2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

AIR CONDITIONER ONLY WORKED ON FIRST SETTING. MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE DOOR THAT CONTROLS WHERE THE AIR WENT WAS NOT WORKING AND WOULD COST $500 TO $600 FOR REPAIRS. SEEMED TO WORK FINE WITH HEAT, BUT NOT WITH AIR. MECHANIC STATED THE DOOR WAS A SMALL PLASTIC PIECE, BUT HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD TO GET TO IT. NO DISCERNIBLE REASON FOR THIS MALFUNCTION.*AK

PASS LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME IN FIVE YEARS , THE SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. WHILE THIS DID NOT POSE AN IMMEDIATE DANGER IT COULD BECOME A PROBLEM IF SOMEONE NEEDED TO USE THEIR CAR FOR AN EMERGENCY , AND BECAUSE OF THE PASS LOCK FAILURE ENABLED TO RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEEDED.*AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TURN SIGNAL ILLUMINATES SPORADICALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS A SHORT IN THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHER UNIT AND MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT A RECALL DOES NOT EXIST FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 110,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

WHILE I LOVE MY 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA IT HAS TWO MAJOR PROBLEMS WHICH AFFECT ITS SAFETY. FIRST, I HD REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE ASSEMBLY TWICE IN 1.5 YEARS AND THE LINKAGE HAD BEEN RESET TWO SEPARATE TIMES. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAYED IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, BLOCKING THE VIEW FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS THE REAR BRAKES, WHICH DETERIORATED AND CRUSTED , REQUIRING FULL REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, ETC. THIS COULD CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE IF NO ACTION WAS TAKEN BY THE OWNER AND A RESPONSIBLE MECHANIC. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE DATE OF THE WINDSHIELD WIPERSWAS LISTED BELOW. THE BRAKES WERE FULLY REPLACED IN MARCH 2007.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFECT. STAYS IN UP POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF. I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER IMPALAS SIINCE THIS HAS STARTED ON MY VEHICLE.*AK

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE THAT INVOLVES THE PASSLOCK IGNITION SECURITY SYSTEM FAILURE WITH NO-START. I PURCHASED THE 2002 CHEVY IMPALA FROM A DEALER USED WITH 80,000 MILES ON IT. A COUPLE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE I STARTED HAVING THE PROBLEM AND THE DEALER KEPT PUTTING IT ON DIAGNOSTICS AND CHARGING ME FOR ITEMS THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I NOW, THROUGH RESEARCH, HAVE DISCOVERED THE GM DIRTY LITTLE SECRET OF THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM THEY WILL NOT RECALL AND I AM A SINGLE WOMAN IN HER LATE 50'S THAT LIVES ON A FIXED INCOME AND CAN'T AFFORD TO GET A NEW VEHICLE. I AM GETTING THE RUN AROUND FROM DEALERS AND THEY WILL NOT GIVE ME A HONEST SOLUTION THAT WILL NOT REQUIRE ALMOST $1,000 REPLACEMENT ON THE IGNITION AND PASSLOCK SENSOR. I AM VERY ANGRY AND SITTING WITH A VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT GO ANYWHERE WITH THAT I PAID TOO MUCH FOR BECAUSE OF THE DEFECT AND NO ONE WILL HELP. I AM HAVING HEALTH PROBLEMS DUE TO THIS AND I WANT HELP TO MAKE THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM AND RECALL THE DEFECTIVE PART. *TR

AT AROUND 40,000 MILES OUR 2002 IMPALA HAD BROWN STUFF SIMILAR TO PUDDING IN THE RADIATOR. WE HAVE LEARNED THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY THE DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE THAT GENERAL MOTORS PUTS IN THEIR VEHICLES. AT ABOUT 100,000 MILES THE CAR OVERHEATED. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT NEEDED NEW HEAD GASKETS AT A COST $1300.00 POSSIBLY HIGHER IF THE HEADS ARE DAMAGED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES YET GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT A DEFECT IN THEIR PRODUCT. WE HAVE PURCHASED A FORD CAR AND WILL NEVER PURCHASE A GM PRODUCT AGAIN. I HAD BEEN A GM MAN FOR 30 YEARS BUT NOT ANYMORE. *JB

CAR DOES NOT TURN OVER. EVERY SIX MONTHS OR SO THE CAR DOES NOT TURN OVER. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT IT WOULD NOT START. AAA WAS CALLED AND STATED IT WAS THE STARTER. NEXT MORNING, CAR STARTED RIGHT UP. DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATES THAT IT IS ELECTRONIC .AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. DIAGNOSTIC CODES P1626, 1064. *AK

I HAVE TWICE HAD TO TAKE MY 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA TO THE SHOP (RESULTING IN LOST TIME FROM WORK AND UNNECESSARY REPAIR BILLS) BECAUSE THE LOW ENGINE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON EVEN THOUGH THE COOLANT LEVEL IS FULL. THE REPAIR SHOP HAS TWICE FOUND OIL IN THE COOLANT, DESPITE HAVING FLUSHED THE COOLING SYSTEM AND INSTALLING A NEW LOW COOLANT LEVEL SENSOR AT A COST OF $165. NOW I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND THAT IT WILL COST AROUND $900 TO FIX IT PROPERLY. THIS CAR HAD ONLY 20,580 MILES ON IT WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST ATTENDED TO AND NOW STILL HAS ONLY 21,557 MILES. *JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK, BUT WHEN YOU CUT THEM OFF THEY STAND STRAIGHT UP INSTEAD OF LAYING DOWN.*AK