2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

AT JUST UNDER 60,000 MILES, LOW COOLANT LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER SAYS IT'S LEAKING COOLANT AT 2 PLACES: AT LOWER INTAKE AND AT WATER PUMP. COST TO REPAIR: $600 TO $850, DEPENDING ON REPAIR FACILITY. IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS, I DID NOT RECEIVE.*AK

FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 3.8 LITER V6 AND THERE'S ALREADY A RECALL ON SEVERAL MODELS 04V090000.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT. THE CONSUMER HIT THE DIMMER SWITCH AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THE OCCURRED AGAIN BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED A MODULE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THUS FAR, THE FAILURE HAD NOT RECURRED. *AK *SC

ENGINE COOLANT HAS TURNED BROWN AND CLOGGED UP THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TYPE OF COOLANT BEING USED IN NEW VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN REFERED TO HAVE MY ENGINE FLUSHED AND THAT GM WILL NOT STAND UP FOR THE REPAIRS.

JUST PURCHASED A 2002 IMPALA WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIION WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS AT AN INCLINE WHEN IN DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT ALL AUTOMATIC DO THIS TODAY. DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I CONSIDER THIS A HAZARD. HAVE BEEN DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS FOR YEARS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE.*AK

LOUD "THUMPING" NOISE COMING FROM LOWER ENGINE AREA. ECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM. FLY WHEEL DISINEGRATED. POORLY MANUFACTURED PART. *AK ONE MONTH LATER "LOW COOLANT" ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BAD INTAKE VALVE SEAL. POOR QUALITY GM PART. BOTH PARTS REPLACED AND REPAIRED AS RECOMMENDED.

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT EVERY WEEK, HE HAD TO FILL THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED AND COOLANT SPILLED INSIDE THE ENGINE. *AK *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINEDTHAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKTE HAD FAILED. *AK *JB

CATALYTIC CONVERTER CLOGGED ON 2002 VEHICLE. THE ENGINE WAS CALIBRATED TO RUN TOO LEAN MAKING THE EXHAUST GASES TOO HOT, LEADING TO PREMATURE FAILURE. NOTICED GRADUAL POWER LOSS SINCE 50,000 MILES BUT THOUGHT IT WAS AIR FILTER. ENGINE LIGHT STILL DID TURN ON. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OK FOR WARRANTY. *NM

REAR WHEEL HUBS AND BEARINGS ARE MAKING NOISE. INSIDE THE HUB THERE IS A BEARING WHICH HOLDS THE TIRE/WHEEL ON, AND BOLTS TO THE REAR AXLE WERE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THIS WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS ALREADY REPLACED AT 60,000 MILES. THE ABS LIGHT AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF. CONSUMER HAS HAD THE BEARINGS REPLACED 2 MONTHS AGO AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. CURRENTLY, THE BEARINGS ARE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AFTER ON 6,000 OR 7, 000 MILES.*AK