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2006 Chevrolet Impala

16263646567

Comments

  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    The rear defroster relay is located in the underhood fuse block, in the engine bay by the battery. The cover on the fuse block simply pops off, and the rear defogger relay is labeled "REAR DEFOG". When looking at the fuse block, the rear defogger relay is on the right side, and is rather large and square shaped.

    image
  • impala2007impala2007 Member Posts: 2
    i have impala ls 2007 with rearview with onstar and maplight ... it possible to remove the old mirror and installed the auto-dimming rearview with onstar. the plug is same .... Is it necessary to program the bcm??

    thank for help
  • impala2007impala2007 Member Posts: 2
    i have impala ls 2007 with rearview with onstar and maplight ... it possible to remove the old mirror and installed the auto-dimming rearview with onstar. the plug is same .... Is it necessary to program the bcm??

    thank for help
  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    Every now and then (I think usually during the winter months...could be wrong here) my LS would have troubles starting. As if something was draining the battery.

    It wouldn't start last week. I think on Tuesday. Had to get it jump-started. Was fine for the past several days. Have been driving it daily. Though the last few days when I turned the key it wouldn't start immediately. Took a second and a half maybe. Then started. This is from a cold start. After having it sit on my driveway overnight. Once started I can shut down my car. Come back and it would immediately restart. No hesitation. What is going on with my car?

    I Googled and on another thread they said it could be the PCM or a faulty alternator. That maybe the PCM was triggering the doom lights. For some reason something seems to be draining the battery overnight. Not good.
  • deminindeminin Member Posts: 214
    How old is your Impala? If it's more than a couple of years old, it could be something as simple as the battery starting to go bad. If you have a voltmeter, check the battery voltage after it sits all night, or for a couple of days....before you try to start the car. If you don't read 12volts or better, you may have a battery cell going bad. We didn't drive our '06 LTZ for well over a month recently....nasty weather and using the 4WD Dodge Dakota...and the battery went totally dead, and wouldn't even hold a charge. It would read 14 volts with the charger on, but a couple of hours later, it would be back down to about 8 volts, and wouldn't even turn on the dome light. I put in a new Autozone Duralast Gold w/8 yr. warranty.

    You might also check your trunk light. Pull a back seat cushion forward, and look to see that the trunk light isn't staying on. A faulty switch can keep this light on, and can drain your battery substantially in just a few hours.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    >Took a second and a half maybe.

    How did the cranking speed sound? How cold was it? What weight oil is in the car?

    Heavy oil for winter turns very thick and slow cranking speed. A weakening battery does the same. Poor connections at the battery can also affect this. Check for corrosion at the grounding end of the cable at the battery.

    To check for drain due to glove box lights and trunk lights my technique was to rapidly open that item and feel the area around the light bulb. IF the bulb has been on the area will be nicely warmed from the continual heat. When the door is first opened, the surrounding area should not be very warm; after being open a miinute you'll feel the increase in heating.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    I don't think any lights were left on over night. Though I haven't checked that. Should my car again fail to start the next day I will try that.

    But I did take it to the shop this past Tuesday. Found out my battery was dying. Couldn't hold a charge above 8 volts. So I guess when it's cold (e.g. -5 or colder) the volts would be even less. Was told there should be at least 9...I think for the car to start. The new battery was tested before I left. Read 11.7-12.8 volts. Though that was in the shop. Not during a cold morning before a cold start. Was -18C up here in Toronto today. No troubles starting. So it's not the cold. But likely my old battery on it's last legs. Though, that would be in less than 4 years.

    I guess this box can simulate where the voltage reading would be on a very cold day. Which is why my old battery kept reading roughly 8 volts. Whereas the new one 11.8 to just under 13.

    Wait a sec...if so then I should have got a free replacement battery no? AC-Delco battery's should be warranted for 5 years. DAMN. Maybe I should have taken it to the dealer. Though my car's 3-year warranty was up. I totally forgot about the warranty when I was at the shop.

    Might report after a few days. The last time (after getting my battery jump-started) managed to start my car from Wed-Sat. But wouldn't start on Sunday. Should start tomorrow now with this new battery...knock on wood.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Have you driven the new battery long enough that the alternator will have charged it fully?

    All batteries will be at 12.6 volts with only slight variation due to temperature. That's the electromotive force of a lead-lead sulfate chemical cell.

    What happens is that during cranking, the high load on the battery allows the voltage to drop. If the voltage drops below 9 some of the computer parts don't work right. The colder the temps and the thicker the oil, the harder the motor is to turn over and the drag lowers that voltage.

    You have a new battery. I suspect the warranty left on the old battery and the price they would have wanted adjusted for the warranty might be more than what you paid for a replacement already. I don't know how long the original AC batteries are warrantied. I'd have to read my owner manual?

    Enjoy your new battery.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    Have I driven my LS enough to warrant a new alternator? Unlikely. I've only put about 17k on it. How long are OEM alternators good for? My LS was bought in the summer of 2006. Or there bouts.

    Found out the battery that came with the car is covered for 3-years or 36k. So I was past the warranty period any how. My shop buddy did mention this. Just remembered. So no loss.

    Thanks. I see now more clearly why my mechanic friend told me there must be 9 or better. My old batter, as I said, would not stay above 8. No wonder it would eventually go dead. My new one should be good. Will be driving today (Sun) again. And probably every day for the next few days.

    And when you said "all batteries will be at 12.6 with only slight variation due to temp..." did you mean at all times. And when you said "variation" did you mean in very slight degrees...usually staying above 11? If so then I shouldn't have anything to worry about at this point. As long as my car doesn't sit outside for weeks. Not that I will ever do that. At most my car has sat outside for 2-3 days. My mechanic said at -20C my battery should be good for roughly a week.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Re the alternator:
    I assume your mechanic checked the output of the alternator to be sure it was charging properly. Alternators can fail from 0 to hundreds of thousands of miles. I had a 93 where the alternator failed (lost one of the diodes out of three at 75K); it made a whining noise. I have a 98 with 170K and 03 at 100K with original alternators. If you're not sure take back by the shop and they will check it for nothing or a small fee. Or stop at one of the box stores to have them check, but usually they want to check cars potentially needing new batteries or alternators at the box stores, so they might view you or me stopping for a check with a new battery as a pain.

    The only downside is that alternators working extra hard to charge defective batteries sometimes wear themselves out and fail earlier.

    Do you have a voltage gauge or digital readout? The alternator should charge 15 or 16 volts after a cold, cold start and taper down to 14.5 or so in cold weather. As the temp gets warmer the charge voltage goes slightly lower.

    Battery:
    The battery voltage is chemically controlled at 12.6 for the 6 cells. This is the water pressure through a garden hose. During draining to crank the car, the amount of current, like volume of water through a hose, drops because the chemical reactions cannot form new electrons as quickly due to lower temperature down nearer zero. This is why one rating on batteries is cold cranking amperes at zero degrees F.
    That's when we'll notice a slower cranking speed.

    Sitting:
    Because all cars have slight drain on batteries keeping computers alive at their settings, including clocks, radio settings, computer for power trains, I don't like leaving a car sitting more than 4-5 days. If you can just start the car and idle for 10 minutes, that's more than sufficient to recharge the battery.

    Never let a battery run dead if you can help it. That causes the surface of the plates to be rebuilt completely with a new layer of lead and ages the battery a good degree. If it does go dead, recharge with a long drive and lots of idle time in one cycle rather than lots of short trips with the lights, AC, blower, on using current.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    Thanks for taking the time to explain why when really cold (e.g. sub-zero temps) it might take a second or two longer to start. Today, I didn't have anywhere to go but wanted to see if the battery would hold the charge and start my car. It did. Relief. Was only -7C today though (past two days it was -18C). The previous week, with my original battery, the car only started for 4 days )Wed-Sat) before dying again on the Sunday.

    I won't be leaving my car sitting outside in subzero temps for more than a day or two (e.g. usually weekends) if i do. On average my car is driven 6 days a week. For more than 10 minutes easily. So I should be good from now on.

    Regarding the alternator...as I said...my mechanic friend did tell me it was fine. Must have done some kind of testing. Should have asked him how he knew.

    Any how since this is considered an aftermarket battery bought from a garage it comes with a 6 year warranty. Or so the AC-Delco website says. So I should be good for at least another 4-5 years as far as the battery is concerned.

    Is there a "Ferrari of batteries" out there? One that has proven extremely reliable even under extreme conditions (e.g. -35C weather, car sitting outside for x-number of days...etc.)? I know one of you said you don't need to exactly match a battery (by cca) to a specific car. That I could have installed one with over 700 cca. True? Is there such thing as too much cca? Just in case in the future I have to replace the battery again.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    > know one of you said you don't need to exactly match a battery (by cca) to a specific car. That I could have installed one with over 700 cca.

    Picking batteries is like picking stocks on the market.

    I have had good luck with Walmart's Maxx battery in my 98 LeSabre. 8 or 9 year warranty and started weakening at 7 years or so and got an adjustment on a new one. It's made by Johnson Controls which makes lots of things for the auto industry.. I had put in the larger of two sizes that would fit my Buick. Walmart doesn't have one for my 03 with battery under back seat with vent tubes required. I'm disappointed.

    As I indicated, battery life is more based on how it's treated than just the warranty period alone. Recharging to full charge and keeping it there helps keep the plate surfaces in proper condition and helps prevent growth of needles of material that short out a cell as a battery ages.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    How would you recharge a car battery to full without taking the battery out of the car? And how would you know it's at full capacity? It's not like you can take the car battery out and attach it to some portable recharger as you would a set of AA's.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    When I put in a new battery, I drove the car for more than 30 minutes without high load accessories turned on so that the alternator could finish charging the battery. It was my understanding they are minimally charged when sold.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    Well, after I got my new battery installed I drove roughly for 20-30 minutes total in the nearby area. Then roughly a 30-40 minute drive home up the highway and then onto city streets before heading home. So if it takes roughly 30 minutes for a full charge then I must also have done so.

    So far my car has started every day since I got my new battery installed. Which was last Tuesday. Should continue this way for months if not at least 4-5 years out of the 6 year warranty.

    Though, I have read about how (online) another 06 Impala owner who had swapped in a new battery. Only to have it die again 10 days later. So I guess I'll just have play it by ear. Though I think in that one case they found out it was his alternator and a faulty diode. I know my alternator is fine so hopefully I'll be okay.
  • thedvl69thedvl69 Member Posts: 1
    My heat also stops blowing at a stop.I also hear a girgling sound in the dash.The strange thing is a 'ticking' sound from the dash.It will 'tick' about 10-15 times randomly.If I unlock the car with the remote,if I shut the door?It was worse it first.It would 'tick' as I went down the road.I noticed if I changed the vent circulation in the car it would stop?It is loud enough you can actually feel it if you put your hand on the dash.(passenger side)Im out of warranty and dealer wants $100 just to look at it.We just moved and I dont have a dealer I can trust here.They may be honest but I dont have the money for the gamble.I have worked at dealerships before and know of the wild goose chases that get expensive and you are stuck once you start.Can anyone help me?Thx
  • rysterryster Member Posts: 571
    It sounds as though you have 2 problems here. First, the gurgling sound you hear is the coolant in the heating system. There is most likely an air bubble in the lines, and the system needs to be "burped". This is also causing your loss of heat while stopped. You could try burping the system yourself, or the dealer could do it.

    The ticking sound you hear is a stuck actuator that controls the opening and closing of the vents. The actuator can be replaced by the dealer. The average cost to replace the actuator is $600-$800.

    Both of the problems you are experiencing are relatively common for the Impala. A competent dealer should easily be able to resolve these problems, although the total cost could easily be $800-$1000. My suggestion would be to get the heat issue fixed first, as it presents a comfort/safety concern (and is less expensive than the actuator issue.) The ticking sound is annoying, but if the vent system is still functioning for the most part, it is certainly a repair that can wait until it becomes absolutely intolerable.
  • hector61hector61 Member Posts: 1
    i baught this on feburary 1st 2010. My question is, when you put the heat on is it normal for the compresor to cool at the same time? The ac goes on too. Is this normal or is there something wrong with the switch?
  • iggmeisteriggmeister Member Posts: 1
    Help please!!! I own an 06 impala and yesterday it just died on me. it cranks but will not start, i took it to the mechanic and said it was the fuel pump, but when he took it out and checked it, it was fine, it seems that it is something electrical, the power locks do not function properly, when activated, they make a clicking noise (Like when the battery is dead), the reverse lights are very dim, but the starter cranks just fine and the power windows and the head lights seem just fine. it seems to me that maybe the fuel pump is not getting enough juice and there fore will not start, but i just don´t know, has anybody had this problem with their Impala?
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Start with checking the grounds from various parts of the car. I don't have Impala specific knowledge, but just know from others that when strange things happen check grounds everywhere and check battery connections (are yours under the rear seat?).

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    I'm assuming the mechanic checked the battery, alternator, fuse....etc.?

    Mine just had a battery that was on it's last legs. Swapped in a new Delco and has worked flawlessly since. Though in my case my 06 just wouldn't start. I would get some one to help me jump start. Would run fine for the day. Then the next day it would be dead again. It was -10C or colder then though.
  • bcusack001bcusack001 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2007 Impala LT with the flex Fuel option and the same. Winter was endurable in Chicago with the "No heat at Idle" problem. occasionally the gauges and alarms would go crazy, but adding antifreeze would fix for months. Air conditioning this summer in traffic caused the problem gauges and alarms too often. Also the gurgling sound indicated a serious problem. I suggested to my mechanic a new thermostat to fix the problem thinking it would be in-expensive. It cost $179. It did not fix the gurgling. Next is the water pump. I took it to the dealer this evening. I paid $54 for a checkup. Dealer thinks the problem will be covered under warranty. I will find out tomorrow.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello Bcusack001,
    I am from GM Customer Service. Can you please keep me informed on how the repairs go at the dealership? Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • bcusack001bcusack001 Member Posts: 2
    I got my 2007 Impala back Friday at 5:30 PM. All was covered by Warranty - Yea! Invoice says:
    Pressure test cooling system
    Locate leak at coolant crossover pipe gasket
    Replace coolant crossover pipe gaskets.
    Coolant 8.8 quarts
    Gasket 12623852
    Gasket 12577704
    Seal 24504709
    After I drove in traffic, I felt the top radiator hose. I could feel gurgling. I will be checking the reservoir. My gas station mechanic still thinks there is loose plastic in the water pump.
    I hope that I find this before the Warranty expires.
    Chevrolet tells me it is covered by 100,000 Power Train.
    We will see.
    :confuse:
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello bcusack001,
    Thank you for keeping me up to date on the repairs. Are you scheduled to go back to the dealership to have it checked out? Thank you,
    Mariah GM Customer Service
  • drmjonesdrmjones Member Posts: 2
    I work at a chevy garage, and we've been doing alot of cylinder head gaskets on these for this type of problem. but any coolant leak will cause it.
  • denjones52denjones52 Member Posts: 1
    I am a new member and wanted to share a story about my Impala. I was in the market for some new front brake rotors since they had been turned once and were acting as though they had warped (pulsating brake pedal). I read up on aftermarket rotors and with all the bad news about low quality Chinese rotors on the market, I opted for the first time in my life to go to the dealership and order a couple of them. The boxes that they came in said "AC Delco" on them and that they were Genuine GM Parts... however, I spun the boxes around and there to my dismay was "MADE IN CHINA." I pulled the rotors out of the box at the GM Parts counter and the fellow there and I looked at them and compared them to the more expensive units he had. No comparison really. I opted to pay for the extra quality and went home to do the brake job. I pulled the front rotors off, looked at them both under the light and found that they were OEM rotors that came with the car, but they too were Chinese rotors. Not only were they Chinese rotors, but they also were cracked along every rib - cracks showing on the braking surface along every rib between the two braking surfaces. Scary! I believe if I were to have let this work go a bit further that we would have an accident and someone or several would have been hurt or worse. These rotors had only been turned once and they were above the 28.6mm minimum. The new higher quality rotors and new pads stop the car very well. Tomorrow afternoon my son and I are going to attack the back brakes and see how they are. I only bought pads for the back, so hopefully there aren't Chinese rotors back there with cracks as well. So if you have a pulsating pedal, you may want to take your Impala to a trusted service center and have them look at your rotors. :D
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    How did you determine your front rotors were from China? Are they labeled as such in the metal?

    The original rotors tend to crack and pit. They are selected for lighter weight is my guess as to the type of metal. They work well until they go bad, and when they go bad, they go bad.

    I usually replace rotors with the first pad change at 50-60 k miles. Then the next pad change I replace the calipers. I would not turn rotors, especially the originals on any vehicle. Since I buy quality replacements, I will turn the replacements if they have gone out of round or thickness.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bdd6bdd6 Member Posts: 8
    edited June 2010
    You could go buy some Brembo brake kits. :) Assuming they have one for our 06 Impala's. Though, you never know...their kits might be made in China too. I haven't checked. Or maybe Stop Tech. Two good high-end brands. Though, if you were looking at AC Delco I'm guessing you weren't planning on spending too much money.

    Out of curiosity I'd love to know what brands manufacture in the US or Canada. Or in Europe (not sure if Brembo outsources...they are an Italian company).

    And just because something is made in China it doesn't necessarily mean they are sub-par. Lots of good companies (e.g. Nikon etc.) are manufacturing products there with strict quality assurance practices. Having said that it will take China several years more before they can establish themselves the way Japan has for quality and reliability. Look how long it took for Japan. Japan used to suffer the same ridicule "...Made in Japan? LOL!!".
  • babygirl1975babygirl1975 Member Posts: 1
    My baby's daddy wants to start a impala club does anyone know how to get one started???
  • pg32pg32 Member Posts: 1
    how much do they charge for backup battery for onstar
  • jriverjriver Member Posts: 1
    I have a similar issue. 2006 Impala. Back right tail lights work fine, as does the reverse light, BUT the blinker and the brake light don't. What gives?
  • annalizannaliz Member Posts: 1
    I have an '06 Impala with the SAME issue. I took it in last winter (around Feb) and they said it was an air bubble in the line and things were "ok" after they took care of this. However now that I need to start using my heat again now, it is doing it again. I called the dealership and they said it is probably another air bubble. How frequently is this going to happen? I cannot afford a $150+ bill every 6 months! I am not happy with my Impala. I think it is interesting too that the issue starts after the warranty runs out. Imagine the luck of that!

    How many time do you have to have something fixed before it's considered a lemon?!
  • tryintohelptryintohelp Member Posts: 1
    When you are defrosting with heat, the AC system will engage in order to remove the moisture from the air within the car. This is why you will hear the AC clutch kick in in order to defrost and pull moisture.
  • 06kawi06kawi Member Posts: 1
    I am also experiencing the swishing noise when I am in my card but that doesn't bother me as much as the air. My heater stopped working at idle as well. I took 06 Impala to the gm dealer and he told me the head gasket was leaking, the water pump needed replaced which would run me about $2500!

    I personally know 2 people with the same car/problem but unfortunately at the time theirs were both under warranty.

    I loved my car up to this point and have talked it up so much but I am very disgusted at the moment(not to mention freezing in town because its 7F out).
  • andrew_a81andrew_a81 Member Posts: 1
    I am actually working on this problem with my friends car right now. Im in school for automotive technician and am bringing his 08 impala to the college tomorrow. But what I have come up with so far after doing an oil change/inspection already on the vehicle is that the serpentine belt was loose. We have picked up new coolant, a serpentine belt, and a new tensioner. My thought is that it is because of the loose belt not being able to operate the condenser properly at idle RPM's. I had a thermometer in the vent and was getting about 70 celcius while it was -17celcius outside while driving down the highway. But when at idle, it got frigid cold, pretty much to outside ambient temp.

    I will let you know how it goes, and plan on doing the rad/heater core flushing and then testing it before replacing the belt/tensioner.

    But for all of you other guys out there, give your belt a pull, if it feels loose then that may be the problem.
  • tigerdadtigerdad Member Posts: 1
    I figured out his thing. The little button thing on the dash is oriented mostly straight up. When the sun gets down to about 20 degrees or less ( like when you are driving to work or home, it dims. Problem with that is that now you are being blinded by the sun and now you can't see your dash instruments or your radio. It is actually a safety problem.
    I confirmed his by shining a flash light on the button right after the radio dimmed. And the sun was blinding me this afternoon. About a minute with the flashlight on the button, the display lights brightens back up.

    How do get this "over engineered" problem fixed. 2008 Impala owner.
  • dmeadordmeador Member Posts: 2
    the remote stopped working, I purchased a new remote and programmed it, 10 minutes later it wont work I have tried this several times same outcome. You can get in the car and the remote works fine just inside the car this is strange to me. this is a 2006 impala
  • dmeadordmeador Member Posts: 2
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    dmeador,
    I apologize you are having difficulties. I would recommend having the vehicle diagnosed by your local GM Dealer. Please email me if you have any further questions comments or concerns.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • 05impalass05impalass Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1995 and a 2006 Impala SS. Love them both and I am female.
  • twin06sstwin06ss Member Posts: 3
    Im having the same problem with my 06 impala SS and was wondering if you could remember wat the dealership did to fix the problem with your heated seats?
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Twin06ss,

    If Customer Assistance can help you work with your dealer towards resolving this, please email Christina with your name, contact information, VIN, and dealer name.

    Best,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • montreal5montreal5 Member Posts: 1
    Looks like there is design flaw on these cars.I own a 2006 impala lt with3.5 litre engine,and I have the same problem.Just had the water pump replaced and the mechanic topped up the coolant made sure there was no air in the system by pressure tested it,this was end of summer,and now winter is here ....no heat at idle.Topped up again the coolant(both places,reservoir and radiator)still no heat at idle.And in Montreal it's dawn cold in witer time.
  • susan5042susan5042 Member Posts: 2
    I;m having a problem with heat too. Have 2008 impala with less then 70,000 miles. Heat is going out when stopped. Cannot pre-warm with remote start because of this. Coolant was gone in resevoir. Added some, was good under radiator cap. Ran it and I have heat now. Went out to check 2 hrs later and resevoir was down again but not as bad. Ran car again and still have heat. Called my mechanic and he said that it had to go somewhere, can't mysteriously disappear. Wants to check intake gasket soon. No warranty of course, I love my car til now. Had similar problem with last car, 2001 lumina, was gasket and it cost me $500 thru a friend. What is GM going to do about this. How do we get them to do a recall and fix this problem? Seems enough people have the same problem.
  • klrssklrss Member Posts: 28
    I'm in the same boat. I figured they would have gotten this fixed by now. I owned a 2005 Impala and it did the same thing. They said it was air back then, and fixed it, but it came back after awhile. I traded the car. Now I have a 2010 Impala, and it is doing the same thing. I read about the coolant being low, so I just went out and checked mine and there are puddles of coolant in the bottom of the resivoir so it seems low. I plan on bringing it into the shop next week so I will see what they say. It is still under warranty so they will say it is only air in the system, then when it goes out of warranty, they will say it is a leaking head gasket and want tons of money! I think this will be the last Chevy I own. I still have the sulfer smell that GM says is the gas I am using, but it is the same gas I use with my 2012 Elantra and it doesnt smell bad. interesting. ALso my impala has a water sloshing sound in the dash when I turn a corner, like water is trapped and now no heat at idle. I just dont have these issues with the other cars I own or have owned ( Kia Sorento, 2011 elantra, 2009 honda civic)
    After 30 years of promoting GM products, I just cant do it anymore. Sad.
  • atosquiatosqui Member Posts: 1
    My 2006 impala is also experiencing these issues. It is no longer under warranty and I am highly upset. I have had the heater core replaced 2 times (luckily under warranty) power steering pump, the brakes went bad very early on. Overall this has been a horrible vehicle as I seem to be at the mechanic more than on the road. As of today my defrost is not working, blows cold air when idle, and has a very loud whining sound when it starts. I want GM to do something about this as it seems many people have this issue. Can anyone recommend how to get them to cover this?
  • klrssklrss Member Posts: 28
    Just wanted to update everyone on my 2010 Impala. Brought it to the dealer yesterday and they pressure tested the system and found no leaks. They bled the air out of the system and filled it back up and now the heater works. So...no leaks! Can I ask a question..WHERE DID THE WATER GO???" My 2009 Honda Civic has 36K miles on it and I have not had to put a drop of antifreeze in it. I am glad the heater works again, but come on folks, dont tell me nothing is wrong when I bought the car new only a year and a half ago and it leaked enough water that is let air in the system and needed to be bled! UG!Maybe it is the way they designed the Impala cooling system, and it lets the antifreeze evaporate for some reason. ha! I honestly have not had to put antifreeze in my other cars of the past like my 99 Suburban, my 2003 suburban, 2008 GMC Sierra truck...so maybe it is just the Impala with the issues.
    Anyway, my car heats again at idle so I wanted to share what they did to fix it.
    Good luck to everyone...I think I will save my pennies and jump on a Lexus as soon as I can get out of this stinky, leaky, upsidedown Impala LTZ! :lemon:
  • uidb5259uidb5259 Member Posts: 2
    I also have an 06 Impala and have the same issue as above with no heat at idle. I took it to one service shop and they said I needed to replace the head gasket. So I took it to my dealer to get a second opinion and they state it was only low on oil and antifreeze. They topped it off and sent me on my way. Now I have oil on my driveway. I wonder who was right? Now I have to take it back to the dealer for a second look.
  • uidb5259uidb5259 Member Posts: 2
    Posted this in another forum but I just ran into quite a dilemma. So my heat stopped working entirely when at park. This prevents my windows from defogging and the rest. I took it to a service garage and they did a pressure test and indicated that my head gasket was leaking anti-freeze into the engine. They said it is very common with the 3.5L engine. Only a whopping $1800 to fix it. I then decided to get a second opinion from my dealer. They said they tested it and the only issue was low on oil and antifreeze. They did an oil change (needed it anyhow), topped off the anti-freeze and sent me on my way. The heat does work now but I have oil on my driveway and I can see oil on the engine. So who was right? After reading many of these posts, it seems the head gasket does have issues. I just hope that if the engine does fail now, that the dealer will back up their statement that nothing was wrong and fix the engine, since they would have been wrong. Taking it back to the dealership for another look today.
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