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Comments
Seems to occur more when I am running errands and (hate to do it, but) shutting off and turning on the car frequently.
Does this sound like a PCM issue?
One thing that sticks out in my mind is that GM releases these "software patches" and it would seem to me that ALL Impala owners could benefit from it. Why not have the 'latest/greatest' software running on your computer, right?
I think I will call the service dept. to schedule a visit.
Thanks all, and have a GREAT THANKSGIVING Holiday!
RR
I only use 89 & 93 octane Exxon and Chevron gasolines and no problems at 7K miles.
My '01 LS has a build date of 4/01.
GM axed it as not that many buyers liked it or payed attention to it (And quite frankly dealers did not keep many Auburn Nightmist cars in stock also) but I wonder if the Auburn due to its relative rarity will command a bit better resale value? Who knows....
I have yet to see a new 2001/02 Impala LS in Bronzemist metallic (The color that replaced Auburn Nightmist). I have seen it only on base sedans and I find it to be too dark and unimpressive. The Black and Navy Blue are better choices indeed.
I have seen the new 2002 Forrest Green color that replaced the Jade Green tone and it is nice, but for some reason I don't think green goes too well with the Impala.
I have not seen the new Red tone that replaced the 2000 & 2001 Torch Red paint.
A freshly washed/waxed Torch Red Impala LS is a looker..
In the Impala, it is controlled by an electric relay as opposed to the older/cheaper style mechanical cable.
Just a guess.
Judging from your astute posts over these many months, I am sure it is something you will not miss IF it occcurs; hopefully for you, it will not.
Hope every one has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.
I hit the 10,000 mile mark on the impala Monday.
Turned 39 yesterday. I am OLD!
Impala continues to be trouble free.
My first new car without problems.
and the fact that I am living in America!
Impala LS at near 7.5K miles continues to rock!
Happy thanksgiving everyone!
http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/
Gotta get back to my turkey (deep frying it). Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
LRCobra
Silver Bullet
The ISS and cradle issues were solved in late build date 2001 and 2002 Impalas.
Your problems are concentric to teh first year of production, which is 2000...
When I had my 2000 LS, by 6000 miles the ISS had already started clunking. My 2001 LS has been perfect so far...steering tight and problem free at the same mileage.
Maybe they get most of the cars in the Spring.
Do you guys have better inventory where you live?
Seems my car is haunted!LOL
When I first start the car in the mornings, AND put the heater on, the left side (driver side) engine fan (remember there are two) comes on every 30 seconds for a second or two. REALLY ODD.
Any suggestions?
Paul
Do you think they can fix my car (2000) or should I see a lawyer? I would appreciate any advice you can offer. I love the 2002 its not LS but its very quiet.
I understand that you can be disapointed, but this is not a reason to get a heart attack ;-)
Smile and looks at what goes well in your life.
Say it with me " AHummmmmmmmmmmmmm,AHummmmmmmmm" ;-)and have a good day.
After looking at the assembly and the fix, it doesn't look like it is a defect in the unit itself, per say. More like they didn't lube it enough during assembly. The ISS connects the steering column with the rack and pinion. The ISS extends and contracts to allow for suspension movement without transferring all that vibration to the steering wheel. When there is not enough lube, the ISS binds so when you turn the wheel, the pressure finally overcomes the friction and clunks into place.
Let us know when the official TSB becomes available.
I don't think they will add 10 HP to an Impala, but they do work well. They claim 2 to 4% increase, so that would be 4 to 8 at the engine. I actually went to a dyno with an Aurora (rated at 250 HP) and got +7 (3.7%)at the wheels (that's over 9 at the engine). Peak torque increased about +4 at the wheels. I put a K&N in our 2001 Impala LS as well. It should now be at least a 204 or 205 HP car. They do seem to boost mileage too and you don't have to service them as much either.
Someone here posted about a high HP LS sport. If it does exist and produces more power, or there is an SS in the future, I'd recommend taking a look at the air box to see if it can be substituted for the stock (piece of crap) air box.
Our 2001 LS has 12,000+ miles and has been great.
At 7500 miles, my LS continues to operate flawlessly and my sister's 2001 3.4L Base (Build date 6/01) with a bit over 1000 miles hasn't had any problems either.
Other problem areas that could be the source of the noises you are describing could range from a suspension strut all the way to the the steering rack assembly.
Keep us posted.
http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Lane/7859/talk_2.html
I wouldn't say that. The ISS and cradle may be taken care of (maybe not), but there's plenty of other stuff that can go wrong, as others have pointed out:
Engine hesitation
Late shifting
Intermittant auto door locks
Defective antenna/defroster module and or/rear glass
Loose drivers seat
Side airbag assembly coming apart
Flickering air bag warning light
Snapping sounds from the dash during hot weather with AC on
Warped rotors
Defective coolant tank cap
Did I forget anything folks?
Like most other cars, mechanical and electrical problems can crop up.
It turned out that one the nut on the top of the left front strut was not tightened completely. The mechanic found it, tightened and no problem since.
Let me know what you know. Thanks.
Regarding some past talk about chip improvement for the 3.8. Superchips is working on it right now. They are hot on the GM 3.8. I believe they will come out with a "microtuner" that lets you hook up to the computer (I think these are OBDII computers now) download the factory tuning and reload the performance tuning. You can go back to stock anytime. That would be the way to go really. Let me know if I'm off base here.
I think everyone is entitled to post here their own views and experiences on this car. I am not here to shut up anyone or to "Sugar Coat" problems reported by others. If someone wants to call the Impala "Junk"..well so be it. If others want to praise the car, then so be it. The main goal here is not to take extremes but to give the most accurate picture possible on this car.
My ownership experience so far has been very positive, so I encourage anyone interest to give this car a serious look.
Exactamundo. ;-)
Just pointing out that that prospective Impala buyer didn't have "nothing" to worry about. Like any model by any automaker, his new Impala may have problems. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any wide-spread highly dangerous or even deadly problems that are always vehemently denied by another major car maker that shall remain nameless. (Ford...oops.)
Don, couldn't agree more! After driving my sister's '01 Base 3.4L with the Tigerpaw tires in the highway, the ride quality is definetely more smoother and quieter compared to the LS' equipped with the firmer "Ride and Handling" suspension and the stiffer and noisy Goodyear Eagle GA tires.
The main plus of the base model is that the ride quality is very smooth without being wallowy or uncontrolled. The only sore spot with the base suspension is the slower response ratio of the steering...big difference between the Base and LS (Or Base 3800) cars. In the highway, you need to make more corrections to the steering in the base car, while in the Base 3800 and LS is just a Point and Shoot deal...
Hopefully nothing is majorly wrong with your car, please do let us know.
Glad you had a safe trip back home.
I wonder if the stock Goodyear Eagle GA tires due to their stifness make the ride even harder?
"Bad Boys, Flee Not: There's a New Cop Car in Town"
"After a 12-year hiatus, Dodge is returning to the police market with its 2002 Dodge Intrepid police car. The Dodge Interpid R/T is outfitted with a 242-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine, high-performance suspension and heavy-duty brakes.
Chrysler dominated the market from the 1960's to the early 1980's with models like the Dodge Coronet and the Plymouth Gran Fury. After General Motors quit producing the Chevrolet Caprice in 1996, Ford won the bulk of the approximately 70,000-unit-a-year market. Each year, Ford sells 55,000 to 60,000 Crown Victorias, which use rear-drive and a V-8 engine - features favored by police officers. G.M. makes up the rest, selling 10,000 to 15,000 Chevrolet Impalas, which use front-wheel drive and a V-6 engine, to police each year."
Think this could up the ante a bit on producing a stronger Impala (SS?), which would also cover as the police version?
I do hope this is settled very quickly. I'm on the edge here with the 0% but am having a hard time pursuing a vehicle with a possible continuing structural problem.
Sorry I disagree. This car is solid in construction and build quality and if anything an ISS problem is not an indicative of serious structural problems. There have been close to 300K or 400K Impalas sold since 1999 and if there have been catastrophic structural problems I am sure these would have been well documented by now.
The cradle problem is more an annoyance than anything else. The ISS is a safety problem because the part needs to maintain proper lubrication at all times at the fix has already been issued by GM.
I am all the way with you as to make certain about the quality, reliability and safety of a car prior to purchasing it. $20K is serious money for most of us. But in the other hand if you feel hesitant about the car there are only two things you can do:
1) Buy it and experience the car yourself (You won't be dissapointed)
2) Or pass on it and make yourself the question.."What if?"
Life is full of choices and those choices have their ups and downs, more or less risk. Buying a car, and I mean any car, is a risky proposition...luck plays a part on it. If you need the best reliability, then buy a Toyota but don't complain the car is boring and has the chracter of a refrigerator. If you want something more exciting and are willing to take more reliability risks, then buy an European (German) car or an American car.
Cars are a crap shot. Again if you really like the Impala, then buy it and take advantage of the special financing rates. But if you are going to buy it and then everyday becomes an axiety attack thinking about all the bad things that might come with the car or being pushed up the wall whenever you see a problem/negative post, then I respectfully suggest that you buy something else, cause you won't be happy. If you are dumping $20K+ for a car, make sure you'll be happy about doing so.
These Internet boards are a double edged sword...On on end, you get loads and loads of useful information on the other end you can also get lots of incorrect/misleading and unverified information. Nothing really controls content in these boards so you need to make a good judgment and come to terms whether you'll be buying the car or not.
Remember that there are 100K Impala units sold per month. Obviously we don't have 100K+ responses from each and every owner here. If we want a more accurate statistical sample, then check Consumer Reports or any other publication that can collect reliability data on a larger scale.
Also remember that people tend to post more when they are having problems with their cars. Happy owners do post also but others just lurk or don't post at all.
Don's steering noise problem on his 2001 is unfortunate, but also take into consideration that he is the only one having this problem as far as posters here.
I have a lot of confidence on the Impala. I have recommended it to friends, family and even strangers. My sister and brother in law bought one last month with the 0% financing and they couldn't be happier with the car. I have made tons of road trips in our 2001 LS even in isolated roads late at night and no problems or fears that the car is going to crap out or it is going to fall apart. Whether the car is hot or cold, it starts every time I put the key in, without hesitations. My steering is nice, tight and quiet. The brakes stop the car with alacraty. The interior is tight and quiet as the first day I got the car.
What you say is true to an extent. There are no 100% guarantee that the Impala or any other car will never have any problems. But if you don't like the prospect of problems, then buy a Toyota Camry (They brake too) and sleep better at night.
My point is this: You will be passing up on a great car if you let the opportunity to get it slip by..
Before buying the Impala, I had only owned Hondas and Acuras for 12 years straight. I had bowed to never buy another "American" car again. So here I am recommending an "American" car to everyone, something that I could not have done just 3 years ago.
But...it is up to you to decide.
I had an ignition lock up on me and it cost $600 to fix w/ the tow. I feel it was an unfortunate incident, seeing as how no one else has mentioned it occurring to them. You win some, you lose some, I am confidant that I will not have to replace anything extrenuous on this car again. My feeling is if it hasn't happened after 50,000 miles, it probably won't happen.
On the tires, I replaced my Eagle GA's with Dunlop SP Sport A2, it is a firmer ride then the GA's, but I feel a little quieter, and more responsive. The Tiger Paws are a lower rated speed tire, so it is softer and quieter. I prefer the firmer ride, it's all about personal opinion.