2008 Chevrolet Impala Owner's Manual - Page 229
2008 Chevrolet Impala Manual
Page 229 highlights
Whatever the condition - smooth ice, packed, blowing, or loose snow - drive with caution. If your vehicle has the Traction Control System (TCS), it will improve your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. Even though you have TCS, slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you might want to turn the TCS off, such as when driving through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at lower speeds. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-6. If your vehicle does not have TCS, accelerate gently. 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. Unless your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), you will want to brake very gently, too. If you do have ABS, see Antilock Brake System (ABS) on page 4-4. ABS improves your vehicle's stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Whether your vehicle has ABS or not, begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. Without ABS, if you feel your vehicle begin to slide, let up on the brakes a little. Push the brake pedal down steadily to get the most traction you can. Remember, unless your vehicle has ABS, if you brake so hard that the wheels stop rolling, your vehicle will just slide. Brake so the wheels always keep rolling and you can still steer. • Whatever your vehicle's braking system, allow greater following distance on any slippery road. • Watch for slippery spots. The road might be fine until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches can appear in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass can remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. 4-17