2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 1 AND 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO FELT A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (01-02-32001H) REGARDING THIS SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA HAS A FEATURE FOR SHOWING LOW TIRE PRESSURE. 1ST TIME MY TIRE WAS BELOW 20 LBS WITH A NAIL IN IT AND LOW TIRE PRESSURE DID NOT SHOW. I TOOK IT TO DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. 2ND TIME MY TIRE HAD A BLOW-OUT IN THE SIDE WALL. WHILE RUNNING ON A FLAT TIRE, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE DID NOT SHOW. I REPLACED THE FLAT TIRE WITH THE SPARE AND WHEN I DROVE OFF WITH THE SPARE, THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE SHOWED. IT IS A GOOD THING THE 2ND TIME WITH THE BLOW OUT AND FLAT TIRE: A.IT WAS ON THE BACK WHEEL AND IT DID NOT AFFECT MY DRIVING AND ON A SLOW CITY STREET. B.IT WAS NOT ON MY FRONT TIRE , WHERE IT WOULD HAVE AFFECTED MY DRIVING AND I WAS NOT ON A FREEWAY, WHERE I MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED FROM IT. TO ME, THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE 2003 CHEVY IMPALA THAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND DEATH. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A 3/4 INCH HOLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SIDEWALL. UPDATED 09/26/07. *JB

PURCHASED A SECOND CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH SAME DEFECT WITH TAIL LIGHT COMPARTMENT. HOLDS WATER INDEFINITELY, NOT JUST CONDENSATION. I NOW HAVE A 2003 AND USED TO HAVE A 2002 WITH SAME PROBLEM. CAUSES LIGHT BULBS TO GO OUT FREQUENTLY AND ALSO ALARM WILL GO OFF WHEN OPENING TRUNK WHICH I SUSPECT MAYBE A SHORT IN WIRING DUE TO WATER. I HAVE CONTACTED A LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT AS WELL AS GM CORPORATE AND THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH PROBLEM BUT NO WITH NO RECALLS YET TO PROVIDE RESOLUTION OF WHAT I BELIEVE IS A SAFEY HAZARD WHEN LIGHT BULBS CONTINUE TO GO OUT. OF COURSE THEY WANT ME TO PAY TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT MAY STILL HAVE SOME CONDENSATION PROBLEMS.

CLUNKING NOISE IN FRONT END ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE IN A TURN. ALSO COULD FEEL A "THUMP" THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AT SAME TIME. WE ARE STATIONED IN GERMANY IN THE AIR FORCE. TOOK IT TO THE OPEL DEALER (CHEVY EQUIV. IN GERMANY) AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. AFTER $300 AND A LONG TIME WAITING FOR THE PART, IT WAS REPLACED AND HASN'T GIVEN US A PROBLEM SINCE. ALSO HAVE HAD MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR "EATING" BRAKES AND ROTORS. REMINDS ME EXACTLY OF MY BUICK REGAL I HAD WITH THE SAME BRAKE ISSUES. AFTER I SOLD THE REGAL, I WAS SENT INFO ON A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST GMC FOR THE SAME BRAKE ISSUES. BOTH ARE GREAT CARS BUT BRAKES STINK. *TR

THEFT SYSTEM HAD TO BE DISABLED BECAUSE CAR WOULD NOT START 3 TIMES AND HAD TO BE TOWED. REMOTE CAR ACCESS HAD TO BE REMOVED FOR ABOVE REASON. COST OVER $500 TO REPAIR. FAULTY THEFT MODULE. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BREAKER OR A FUSE FOR THE REAR DEFROSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH THIS COMPONENT. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE MUST PAY TO HAVE THE FEATURE ADDED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DIDN'T REQUEST TO HAVE THE FEATURE ADDED JUST REQUESTED TO SHOW HIM THE BREAKER. UPDATED 11/07/07 *TR

20003 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 45,242 MILES NEEDED BRAKE ROTORS TURNED DUE TO WARPING. $190 *JB

2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 45,242 MILES HAD TO HAVE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED DUE TO IT LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO THE OIL. $550. *JB

MY HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING WHEN I WAS OUT OF TOWN. ONLY HAD HI BEAMS IF I HELD THE DIMMER SWITCH TOWARDS ME. ONCE I RELEASED THE SWITCH, I HAD NO LIGHTS. TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE DIMMER SWITCH WITH ONE FROM A WRECKED CAR LIKE MINE BECAUSE A NEW ONE FROM GM WAS $500. *TR ALSO HAD HEAT/AC FAN STOP WORKING. NOW CAR IS MAKING A STRANGE HUMMING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END THAT IS NOT COMING FROM THE MOTOR. MY HUSBAND BELIEVES THE WHEEL BEARINGS MIGHT BE BAD BECAUSE OUR MECHANIC ASKED US IF WE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEM. HE HAS SEEN SEVERAL CARS LIKE MINE WITH WHEEL BEARING ISSUES.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE COURTESY LIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE BATTERY LIGHTS WOULD SCROLL ACROSS THE MESSAGE CENTER, AND A CHIME WOULD RING. THE FAILURES OCCUR SPORADICALLY. THE MORE THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, THE MORE THE FAILURES OCCUR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE POWERTRAIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 65,746 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,600.