Chevrolet Impala Complaints (2002)

795 consumer complaints on file.

#11736024May 6, 2026
AIR BAGS
The contact’s son owned a 2002 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the contact was unaware of how the failure occurred; however, the contact’s son was involved in a crash in which the vehicle collided with a wall. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed during the crash. The contact stated that the contact’s son sustained multiple injuries, and medical attention was provided. The contact was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. The contact stated that the injuries included a fractured nose, lacerations to the nose and cheek, a broken right femur, a shattered right knee, collapsed lung, broken ribs, and paralysis on the right side. The contact also stated that the right foot required amputation. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed by an independent mechanic. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11708557January 3, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Fuel system or backfire is what I believe happened to it. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety was severely put at risk because the car exploded and caught fire while I was inside the car and fire came through the dash and air conditioner slots, anything could of happened whether shrapnel or burn. this also put others at risk if my spouse was in the car with me or the apartment complex I live in could have caught fire and endangered multiple people. No the issue has not been seen or confirmed by a dealer or service center. Yes the vehicle has been inspected by state fire marshal. No there was no warning lights or problems at all. We drove the car the night before, everything was normal and nothing was showing on the dash and the next day I jumped in, put my seat belt on and started the car to make sure it was running good and it exploded and caught flames.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662981May 24, 2025
TIRES:VALVE, TIRES:TREAD/BELT, TIRES:SIDEWALL
225/60 R16 tire size valve leak and pushed in slow tire leak
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11662881May 23, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SUSPENSION, WHEELS
Power windows fail at times Blinkers fail at times Front hub assembly damage Front calipers are damaged and affect steering These are available for inspection. There are huge safety risks with all of these compromised issues. Last inspection is unknown. No known warning lamps present.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11596624June 25, 2024
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Transmission hesitates to pull out in drive from a stop
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11573901February 25, 2024
AIR BAGS
I was driving out of supermarket I was alone and the airbags deployed. I was hit hard and had a panic attack. I was able to drive home 14 miles. Windshield busted and dash board totaled Everyone I try to download a picture I'm sent to the begining. I'm going to have pictures on file incase needed. .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489431October 16, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I was driving along when out of no where my trunk opened. I got off the highway and closed it. At that time I was puzzled wondering who had been in my truck to have not closed it correctly. I knew I hadn't been in it in awhile. It wasn't until a few weeks later when the "Service Vehicle Soon" light on my dash came on. I went and had my vehicle scanned and was told about the TrapAlert system in the trunk and that is why my trunk popped open. I realize there was a post about this like a decade ago. But this is happening to me now and I can't find help for this issue anywhere. I've contacted both Chevrolet and GM support online as well as repair shops and no one seems to know what I'm talking about. GM told me they don't keep info on Vehicles older than 10 years. All the information online would suggest there is an actual sensor somewhere in the trunk although extremely vague on where it actually is and that it has a disable switch. Well, we've tore this thing apart only to find out it's some looped wiring that goes into the stereo amp in the trunk. I've yet to see a sensor yet for some reason my vehicle is still giving a single that someone is trapped in the trunk thus, popping the trunk whenever it wants. I've been searching high and low for information and already spent $1100 to repair issues to clear the dash light and nothing seems to work. Just a waste of time and money and considering this happened while I was driving 55mph I would think it obvious that its dangerous. Could we at least get some actual information without having to spend more than the Vehicle is worth. Smh
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11418512May 25, 2021
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
My vehicle caught on fire after I returned from it getting serviced by Pepboys in Phenix City Alabama. My car was only getting serviced for the A/C and once I returned home, my car caught on fire in our drive port.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11373732November 9, 2020
ENGINE, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
I JUST PURCHASED THIS 2002 CHEVY IMPALA WHICH CAME WITH THE IMPORTANT VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL AND I WOULD NEED THE PROBLEM FIXED. NHTSA 15V-701 IM ACTUALLY NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT/
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11362423October 2, 2020
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GAS GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN. I SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OUT OF GAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAD. I WAS STUCK ON THE ROAD. I HAD TO GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. I CHECKED ONLINE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP ON OTHER CHEVY IMPALAS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11343691August 6, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE NEEDED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DENNY MENHOLT CHEVROLET (3000 KING AVE W, BILLINGS, MT 59102) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 279,303.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11340188July 18, 2020
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
HIGH BEAM SWITCH HAS BEEN BROKEN, VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN GOOGLE SEARCHING. NO ONE FIXES IT AS IT IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. CANNOT USE HIGH BEAMS AND MANY PEOPLE ADJUST THE LOW BEAMS HIGHER AS A SOLUTION, WHICH IS BAD FOR EVERYONE. SHOULD BE A RECALL?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11319827March 31, 2020
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
SUPPOSEDLY THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FIXED IN 2003 BUT IT STILL TELLS ME THAT MY COOLANT IS LOW AND IT LEAKS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2019. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAYED SHIFT FROM 1ST TO SECOND.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11289264December 16, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I BOUGHT A 2002 CHEVY IMPALA AND GOT IT LOOKED AT BEFORE PURCHASE THE ONLY THING THAT POPPED UP ON THE CODE READER WAS THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SOMETIMES MY SIGNAL LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES THEY DON'T, MY SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T LIGHT UP OR ANYTHING. I THEN START TO SMELL GAS WHEN I TURN ON THE HEAT OR AIR IT'S UNBEARABLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CHECK FOR ANY RECALLS AND THERE ARE A FEW DEALING WITH THE ENGINE COOLING AND EXHAUST/GAS LEAK ALONG WITH ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THEY SAID THE CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE AT ANY TIME. I HAVE TWO TODDLERS SO THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS IS A SAFE CAR.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11241426August 3, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
TAKARA RECALL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11240441July 29, 2019
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR OF BURNING OIL EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS OIL ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MODERN CHEVROLET (5955 UNIVERSITY PKWY, WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27105 (336) 793-5943) BUT, WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11196031April 13, 2019
ENGINE
ON APRIL 9TH OF 2017, OUR 2002 IMPALA LS WAS BROUGHT IN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED DUE TO THIS RECALL: THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE. THIS WORK WAS DONE IN APRIL 2017: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINES FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINES PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION. SUMMER OF 2017 WE HAD THE OIL AND FILTER REPLACED, AND AFTERWARDS LOTS OF SMOKE CAME FROM ENGINE. WE THOUGHT THE MECHANIC HAD SIMPLY SPILLED SOME OIL ON THE ENGINE. SUMMER OF 2018 OIL AND FILTER WAS CHANGED AND SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WE AGAIN THOUGHT THE MECHANIC HAD SPILLED SOME OIL ON THE ENGINE. IN MARCH OF 2019 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FACING DOWNHILL AT AN ABOVE AVERAGE ANGLE, AND OIL BEGAN TO SEEP OUT OF THE ENGINE AND BURN OF ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD LOTS OF SMOKE AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO BOB MCCOSH, WHO HAD PERFORMED THE ORIGINAL GASKET REPLACEMENT IN 2017, TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK INSPECTED. UPON INSPECTION A PIECE OF GASKET, ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES LONG, WAS FOUND TO BE PROTRUDING FROM BETWEEN THE VALVE COVER AND THE ENGINE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THIS GASKET, THE EDGE OF THE GASKET VISUALLY APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY THE BOLT AS IT WAS TIGHTENED AND THIS EITHER TORE THE GASKET OR WEAKENED IT SUFFICIENTLY SO THAT THE GASKET FAILED. SAID GASKET IS CURRENTLY IN MY POSSESSION. WE KNOW IT FAILED BEFORE THE OIL/FILTER CHANGE IN THE SUMMER OF 2017, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT ISSUED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTERWARDS. THIS RECALL REPAIR LASTED FAR LESS THAN THE 12MONTH/12,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE, TODAY APRIL 2019, STILL HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES SINCE THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK WAS DONE IN MARCH 2017.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11194205April 5, 2019
ENGINE
LAST YEAR I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. SINCE PURCHASING IT, MY CAR ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE RUNNING HOT. MY "CHECK ENGINE COOLANT" LIGHT USE TO COME ON SO OFTEN, I WENT OUT AND PURCHASED ANOTHER RADIATOR HOSE AND CLAMPS AND GOT THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. HOWEVER THE ISSUE WITH MY CAR RUNNING HOT HAS NOT GONE AWAY. I'M SCARED THAT THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAN COOLANT AND IT COULD CREATE A FIRE AND AFTER READING THE RECALL, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11173601February 1, 2019
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, FUEL, AND POWER STEERING FLUID. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11129184September 12, 2018
STRUCTURE:BODY, SEATS
THE SPRING ON THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE NOT VERY HEAVE PEAPLE DRIVING THE CAR. BODY OF THE CAR I HAVE 2 IMPALAS 2002 AND 2004 BOTH ARE RUSTING UNDER THE DOORS AND AT THE QUARTER PANELS I LOOK AT ALL IMPALAS AROUND THE AGE OF BOTH OF MINE AND 90% OF THE ARE RUSTING IN THE SAME SPOTS. MY CARS WERE RUSTPROOFED AND UNDERNEITH IT IS A MESS YOU CANT HARDLY GET A JACK UNDER BOTH OF THEM. I KEEP THEM GARAGE KEPT SINCE WE GOT BOTH OF THE I WILL NEVER OWN A IMPALA AGAIN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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