2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD SLIGHTLY UNTIL THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PEDAL POSITIONING SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 64,867.

TL*THE CONTACT RENTED A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO HER AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE SEAT BELTS ALSO DID NOT SECURELY HOLD ANY OF THE PASSENGERS. THE POLICE APPEARED ON THE SCENE AND 4 MAJOR INJURIES WERE REPORTED. ALL 4 PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO HAVE THEIR INJURIES TREATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. SHE WAS NOT SURE IF THE VEHICLE WAS EVER EXAMINED FOR THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 12,000.

I AM HEARING NOISES COMING FROM MY STEERING GEAR AS I MAKE TURNS. THE DEALER TOLD ME MY RACK AND PINION SYSTEM IS GOING OUT. THIS FAILURE CAN LEAD TO THE LOSS OF THE ABILITY TO STEER OR THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKING UP. RESEARCH INDICATES THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH CHEVROLET MODELS SINCE 2000. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE YET. I AM SURE THERE ARE INJURIES AND DEATHS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING A RENTED CHEVY IMPALA WITH 7,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER IN RENO, NV, I WAS ON A MODERATE DOWNWARD SLOPE AT 65 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I USED THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE CAR. THERE WAS AN IMMEDIATE SHAKING IN THE FRONT END AND STEERING WHEEL, ENOUGH TO BELIEVE THAT I HAD A FLAT IN A FRONT TIRE, OR HAD SOME OTHER SUBSTANTIAL MECHANICAL PROBLEM. RELEASING THE BRAKES, THE SHAKING STOPPED. THIS SHAKING OCCURRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES ON THE HILL AS I SLOWED THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY RETURNED THE CAR TO THE RENTAL COMPANY AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS COMMONLY OCCURS WITH IMPALAS AND WAS DUE TO THE POOR BRAKES INSTALLED ON THE CAR. THE SHAKING WAS SEVERE ENOUGH TO, IN MY OPINION, CAUSE DRIVERS TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY WERE REQUIRED TO BRAKE AND MANEUVER SIMULTANEOUSLY. I WON'T BE RENTING ANY MORE IMPALAS. *TR

BRAKES BEGAN PULSATING RAPIDLY WHILE GOING DOWN STEEP DECLINE. THIS RESULTED IN EXTREME DIFFICULTY TO CONTROL CAR. CAR WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND ROTORS WERE TURNED DOWN. THE CAR BEGAN DOING THE SAME THING 2 MONTHS LATER. DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AND HANDED ME PAPERS STATING TO JUST GEAR CAR DOWN WHEN DRIVING DOWN MOUNTAINS. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOESN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVY IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 20 MPH AROUND A CURVE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THE FRONT BRAKES OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER REFUSED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND PROVIDED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. UPDATED 01/06/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE BRAKES COOLED DOWN THE SHAKING OF THE STEERING WHEEL DID STOP. UPDATED 01/24/11

I HAVE A 2009 IMPALA WITH BARELY 15000 MILES. TOOK IN FOR OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION AT A FIRESTONE BUSINESS. MECHANIC STATES THAT FRONT TIRES WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION, AND RECOMMENDED 2 FRONT TIRES AND LIFETIME FRONT END ALIGNMENT FOR A COST OF ALMOST 750.00. DID NOT TAKE HIM UP ON HIS "GENEROUS" OFFER. THIS WAS JUST BEFORE THE CAR HIT 15K MILES. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED EVERY 5K, AND UP UNTIL JUST OVER 10K, TIRE CONDITION WAS STATED AS "GOOD-9/32 TREAD IS STILL ON TIRES. SO, BETWEEN 10K & 15 K, THEY ARE NOW NO LONGER ANY GOOD? HAVE SEEN QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT 2009 IMPALA TIRES WEARING OUT PREMATURELY, AS DID THE 2008'S(WHICH MY WIFE HAS) FRONT END HAS NEVER SHAKEN, SHIMMIED OR ANYTHING ELSE-STILL DRIVES DOWN THE ROAD AT 50 WITH NO PROBLEM AT ALL. AM WONDERING IF GM IS GOING TO GIVE ME A HASSLE ABOUT THIS-NOT A GOOD ADVERTISEMENT FOR THIS MODEL AT ALL! *TR

2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA,BOUGHT IN JULY OF 2010 WITH 18,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I STOP TO PARK THE CAR, MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE, I PUT THE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK AND WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE THE CAR WILL ROLL FORWARD 8 TO 10 INCHES. IT ALSO DOES IT IN REVERSE BUT ONLY A 3-4 INCHES. HAPPENS ABOUT 1 TIME IN 5. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO THEM AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS NORMAL. *TR

THIS IS A COPY OF A COMPLAIN THAT HAS BEEN SENT TO THE CHEVROLET DIV. OF GENERAL MOTORS. CHEVROLET CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER PO BOX 33170 DETROIT, MI 48232-5170 [XXX] SEPT. 23, 2010 RE: WARRANTY DECEPTION ( VEHICLE 2009 IMPALA) THIS VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WITH ODOMETER READING OF 27,000 MILES. A STUD BROKE OFF THE RT REAR WHEEL AND THE LARRY GREEN SERVICE DEPT.IN COTTONWOOD, ARIZONA REFUSED TO REPAIR IT UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. THEY CLAIMED IT WAS SHEARED OFF BY WHOMEVER ROTATED THE TIRES LAST. MY CLAIM WAS THAT THE TIRES WERE NEVER ROTATED AND THE STUD BROKE. I ALSO CLAIM THAT IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE BECAUSE NO MATTER WHEN AND IF THE TIRES WERE ROTATED AT SOME TIME IN THE FUTURE A STUD MAY BREAK BY ROAD IMPACT. IF IT CAN BE PROVEN THAT THE STUD IS DEFECTIVE IT MAY RESULT IN A MASSIVE RECALL. HOW MUCH TORQUE IS REQUIRED TO TWIST OFF A STUD WITH A STANDARD WRENCH? THEY ALSO CLAIM THAT THE STUD DIDN'T COME FROM THE FACTORY DEFECTIVE. THAT IS AN ASSUMPTION. ( OF COURSE WITHOUT TESTING THE STUD IT IS UNKNOWN.) WITH THAT LOGIC ANYTHING THAT BREAKS CAN BE EXCUSED AS AN EXISTING CAUSE. THE 3 YEAR WARRANTY IS DECEPTIVE. IF AUTOMOBILE PARTS NEVER BREAK THE JUNK YARDS WOULD BE EMPTY! GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE THERE IS A FATALITY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR NOT! WHAT LARRY GREEN HAS LOST IS THE GOOD WILL OF A KOREAN VET AND PERHAPS MANY OTHER VETS THAT MAY HEAR OF THIS. I HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS IN KOREA REMOVING BUSTED STUDS THAT, HOPEFULLY, ALSO DID NOT COME FROM THE GM FACTORY DEFECTIVE. [XXX] CC: LARRY GREEN CHEVORLET INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ROUTINE OIL CHANGE 9/9/10. "ABNORMAL TIRE WEAR, BOTH OUTER TIE ROD ENDS ARE BAD". 9/10/10 PER DEALER INSPECTION: POWER STEERING RACK & PINION AND THE RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END HAS EXCESSIVE PLAY, REPLACED POWER STEERING RACK & PINION AND RIGHT OUTER TIE ROD END, 2-WHEEL ALIGNMENT. CUSTOMER PAID LABOR ONLY, $300.11. *TR