Chevrolet Impala Complaints (2001)

742 consumer complaints on file.

#10429418October 11, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES
MY CAR WILL NOT START DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH THE PASSKEY/PASSLOCK SYSTEM. IT IS A ANTI THEFT FUNCTION INSTALLED ON SEVERAL OF THE GM MODELS THAT WHEN IT FAILS TO WORK IT ACTUALLY KEEPS THE OWNER FROM USING THE VEHICLE. AFTER GOING ON LINE TO RESEARCH THIS ISSUE I NOTICED THAT THIS WAS A VERY COMMON AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM TO HAVE. IN ADDITION TO GETTING THE SYSTEM FIXED MANY OWNERS SAY THAT AFTER ABOUT 3 OR 4 MONTHS THE PROBLEM COMES BACK AND HAVE EVEN DIED ON THEM AS THEY WERE DRIVING. SOME TRY TO BYPASS THIS SYSTEM AND OTHERS ATTEMPT TO HAVE IT FIXED, BUT REGARDLESS OF HOW THEY DEAL WITH IT, I BELIEVE THAT IT IS THE MANUFACTURES RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES THEY SELL; NOT TO MENTION THAT HONDA WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THEIR VEHICLES AND ISSUED A RECALL. *KB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422933September 1, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON AND CAR WILL NOT START FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10422553August 30, 2011
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
OUR 2001 IMPALA RANDOMLY STARTED HAVING THE ABS/TRACTION LIGHT WARNING COME ON. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS SPONTANEOUS AND WITHOUT WARNING. MY BRAKES LOCK UP WHEN I TRY TO STOP, WHEN IN A COMPLETE STOP AND I PRESS THE GAS THE BRAKES MAKE THE CAR HESITATE TO MOVE FORWARD, WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE THE CAR SPUTTERS THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND I FEEL LIKE I'M DRIVING ON ICE. I HONESTLY DO NOT KNOW WHEN OR IF MY CAR IS ACTUALLY GOING TO STOP OR EVEN MOVE FORWARD WHILE I AM ON THE ROAD. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW AND I HAVE HAD IT LOOKED AT BY TWO DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT SHOPS AND HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS JUST TO GET AN IDEA OF WHAT THEY THINK IS WRONG. I HAVE SPENT AROUND $1000.00 IN REPAIRS AND HAVING IT DIAGNOSED. NOTHING HAS PREVENTED THE ABS/TRACTION ERROR FROM OCCURRING IMMEDIATELY AFTER EACH FIX. THIS PROBLEM HAS GOT TO BE ANNOUNCED AND FIXED BY CHEVROLET IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE OR AN ENTIRE FAMILY GETS HURT OR EVEN KILLED. IF I WAS THE ONLY FLUKE THEN I WOULD UNDERSTAND BUT THERE ARE THOUSANDS WITHIN THE 2001-2005 RANGE THAT HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM. DON'T BE LIKE TOYOTA AND WAIT TIL NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE DIED TO FIX A SIMPLE PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10420991August 22, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD DISPLAY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL LEVEL WAS MORE THAN THE CAPACITY IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 10/4/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER FILLING THE TANK TO CAPACITY, THE GAUGE WOULD ONLY READ 1/4 TANK TO 3/4 FULL. UPDATED 10/24/11
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10417134August 4, 2011
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION
1. THERE WERE REALLY NO EVENTS THAT LED UP TO THE FAILURE. 2. THE ABS SYSTEM STARTED ENGAGING AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES (WHEN TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT WARRANTED--COMPLETELY DRY). THIS STARTED OUT SPORADICALLY BUT HAS SINCE BECOME DAILY. AT FIRST, JUST THE ABS ENGAGED AND THE "TRACTION ACTIVE" LIGHT ILLUMINATED. NOW, IT WILL CAUSE THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO DISARM ITSELF AND THE "SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" LIGHT WILL ILLUMINATE. 3. THE FRONT HUB ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED 4 TIMES WITH 4 DIFFERENT PARTS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10416298July 29, 2011
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
TURN/ HAZARD SIGNALS INTERMITTENLY MALFUNCTION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10410751July 6, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I PURCHASED A USED 2001 IMPALA WITH A LITTLE OVER 145K MILES ON IT IN NOVEMBER 2010. IT DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. NO PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY IT HAD COOLING ISSUES AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE TO REPLACE SUCH PARTS ON A USED VEHICLE. THE REAL ISSUES BEGAN IN THE SPRING WHENEVER MY CAR STARTED TO DISPLAY SECURITY WARNINGS, BATTERY WARNINGS, AND SERVICE VEHICLE WARNINGS FOR NO REASON. I COULD FIND NO MECHANIC OR ELECTRICIAN WHO COULD DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. EVENTUALLY, THE PROBLEMS BECAME WORSE: THE BLINKERS WOULD NOT WORK, MY ODOMETER, TEMPERATURE, AND FUEL GAUGE ALL QUIT WORKING. MY AIR-CONDITIONER WOULD NO LONGER COOL. THE RADIO "LOCKED". AND WHENEVER I APPLIED THE BRAKES, AN ELECTRONIC "POP" WAS AUDIBLE. CHEVY DEALERSHIPS ARE LEFT WITH THE EXHAUSTIBLE TASK OF DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES--WHEN THEY ARE NOT THEIR FAULT, BUT THE MANUFACTURERS. A QUICK SEARCH ONLINE WILL REVEAL THAT IMPALAS ARE PLAGUED WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FROM THE BODY CONTROL MODULE TO FAULTY AMPS IN THE TRUNK. IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE SO WIDESPREAD, WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN AN EFFORT BY THE MANUFACTURER TO HELP FIND A SOLUTION? IT'S QUESTIONS LIKE THESE THAT MAKE ME WONDER WHY OUR GOVERNMENT BAILED OUT A COMPANY THAT CAN'T STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT--OR EVEN CORRECT A VERY SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM IN THEIR VEHICLES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10409952June 25, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
PROBLEM: THE GAS METER IS NOT ACCURATE, IT GIVES ME FALSE READINGS WHICH RESULT IN ME RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR OVER FILL MY GAS TANK. I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE! THE GAS METER USUALLY READS FULL BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. WHILE DRIVING THE GAS METER WANDERS BACK AND FORTH FROM FULL TO EMPTY. I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR FAR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. PLEASE HELP ME!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10408668June 23, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TROUBLE STARTING MY 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA., I TRY TO START MY CAR AND IT WONT START, SECURITY LIGHT POPS ON AND WONT LET ME START MY CAR. CAR HAS LEFT ME STRANDED AND LATE MANY TIMES. IF I WAIT 15MIN-1HR I CAN THEN GET THE CAR TO START. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND MANY GM VEHICLES HAVE IT. THEY NEED TO PUT OUT A RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10408593June 22, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
AS I'VE FOUND FROM MANY OTHER FOLKS THROUGH THE INTERNET AND IN PERSON, THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM IN MY 2001 IMPALA IS FAULTY AND DANGEROUS! THE BEST CASE SCENARIO THE ENGINE WON'T START AND WHEN YOU COME BACK 15 MINUTES LATER IT STARTS JUST FINE ASSUMING YOU ARE IN THE COMFORTS OF YOUR OWN LIVING SPACE. WHEN ON THE ROAD THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM!! ALSO, MY WIFE RECENTLY WAS DRIVING THROUGH AND INTERSECTION AND THE VEHICLE JUST QUIT! SAME ISSUE. WAIT AND IT STARTS!!! NOW IN THIS CASE THERE WASN'T AND ACCIDENT, BUT VERY EASILY COULD HAVE BEEN!! CARS DYING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN IS NOT MY IDEA OF A SAFE VEHICLE!!! SINCE THAT EPISODE, WE'VE HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT, BUT NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I'M NOW 100% SURE IT'S THE PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. ONCE AGAIN, THIS VERY MORNING WE WENT TO DROP KIDS AT DAYCARE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START............WAIT 15 MINUTES AND IT STARTS JUST FINE. THERE IS AND OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES AND THEY NEED TO BE ADDRESSED!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10406875June 14, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE PRESENT BUT A REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED THAT SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRE, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) WHICH ADVISED OF THE POTENTIAL OF AN ENGINE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 173,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10404023June 1, 2011
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT FIRE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT COULD NOT FIND THE ORIGIN OF IT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. A REPORT WAS FILE WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,598.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10404117June 1, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS. ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START IF IS SITS A NUMBER OF HOUSE I.E. OVERNIGHT. TOOK VEHICLE FOR SERVICING TO DEALER THEY TRIED TWICE AND THEY CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. TOOK THE CAR TO CHEVY DEALER THEY DISCONNECTED CAR ALARM SYSTEM ONLY FOR THE PROBLEM TO STILL EXIST. I WORK NIGHTS I CRIED BECAUSE OF BEING STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ALONE. HOW COULD THIS BE AND GM NOT DOING ANYTHING TO HELP. SO MANY COMPLAINTS AND STILL NO ACTION. I WILL TRY TO CONTACT TO SEE IF ASSISTANCE CAN BE GIVEN. IF NOT I WILL MAKE IT MY PERSONAL MISSION TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERYDAY NOW AND I AM BEYOND FED UP. THE ALTERNATOR, TWO BATTERIES, STARTER, CONTROL MODULE, AND FUSES WERE REPLACED AND YET EXPERTS CANNOT FIX THE PROBLEM. GM SHOULD BE ASHAMED I TAKING A PLAN OF ACTION TO CONTACT MY LOCAL NEWS STATION AND BBB. THIS IS NOT FAIR AND NOT CUSTOMER SERVICE. AS A RESULT MY CHILDREN HAVE BEEN LATE TO SCHOOL AND MISSED SCHOOL, I HAVE BEEN LATE TO WORK AND MISSED WORK. THIS CAR HAS BEEN A CURSE AND I WOULD SELL THE VEHICLE BUT I CANNOT IMAGINE DISADVANTAGING SOMEONE ELSE AS IT HAS BEEN DONE TO ME. MAY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10403756May 31, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
BOUGHT MY CHEVY 2001 IMPALA MAY 2010 AT 114,000 MILES. A WEEK LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR. CAR RAN FINE, CHANGED THE MAF IN FEBRUARY 2011 AS THE CAR BEGAN TO CHUG AT STOP LIGHTS. A WEEK LATER THE CAR STALLED ON THE WAY HOME AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF DRIVING. HAD SPARK PLUGS, FILTERS, FLUIDS, TPS SENSOR (TWICE), CRANK SHAFT SENSOR AND IGNITION MODULE CHANGED. CAR IS NOW CHUGGING, STALLS OUT, AFTER STALLING THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK FOR A WHILE AND HAS TROUBLE CLIMBING TALL HILLS (DOES NOT ACCELERATE). THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON OCCASIONALLY AND IT READS THE TPS SENSOR IS BAD. CHECKED THE WIRES NEAR THE TPS SENSOR AND MAF SENSOR NOTING WHEN TOUCHING WIRES THE IDLE OF THE CAR INCREASES. COME TO FIND OUT THERE WAS A COMPARTMENT FIRE BEFORE I HAD BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT APPEARS SOME WIRES WERE SPLICED. IN PROCESS TO CHANGE THE WIRING HARNESS. UNSURE IF THIS WILL FIX THE PROBLEMS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10403650May 28, 2011
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CHEVROLET IMPALA LS 2001 HAVE A DEFECT WHERE THE GAS GAUGE MOVES UP AND DOWN CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE! YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE. WHICH LEADS TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR OVER FILLING. I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE FIX. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT ITS JUST A DEFECT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10400957May 15, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
FOR THE THIRD TIME A POWER WINDOW "REGULATOR CABLE" HAS BROKEN IN MY CAR, TWICE IN THE DRIVER DOOR (9/29/04 AND 5/15/11) AND ONCE IN THE PASSENGER DOOR (09/15/09), EACH TIME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A STREET OR HIGHWAY. NOTHING NOTICEABLE BEFORE WINDOWS DROPPED. HAD TO DRIVE IT TO A DEALER (ONCE FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES). COST OF REPAIRS WERE AS HIGH AS $433. I HAVE OWNED THIS CAR SINCE 11/2001. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10399787May 10, 2011
INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; THE CODES DISPLAYED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10399148May 4, 2011
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ENGINE JUST CUTS OUT. WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AT A LIGHT THE ENGINE WOULD JUST CUT OUT WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE IS NO ENGINE CODES, ENGINE JUST DIES. SOMETIMES IT IS A PAIN TRYING TO STAR THE ENGINE WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10394368April 6, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES
VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT TIMES. SECURITY SYSTEM THINKS YOU'RE STEALING THE CAR. YOU HAVE TO WAIT TEN OR SO MINUTES TILL THE BYPASS SECURITY SYSTEM RESETS ITSELF LEAVING YOU STRANDED TILL YOU GET A RESTART. WORN CONTACTS ON THE IGNITION SWITCH ARE NOT RECOGNIZING YOUR KEY. HAD IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AND PROBLEM HAS RETURNED. SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY COMMON ON GM CARS '99 TO '05. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10393489March 27, 2011
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2001 IMPALA'S RIGHT REAR TURN AND BRAKE LIGHT STOP WORKING. I CHECKED FOR VOLTAGE AT THE RIGHT REAR LIGHT. NO VOLTAGE WAS PRESENT BUT I HAD A GOOD GROUND. I STARTED TO CHECK THE HARNESS BACK TRACKING THE CIRCUIT TO THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH, THE HARNESS WAS GOOD. I REMOVED THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH AND NOTICED A LOT OF GREASE FROM THE COLUMN. I CLEANED THE SWITCH AND ASSEMBLED IT BACK TOGETHER. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO AND ONCE AGAIN THE RR TURN SIGNAL STOP WORKING. I PRICED A SWITCH FOR MY IMPALA FROM MY LOCAL PARTS DEALER, IT WAS OVER $300. I RESEARCHED TO SEE IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND WAS SURPRISED ON HOW MANY INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED. I THINK GM NEED TO BACK UP THEIR CARS AND CONSIDER THIS AS A SAFETY RECALL.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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