Chevrolet Impala Complaints (2004)

1,074 consumer complaints on file.

#10193459June 15, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SHUTTERS AND SHAKES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 38,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10192868June 10, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER- TEMP GAUGE NO LONGER WORKING, SPEEDOMETOR WAS READING 30MPH WHEN ACTUAL DOING 60-70MPH SPEEDOMETOR HAS RECENTLY RESET ITS SELF OKAY FOR NOW STILL NO TEMP. REALITIVE TELLS ME IT'S COMMON FOR GM SHOP IS REPAIRING IPCS' DAILY.IF THIS IS THAT COMMON THERES A PROBLEM WITH PRODUCT!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10191738May 25, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA AND THEN SPREAD TO THE HOOD. THE FIRE OCCURRED TWO TO THREE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. A RELATIVE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HAND DUE TO THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL. THERE IS NO FIRE OR POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE REPAIR WORK. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. THE BRAKES AND THE DISC WERE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DISC FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT DETECTS THE SMELL OF FUEL WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS FULL; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO THE PRESENCE OF FUEL ON THE GROUND AFTER ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL GAGE FAILURE OR THE ODOR. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE FUEL ODOR IN THE INTERIOR. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED TWICE, THE VIBRATION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT WERE PERFORMED, INCLUDING AN INSURANCE REPORT. THERE IS NO FIRE OR POLICE REPORT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 81,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 08/15/07.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10191022May 17, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR STARTING. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY. WE BOUGHT A NEW ONE. IT DID NOT HELP. WHEN A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT HE SAID THAT IT MAY BE A NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. HE TOLD ME HOW TO START IT , FIRST I HAVE TO HAVE THE KEY ON THE ON POSITION AND THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO START IT. THIS HELPED, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10189527May 2, 2007
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
TL-* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN A PICK UP TRUCK CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND CAUSED IT TO CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER , A CHILD, WAS IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DURING THE CRASH, THE REAR SEAT BELT DISENGAGED, AND HIT THE PASSENGER IN THE EYE, RESULTING IN A BLACK EYE AND A CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE REASON THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY OR WHY THE REAR SEAT BELT DISENGAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 36,000. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10189122April 27, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL, EQUIPMENT
ON OCT 6TH 2005, WHILE DRIVING THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA, POLICE PATROL SQUAD CAR, I NOTICED A UNFAMILUAR VERY STRONG FOUL ODOR WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE HEATER. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME, BUT AFTER I SUFFERRED INITIALLY AN INHALATION INJURY WHICH NEARLY KILLED ME BY SUFFICATING ME CAUSING MY BLOOD PRESSURE TO ESCALATE THEREBY CAUSING ME TO SUFFER DUEL ANYURSM' OF THE UPPER THORACIC VEIN AND THE ABDOMINAL VEIN. I WAS FLOWN VIA FLIGHT-FOR-LIFE HELICOPTER TO A TRAUMA CENTER, HOSPITALIZED IN INTENSIVE CARE, LEFT INCAPACITED ME FOR FOUR MONTHS AND WITHOUT AN INCOME. I AM NOW LEFT WITH INTERNAL SCAR TISSUE ON MY AORTA VEIN. MY POLICE SUPERVISOR VISITED ME IN INTENSIVE CARE IN THE HOSPITAL AND INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHICH SERVICES OUR FLEET OF LEASED VEHICLE, INSPECTION RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS OVERCHARGING THE BATTERY AND AS A RESULT THE BATTERY BEGAN TO OVERHEAT GIVING OFF BATTERY ACID FUMES WHICH EXPLAINED THE FOUL ODOR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10188128April 17, 2007
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, TIRES
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH FAILURE MILEAGE 28,000 HE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER INITIALLY BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A STEERING PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN TOLD HIM THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURE FRAME AND MEMBERS OF THE WHEELS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED A ROD ON THE TIRE, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF ALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ALREADY PAID $150.00 IN REPAIR COSTS, AND THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000 MILES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10187353April 9, 2007
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AGAINST WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE GASOLINE STATION THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE WAS USING ETHANOL. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATED THAT THE ETHANOL WILL DAMAGE PARTS IN THE CARBURETOR, AND IN THE ENGINE, AND PARTS MADE OF RUBBER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.*AK UPDATED 04/30/07. *JB THE CONSUMER PROVIDED 2 ARTICLES PERTAINING TO THE ETHANOL SITUATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME ETHANOL THAT DAMAGES DISPENSING FUEL PUMPS WILL ALSO DO DAMAGE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE FIRES IN AUTOMOBILES. UPDATED *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10186589March 30, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 82000 FAILURE MILEAGE THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED INCORRECT RATES OF SPEED. THE SPEEDODOMETER NEEDLE ALSO BEGAN TO SWERVE BACK AND FORTH SLIGHTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AS HAVING A FAILED INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10186222March 26, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON THE 2004 CHEVY IMPALA GOES OUT-OF-CONTROL. IT REGRISTERS SPEEDS GREATER OR LESS THAN THE SPEED I AM TRAVELING. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING GREAT AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED GOING OUT-OF-CONTROL. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.*K
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10186035March 23, 2007
STEERING:COLUMN
TL* -THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLER. GMC HAS KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT THIS PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED, BUT FAILED TO COVER MAINTENANCE/REPLACEMENT ON IT. THE SOLUTION WAS TO CHARGE $165 + TO GREASE THE COUPLER AT THE CONTACT''S EXPENSE. GM C WAS FULLY AWARE OF A PROBLEM, AND DID NOT BRING IT TO THE CONTACT'S ATTENTION, AND THEN CHARGED THE CONTACT TO FIX IT TEMPORARILY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185786March 21, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
THE BLINKER SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS FROM BRIGHT TO DIM, SOMETIMES GOES BLACK *AK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185589March 19, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
INSTRUMENT FAILURE, NOTHING CAUSED THE FAILURE, IT JUST STARTED SLOWLY AT 30000 MILES, HAD MILD SPEED MISREADINGS AT NIGHT, BUT SLOWLY BECAME WORSE AND WORSE. BUT NOW TEMPERATURE AND FUEL DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY ANY TIME OF DAY, BUT GOES CRAZY ON HOT DAYS. I TOOK THE CLUSTER APART AND THE MAIN PROCESSOR CHIP HAD A BLOB OF SILICONE DRIP ON IT DURING ASSEMBLY AND NOW HAS A BURN MARK ON IT. I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OTHER IMPALA OWNERS WITH SOME PROBEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185127March 14, 2007
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
MY 2004 IMPALA'S ABS TROUBLE LIGHT CAME ON AS DID THE "SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" LIGHT. THE DEALERS DIAGNOSIS BASED UPON ABS SCANNER CODES WAS THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR HAD FAILED/SHORTED. GM'S SEALED WHEEL HUB DESIGN ON THIS VEHICLE MEANT THAT IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR THE ENTIRE HUB HAD TO BE REPLACED. SINCE THE VEHICLE HAS JUST OVER 40K MILES AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY, MY TOTAL COST WAS OVER $690 INCLUDING PARTS, LABOR, AND TAXES. THIS IS ABSURD AND RIDICULOUS. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR THE CONSUMER TO HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THIS KIND OF OUTRAGEOUS COST SIMPLY TO GET A SENSOR REPLACED. IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE NECESSITY OF REPLACING THE ENTIRE HUB, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS REPAIR SHOULD EVEN COST $100. AS A MECHANICAL ENGINEER, I RECOGNIZE POOR DESIGN AND POOR LOGIC WHEN I SEE IT, AND THIS SITUATION CERTAINLY FALLS UNDER THOSE CATEGORIES. I AM EXTREMELY DISSATISFIED THAT I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY THIS IN ORDER TO RESTORE OPERATION OF THE ABS AND TRACTION SYSTEMS. IF THIS IS STANDARD GM DESIGN PRACTICE, I WILL DEFINITELY CONSIDER THAT A NEGATIVE WHEN PURCHASING MY NEXT VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184812March 12, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
SPEEDOMETER ACTS LIKE IT FREEZES WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING RECENTLY THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK ON 65 MPH. AFTER COMING TO A STOP AND STARTING AGAIN, SPEEDOMETER STARTED FROM THIS POINT AND WENT TO 120. I PARKED THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND THE SPEED WAS 65 MPH. I TURNED THE KEY ON AND OFF AND IT WENT DOWN BY 10 MPH. I DID THIS A FEW MORE TIMES AND IT FINALLY WENT BACK TO 0. IT REGISTERED CORRECT AFTER I DROVE IT BUT IT STILL ACTS LIKE IT IS STICKING OR HESITATING. MY FRIEND ALSO HAS AN IMPALA AND SHE STATED THAT HER SPEEDOMETER ON HER CAR DOES NOT WORK SOMETIMES EITHER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184633March 9, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY IMPALA. IT NOW HAS 43,000 MILES ON IT. WE PURCHASED IT DEC. 30, 2004. IT ONLY HAD 13 MILES ON IT. OVER THE PAST MONTH IT FAILED TO START TWICE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND LEARNED THAT THE PASSLOCK SENSOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $475.00. AFTER INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE, I'VE LEARNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON FAILURE IN GM CARS FOR MANY YEARS. ONE WOULD THINK THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE SO COMMON, AND ESPECIALLY ON SUCH A YOUNG CAR. GM SHOULD BE PRESSURED INTO REDOING THIS SYSTEM. AT $475.00 PER CAR, THEY ARE MAKING QUITE A BIT OF MONEY TO MAKE THESE REPAIRS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184495March 8, 2007
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
DRIVING ALONG AT NIGHT WITH HEADLIGHTS ON AND THEY JUST WENT OUT, LUCKILY, THERE WAS A BRIGHT MOON AND STRAIGHT HIGHWAY, HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES ON WAY HOME, APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF AND ON, LIGHTS OFF AND ON, THEY WOULD COME BACK ON. HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT AFTER DARK SINCE THEN. EXPERIENCED MORE PROBLEMS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184496March 8, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING CORRECTLY. TACHOMETER WOULD VARY ANYWHERE FROM 0 TO 7000+ RPM WHEN IDLING, WOULD GO OFF THE SCALE OR FALL TO ZERO WHILE DRIVING. SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 85 MPH WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. SPEEDOMETER SHOWED 52 MPH AND WAS ACTUALLY GOING 70 MPH, VERIFIED BY STATE TROOPER USING MOVING RADAR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183593February 26, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. IT WILL READ 110 MPH WHEN I AM GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. IT WILL READ "0" WHILE I AM DRIVING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183449February 25, 2007
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
04 CHEVY IMPALA WITH APPROX. 42,000+ MI. ERRATIC SPEEDOMETER READING. FROM TIME TO TIME SPEEDOMETER SHOWS 20 TO 30 MPH OVER ACTUAL SPEED. CANNOT BE SURE OF CAR'S ACTUAL TRUE SPEED. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Chevrolet Impala