2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

PURCHASED VEHICLE THAT WAS FRAUDULENTLY MISREPRESENTED AS A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE ON PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, WHICH TURN OUT TO BE THE OPPOSITE. FEAR, VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND COULD RESULT IN A FATALITY. *TR

AFTER STARTING THE CAR BLOWER MOTOR WONT WORK CRUISE LIGHT STAYS ON MIRROR CLUSTER DON'T WORK UNTIL 15 MIN THEN EVERYTHING WILL WORK BUT WHEN USING THE CRUISE IT WILL STOP WORKING BUT LIGHT STAYS ON AFTER TIME GAUGES CUT OUT AND THEN COME BACK ON AND ALL PROBLEMS SLOWLY BECOME WORSE WITH TIME. HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE ITS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *KB

I BOUGHT THIS CAR 4 YEARS AGO AND I DID NOT HAVE PROBLEMS TILL THIS HAPPENED, THE CAR DON'T WANT TO STAR IN SEVERAL TIMES, IM ALREADY PISSED OFF AND I DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, CUZ I KNOW THAT NOBODY IS GOING TO BUY IT LIKE THAT; I LIKE THE CAR BUT THIS IS INOPERABLE!!!! *TR

MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 CHEVY IMPALA, 3.4L V6, BASE MODEL SHUT OFF A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ACCELERATING, AS THE TRAFFIC WAS FINALLY PICKING UP. THAT'S WHEN I FELT THE CAR JERK AND SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. IT WAS HORRIFYING - THE BRAKE PEDAL & STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, SO I FORCIBLY TURNED THE WHEEL WITH ALL MY STRENGTH, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, WITH TWO NEAR-COLLISIONS, PRESSED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, THEN SHIFTED TO PARK. THE RED BATTERY SYMBOL WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS SET TO "ON", BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DASH LIGHTS WERE OFF, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S BECAUSE THE CAR SHUT OFF (WHICH IS WHAT WOULD NORMALLY HAPPEN AFTER SHUTTING OFF A CAR WITH AUTO-OFF LIGHTS). SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START ONLY RESULTED IN SOUNDS OF A CAR STRUGGLING TO TURN OVER, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY TURNING. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STUTTERED, BUT STARTED. I WAS BACK IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. SAME DRILL - COASTED OFF THE ROAD, AND SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO START BEFORE FINALLY STARTING. BACK ON THE ROAD, A FEW MINUTES LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER 2 MORE EPISODES OF THIS, INSTEAD OF STRUGGLING TO START, THE WASN'T EVEN COMING CLOSE. THE CAR RADIO AND HAZARD LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING. WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT CONSTANT STARTING ATTEMPTS MAY HAVE EXHAUSTED THE BATTERY. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL START, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, USING LOCAL ROADS FOR FEAR OF A HIGHWAY CRASH. 25 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING JUST FINE. IT DIDN'T SHUT OFF AGAIN UNTIL I WAS PARKED AT HOME AND IDLING FOR A FEW MINUTES. EVERYTIME IT SHUT OFF, I'D SEE *NO* CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, *NO* WARNINGS FROM THE MIL, THOUGH IT'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE NEXT DAY I MOVED THE CAR FOR ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE, NO HESITATION. SEVERAL MORE STARTS SINCE MONDAY - NO HESITATION OR PROBLEM. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT LONG FOR NOW, FOR FEAR OF AN IMMINENT CRASH. THIS COULD BE FATAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE BEING ROTATED WHEN THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR STRUT CHAMBER WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, CAUSING THE INTERIOR SIDES OF THE REAR TIRES TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TIRES MAY BLOW OUT AND DECIDED TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000. ON A 65,000 MILE TIRE REPAIR REAR STRUT HOLES CAMBER RODS ETC. UPDATED 10/07/2011 *LN *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATED OF THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT. THE FAILURE CAUSED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED THAT THE TRACTION CONTROL NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

SECURITY SYSTEM FAILURE. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. LUCKILY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN IT REFUSED TO START. HAD TO REPLACE BODY CONTROL MODULE, LOCK CYLINDER WITH PASSLOCK SENSOR BEFORE CAR WOULD START. THIS MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THE PLACES YOUR CAR COULD LEAVE YOU STRANDED, IT'S SCARY. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS WITH THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL WEB SITES.THIS IS A FAULT OF GENERAL MOTORS, THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. THEY NEED TO COME UP WITH A PERMANENT FIX FOR THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM AND HAVE A RECALL AND FIX IT ONCE AND FOR ALL. AVERAGE COST FOR THIS REPAIR IS ABOUT $1,000.00 DOLLARS. THE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE PAID IT DESERVES THEIR MONEY BACK. *TR

ELECTRONIC - FIRST PROBLEM WAS AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON - AFTER AT LEAST 4 TRIPS TO DEALER - PROBLEM FIXED - NOW RADIO IS LOCKED AND SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO DOOR LOCKS AND SECURITY SYSTEM - APPARENTLY THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL AND NEEDS RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED TWICE IN 2009 FOR THE SIMILAR FAILURE WHERE THE DIMMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,936.

GM VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE PASSKEY SYSTEM MAY, AND THOUSANDS DO, EXPERIENCE A PASSLOCK SYSTEM LOCKOUT, WHERE THE SECURITY SYSTEM PREVENTS STARTING OF THE VEHICLE, EVEN WHEN USING THE MFR'S SUPPLIED KEY. THE PASSKEY SENSOR PROBLEM IS RECURRING EVEN AFTER SOME CONSUMERS HAD DEALERS REPLACE IT. THIS DEFECT IN THE PASSKEY II AND III AS WELL AS THE PASSLOCK SYSTEMS ON GM VEHICLES HAS PLAGUED MY VEHICLE SINCE 3 WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE. THE DEALER SAID I HAVE TO REPLACE THE PASSKEY SENSOR, IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, IGNITION SWITCH, BCM AND EVEN POSSIBLY THE ECM. I HAVE CHECKED WITH OTHER SHOPS AND CONSUMERS VIA ONLINE FORUMS AND PERSONAL INTERACTIONS, AND HAVE COME TO LEARN OF 1000'S IF NOT 10,000'S OF CONSUMERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS ONLY COVER UP THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT A YEAR. THIS PROBLEM PREVENTS THE OWNER FROM STARTING THE CAR, AS WELL AS CAUSE IT TO STALL REGARDLESS OF LOCATION OR DRIVING CONDITION. THIS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND POSSIBLY LEAVING A CONSUMER STRANDED IN UNSURVIVABLE SITUATIONS. THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY AND A HEALTH RISK. EVEN WHEN UNDER WARRANTY, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE 'RECOMMENDED' PARTS AS THEY WERE NOT COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY, HOWEVER THEY CAUSE THE VEHICLE'S POWERTRAIN TO NOT FUNCTION OR CEASE FUNCTION WHEN RUNNING JUST FINE SECONDS PRIOR. GM HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS ISSUE BY MYSELF AND TO NO AVAIL, A RESOLUTION IS UNAVAILABLE. I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE REPLACE OVER 8 COMPONENTS OF THE IGNITION/SECURITY SYSTEM AT THE DEALER FOR A COST OVER $2500. THE VEHICLE WAS 4 MONTHS OLD. MY VEHICLE, AT 9 YEARS HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST 4. GM NEEDS TO RECALL ALL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A PASSLOCK/PASSKEY 2-3 SYSTEM FOR REPLACEMENT WITH A MORE RELIABLE ONE. A GOOGLE SEARCH TURNS UP OVER 138,000 RESULTS FOR GM PASSKEY PROBLEMS. GM PASSLOCK PROBLEMS TURNS UP OVER 85,100 RESULTS. THAT IS 223,100 RESULTS. IF I DO VEHICLE SPECIFIC, THAT NUMBER TRIPLES. CHEVY PASSKEY PROBLEMS RETURNS 1,340,000. *TR