2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LINE THAT GOES THROUGH THE FIREWALL RUPTURED CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL WHEN THE DRIVER WAS COMING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY OWNER. *NM THE RUPTURE WAS A RESULT OF PREMATURE TOTAL RUST THROUGH IN TWO LOCATIONS ALONG THE PIPE. *TC

CONSUME STATED VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ONE WEEK, AND UPON GETTING BACK FROM VACATION, CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE, AND IT BLEW UP. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD WAS BROKEN IN LITTLE PIECES. CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. *AK

I STARTED HEARING A "CLUNKING" IN THE FRONT END. I CAN ALSO FEEL "JERKING" IN STEERING. IT IS ESPECIALLY DOMINANT WHEN I AM GOING SLOWER AND USING BRAKES, I SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FEEL AND HEAR IT BETTER WHEN SLIGHTLY TURNING TO THE RIGHT. I CAN ALSO BE STOPPED AND JUST TAKING OFF TO MAKE A TURN AND CAN HEAR THE CLUNKING. I AM SCARED THAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO FALL OFF SOMEDAY AND I WILL HAVE NO STEERING. HAD IT LOOK AT AND MECHANIC THOUGHT IT WAS A BROKEN TIE ROD END HE FOUND ON RIGHT SIDE, THAT WAS REPAIRED 2/7/05.. BUT CLUNKING AND JERKINESS IS STILL THERE. *JB

SINCE SHORTLY AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED THERE IS A NOTICEABLE CLUNKING/POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HEARD WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WAS EITHER AN ARM OR A JOINT. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS HAVE RESULTED IN MY BEING TOLD IT WAS EITHER "IN MY STEERING COLUMN" (WHICH I FIND ODD SINCE THAT IS ON THE LEFT), OR A "NOISE THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING", OR "SOMETHING TYPICAL TO ALUMINUM ROCKERS", OR EVEN THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT BUT IT WASN'T HURTING ANYTHING. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW IN NOVEMBER 2000 SO APPARENTLY THE NOISE IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, OR AT LEAST NOT TO ME, AND NOT YET. I REMAIN CONCERNED AND COMPLAIN ABOUT IT ALMOST EACH TIME I TAKE IT IN TO THE MECHANIC FOR ANY OTHER WORK. TODAY THE LOCAL CHEVROLET REP OFFERED TO PAY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST TO DO SOMETHING TO THE STEERING WHICH THEY THINK IS THE CAUSE, BUT WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THEIR CAR DOES THAT IT SHOULD NOT? BESIDES, I DON'T THINK A RIGHT FRONT TIRE AREA NOISE IS MUCH RELATED TO THE STEERING. INCIDENT DATE IS SINCE SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR REGULAR CHECKUP WHEN RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE FALLING OFF AND THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NO SIGN OF REPAIR PRIOR TO THIS OCCASION, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS IF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE BRAKES DID NOT OPERATE. *JB

I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW AND WITHIN 32000 MILES YOU COULD FEEL A CLUNK IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE IMPALA WAS DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL DAY TO DAY USAGE AND WAS PROPERLY MAINTAINED. TOOK THE CAR IN FOR WARRANTY WORK AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD TO LUBE AND REPLACE A PIECE ON THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT OF THE STEERING. NOW AT 81000 MILES THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS SHOW UP AGAIN! INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON STEERING COLUMN STARTS WITH A CLICKING NOISE AND THROUGH USAGE AND TIME GETS WORSE. YOU START FEELING THE CLICK THROUGH THE STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL AT LOW SPEEDS AND WHEN THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED WHILE DRIVING! I FEEL AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC AND IN MY PROFESSIONAL OPINION GM NEEDS TO BE MADE TO HAVE A RECALL ON ALL IMPALA'S PRODUCED FROM 2000 THRU 2004. THIS CLICKING IS A FAILURE OF THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AND OTHER STEERING COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED IT AND WILL LEAD TO SUBSEQUENT FAILURE AND ACCIDENT IN THIS VEHICLE. *NM

SMELLED GASOLINE. FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILED. WAS REPLACED, OLD PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB

THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MAKING TURNS WHICH INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH. TAKEN TO DEALER FOR CHECK UP, AND RESULTS SHOWED THAT A GEAR IN THE STEERING BOX NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK. THE POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING DURING TURNS. SOMETIMES IT DIDN'T WORK AT ALL, OTHER TIMES, IT WORKED WHEN STARTING A TURN THE STOPPED PART WAY THROUGH THE TURN. A SMALL PERSON WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM TURNING THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO USED CAR DEALER, AND MECHANIC ADVISED HIM THAT A GEAR IN THE STEERING BOX WENT BAD, AND PUT A NEW STEERING BOX IN. *AK

THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ASSEMBLY FAILURE. RACK AND PINION LEAKED AND HAS BEEN SERVICED AND STILL HAS PROBLEMS. *BF THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *SC *JB

THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2000 IMPALA READS FULL ALL THE TIME THE CAR IS MOVING. I HAVE CO WORKER WITH THE SAME CAR AND SAME PROBLEM. *AK