Chevrolet Impala Complaints

10,446 consumer complaints on file.

#10078711June 23, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ALL PROBS WITH 2004 IMPALA SS STARTED AFTER 3 MONTHS OF PUCHASE DATE. THERE WERE LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON CAR. 1ST INCIDENT - WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURN AT 20 MPH, CAR DIED 1/2 WAY THROUGH TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND ENDED UP GOING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY MADE IT TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF ROAD W/ HARM. CAR WOULDNT START AT ALL. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT. REPLACE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. 2ND INCIDENT - APPROX 3 WEEKS AFTER 1ST, I WAS STOPPED TO DROP PASSENGER OFF, CAR STARTED TO SHAKE AND IDLE WAS HIGH, 2 SECONDS LATER CAR DIED. CAR RESTARTED THIS TIME, DRIVING HOME ABOUT 35MPH CAR DIED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, STEERING LOCKED AND HAD TO STRUGGLE TO GET CAR OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. CAR WOULD NOT RESTART THIS TIME. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT AGAIN REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. 3RD INCIDENT - GOT THE CAR BACK ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THE CAR DIED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING BY SATURDAY NITE. DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPT LOOKED A LITTLE FURTHER THAN CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR THIS TIME AND REPAIRED LOOSE PIN CONNECTIONS IN IGNITION COIL MODULE CONNECTOR. 4TH INCIDENT - 2 MONTHS AFTER ALL THIS, CIGARETTE LIGHTER DOESNT WORK, LIGHTS DIM WHEN POWER WINDOWS PUT UP, DASH BOARD SENSOR THAT GETS OFF WHEN LOW FUEL LIGHT/ LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT COMES ONDOES NOT RESET. CAR STILL FEELS SLUGGISH. LOUD SCRATCHING NOISEOCCURS WHEN WHEELS TURNED ALL THE WAY IN ONE DIRECTION. EVERYTHING FIXED B/C OF BLOWN FUSE. SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM LOOSE CLIP IN TIRE WHEEL WELL. DEEALERSHIP STATED CAR WAS RUNNING FINE AND THERE WAS NO PERFORAMANCE PROBLEMS. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 6 MONTHS. CAR PRESENTLY HAS 4500 MILES ON IT. OH AND CHEVROLET ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. AND THEN TO TOP EVERYTHING OFF THE DEALERSHIP MAKES IT SEEM LIKE ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY THE DRIVER, BY ASKING WELL WHAT GAS DO YOU USE AND HOW FAST DO YOU DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS CAR IS AN IMPALA SS. THE CAR IS SUPPOSED TO BE BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078588June 22, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STEEP INCLINE, I COULD FEEL THE PULSATING OF THE ABS, ALONG WITH DIMINISHED BRAKING POWER. AFTERWARDS, I NOTICED THE ABS WOULD COME ON NOTICEABLY EACH TIME I BRAKED FROM 40-60 MPH. THE OUTSIDE RIGHT REAR CALIPER DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE MAKING GOOD CONTACT WITH THE ROTOR AS ON THE OTHER BRAKES. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT (DOBLER CHEVROLET IN HEMPSTEAD, NY) SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR JULY 8, 2004. THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WAS THAT IMPORTANT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079663June 22, 2004
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG INDICATOR LIGHT FLASHED THEN STAYED ON. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE AND REPLACED DRIVER SIDE SEAT AIR BAG. *AK *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079419June 17, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS
THE TURNING SIGNAL AND HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHT FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10079440June 17, 2004
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
WHILE MAKING A SHARP TURN AT 30 MPH CONSUMER'S CHILD SEAT BELT BECAME UNATTACHED. THE BUCKLE OF THE BELT STRUCK ANOTHER CHILD IN THE FACE, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. DEALER EXAMINED THE SEAT BELT AND FOUND NO DEFECTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10078275June 15, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
NOTICED INCREASING NOISE AND VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. TOOK CAR IN FOR SAFETY INSPECTION AND FRONT BRAKE SERVICE. WAS INFORMED THE REAR ROTORS ARE BADLY RUSTED AND CORRODED , MAY NOT BE IMPROVED BY GRINDING OR TURNING, AND MIGHT NEED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE LININGS ARE AT 20-25% ON THE FRONT AND 15-20% ON THE REAR. I POINTED OUT THAT THE SERVICE GARAGE HAD DONE A SAFETY INSPECTION A LITTLE LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND DOCUMENTED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE OK, AND THE FRONT BRAKES HAD 50% OF THE LINING LEFT. CALLED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER CARE CENTER AND SPOKE WITH DELOSHA PAYNE, WHO CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, CALLED ME BACK AND INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR BRAKES WORE AT A FASTER RATE THAN THE FRONT, AND WHOEVER ROTATED MY TIRES SHOULD HAVE CHECKED THE ROTORS AND INFORMED ME THEY NEEDED SERVICE. I HAD ASKED THIS GARAGE ABOUT ROTATING THE TIRES AT BOTH INSPECTIONS AND NEITHER TIME DID ANYONE INDICATE IT SHOULD BE DONE. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED IT. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075316June 13, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE FAILS TO START - MOTOR DOES NOT CRANK, STARTER DOES NOT ENGAGE. TESTS SHOW BATTERY, STARTER, ALTERNATOR CIRCUITS ARE GOOD - NO ERROR CODES GIVEN. VEHICLE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY. LOCAL MECHANIC STATES THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTERS OVERWRITING ITS OWN CODE AND THEREFORE CAUSES PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THIS, WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE STARTS OCCASIONALY AT BEST. VEHICLE IS UNRELIABLBE - CANNOT TRUST IT TO START WHEN NEEDED. GOING TO CALL DEALER TO CHECK IF THERE IS A "SILENT RECALL" TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OTHERWISE, WILL ATTEMPT TO USE NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN #00214A TO TRY TO GET PROGRAM RELOADED INTO VEHICLE'S COMPUTER WITHOUT CHARGE THOUGH I EXPECT VERY LITTLE HELP, IF ANY, FROM A DEALER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075004June 8, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
LOW COOLANT SENSOR HAS FAILED (4) TIMES (BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST AT 35,800 MILES). DEALERSHIP HAS FLUSHED COOLANT SYSTEM AND REPLACED THE SENSOR ON EACH OCCASION. EACH SENSOR HAS FAILED AT ABOUT 20,000 MILE SPAN. CURRENTLY ON FOURTH SENSOR WHICH HAS FAILED ON 5-27-04.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075698June 4, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENLY.*MR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074808June 4, 2004
STEERING
ON JULY 4, 2003 MY 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA WAS LUBED AT THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF STEERING ISSUES. THE CAR WOULD VIBRATE, POP, AND JERK WHEN ACCELERATING, SLOWING DOWN OR MAKING TURNS AND STEERING BECOMES VERY TIGHT AND DIFFICULT TO TURN. IT TOOK 3 SEPARATE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP BEFORE THEY DISCOVERED WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEVERAL CHILDREN AND I AM GREATLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SAFETY. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO BECAUSE THIS SEEMS TO BE A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH MANY 2000 IMPALAS. I DID A LOT OF RESEACH AND FOUND OTHER COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE, AS WELL AS COMPLAINTS ON WWW.IMPALAHQ.COM. I'VE ALSO READ ISSUES WHERE SOME POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE USING THIS SAME MODEL AND THEY HAVE REPORTED ACCIDENTS DUE TO STEERING LOST, WHICH SEEMS TO BE RELATED TO THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ISSUES. THE LAST STEERING SHAFT LUBE WAS 11 MONTHS AGO AND COST ME $140. LOOKS LIKE I WILL HAVE TO HAVE THIS SERVICE DONE EVERY 10-12 MONTHS TO KEEP THIS CAR FROM LOOSING STEERING. I CAN NOT PUT A PRICE ON THE SAFETY OF MY CHILDREN, BUT I CAN INFORM OTHER AND HOPE CHEVY WILL FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM QUICKLY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074818June 4, 2004
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
I HAVE RENTED SEVERAL GM VEHICLES OVER THE LAST YEAR AND FOUND THAT IN MOST EVERY ONE OF THEM IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHIFT THE CAR FROM PARK WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE WHILE THE KEY IS IN THE ACC POSITION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072069June 4, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
WHEN GOING DOWN AN INCLINE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES OR STOPPING THERE WAS A NOISE AND A LOUD BOOM. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS THE FUEL TANK. *AK THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10071406June 4, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES OR TURNING ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE RADIO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE NOISE WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHEN THE POWER DOOR LOCKS WERE USED, THE HEATER FAN SPEED WAS ADJUSTED AND WHEN THE RADIO WAS ON. *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065395June 4, 2004
STEERING:COLUMN
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS SLOWING FOR A STOP SIGN WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE COLLIDED INTO THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO AVOID THE COLLISION, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SO DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING UP. *AK *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075497June 1, 2004
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CONNECTOR FOR THE FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HARNESS TO THE FUEL PUMP WHICH BURNT. THE WIRES BECAME HOT AND MELTED THE PLASTIC INSULATION, CAUSING THE PUMP NOT TO WORK. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10075506June 1, 2004
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
VEHICLE WILL NOT DEFROST WITHOUT LETTING INTO THE OUTSIDE FUMES. DURING WINTER MONTHS THE DEFROSTED WILL LET THE OUTSIDE AIR AND GAS FUMES INTO THE CAR. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO INSISTED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS VEHICLE AND ALL VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER 2001 WERE MADE THIS WAY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073196May 26, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
PERIODIC TRANSMISSION SLIP FROM INITIAL DATE OF PURCHASE - DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE, UNTIL OUT OF WARRANTY. REFLASH E-PROM/UPDATE DONE AT 75K MILES TO CORRECT PROBLEM. NOW AT 110K DEALER SAYS NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED AS CAR IS EXHIBITING SAME PROBLEMS. CAR HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHEN USING HIGH BEAMS. CAR HAS LOST ALL POWER TWICE WHEN DRIVING AND COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, THUS CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT STEERING PROBLEM UNTIL THE CAR COULD BE STOPPED. GROUNDING WIRES ADDED TO SEE IF CORRECTION COULD BE MADE. LIGHTS & CAR HAVE NOT QUIT YET, BUT TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO EXHIBIT SHIFTING PROBLEMS WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. WHEN CAR IS SHUT OFF THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL GO OUT AND NOT COME BACK ON AND THE CAR WILL RESET IT SELF AND RUN OKAY FOR AWHILE. THE CAR ALSO EXHIBITS A LOUD WHINING NOISE WHEN THE SLIPPAGE / JERKING IS ABOUT TO OCCUR. GM WILL NOT ALLOW CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE BUT A CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON. ALL FILE NUMBERS GIVEN TO ME BY GM PERSONNEL WHEN CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY ARE NOT LOADED INTO THEIR DATA BASE, THUS NOTHING CAN BE DONE, MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH AND THESE THINGS ARE EXPECTED TO HAPPEN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073070May 24, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
VEHICLE STALLS, MOVING ANYWERE FROM 30-70-MPH. HAS NEARLY CAUSED 4 ACCIDENTS. TWICE WE WERE NEARLY REARENDED; ONCE THIS HAPPENDED WHEN WE WERE PASSING A VEHICLE AND WE LOST CONTROL; AND ONCE THIS OCCURRED AS I WAS DRIVING AROUND A CORNER TOWARDS A GROUP OF CHILDREN. HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIR 6 TIMES FOR SAME CAUSE. STILL NOT CORRECTLY DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. DEALER HAS REPLACED "WIRES", PLUGS, FUEL PUMP, AND COMPUTER "PARTS" TO NO AVAIL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10072867May 19, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
I HAVE A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS AND I NOTICED A PROBLEM WITH IT RIGHT AFTER I BOUGHT IT. THE SECURITY PASSLOCK SYSTEM IS EITHER NOT FUNCTIONING WELL OR IT'S DEFECTED, I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET FORUMS AND I FOUND OUT THAT ALMOST 70% OF PEOPLE THAT OWN IMPALAS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY GAVE ME AN ENORMOUS SUM FOR THE REPLACEMENT. WHY SHOULD THE BUYER PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTED WHEN THE MAJORITY OF THE OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. GM IS AT FAULT HERE AND THE OWNERS HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. I, AND MANY OTHERS, BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT US AT FAULT, BUT GM SINCE THEY ARE AWARE OF THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THEIR PASSLOCK SYSTEM. MY QUESTION FOR YOU IS: WHY DIDN'T GM ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART? WHAT CAN THE OWNERS DO SO WE CAN INITIATE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073886May 19, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER INSIDE OF DASHBOARD. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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