Chevrolet Impala Complaints (2004)
1,074 consumer complaints on file.
- #10258416February 11, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER IS GIVING FALSE READINGS. GAUGE WILL NOT GO DOWN PAST 60MPH EVEN WHEN PARKED AND TURNED OFF. RECENTLY BOUGHT CAR USED FROM A FRIEND WHO ALSO COMPLAINED OF THIS PROBLEM. SPEEDOMETER GOES HAYWIRE FREQUENTLY. LUCKILY I HAVE NOT BEEN PULLED OVER. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM DUE TO LACK OF MONEY FOR REPAIRS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10258419February 11, 2009EXTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
DRIVING ON A DARK RURAL ROAD AT NIGHT AND TRIED TO PUT MY LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM. THE LIGHTS WENT TOTALLY OUT WHEN I TRIED TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM. PREVIOUSLY DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS THEY HAVE FLICKERED WHEN I WENT TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM BUT DID NOT GO TOTALLY OUT. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL MORE TIMES TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT TOTALLY EACH TIME SO I DO NOT DARE TO TRY TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM NOW AT ALL. I HAVE CALLED A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. THEY SAY THEY WILL HAVE TO TEST THE CAR FIRST THEN TAKE THE STEERING COLUMN APART AND PROBABLY REPLACE THE SWITCH. ESTIMATED COST UP TO $1000.00 MY CAR HAS ONLY 27,499 MILES ON IT AND I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN 2004. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10258177February 10, 2009VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING ON THE OPEN HIGHWAY, THE SPEED ODOMETER INCORRECTLY RECORDS THE SPEED. IT WILL GET STUCK AT A NUMBER HIGHER THAN ZERO, EG. SPEED ODOMETER SHOWS 60 YET RATE OF SPEED MAY ONLY BE 40, THUS CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON THE INTERNET. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10258194February 10, 2009AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PUSHED HER INTO A METAL POLE. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT AND ANOTHER OCCUPANT WERE INJURED, ALTHOUGH BOTH WERE WEARING THEIR SEATS BELTS AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND HAD TO BE TOWED FROM THE SCENE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
- Crash:
- Yes
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 2
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10258224February 10, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER DIAL SUDDENLY BEGAN TO RISE. THE DIAL DID NOT STOP AND WENT INTO THE HUNDREDS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REALLY ONLY TRAVELING AT AN ESTIMATED SPEED OF 35 MPH. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE DIAL DID NOT MOVE. AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE DIAL BEGAN TO DROP AND EVENTUALLY WENT BACK TO ZERO. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEEPER MOTOR CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH HAS NOT YET BEEN DONE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE CONTACT FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME DEFECT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,000.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10258070February 9, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT RECORD THE PROPER SPEED. THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED AT LEAST 30 MILES BELOW THE TRAVELED SPEED, OR IT WOULD READ OVER 100 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS REALLY TRAVELING LESS THAN 50 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSUME LIABILITY OR ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,500. UPDATED 03-06-09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SPEEDOMETER INITIALLY WOULD FAIL OCCASIONALLY OR GIVE FALSE READINGS. SOON AFTER, IS STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. UPDATED 03/11/09. *JB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10257523February 5, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER IN 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA STARTED ACTING ERRATIC, DISPLAYING IMPROPER SPEED AND THEN FALLING OVER TO ZERO OR 5 MPH INDICATION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10257350February 3, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING TO CHICAGO THE TACHOMETER WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE RED. AFTER PULLING OVER TO CONFIRM THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING HOT, I FOUND THAT I COULD RESET THE GAUGE BY SLOWLY TURNING THE KEY ON AND OFF TO THE ACCESSORY POSITION; UNTIL THE NEEDLE REACHED ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SPORADICALLY FOR A MONTH OR SO, AND THEN I NOTICED I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER WAS ONLY READING 30 MILES PER HOUR. I HAD PREVIOUSLY USED MY CRUISE CONTROL AT THE SET SPEED, AND WAS ABLE TO USE THE 'RESUME' BUTTON TO GIVE ME AN APPROXIMATION OF HOW FAST I WAS CURRENTLY GOING. THIS ALLOWED ME TO GET HOME SAFELY. AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO RESET THE SPEEDOMETER BY TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO THE ON AND OFF POSITION. THE NEXT FAILURE CAME SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WITH THE GAS GAUGE. KNOWING THAT IT WAS A FULL TANK, IT WAS READING EMPTY; AGAIN BEING RESET WITH THE ON/OFF OF THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO GET THESE SAFETY ISSUES TAKEN CARE OF, AND WAS INFORMED THIS WAS GOING TO COST ME $600 BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY... IT ONLY HAS 40K MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS THROUGH CHEVROLET EVER SINCE THEN, AND THEY AGREED TO PAY 1/2. THIS ONLY LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS INDEED A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I CAN'T DRIVE A VEHICLE WITHOUT A SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, OR GAS GAUGE, AND I CAN ONLY WONDER HOW MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS ARE OUT THERE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THIS SAME SITUATION. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10257259February 2, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER ON 2004 IMPALA STOPS WORKING--FREEZES UP. HAVE TO STOP CAR AND ABOUT 15 TO 30 MINUTES FOR SPEEDOMETER TO WORK. THIS MALFUNCTION OF THE SPEEDOMETER IS OCCURRING MORE AND MORE. DEALER AND CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. GM ISSUED A BULLETIN #07187B STATING THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THIS PROBLEM ON 2003-2004CHEVROLET AVALANCHE,SILVERADO,SUBURBAN,TAHOE ALONG WITH GMC SIERRA,YUKON ETC. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THE 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT THEY ISSUED AS IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE OTHER VEHICLES.(DEFINITELY A SAFETY PROBLEM) PLEASE HELP ME. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10256566January 28, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ALL THREE GAUGES IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAVE CEASED FUNCTIONING. AT FIRST, THE DEFECT AFFECTED ONLY THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. FINALLY, THE PROBLEM ALSO AFFECTED THE FUEL GAUGE WHICH NO LONGER FUNCTIONS EITHER. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10256252January 25, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
ON DECEMBER 23RD WHILE DOING NORMAL DRIVING AROUND TOWN MY SPEEDOMETER STUCK AT 50MPH. I WAS MOMENTS EARLIER GOING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35. AT A COMPLETE STOP IT RAISED TO 60 AND REMAINED STUCK THERE. THROUGH RESEARCH ONLINE I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 396000+ POSTS AND COMPLAINTS REGISTERED ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I FOUND MANY POSSIBLE TEMPORARY "FIXES" AND ONE DID WORK UNTIL TODAY. WHILE AGAIN NORMAL DRIVING MY SPEEDOMETER DROPPED FROM 35MPH TO 0 AND IS NOW STUCK THERE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD FOR DRIVERS, MYSELF AND THOSE AROUND SUCH VEHICLES. A RECALL SHOULD BE DEMANDED. MY CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS UP TO THIS POINT. IT HAS 70,000+ MILES AND HAS HAD REGULAR SERVICING AND NO OTHER GAUGE PROBLEM SO FAR. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255853January 21, 2009EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT MY HIGH BEAMS WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. IF I HIT THE DIM/BRIGHT SWITCH, THE LOW BEAMS WILL COME BACK ON. I HAVE TRIED TAKING THE LIGHTS OFF OF THE AUTOMATIC SETTING BUT IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE LIGHTS ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255751January 20, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I HAVE A 2004 IMPALA. MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED ACTING CRAZY ONE DAY AND NOW DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. I THOUGHT I COULD DIAGNOSE THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND FIX IT MYSELF. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND WHY THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255531January 19, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
2004 CHEVY IMPALA... APPROX 80,000 MILES - TACHOMETER & SPEEDOMETER ACTING WEIRD. APPARENTLY THIS IS KNOWN PROBLEM... GM SHOULD RECALL! *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255477January 18, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
INTERMITTENT VECHILE SPEEDOMETER. & TACHOMETER STARTING TWO DAYS AGO, THE SPEEDOMETER ON THIS VECHILE STARTED ACTING ODD. AFTER TURNING A CURVE, THE SPEEDOMETER ROSE TO 70MPH AND REMAINDED THERE. HAD TO TURN MY KEY FROM THE ON TO OFF POSITION MANY TIMES TO GET IT TO RESET. HOWEVER THIS FIX ONLY WORKED FOR A FEW MINUTES. I AM AFRAID THAT IF I CONTINUE TO DO THE KEY CYCLE, MY STARTER WILL BE WORN OUT. ACCORDING TO A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP, THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS WILL BE $600. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN BROUGHT UP TO THE ATTENTION OF GM FOR A RECALL. MANY PEOPLE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO DO SO; HOWEVER, GM DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE. THIS TYPE OF ISSUE CAN CAUSE MANY ISSUES UP TO AND INCLUDING ROAD HAZARDS. IT WOULD BE WISE FOR GM TO PLACE OUT A RECALL FOR THIS. I WILL BE COLLECTING EMAILS FOR THIS AT THE FOLLOWING E-MAIL ADDY: *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255418January 17, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER IN 2004 IMPALA GOING HAYWIRE. NOT READING CORRECTLY. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255453January 17, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
I OWN A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA V6. ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED ACTING UP. IT WOULD READ 30 WHEN I WAS STOPPED, OR 15 WHEN I WAS DOING ABOUT 60. SPEED READINGS ARE COMPLETELY RANDOM WHILE DRIVING NOW. IT VERY SELDOMLY WORKS CORRECTLY AND "TICKS" WHEN IT TRIES TO RESET. TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED ACTING THE SAME WAY AND IS PERMANENTLY STUCK WELL PAST THE OVERHEATING MARK. RECENTLY, MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS ALSO PERMANENTLY TURNED ON AND REMAINS LIT EVERY TIME I DRIVE. I HAVE INCLUDED A LINK TO A DISCUSSION BOARD WITH COMPLAINTS FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM FOR THE SAME YEAR/MODEL. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AS IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH CHEVROLET IS AVOIDING RECALLS FOR DANGEROUS INCIDENTS IN THE WAKE OF THE CURRENT STATE OF OUR ECONOMY! THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP WITH THIS MATTER. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/IMPALA/2004/ACCESSORIES-INTERIOR/SPEEDOMETER_GONE_HAYWIRE.SHTML. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255365January 16, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO, MY TEMP GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. NOW MY TACHOMETER EITHER SHOWS "0" WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR IT WILL GO UP TO AROUND "4". MY CAR IS A 2004 IMPALA SS INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDWAY LIMITED EDITION NOW HAVING CLOSE TO 80,000 MILES. PROBLEM W TEMP GAUGE STARTED AROUND 50,000 MILES. CHEVROLET NEEDS TO RECALL THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANELS OF ALL 2003 - 2006 MODELS WITH SO MANY COMPLAINTS. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10255269January 15, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I BOUGHT A 2004 CHEVY IMPALA DROVE IT LESS THEN ONE YEAR WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO NOT WORK. IT STARTED OUT BY GIVING A HIGH TEMP. READING THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD NOT GO BACK DOWN TO 0 WHEN STOPPED. WHEN THE CAR DROVE AGAIN THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD INCREASE WHERE IT LEFT OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESET THE SPEEDOMETER BY TURNING THE IGNITION TO ACCESSORY THEN OFF THEN BACK ON; IT WOULD GO DOWN IN SMALL INCREMENTS. THIS TEMPORARY FIX IS NO LONGER WORKING AND THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. I HAVE GONE TO NUMEROUS WEBSITES AND THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS CAR ONCE THE MILEAGE REACHES ABOVE 50000. I WOULD LIKE FOR THERE TO BE A RECALL SO THAT CHEVY IS REQUIRED TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART AT THEIR EXPENSE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10254940January 14, 2009ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SPEEDOMETER ON 2004 IMPALA MAXED OUT WHEN DRIVING AND ALSO READ 40-70 WHILE PARKED. THE ENTIRE CLUSTER PANEL WAS REPLACED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED SINCE IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0