2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

SAFETY RECALL # 09047: OIL DRIP FROM 2002 IMPALA 3.8L ENGINE MAY CAUSE FIRE WHEN DEPOSITED ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND MAY SPREAD TO SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND. DATE OF DEFECT RECALL IS CONSPICUOUSLY MISSING BUT I RECEIVED THIS NOTICE THE WEEK OF JUNE 8, 2009, I CALLED DEALER ON JUNE 10, 2009. DEALER IS STATING THAT THEY ARE BACKED UP IN DOING THE REPAIR DUE TO LACK OF PARTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE ARE DRIVING CARS THAT ARE JUST WAITING TO GO ON FIRE AND THIS IS NOT THE ONLY TIME THIS TYPE OF POTENTIAL FIRE PROBLEM HAS BEEN ADDRESSED ON THESE SPECIFIC ENGINES.*TR

MY 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA'S SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. LIGHTS FLICKERED AND A STRANGE CLICKING NOISE OCCURRED. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WON'T START. *TR

TURN SIGNAL TURNS OFF INTERMITTENTLY. WORK FINE MOST OF THE TIME. I WENT AS FAR AS REPLACING ALL BULBS AS WELL AS THE FUSE. STARTS WORKING A COUPLE OF MONTHS THEN STARTS FAILING AGAIN. SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I'VE LEARNED ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS A PASS LOCK FAILURE, WHICH IS A SECURITY ISSUE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE THINKS IT IS BEING STOLEN AND WILL NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED TWICE BY THE DEALER. THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,000. UPDATED 06/24/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEAST CHEVROLET COULD IS FIX THE PROBLEM IF THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL. UPDATED 06/26/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH WITH THE RADIO AND AIR CONDITIONING ACTIVATED, THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOOR PANEL AREA IGNITED INTO FLAMES WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE PASSENGER EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE DASHBOARD AND CARPET SUSTAINED MINOR FIRE DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE JERKS. THE JERKING STOPS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY FOUND NO FAILURES. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOW FUEL SURGE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD COST $90 AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. UPDATED 062909 *BF UPDATED 07/01/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE TURNS THE IGNITION, IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. SHE HAS TO WAIT 10-15 MINUTES TO TURN THE IGNITION AGAIN BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MONTHS. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLICKER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE SECURITY LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATES IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE RELAY SWITCHES RUN THROUGH THE FUEL PUMP. TWO NEW RELAY SWITCHES WERE INSTALLED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,651.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. ON MARCH 10, 2009, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. GM ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL HIS INSURANCE COMPANY BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DAMAGES. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR GM RECALL NUMBER 90047, WHICH STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FOG UP. THE DEALER CHARGED $300 TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THERE WERE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR A YEAR; HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED DIM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS/ 3.8-V6 THE PROBLEM STARTED WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. TOOK IN TO DEALER, AFTER IT WAS REPLACED, ANOTHER PROBLEM SURFACED.. WE KEEP GETTING THE RUN AROUND AT THE DEALER..THE CAR INTERMITTENTLY STARTS. WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE DEALER THAT I BROUGHT IT TO SAID HE WAS 80% SURE THAT IT WAS MY BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULES) AND HE WOULD HAVE TO RESET MY RADIO. THE TWO REPAIRS WOULD RUN ME ABOUT $1,200 AND THAT ISN'T EVEN 100% GUARANTEED THAT IT WOULD REMEDY THE PROBLEM. WHAT A WAY TO CONDUCT BUSINESS. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ARE NO SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS.. IN DOING SOME RESEARCH I SEE THE PROBLEM IS QUITE FAMILIAR ON MODELS OF THE SAME PLATFORM.. I'M AT MY WITS END WITH THIS PROBLEM.. THE CAR DOES FINALLY START AFTER SITTING THERE FOR 10 MIN OR SO.. MY ISSUE WITH THIS IS! I'M HAPPY TO PAY IF THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY BUT NON OF THE G.M DEALERS I'VE CONTACTED SEEM TO BE UPFRONT REGARDING THE MATTER, AND I QUOTE "BRING IT IN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT IT" THAT'S IT! HOW ABOUT FIXING IT? I REPLY.. "WELL WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT".. THE CAR DOES NOT DO IT ALL THE TIME, BUT A LOT OF THE TIME.. USUALLY AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE TIME. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A NEW ONE IT'S HAPPENING A LOT.. I'M SURE A DESIGN FLAW. I'M JUST SCARED OF ANOTHER FIRE. *TR