2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE TRAVELED FOR FIVE MINUTES IN THE VEHICLE AND UPON RETURNING TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS THAT INDICATED A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THREE RECALLS FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 04V090000, 01V136000 AND 04V090000). THE MANUFACTURER TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE APRIL 2009 AND HAS YET TO COMMUNICATE THE OUTCOME TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT CONFIRM IF ANY OF THE RECALLS APPLIED SPECIFICALLY TO VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

ON FEB.10TH OR 11TH.MY NEIGHBOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO JUMP START MY CAR BECAUSE THE BATTERY HAD FAILED DUE TO A 3 DAY SNOW STORM. AFTER TURNED THE IGNITION THE SECOND TIME, THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM. WHEN WE CHECKED THE ENGINE, WE NOTED THE MANIFOLD COVER HAD CRACKED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. ALSO THE WIRES WERE ON FIRE. MY NEIGHBOR QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. LATER, I WENT TO MY DEALER(FRANK Z CHEVROLET IN DAYTON, OH. ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REPAIRS COULD COST FROM $1,800-$2,000 MAINLY DUE TO THE FIRE DAMAGE. SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR 18 MONTHS, I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR AN ESTIMATE OF ACTUAL DAMAGE.

TURN SIGNALS INOP (INTERMITTENT/ FREQUENT) - WIGGLING HAZARD SWITCH MAKES THEM FUNCTION FOR AWHILE. FOUND DEFECTIVE OEM SWITCH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 CHEVY IMPALA LS. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH HER STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL THE STEERING WHEEL REALLY HARD AND IN ORDER TO GAIN CONTROL OF IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT DEALER. THE DEALER THEN INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A POWER STEERING PUMP AND THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE CONTACT HAD TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR FOUR DAYS WHILE THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WASN'T ANY NOISE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT DID REPORT THIS TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,255 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 67,355. UPDATED 03/30/10. *LJ

MY 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS AND IS LEAVING ME STRANDED IN AWKWARD SITUATIONS. AT UNPREDICTABLE TIMES IT WILL NOT START. I TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING. I TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER AND THEY PUT A NEW IGNITION SWITCH ON THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE FOR 6 MONTHS. COST $500. I OFTEN COULD WAIT 10 TO 15 MINUTES AND IT WOULD START. BUT IT BEGAN HAPPENING MORE AND MORE. I TOOK IT IN TO A MECHANIC, HE RAN THE CODES AND DETERMINED IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. COST $450 AND WITHIN A MONTH IT BEGAN DOING THE SAME THING. I GOT STRANDED AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A GM DEALER AND THEY PUT A NEW BATTERY ON IT AND REMOVED ALL THE AFTER MARKET UNLOCKING MECHANISMS AND CHARGED $550. THREE DAYS LATER WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE CONNECTED TO THE PASS LOCK SYSTEM. THERE HAS TO BE A DEFECT OF SOME SORT GOING ON IN THE WHOLE STARTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *TR

AFTER PARKING THE CAR I WAS NOTIFIED BY A NEIGHBOR THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. WAS CALL AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE.THE ARSON SQUAD WAS CALLED AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLES FIRE WAS DUE TO A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. AFTER I RESEARCHED THE VEHICLES SAFETY RECALLS AND FOUND OUT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE AND I WAS UNAWARE OF IT. I PURCHASED IT USED. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICE ON THE RECALL. I FOUND THERE WERE MANY OTHER FIRES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY BURNED UP VEHICLE WAS NON REPAIRABLE AND TOWED TO THE JUNK YARD AFTER ARSON INVESTIGATION WAS COMPLETE. *TR

TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. IT PROBABLY HAPPENED 1 OUT OF 10 TIMES. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THEY START WORKING AGAIN IF THE HAZARD LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON AND THEN OFF. DEALERSHIP SAID THE UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PART $74.00 INCLUDING LABOR $220.00. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN 2000. HE STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR TURN SIGNALS BECAME INOPERABLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO REPAIRS HAD BEEN MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 88,647. UPDATED 01/12/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE HAZARD LIGHTS DID NOT WORK AS WELL. UPDATED 01/13/10

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION KEPT SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. ALSO THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. ALSO, THE LIGHTS FOR THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND THE TECHNICIAN LOCATED SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC ERROR CODES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,009. UPDATED 1/5/10 *CN THE DEALER REPLACED A SASH LIGHT SWITCH, UT THAT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 01/06/10.*JB

I HAVE A 2000 IMPALA THAT HAS THE REAR STRUT TOWERS BEGINNING TO RUST OUT BADLY. THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT YET AS I CAUGHT THIS ON ONE OF MY VEHICLES INSPECTIONS. IF THIS WERE TO RUST COMPLETELY OUT THE REAR TIRES COULD COME OFF OF THE CAR WHILE IN MOTION. I HAVE TRIED TO CONTACT GENERAL MOTORS, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE. THIS DEFECT RENDERS TO CAR PRETTY MUCH USELESS. THANKS FOR YOU TIME. *TR