2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

teo

I have never touched the headlights switch since I got the car. The automatic headlight feature is simply outstanding....love when the lights turn on by themselves on dark parking garages...

tomaso7

Earthquake 7.0 on the Richter scale In Seattle. Hope everyone is ok! I'm watching live satellite feeds in my office at a TV station In Canada. Vancouver B.C. was hit too, but not as much as Seattle. I saw one car that was completely flattened. It was lower than an LA low rider. No one was in it.
4pm est =
However, 4 are in serious condition and 9 are serious.

tomaso7

I hope the Canadian next to you laughed - at least the Big Foot we have living in Toronto did! It's fun to to jest about your own country especially when perceptions about Canada are exaggerated.

cookie01

Boy DID we feel it here in Portland. Nasty. and LOOOOOOONG> The estimate at least 30 seconds. Enough time for me to run my rear down 6 flights of stairs and get outside.

I now know that being outside isn't the "best" answer... but I've worked here 13 years and I just don't want to die in here...

Know what I mean?

fathertyricius

My thoughts and prayers are with you all in Seattle.

duraflex

I thought of you immediately in Oregon when I heard about the quake.
Didn't expect you to be on line so soon. Good to hear you're okay.

I have some family in Seattle and I haven't been able to reach them yet.
Heard on the news it was felt north to Vancouver and east to Salt Lake City 700 miles away!

I heard one scientist say that the seismic shift occured 30 miles BELOW the Earth's surface. Epicenter was 35 miles SW of Seattle.

These Earth-shaking events do help put everything else in perspective.

00impala

You can also turn on your Headlights, Press the Fog Light switch to turn them on, then push in the Headlight switch one click and just have the Parking lights and the Fog Lights on, at night of course, still no way to just have the Fogs on I/out Parking Lights,TEO.....I plan to get the 1/18 TAXI, then take it apart and paint it Galaxy Silver(Or a close Silver), I also plan to use a set of the Rims/Tires from the UT Models 1/18 1996 Impala SS...That will give the 2k Impala the 5 spoke rims... Can't wait to get it together!

pah3

Hi, i've been reading some of your great experiences with the Impala. Mine is a 2000 LS and has been making a clunking sound when i brake and then again when i debrake and take off. Anyone else have this happen? And if so, was there a fixable situation? Seems to be a needle in a haystack situation to dealers around here.
Thanks.

platour

Thank you for the the references on the Police Impala. Much appreciated! But, I have never seen that door hinge/swing system. Are those models accurate?

frankf3

Night_Owl, when said I had no heat, I was referring to vent heat into the passenger compartment. Here in New England, on cold days with outside temps in the teens and 20's, the passenger compartment was cold enough to allow you to see your breath after a 30 minute drive. Even though the temperature from the heater was cool, the engine temperature read normal from the guage on the dashboard. The dealer basically just stated that the coolant had to be changed and the cooling system had to be flushed. I don't know if deposits built up on the inside surfaces of the cooling system, thereby preventing heat transfer to the outside, or if the heater core just got plugged up. In any case, after the new coolant and the cooling system flush, the heater is almost like a blast furnace, and will drive you out if left on full heat.

Frank

platour

I have never seen a heating system go non-functional so quickly! What did the Dealer flush? And why?

yurakm

Manufacturers are recommending to change oil after 3000 to 7500 miles, or 3-6 months, depending on driving conditions.

Being conservative, I used to change it after 3000 miles or 3 months (the last is more usual with our mileage, 10-11,000 miles per year). Even while my car is not abused: no trailer, the outside temperature tops 90F at most several days a year, and while we mostly drive in city / suburb, the whole half of mileage come from longer weekend trips.

Currently I am switching to longer intervals, compensating them with synthetic oil and premium oil filter.

I applied the same logic to transmission fluid and antifreeze. The same manufacturer recommends transmission service after 50k miles for the worst conditions. There is a whole list of such conditions in manual, but only one is applicable: we live and drive in a hilly state. Not mountainous, but definitely not flat either.

So I decided to be super conservative and to do the service at about 40k miles. And to change antifreeze after 4 years, not the 5 recommended by manufacturer. Both is 80% of what the manufacturer recommends for the worst case. This is the same as changing oil after 2400-2500 miles.

I also decided to switch to synthetic transmission fluid and premium transmission filter with the service. Mostly for easier starting in winter. Less wear, I hope. Do not know, though, what filter.

You suggest transmission service every 25k miles. 50% of what is recommended for the worst case. Have I change oil every 1500 miles or 6 weeks as well?

tpken

Cookie - was this your first experience in a quake? Definitely a scary experience - I can attest as well. Wife and I were in bed once in a LA hotel when she asked if a plane was landing on the roof - turned out to be the 7.1 Whittier that had us all standing in the door frames and then dreading those potentially dangerous aftershocks. The TV anchor man disappeared under his desk as one rolled though, then popped his head up and apologized - saying he didn't want to get killed by a falling light fixture. One does not forget those moments!

Ken

cookie01

We had a pretty good shaker in 1993 called the Spring Break Quake... the epicenter was directly under my Mother's house! (or 5-10 miles east or west, close enough, thanks...). That one was early in the morning and it woke us up but went away quickly. This was a very different motion and it seemed to last forever. Much of downtown Seattle is a mess. Nothing messed up down here except our heads.

Thanks for everyones' good wishes and prayers. And thanks to technology for allowing us to fortify buildings so stuff doesn't crumble on top of us. We're lucky to live in this advanced society.

hggray

I had the liners installed this morning... It's about a one-half hour job. While reviewing the paper work when I got home, I noticed that they had reference "Bulletin #00-08-111-004", and had a notation "installed rear wheel well liners per TB 88342".

I had previously quoted an old post from this board as "TB 08-08-111-004", which is apparently erroneous.

At any rate, I can now state with certainty that it is covered by the warranty, and should be done at no cost to you.

For ALL of you that own 2000 models, you might want to consider getting this done. Left undone, particularly if you live in areas that use salt on their roads, the pockets at the bottom of the wheel wells immediately ahead of the wheels will collect mud, cinders, sand, etc. and will almost certainly cause rust problems in the future...

The problem was corrected on the 2001 models. This TB is just adding the new 2001 liners to correct the deficient design of the 2000 liners.

eng62ine

Hey all! I took the plunge last night and brought home a Galaxy Silver 2001 LS last night (leather, sunroof, 1SB pkg). I have to thank all of the 'regulars' of this forum for the helpful insights on what to watch and be wary for. So far the car has been great, (albeit only 50 miles on it). I've been plowing through the owner's manual trying to configure the car the way I would like it. One concern I have though is the engine cradle. Has the problem surfaced in the 2001's? Same question for the steering shaft. Any help would be appreciated, and I'll apologize in advance if the questions are redundant, but I don't have time to sift through the 1700+ posts! Thanks again.

00impala

You are correct, the Bulletin Number is Correct "00-08-111-004" I have a copy of the Bulletin, After the directions for installation there is a Box at the bottom that reads WARRANTY INFORMATION LABOR OPERATION "B8342" that is the code used for Payment for installing them under Warranty used by the Dealership to General Motors, Otherwise, if out of warranty them the owner of the car would have to pay parts and labor for the Wheel Liners, I am going to get them myself in the near future. your receipt should read "B." 8342 Thanks Don

bdime

My 2001 Impala LS with preferred equipment group Stated: alarm in the list as well
as the standard theft deterrent. Wanted to add a remote start and dealership was going to
charge $700 because they said the theft deterrent only is to prevent someone from stealing
the contents inside the car. There is also supposed to be this computer chip in the key- if not
in the car it cuts off gas to the engine. I called them back and asked about why the horn beeps
and the lights flash on and off repetitively if I use the key and don't "unlock" with the key fob. After demonstrating this in the showroom on another vehicle I finally got a "you're right, it
already has an alarm!" Just saved myself an extra $350! Still happy after 5 days
and making everyone around me jealous.

frankf3

Platour: I think the heat went out gradually. I first noticed the lack of heat in the October/November time frame. It really wasn't something you could identify as suddenly not working. During the summer the car was being run, but the heat wasn't required. As we went into the fall towards winter, the outdoor temperatures got colder and colder until whatever heat did come out of the heater, wasn't enough to warm the passenger compartment. I talked to the service manager, and he said they just flushed the cooling system in addition to changing the antifreeze.

Yurakm: I would definitely think twice about changing the antifreeze at 4 years. This is why I posted my original message about the antifreeze life. If you take into account the time spent during the summer as to when the problem may have been manifesting itself, but hidden due to warm summer temperatures, then you can probably say that I realistically got 3 to 3 1/2 years and 40,000 miles out of my "Extended Life" antifreeze.

platour

This evening. Let's try rustproofing and the like. I bought a package with my 2001 that includes paint proction:

"The Protector hereby warrants to the original owner, that if the factory-painted surface of the vehicle treated with the Protector Overcoat Paint Shield is damaged by weather-induced fading, chalking or loss of gloss within five (5) years from the date of application or the environment , specifically by acid rain, tree sap, or bird droppings, and a claim therefore is made within 60 days from the occurrence and subject to the vehicle requirements listed hereafter, the Manufacturer will pay for the repair of the damaged portion of the vehicle."

This package included rustproofing, the noted paint treatment and interior upholestry treatment. I know the usual rote on these deals (avoid them) but this one looked good. Here is the warrany on the interior.

"The Protector warrants to the original owner of the new vehicle that should the interior treated with Protector Interior Shiled become stained within (5) years (in which such interior shield is installed) the Manufacturer will clean the soiled area (or replace if unable to clean) and reapply Protector Interior Shield to the new interior and trim free of charge to the original owner."

What is interesting in this warranty is that the "manufacturer" is GM and I have this package on my bill of sale. Looks OK to me as GM (probably the Dealer) has liability. I would appreciate your observations on this as we are generally advised to avoid such dealer-pushed packages. If I can hustle and get the web site for the "Protector" posted within my 30-minute limit (why 30 minutes, Forum people?), I will do so. Many thanks for your comments.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=223638&a=11855276&f=0

platour

The edit on my earlier post would not let me do this (why? The 100 characters message) so here is the site for ECP Inc.

http://www.ecpinc.net/ECPframe.htm

hunter39

As a native of Los Angeles I have lived thru many quakes before moving on to Arizona (note, no natural disasters here unless you count the searing heat in summer!) but moved out of the area before the big quake in Northridge some years back, I lived in an apartment complex half a block from the one that collapsed and killed many people. My prayers are with those folks in Seattle and the nerves that are on edge. It continues to amaze me that we have these quakes that are so strong and yet there are comparitively few fatalities, just look at the numbers of deaths in Turkey, India and El Salvador just in the past year or so. It may not seem like it to those who live thru them, but we are truly lucky.

Hey Matt! My "Blue" still running great, have faith my friend...

00impala

I got a the same package on my Galaxy Silver LS, The Dealer sells/installs the Paint/interior and Rustproofing protectors and if I trade the car in at the same Dealer within 5 years from the date of delivery I get $250.00 back towards the next car I buy.(Exactly what I paid for it in the first place) I now have a garage and really don't need it again so I may collect within the next 4 years! Unless I decide to take my Impala for 200,000 miles and 10 years! I'm sure it will still be sparkling! Did they give you the line that you only have to "WASH" your car (NO WAX) and can go back anytime around 2 to 3 years to get the Paint Sealer re-applied for about $50? If you want of course?. I had my car under some Neon lights tonite and it was SPARKLING, I wax it of course! Don

iusecad

last sentence of the 2nd to last paragraph in this article.

http://www.autofieldguide.com/articles/0301chev.html

then go back and read the whole article.
thanks to lbthedog in the Roadside Cafe for the address

hoowa

Just recieved the new Impala I ordered and it has too much bass! I can feel the rumble in my legs! It is much better than any of the eight Impalas I had rented.

yurakm

Thank you!

duraflex

Does your Impala have a trunk amp - mounted up inside the trunk,
under the deck below the rear window?

platour

No, they did not give me the pitch. The maintenance package I posted a pic of has a bottle of "cleaner" in it which smells very much like wax but is probably not. And there is a coupon for an additional free bottle of cleaner when that runs out. They do not say how to get a bottle of heir wax. I suspect the paint protection is basically a clear-coat sealer with a wax on top. It does look very nice as you have observed. I used a similar multi-step system on my 1979 Corvette when I had it painted last spring with DuPont Chroma Premier. The product site is shown below. These types of products are not inexpensive but they sure do look good! Having dropped several drops of brake fluid on the fender, I can attest to the fact that they work (at least for five minutes!). The Zaino product is excellent and as you will note from the web site, is extensively used for show cars. It goes on easy and comes off the same way. And there is not a white residue build-up on emblems. Now if I can keep the salt spray off my Impala for more than a day, I would enjoythe paint finish more.....

http://www.zainobros.com/

platour

Just looking at the Wheels section of the newspaper tonight and it brought to mind a topic that I have thought of in the past. The Impala 3.4L is 180hp, the 3.8L is 200hp and my 1979 Corvette 5.7L (350cid) is 225hp. I see a Nissan 2001 Altima with 2.4L at 155hp, the 2001 Maxima 3.0L at 222hp, a 2001 3.5L Pathfinder at 240hp, a Honda Accord LX 2.3L at 150hp and the like. I guess that I will not challenge a Nissan Pathfinder at the red light. Seriously, why are GM engines so down on HP. Is it the push-rod design. My own feeling is that those imported cars (DOHC and four valves/cylinder) are pushing engine design and stress to the limit while the 3.4 and 3.8 dated designs just keep plugging away on low-rev, low rpm torque technology. And that is not necessarily a bad thing. Read dependability over time. Are GM engines purposely de-tuned? I may be wrong on this but I sure would appreciate opinions.

jijco

Some vehicles may have higher HP ratings but may not be faster under certain conditiopns. Like you said, the pushrod mills have the bottom end torque. What I've heard is that a 200HP/3.8L Impala can easily outrun a 225HP/3.5L? Dodge Intrepid. And thats without the S/C, K&N Filtercharger, aftermarket exhaust, ported polished heads, shift improver kit, etc.
Besides, if the 3.8L Impala could catch all the other cars, the police would work too hard! LOL!
JACOB P.S. I like my Impala over the Intrepid and Maxima SE, even if they are very nice, but an SS...

hoowa

Yes, it has the amp and it looks the same as the other amps.

platour

I guess my point went beyond "fast". I am not concerned with speed. How are these high HP ratings achieved and at what price in terms of long-term reliability? We can have four cams and multi -valves doing there thing at initial purchase but are they reliable downstream? My 3.4L is what I would call a "lazy" engine: does not work too hard to get up to speed (torque band is low) and engine rpm is low at 60mph. At what expense are those high HP ratings made possible? Think about it; my 1979 L82 Corvette with 5.7L has only 225hp and that was the "high performance" option that year. How can a V6 Nissan do better than that? The Chev 350 SB has unlimited HP potential but it is somewhat disturbing to see its HP rating eclipsed by a V6 engine much smaller in size. Any old Chev fans out there?

jijco

I totally agree with you, I'll take the solid, durable engine over ultimate speed, otherwise I would have bought a "faster car", but those alternative choices could not compete with the overall value and features of my Impala LS. But, I also wonder why the HP numbers are relatively low compared to smaller engines in other cars.
JACOB 0B)

frankf3

Platour: When I got my Impala, I specifically asked about a package just as you described. I was told that none was offered or even recommended for the car. I think that such a package as you got, even though it is commonly known as "filler" is exactly what I was after. Do you think there would be a problem with getting rustproofing applied AFTER the car has been driven in snowstorm where salt has been applied ? I would hate to have the salt, sand and other stuff "sealed" in where it would actually do more damage. Maybe if I can wait till mid-summer, then most of the salt would be flushed out. It seems that you get different answers concerning the application of paint, fabric and rustproofing depending on what dealer you go to.

platour

I cannot see that one snowstorm and one exposure to salt would really matter. The car will be thoroughly cleaned before the application of the paint sealer. So I would go for it. As for a dealer not recommending the package, I can understand that for the rustproofing as much (how much I do not know) of the Impala's panels is galvanized. But the paint is a different matter as is the treatment of the seats and rugs. The package warranties the paint against things such as acid rain blotching, bird and tree droppings, etc. Although I went for the works, you CAN just get the paint seal if that is your preference.

duraflex

Since you posted publicly, I'll jump in and offer this opinion:

I think your fear is well-founded.

You wrote, " I would hate to have the salt, sand and other stuff "sealed" in where
it would actually do more damage."

Nobody applying that rust-proof [non-permissible content removed] is going to see that every bit of salt residue is eradicated before they apply their "special potion".

Most car dealers stopped "undercoating" and "rustproofing" years ago.

Your idea of waiting to mid-summer seems pausible but you could visit a car wash that does UNDER CARRIAGE wash as well.

Whatever you do, make sure they don't touch the catalytic converter.

night_owl1

Karen can you add the Impala Radio group to the owner's club. I just noticed that it isn't here.

blueheart

What was the part # for the magnetic oil pan plug?

frankf3

Blueheart: The magic number is 88891787 for the magnetic oil drain plug. This fits the 3.8L engine. I can only assume that it will also fit the 3.4L motor also. I'm sure that you could have your local parts man look to see if the same standard "nonmagnetic" oil drain plug is used on both the 3.4L engines and on the 3.8L engines. If so, the magnetic one listed above will also work for the 3.4L

Frank

pat

I suggested to Karen the same thing about the Impala Radio discussion - I'm sure she'll take care of it as soon as she has a chance.

Pat
Host
Sedans and Women's Auto Center Message Boards

jsbig

We just purchased our fully loaded 2001 Impala AS and we love it!

Great looks, ride, interior room, etc!

This car will be driven by my wife and daughter.

The only quibble I have is that the headrests on the front seats are not not flush with the back of the seats... they are mounted somewhat forward of the rear seat. If you are tall, you need to raise the headrests to avoid pressure on your back or neck. For most people, including my wife and daughter, this is not a problem. However, I am 6'8" and the ax height adjustment is o. but not great. I should say that the leg room is excellent in the front seat.

Any thoughts on why CM went with this headrest design? I am assuming by moving it forward it provided better head support to avoid whiplash. Has anyone else had a quibble with this?

Overall, this is great car and I would encourage folks to check it out!

jsbig

He, I found out you can get the headrest even higher by squeezing the tabs on each post. This would probably not be an approved height, but it will work for me.

Now I have nothing to quibble about!

b4z

Your '79 Vette is an L82. It was one of the most powerful cars available that year. I don't know if you remember the Trans Am WS6. It had a 400 CID.
6.6L and it only had 220 hp. In '80 that engine disappeared and the T/A got the 301 CID turbo turkey with 205 hp, what a dog.
It wasn't until 1985, when the Tuned port injection motors came ou that they exceeded your 225 hp. They had a whopping 230 hp.
Don't feel bad. If it wasn't for fuel injection and tougher emissions laws your car will still be top dog.
Yes, pushrods are antiquated, but they get the job done. Especially when it comes to low end
torque. A DOHC motor has huge breathing advantages over a 2 valve pushrod motor. Frankly i am amazed that chevy has been able to coax 380 hp out of the LS6. It is actually faster than the Ford Cobra R.

b4z

vcjumper in the intrigue forum posted a link to ward's automotive that states that 2002 is the last year for the 3.5L motor. This means that there will be no 2003 intrigue or aurora. It also means that impala,gp, and regal will not get this incredible engine.
GM has got some serious problems to overcome.
Looks like we will be driving honda powered chevy's soon.

platour

Yes, that is a debate that has been going on for some time. If an owner leases, it is a waste of money. If a person intends to keep for some time beyond five years (the GM perforation warranty) then it might be a considered purchase. I do challenge your assertion that one snow storm and one exposure to salt will lead to downstream problems. That comes off with one hit of a steam blast or an ordinary spray car wash. No internal problems will result from what the poster described. As to the vulnerability of body panels with so-called new advances in protection, just check out stainless steel exhaust systems on cars manufactured in the last five years. They have low-level nickel/chromium content and do rust. People think that SS is forever as is galvanizing. Not so. In a salt belt, the rust protection is a good investment for those who keep their cars for some time. The paint shield is a must for the likes of GM owners in the early 1990s who suffered from acid rain and tree drop blotching. It was wide-spread. Thanks for your opinion....

duraflex

Many of the cars of the early 90s that had peeling paint and some other problems were from at least ALL 3 "domestic" automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler. Not sure about others.

According to NBC Dateline/CBS 60 Minutes reports, the peeling-fading problem was caused by bad reformulated primer. Finish paint and clear coats were also substandard.

There are plenty of these cars peeling cars still on the road- I seethem everyday. I had an 81 two 89s and a 90 car before we got the 98 Camry and 2000 Impala. NO peeling and no rust on 3 of the 4. After 8 years, the 90 Honda literally had just a speck of rust near on the left rear quarter panel. None of the cars had any anti-rust treatment. The 11 year old OLDS still looked like new when I sold it last February.
(PHOTO here: http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/impala2000
duras impala the old car)

lov

Called my chevy dealer a few days ago to order the magnetic drain plug and the parts man said
the impala already had magnetic plugs in both engine pan and tranny pan.

It will be a few months before I have to remove the plug as I just did an oil change a while back.

I can't see why chev would make a magnetic plug standard in Canada and not USA but stranger things have happened.
Any other Canadian impala owners to verify this?

lrcobra

Just got the drivers seat replaced on Friday and while there I brought up the tsb on the rear wheel well liners. No problem they said and ordered them for me. The service manager said he would need about an hour to get them installed when they get here. How about that for no argument service? I was prepared for a fight with copies that I printed off here and other sites you all have brought up on here. I just wish all dealers were as amicable as this one is.
LRCobra

platour

I guess we can agree to disagree. My car this morning was turned from Galaxy Silver to Brilliant Calcium Choride White. I do not know your locale is but in my area of North America that goes on for 4-5 months. The rustproofing is money well spent for long-term Impala owners.

bdime

Just watched my favorite driver win the race in vegas- IN A CHEVY MONTE CARLO!
Coincidence that the first 2 races this year are won by Chevy's? NOT!