2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA HAS A RECURRING INCIDENT OF CLICKING NOISES AT RIGHT FRONT STEERING WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT. THIS IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE VEHICLE DEVELOPING A UNEVEN WEAR AT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT ROTATING THE TIRES WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AS THE PROBLEM GREW WORSE (INCLUDING A BADLY SHIMMYING FRONT END AT HIGH SPEEDS),I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED WELD ON IT CHASIS AND REPAIRED IT. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE TIRES, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PURCHASE NEW ONES AT MY OWN EXPENSE. A SMOOTH RIDE WITH NEW TIRES WAS SHORT LIVED, AS A BADLY SHIMMYING FRONT END HAD DEVELOPED AGAIN (WITHIN 24 HOURS). TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SECOND DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS A WORN TIE ROD. ONCE THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED, I PERIODICALLY HEARD LIGHT CLICKING NOISED FROM THE STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS (RIGHT & LEFT). TAKING THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SECOND DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF LUBRICATION. ONCE LUBRICATED, THE VEHICLE STOPPED MAKING CLICKING NOISES FOR ABOUT 30 T0 40 DAYS. I NOTICED THAT THE CLICKING NOISES BEGAN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER UNEVEN AREAS OF A ROAD OR PARKING LOT, OR WHEN THE VEHICLE NEGOTIATES TIGHT LEFT TURNS (LOW SPEEDS) AND WIDE/SWEEPING LEFT CURVES AT HIGH SPEEDS. NEVER THE LESS, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM CONCERNS LUBRICATION. LATEST MAINTENANCE DATE AS INCIDENT DATE 10/16/03 (COMPLAINT: F/E SNAPPING WHEN TURNING. DIAGNOSIS: INADEQUATE LUBRICANTS IN THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. CORRECTION: REMOVED SHAFT - LUBRICATED AND RE-INSTALLED PART# [XXX]. THE ORIGINAL DEALERSHIP: RHODES CHEVROLET OF SWANSBORO, NC (NOW UNDER NEW NAME AND MANAGEMENT). THE DEALERSHIP MAKING REPAIRS: MARINE CHEVROLET CADILLAC OLDSMOBILE. INITIAL THUMPING/ UNEVEN TIRE WEAR IS WITHIN ONE MONTH OF VEHICLE PURCHASE 01/18/01. VIN [XXX]. *LA UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT T

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION SLIPPED GEARS AND LURCHED FORWARD. DEALER REPLACED THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION ALSO SLIPPED GEARS AND LURCHED FORWARD. *AK WHEN VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER ON FIRST FAILURE OF TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE COLOR OF THE FLUID IN THE TRANS AXLE WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE IN THE BOTTLE. CONSUMER DECIDED TO REPLACE THE TRANSAXLE AND FLUID AFTER VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A NUMBER OF MILES BECAUSE THE FLUID COLOR GETS DARKER. AFTER REPAIR, JUST AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD, TRANSMISSION BLEW UP THEN VEHICLE QUIT DRIVING FORWARD; TRANSMISSION TECHNICIAN AND COULD NOT TELL THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT MANAGER AND SAID THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY OF AN AXLE BEARING OR BEARING FAILURE. *LA

COOLANT LEAK AROUND THERMOPLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS COOLANT LEAK DEVELOPED AROUND 42000 MI AND IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT THE DEALER ADMITS. ALSO DEX-COOL IS FALSLEY ADVERTISED THAT IT CAN GO 150,000 OR 5 YEARS. MOST CONSUMERS AREN'T AWARE THAT IT TURNS ACIDIC AND DESTROYS GASKETS AND OTHER COOLING SYSTEM COMPONENTS. I FEEL THE COOLANT LEAK AND ASSOCIATED DEX-COOL PROBLEMS DEMONSTRATES GM FAILURE TO CORRECT A KNOWN DEFECT. UNFORTUNATLEY THE CONSUMER PAYS DEARLY RIGHT AS WARRANTY EXPIRES. GM SHOULD REPLACE THERMOPLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WITH SOMETHING MORE DURABLE AND HEAT RESISTANT.

THE CLEAR COAT IS COMING OFF THE CAR. WE BOUGHT THE CAR USED (OCT. 26/01) AND TOOK IT TO ZIEBART TO HAVE A PROTECTIVE COATING PUT ON.(NOV. 9/01) THE GM PROTECTION PLAN WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. WHEN WE TOOK IT BACK FOR ITS ONE-YEAR CHECK-UP(OCT. 21/02),THE TECHNICIAN AT ZIEBART TOLD US THAT THE CLEAR COAT WAS COMING OFF. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON OCT. 31/02. THE WARRANTEE WAS FOR 60000 KM (38000 MILES). THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE PART THAT WAS COMING OFF "AS A GESTURE OF GOOD WILL" BECAUSE THE WARRANTEE WAS UP, BUT WE REQUESTED THAT THEY DO THE WHOLE CAR, AS WE FELT THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD RECUR. "THEY DO NOT REPAIR WHAT IS NOT DAMAGED." NOW, 7 MONTHS LATER, THE CLEAR COAT IS COMING OFF A DIFFERENT PART OF THE CAR. THEY WILL COVER 50% OF THE COST OF REPAIR, BUT WHEN I ASKED WHAT HAPPENS IF THIS PROBLEM RECURS, I WAS TOLD WE WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. GM CANADA IS PLAYING HARD-BALL AND BACKS THE DEALERSHIP. "THE MATTER IS CLOSED". WHEN I ASKED IF THERE WAS AN OMBUDSMAN, THEY SAID NO AND THAT MY ONLY OTHER OPTION IS "TO GET LEGAL COUNSEL OR GO TO GM MEDIATION OR ARBITRATION." DO YOU HAVE A CANADIAN COUNTERPART? THANK YOU.

AT 25963 MILES AND AGAIN AT 40196 MILES THE BRAKE ROTORS ON THE REAR OF THE CAR HAD TO BE REPLACED. FRONT ROTORS HAD TO BE RESURFACED, AND BRAKE PADS REPLACED. CHEVROLET CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, BUT HAD PREVIOUSLY INDICATED THAT THEY WERE HAVING A PROBLEM WITH ROTORS THAT WERE FLAKING AND WARPING AT 15,000 MILES. CHEVROLET REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY.

TURN SIGNAL FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. *AK WHEN THE SIGNAL WAS ENGAGED IT DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE HAZARD SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED HIS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE MALIBU WHICH WAS RECALLED. *JB *NM

WHILE DRIVING UPHILL VEHICLE SLIPPED OUT OF DRIVE. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PUT IT BACK INTO DRIVE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY STREET AT 10 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT FENDER AND BUMPER. THE TIRE WAS A UNIROYAL - TIGER PAW, TIRE SIZE PZ25/60/16R, DOT NUMBER UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. THE TIRE WAS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT. *AK *SC *JB

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 2001 CHEVY IMPALA HAVE STOPPED WORKING. I WAS SPEAKING WITH OTHER IMPALA OWNERS AND THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE IT IS THE MOTOR. ONE FRIEND HAD TO HAVE THE ITEM FIXED FOUR TIMES IN TWO YEARS. WHY ISN'T THERE A RECALL?*AK

VEHICLE WITH 47000 MILES FAILED SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO RIGHT HAND TIE ROD END WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR. *LA