words.
You’ll also see warning labels on your vehicle.
They use the same words, CAUTION or NOTICE.

ix
For example,
these symbols
are used on an
original battery:
CAUTION
POSSIBLE
INJURY
PROTECT
EYES BY
SHIELDING
CAUSTIC
BATTERY
ACID COULD
CAUSE
BURNS
AVOID
SPARKS OR
FLAMES
SPARK OR
FLAME
COULD
EXPLODE
BATTERY
These symbols
are important for
you and your
passengers
whenever your
vehicleisdriven:
CHILD
RESTRAINT
TOP STRAP
ANCHOR
DOOR LOCK
UNLOCK
FASTEN
SEAT
BELTS
POWER
WINDOW
AIR BAG
These symbols
have to do with
your lamps:
MASTER
LIGHTING
SWITCH
TURN
SIGNALS
PARKING
LAMPS
HAZARD
WARNING
FLASHER
DAYTIME
RUNNING
LAMPS
FOG LAMPS
These symbols
are on some of
your controls:
WINDSHIELD
WIPER
WINDSHIELD
WASHER
WINDSHIELD
DEFROSTER
REAR
WINDOW
DEFOGGER
VENTILATING
FAN
These symbols
are used on
warning and
indicator lights:
ENGINE
COOLANT
TEMP
BATTERY
CHARGING
SYSTEM
BRAKE
COOLANT
ENGINE OIL
PRESSURE
ANTI-LOCK
BRAKES
Here are some
other symbols
you may see:
FUSE
LIGHTER
HORN
FUEL
Vehicle Symbols
These are some of the symbols you may find on your vehicle. Also see “Warning Lights and Gages” in the Index.

Service Station Guide
Oil Viscosity
Engine Oil
See Section 6
Engine Oil Dipstick
See Section 6
Cooling System
See Section 5
Hood Release
See Section 6
Windshield Washer
Fluid
See Section 6
Spare Tire Pressure
See Section 5
Battery
See Section 6
For
a More
Detailed Look at
What's Under the Hood
See Section 6
Tire Pressure
See Section 6
Fuel
Use unleaded only.
See Section 6
for octane ratings.

1- 1-1
Section 1 Seats and Restraint Systems
Here you’ll find information about the seats in your vehicle and how to use your safety belts properly. You can also
learn about some things you should not do with air bags and safety belts.
1-2 Seats and Seat Controls
1-8 Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
1-13 Here Are Questions Many People Ask
About Safety Belts -- and the Answers
1-14 How to Wear Safety Belts Properly
1-14 Driver Position
1-21 Safety Belt Use During Pregnancy
1-22 Right Front Passenger Position
1-23 Air Bag Systems
1-32 Center Front Passenger Position
1-33 Rear Seat Passengers
1-37 Rear Safety Belt Comfort Guides for
Children and Small Adults
1-39 Children
1-43 Restraint Systems for Children
1-55 Older Children
1-58 Safety Belt Extender
1-58 Checking Your Restraint Systems
1-58 Replacing Restraint System Parts After
a Crash

1-2
Seats and Seat Controls
This section tells you how to adjust the seats and
explains reclining seatbacks and head restraints.
Manual Front Seat
CAUTION:
You can lose control of the vehicle if you try to
adjust a manual driver’s seat while the vehicle is
moving. The sudden movement could startle and
confuse you, or make you push a pedal when you
don’t want to. Adjust the driver’s seat only when
the vehicle is not moving. Liftthe barlocated underthe frontof theseat tounlock it.
Slide the seat to where you want it and release the bar.
Try to move the seat back and forth with your body to
be sure the seat is locked in place.

1-3
6-Way Power Seat (If Equipped)
This switch is designed to control the movements of
your seat cushion. It is located on the outboard side
of the front seats toward the front of the seat cushion.
To adjust the seat cushion, do any of the following:
D Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the
switch to the front or the rear.
D Raise or lower the entire seat cushion by sliding the
switch up or down.
D Raise or lower the front portion of the seat cushion
by sliding the front of the switch up or down.
D Raise or lower the rear portion of the seat cushion
by sliding the rear of the switch up or down.
Manual Lumbar (If Equipped)
The knob that controls this feature is located on the
outboard side of the driver’s seat. Turn the knob toward
the front of the vehicle to increase lumbar support.
Turn the knob toward the rear of the vehicle to decrease
lumbar support.

1-4
Heated Front Seat (Option)
If your vehicle has heated seats, both the driver’s and
passenger’s heated seat switches are on the outboard
sides of the seats near the front.
Press LO to warm the seat to a lower temperature.
Press HI to warm the seat to a higher temperature.
To turn this feature off, place the switch in the
center position.
Reclining Front Seatbacks
Lift the lever to release the seatback, then move the
seatback to where you want it. Release the lever to
lock the seatback in place. Pull up on the lever without
pushing on the seatback, and the seatback will
move forward.

1-5
But don’t have a seatback reclined if your vehicle
is moving.
CAUTION:
Sitting in a reclined position when your vehicle is
in motion can be dangerous. Even if you buckle
up, your safety belts can’t do their job when
you’re reclined like this.
The shoulder belt can’t do its job because it
won’t be against your body. Instead, it will be
in front of you. In a crash you could go into it,
receiving neck or other injuries.
The lap belt can’t do its job either. In a crash
the belt could go up over your abdomen. The belt
forces would be there, not at your pelvic bones.
This could cause serious internal injuries.
For proper protection when the vehicle is in
motion, have the seatback upright. Then sit well
back in the seat and wear your safety belt properly.

1-6
Head Restraints
Slide the head restraint up or down so that the top of the
restraint is closest to the top of your ears. This position
reduces the chance of a neck injury in a crash.
Split Folding Rear Seat (If Equipped)
You can fold either side of the seatback down in your
vehicle for more cargo space. Make sure the front seat
isn’t reclined. If it is, the rear seatback won’t fold down
all the way.
To lower the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Remove the rear center
lap-shoulder belt latch
by using a key to press
the release button.

1-7
2. Pull forward on the seat tab to fold the seat cushion
down. This will allow you direct access to the trunk.
3. Fold the seatback down.
To raise the rear seatback, follow these steps:
1. Raise the seatback up and make sure it latches.
Push and pull on the seatback to be sure it is
locked in position.
2. Reconnect the center
safety belt latch plate
to the buckle.
Make sure the safety belt label is pointing to the release
button, and that both are facing the front of the vehicle.
Make sure the belt is not twisted. Push and pull on the
latch plate to be sure it is secure.

1-8
When the seat is not in use, it should be kept in the
upright locked position. If you plan to load items into
the trunk through the split folding rear seat, you must
first turn off the trunk release sensor. See “Trunk
Release Sensor” in the Index for more information.
CAUTION:
A safety belt that is improperly routed, not
properly attached, or twisted won’t provide the
protection needed in a crash. The person wearing
the belt could be seriously injured. After raising
the rear seatback, always check to be sure that
the safety belts are properly routed and attached,
and are not twisted.
Safety Belts: They’re for Everyone
This part of the manual tells you how to use safety belts
properly. It also tells you some things you should not
do with safety belts.
And it explains the air bag system.
CAUTION:
Don’t let anyone ride where he or she can’t wear
a safety belt properly. If you are in a crash and
you’re not wearing a safety belt, your injuries
can be much worse. You can hit things inside the
vehicle or be ejected from it. You can be seriously
injured or killed. In the same crash, you might
not be if you are buckled up. Always fasten your
safety belt, and check that your passengers’ belts
are fastened properly too.