2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

I HAVE HAD BRAKE ROTOR PROBLEMS EARLY, STARTING AT ABOUT 8,000 MILES, WITH MY VEHICLE. WE LIVE OUT IN THE COUNTRY (VERY LITTLE CITY DRIVING) SO THIS IS A VERY PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE ROTORS. I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND TURNED THE ROTORS BUT HAVE DISCOVERED(TOO LATE) THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE MADE OF AN INEXPENSIVE METAL THAT OVERHEATS AND WARPS EASILY. THE OVERHEATING THEN CAUSES THE BRAKE PADS TO GLAZE AND THUS REDUCES BRAKING ABILITY. THIS APPEARS TO BE COMMON AS TWO OTHER IMPALA OWNERS I'VE SPOKE WITH ALSO SUFFER WITH THIS PROBLEM. IT IS EVEN NOTED BY MANY OTHER OWNERS AT WWW.IMPALAHQ.COM. CURRENTLY MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I AM PLANNING ON REPLACING THE BRAKES (AGAIN). THIS TIME I WILL PURCHASE ROTORS ON MY OWN SINCE THE FACTORY AND DEALER ISSUED ROTORS ARE NO GOOD. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH GM PRODUCTS BECAUSE BRAKES ARE THE LAST PLACE A MANUFACTURER NEEDS TO CUT COSTS. *LA

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 60,000 MILES BUT THOUGHT IT WAS AIR FILTER. FINALLY, I COULD NOT GET UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT 85,000 MILES, BUT THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL DID NOT TURN ON. TOOK IN FOR SERVICE AND WAS TOLD IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *LA

MY 2002 CHEVY IMPALA LS HAS HAD A PROBLEM, SINCE BUYING IT IN MAY 2002, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMING TO THE POINT OF CUTOFF THEN COMING BACK TO FULL INTENSITY IN A RAPID FASHION. I HAVE HAD THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, BELTS, CABLES/WIRES CHECKED BUT TO NO AVAIL. I DO NOTICE THAT IF I ACCELERATE SHARPLY, OVER 3000 RPM, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR A WHILE, SUGGESTING THERE IS A CHARGING PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, BUT IS INCREASING IN FRENQUENCY AS MY ODO REACHES 23,000 MILES.

THE RECALL REMEDY FOR THE UPPER/LOWER INTAKE CO303-4 MANUFACTURER # IS A SHORT TERM FIX, AND IS NOT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM. *AK IF A SEALANT WAS USED TO STOP THE LEAKAGE INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM TO THE VEHICLES MOTOR IT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO IT COULD MOVE AROUND AND FLOW TO OTHER PLACES AT ANYTIME THERE WAS A TEMPERATURE CHANGE. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT/CENTER COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT.*AK THE WINDSHIELD SHATTERED UPON IMPACT INJURING THE CONSUMER. SAFETY DEVICES DIDN'T PERFORM AS ADVERTISED. *PH *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES EXCESSIVELY, AND HEARS A GRINDING NOISE. DEALER ADVISED CONSUMER THAT NEW BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE NEEDED. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 26000 MILES.*AK

YEAR 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA UNEVEN REAR TIRE TREAD WEAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO A WALMART SERVICE CENTER FOR TIRE ROTATION AND WAS REFUSED SERVICE, AND TOLD TO TRY TO CONTACT DEALERSHIP IN REGARD TO A POSSIBLE PROBLEM W/ VEHICLE CAUSING THIS. VEHICLE IS 14,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. I WILL HAVE TO PURCHASE 2 NEW REAR TIRES & HAVE CAR INSPECTED & PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. THIS IS A DANGER TO DRIVE WHILE TREAD IS BAD AND MAY POSSIBLY BE A MAJOR DEFECT OF THIS VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ABS FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF IN PULSATING FASHION WHILE COASTING, BRAKING OR STOPPED. THE FLICKERING DOES NOT OCCUR WHILE ACCELERATING. 2002 IMPALA LS, SPORT EDITION, 3.8L V-6. THIS CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP JUST AFTER PURCHASE, RICHARD LUCAS, IN AVENEL, NJ. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP IN RACINE, WI - FRANK BOUCHER. THE FIRST TIME, THEY WERE UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND GAVE ME A "BULLETIN" ADVISING DIMMING OF LIGHTS WAS NORMAL. THIS ISN'T DIMMING, IT'S FLICKERING. PLUS - I WAS PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER WHO THOUGHT I WAS PLAYING WITH MY HEADLIGHTS. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, FRANK BOUCHER, AND THEY CONTACTED GM TECH SERVICES. THEY CHECKED A FEW THINGS INCLUDING THE AIR PUMP. THEN - BY USING THE TECH II TOOL, THEY WERE ABLE TO RECREATE THE FLCIKERING BY SWITCHING THE AIR PUMP ON. HOWEVER, THE RESPONSE FROM GM TECH SERVICES IS, THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM, HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A COMPLAINT ABOUT IT AND THERE IS NO "FIX". THEY HAVE ALSO STATED THAT THERE IS NO PROPOSED FIX. NOW I READ HERE THERE ARE THREE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. WHAT CAN BE DONE? GM WON'T DO ANYTHING STATING IT IS NORMAL - BUT IT IS NOT NORMAL. IF I AM PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER, THIS IS NOT NORMAL.

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED CONSUMER LOST CONTROL, AND HAD A FRONT AND CENTER COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK