2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA Complaints

THE SPEEDOMETER IN MY 2004 IMPALA WITH ONLY 42,000 MILES ON IT HAS SUDDENLY GOTTEN A MIND OF IT'S OWN. SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE OVER $500 TO GET IT FIXED. I HAVE LOOKED FOR RECALLS BUT CAN'T FIND ANY BUT HAVE FOUND PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS. I NEVER KNOW FOR SURE HOW FAST I AM GOING. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED AN INCORRECT SPEED AND WOULD FLUCTUATE SPORADICALLY. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,826. THE CONSUMER STATED GM ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. UPDATED 12/12/07

CHEVY 2004 IMPALA: SPEED AND TEMP GAUGE WERE READING ERRATICALLY AND AT TIMES STAYED AT A PARTICULAR SPEED AND TEMP WHICH WERE NOT ACCURATE. GAUGE CLUSTER WAS CHANGED OUT ACCORDING TO A DEALERSHIP. WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY REALLY DID. HAD VEHICLE IN TO SAME DEALERSHIP AGAIN FOR INTERMEDIATE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT FOR A KNOCKING SOUND. DEALERSHIP LUBRICATED SHAFT. TO ME, IF SOMETHING IS MAKING NOISE, THIS MEANS THERE IS CONTACT WITH AT LEAST TWO COMPONENTS CAUSING WEAR. I BELIEVE THE SHAFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED OUT. ALL PROBLEMS HAVE NOT RETURNED, YET. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES OR SPEEDING TICKETS EITHER, THANK GOD. I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER OF THIS VEHICLE WOULD NOT PICK UP THE COST OF A SPEEDING TICKET OR ASSOCIATED COSTS DUE TO AN INJURY OR DEATH. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IS WHEN IS SOMEONE GOING TO STEP UP AND PUT SOME REAL HEAT ON THE AUTO INDUSTRY. DOES IT TAKE A DEATH OF A FELLOW CITIZEN TO TAKE ACTION? I THINK IT'S TOO LATE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES. I DON'T RECALL THE DATES OF EITHER INCIDENT SO THE DATE I ENTER IS NOT ACCURATE. I COULD GIVE YOU THE PHONE NUMBER OF THE DEALERSHIP TO FIND OUT THE ACTUAL DATES, BUT YOUR NOT LOOKING TO MAKE WAVES WITH THE INDUSTRY. PLEASE TELL ME I'M NOT WASTING MY TIME WITH THIS COMPLAINT. PLEASE TELL ME THERE IS A GENUINE CONCERN AT NHTSA. PLEASE DO NOT INSULT MY INTELLIGENCE. YES I'M ANGRY AND DISSATISFIED WITH THE AUTO INDUSTRY WHOSE AIM IS TO LIVE OFF OF COMPONENTS BREAKING DOWN SO YOU HAVE TO BRING YOUR VEHICLE BACK IN. IT SURE WOULD BE NICE TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE, DRIVE OFF THE DEALERSHIP LOT AND NEVER HAVING TO RETURN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN DRIVING OVER SPEED BUMPS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD VIBRATION AND CLUCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE OUTER HUBS, TIE RODS, AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFTS. HOWEVER, THE NOISE AND VIBRATIONS STILL OCCUR WHEN DRIVING OVER VARIATIONS IN THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,592 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,472.

LAST WINTER I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A DARK MORNING AND WITHOUT WARNING MY HEADLIGHTS WENT TOTALLY OUT. I KEPT FLIPPING MY HEADLIGHT SWITCH OFF AND ON AND MY DIMMER SWITCH UNTIL THEY CAME BACK ON. I CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD AND IT HAPPENED REPEATEDLY UNTIL I GOT TO WORK. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY REPLACED A COMPUTER MODULE. I DIDN'T THINK TO MUCH ABOUT IT UNTIL THIS MORNING WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN COOL OR COLD OUT BOTH TIMES IT HAS HAPPENED SO I DON'T KNOW IF IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH TEMPERATURE OR NOT. I HAVE LOST TIME FROM WORK BECAUSE OUR AREA AUTO DEALERS SERVICE DEPTS. ARE NOT OPEN ON SATURDAYS, NOT TO MENTION THE DANGER OF DRIVING A BLACK CAR IN THE DARK WITH NO HEADLIGHTS! *TR

SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 12/04, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER PERFORMED VERY POORLY. IN 3/07 IT CEASED WORKING, HOWEVER DASHBOARD CONTROL SWITCH AND I/P CONTROL RELAY APPEARED TO REMAIN FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BREAKER (MECHANICALLY BROKEN ARMATURE) TO BE CAUSE OF COMPLETE FAILURE. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF CIRCUIT BREAKER, I/P CONTROL RELAY, AND ANTENNA MODULE, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS BACK TO PERFORMING POORLY. ELECTRICAL GRID APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONAL - GOOD HEATING PATTERN (WHEN IT HEATS) WITH NO VISUALLY OBVIOUS DEFECTS. NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WERE FOUND IN I/P CONTROL RELAY AND ANTENNA MODULE THAT WERE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS INDICATES EXCESSIVE CURRENT DRAW THRU DEFROSTER GRID, WHICH CAUSES CIRCUIT BREAKER TO TRIP AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS OF OPERATION. MANUALLY CYCLING THE DEFROSTER CONTROL ALLOWS BREAKER TO COOL AND CAN AGAIN BE ACTIVATED TO PROVIDE 10-15 SECONDS OF REPEATED OPERATION. NOTE THAT ELECTRICALLY DISCONNECTING THE GRID (AT THE WINDOW) DOES NOT CAUSE THE BREAKER TO TRIP, INDICATING NO SHORT IN THE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS. WITH POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE OEM CIRCUIT BREAKER, DIAGNOSIS REVEALED TO OBVIOUS HEAT DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER COMPONENTS/WIRING IN THE VEHICLE. REAR DEFROSTER GRID APPEARS TO BE SOURCE OF THE EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL LOAD IN THE CIRCUIT. PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ADDRESSED IN TSBS THAT I CAN LOCATE TO DATE. DISCUSSIONS WITH SEVERAL TECHNICIANS HAS RESULTED IN NOTHING MORE THAN GUESSES AT THIS TIME. *TR

2004 CHEVY IMPALA WITH STEERING FAILURE. CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP, SO SHE HAD TO HIT A CURB, WHEN THE CAR WAS RESTARTED SHE DROVE ABOUT ANOTHER MILE AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. *KB THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE A SPEED SENSOR FOR THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *JB

TEMPERATURE GAUGE QUIT WORKING, AND NOW AS OF TODAY MY SPEEDOMETER IS NOT WORKING EITHER, IT WAS WORKING FINE AND THEN JUST SHOT TO 120 AND THEN WHEN I SHUT OFF MY CAR IT BURIED THE NEEDLE AND NOW IT WILL NOT MOVE. THIS IS A 2004 CHEVY IMPALA. *JB

MY SPEEDOMETER GOES HAYWIRE WHENEVER IT WANTS. MY SPEEDOMETER WILL SAY I'M GOING 60 MPH BUT I'M NOT REALLY GOING THAT FAST. SOMETIMES IT GOES THE OTHER WAY. IT WILL SAY I'M DOING 30 MPH AND I'M ACTUALLY DOING ABOUT 60 MPH. RIGHT NOW PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT IT SAYS THE CAR IS GOING OVER 120 MPH. I HAVE CHECKED FOR RECALLS AND THE A NONE FOR THIS DEFECT. I CALL IT A DEFECT BECAUSE I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE, AND THEIR CARS HAVE ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE AS MINE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE NOT TO MENTION AN ISSUE WITH THE LAW, BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. I WOULD GET IT FIXED BUT I JUST HAD A BABY (SO NOT SAFE TO HAVE HER ALONG WITH ME) AND I DON'T HAVE AN EXTRA $500 LAYING AROUND. NORMALLY WHEN SOMETHING GOES WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE IT IS NOT AN ISSUE, I GET IT FIXED BECAUSE ITS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I DO NOT FEEL THAT A SPEEDOMETER IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE THESE KINDS OF ISSUES AT 69,000 MILES. IT SHOULD HOLD UP TO WHAT THE COMPANY SAYS THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THE CAR IS. THIS "DEFECT HAS 2 TSB#'S BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GO ABOUT GETTING THEM USED TO FIX THE CAR. TSB#'S 01726 & 050604058 ARE THE NUMBERS BUT NOTHING TELLS ME WHAT I SHOULD DO WITH THOSE NUMBERS OR WHO I SHOULD TALK TO ABOUT USING THE NUMBERS TO GET THE CAR FIXED. *JB

SUDDENLY THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS FAILED TO WORK. THE LIGHT WOULD GO ON AND THEN STAY ON. WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART MANY TIMES THEY WILL AGAIN WORK FOR AWHILE AND THEN SUDDENLY STOPPED AGAIN. I'VE CHECKED THE FUZES, ETC. BUT NOTHING HELPS. THIS COULD PRESENT SAFETY ISSUES. CHECKING ON THE INTERNET I FIND MANY HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEMS. *JB