2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

BRIGHTS CANNOT BE TURNED OFF WITHOUT NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO MAKE THE SWITCH WORK, RESULTING IN A SAFETY HAZARD TO OTHER DRIVERS, AND SELF DUE TO DISTRACTION. *JB

HEATER QUIT WORKING, THEN CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. TURNING OFF HEATER/DEFROSTER CAUSES IT TO STOP OVERHEATING SO MUCH, BUT TEMPERATURE STILL RISES WHEN WAITING AT LIGHTS. CAR IS ALSO NEEDING OIL REPLACEMENT, AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE 2 MONTHS AND 1500 MI AGO. MILEAGE IS AROUND 60,000. THERE IS OIL LEAKING OUT IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE ENGINE. *JB

HEATER QUIT WORKING, THEN CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. TURNING OFF HEATER/DEFROSTER CAUSES IT TO STOP OVERHEATING SO MUCH, BUT TEMPERATURE STILL RISES WHEN WAITING AT LIGHTS. CAR IS ALSO NEEDING OIL REPLACEMENT, AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE 2 MONTHS AND 1500 MI AGO. MILEAGE IS AROUND 60,000. THERE IS OIL LEAKING OUT IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE ENGINE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE HEADLIGHTS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. A CODE INDICATED THERE WAS A FAILURE OF THE MULTI FUNCTION HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES OVER A MONTH SPAN. DEALER REPLACED MULTI FUNCTION HEADLIHTS. *AK

IGNITION - KEY WOULD NOT TURN. UNABLE TO MOVE CAR. WARM , SUNNY DAY. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. CAUSE: FROZEN LOCK CYLINDER. DEALERSHIP HAD CAR FOR THREE (3) DAYS TO ORDER PART, REPROGRAM AND REPLACE. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAD THREE (3) OTHER CARS WITH SAME PROBLEM DURING THAT ONE WEEK! SAFETY: THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED ANYWHERE SUCH AS WHILE PUMPING GAS OR STOPPING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CONSEQUENCE: CAR HAD TO BE TOWED. I LOST THREE (3) DAYS USE OF MY CAR. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS. THIS FEATURE LOCKS THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO DRIVE. DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCK, THE DOORS MUST BE MANUALLY LOCKED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE CORRECTED. ALSO THE KEYLESS ENTRY HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES FOR REPROGRAMMING. THIS ONLY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. UPDATED 4/6/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SRS LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SIR COIL AND THEN DETERMINED THE AIR BAG WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS AN NHTSA RECALL, # 02V222000, REGARDING THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. UPDATED 03/28/06/. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY STOP WORKING. THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LAMPS ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE SYSTEMS WOULD FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIRS. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THE WIRING HARNESS HAD RUSTED AND CAUSED THE SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED AND THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT GO OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SIR COIL AND CLOSED THE DRIVER DEPLOYMENT LOOP, WHICH REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM

EXPERIENCED ENGINE TEMP FLUCTUATIONS DURING THIS TIME THE HEAT IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT WORK, AFTER THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND WARMED UP PROBLEM WOULD STOP. CAR HEATED UP TO JUST BELOW THE OVER HEAT POINT IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. BROUGHT THE CAR INTO REPAIR SHOP THEY STATED THE INTAKE GASKET NEED TO BE REPLACED ($900.00). THE CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT. *JB