2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

iusecad

first 3 races...

platour

Yes, I am a GM V8 fan, and have been for some time. I await the day they put one in the Impala! As many others do: the Impala SS. I havealways been a Chev person and did not follow very carefully the Pontiac line. But, the 1979 L82 (so-called high performance) is really not. It does move very nicely (0-60 in about 6.6 sec) but it is no match for the high-spinning imports. And I would say the Impala LS 3.8L comes very close in the 0-60. But, I am not one to use it at red lights. Sure do love the car, however! Have had it 15 years and it is a real joy on a sunny, Sunday afternoon.....

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=223638&a=11779932&f=0

crosley4

Our 2k LS 3.8 engine does not have a magnetic drain plug. Our 2k Silverado 5.3 does however.

The transmission does not have a drain plug, but does have a magnetic strip inside on the pan.

I would also mention that I looked at our engine cradle. It has full welds around the rear mount areas ( like the 2001) that are pointed out in teo's pictures. If it was welded at the dealer it was never mentioned to us.

The build date on our cradle is : 7/1/99

bdime

I mistyped- including this race it is 3- and can we hope for a Chevy win year?
I will!

teo

Thanks for the observations. Have you had your cradle repaired/replaced in anyway or form? According to my service manager, aftermarket weld rectification has not been very successful in the rear frame brackets. Of course, it all depends on the level of skill/equipment needed to properly re-weld key sections of the engine cradle. This is the main reason why GM is encouraging dealers to repair the problem using the info presented on the "Shim Material" fix TSB.

this_is_nascar

Has anyone ran into an issue while wearing a black leather jacket in the leather-seat equipped Impala? Are there issues with staining the leather on the seats?

teo

Have you had any problems with the seat cloth fabric 'pluckering' around from the side airbag cover?

I wonder if that little annoyance was already fixed in the 2001's?

teo

During my lunch break a "Smart" mini city car being driven around Coral Gables nearby a Mercedes Benz dealer....

For those of you that haven't seen or heard about the 'Smart' minicar, it is a vehicle specifically designed for the crowded cities of Europe and Japan. It was co-developed between Daimler-Chrysler and the Swiss watch maker, Swatch. The car is an absolute joke by our American car standards, yet it looks futuristic and definetely a head turner. The car is a 2 seater only.

The last time I saw one was in Paris last year. To my understanding, the 'Smart' is not for sale in North America, but this could be a sign that DCX might want to bring it overhere after all.

Really nice, it was dual tone black and grey underbody side..for sure it made my lunch hour ;-)

beebopdelux

Was going to dealer tonight to check out 2001 Impala and was wondering, has the engine cradle problem been fixed in the 2001? Also is the steering shaft problem fixed? I like the car looks great. Any other concerns for 2001?
Thanks

teo

For sure, the engine cradle issues have already been fixed in the 2001 Impalas. However, I am not so sure about the intermediate steering shaft part.

Go for it, the 2001 is a great car! Picking up my replacement '01 sometime this week :-)!!!

hank64

Teo -
Thanks for the clear and concise info on the cradle and steering column problems you posted on the Impala Owner's Repair and Service Board.

sweetpolly

I've been wearing a full length black leather coat on my leather seats and I've not noticed any fading or discoloration.

tomaso7

I wear an expensive black leather winter jacket and it has had no effect on either my old '98 Lumina LTZ leather seats or my 2001 Impala LS leather seats. If your leather jacket is 'leaking' check out where it was made. Have you had the seat heater on? I don't think this would be a problem though.

How's the weather in the North East? In Toronto we are only getting about 2 inches. Nothing to get worried about - by the way did you know that in Canada we get international symbols on our message centre on the dash including short forms such as TC for traction control and a tire symbol. My handbook says the U.S. get words only. True or False.

Thanks y'all

teo

The US Impalas only display words on the LCD in dash Message Center. "Traction Active" for the TC...don't remember the msg for the tire pressure monitor.

platour

The major reason we get symbols on our Impalas in Canada is the Labelling Act which states that all labels on consumer goods must be bilingual: French and English. The use of symbols is a compromise to text that works well and gives an international look to the GM and other manufacturers' products.

jijco

The smart car was featured in a C & D issue a while back, it has interchangable color body panels. There even is a diecast car model for it somewhere, with interchangable panels. I think I saw it at The Sharper Image a while back.
As far as the message center, I believe that the message for the tires ti "tire pressure low". As far as the traction control, ever since I went back to 92 octane gas, the car "breaks traction", lighting up the "traction active" indicator on the message center. Sometimes the pavement is wet, but it hasn't occurred that often with the regular gas. Does anyone notice a difference in performance between use of the different gas octane levels like this, for those that have tried both regular and supreme?
Maybe Chevy/GM should add these messages: Check engine cradle, service steering shaft, stereo upgrade available, perform amp bypass, add CD changer.... JACOB

platour

The Wife and I were in Paris last August and saw the Smart car. To me it was a fascinating piece of automotive technology! I have 35mm pics but no scanner, unfortunately. It is truly a commuting car for those who do not have to go long distances although it will maintain highway speeds very nicely. In pics it looks like a golf cart but it most certainly is not. These cars are almost luxurious and you can swap coloured body panels to suit your mood. Ingenious marketing. I asked about importing one to Canada but they do not meet bumper crash standards in North America. Thanks for bringing back that memory.

http://smartstore.uk.com/

shamino

Up here in Toronto, Canada we had quite a bit of snow today! I am sure glad I have traction control on my '00 Impala LS! I saw some older rear wheel drive and some front wheel drive cars slipping and sliding around. The incline of the hill was less then 30 degrees!
The traction control is awesome!!! It would be interesting if they made a 4WD version of the impala..with the V8 option!
I wonder if we would be as cocky as those SUV drivers zooming by in the snow??

bdime

The spouse works for several of the major gas companies- repairing computers
and gas pumps. His advice is use the regular octane- the Impala LS doesn't
need the higher octane but don't cheap out- stick to the major brands.
The additives in the larger urban areas can affect your gas mileage but
there is nothing you can do about it. (Except fill up if you're out in the
country where there's less of that stuff) No dissing the SUV owners- I
was one myself until a week ago- replaced it with the Impala!

bjl5

A quick note about horsepower. In recent years, the way horsepower is measured has changed.As a result,it seems as though today's engines are weaklings compared to those of yesterday;300 horsepower appears to be nothing compared to the 400+ that was available in the 1960's. That thinking is wrong;400 horsepower in the 1960's is worth about 270 horsepower today. It took 400+ cubic inches(6.5 liters) to produce that much power;now we get that much power from much smaller engines.THe difference is Gross(old) versus Net(new)horsepower!

platour

Actually, the gross HP vrs. net was not recent but in 1972. You will see the differences in the history of the Corvette V8 below. Gross HP was measured on the engine output and net was all accessories and drive-train attached. My 1979 L82 was net at 225hp but gross probably from 330-350hp. It is the hyraulic lifters version of the early 1970s solid lifter LT1 but with cat con, smog pump and the like hooked up. There is no easy conversion factor but the LS with 200 net HP is probably producing close to the 1960s Corvette base 327cid/300hp engine. And the 0-60 and 1/4 mile times for the LS would tend to bear that out. They are impressive for a large FWD vehicle!

http://www.alnet.ch/corvette/specs.htm

platour

I am butting into a conversation I guess but I do not have puckering at the driver's side air bag. Everything looks nice and tidy. BTW, the more I drive the Impala, the more I like it. Still getting cold and snowy weather up North and the front and rear defrosters, heated mirrors and general provisions for this type of driving are just great! I do not have traction assist but the car is just steady on snow and ice. I have never had that mechanical assist so I drive according to conditions. Do look forward to dry pavement conditions in the coming weeks. That should be a joy after this terrible winter. It sure does stress out a car as well as the driver! No further comment on rustproofing....But you cannot imagine the calcium chloride on the roads.

crosley4

on our 2k LS is fully welded at the rear mounting pads that mount the cradle to the body structure.

It does not have the "extra" welds at the mounting tabs for the rack & pinion like a 2001 cradle in teo's pics on the site :

http://home.hawaii.rr.com/impala/Engine_cradle.html

Our cradle has not been removed to our knowledge, only loosened for the grease application to the mounts. The car has not been left at the dealer long enough for them to remove the cradle without our knowledge.

I am calling tomorrow and asking if the cradle mount "shim material" TSB was performed on our LS and .....why not? THe repair order copies show no such item. We have less than 3500 miles remaining on the original warranty.

I do not know if TSB items carry on after the initial warranty expires since it is not an official recall. I would think the TSB's do apply to cars out of warranty.

A friend bought a 1986 Nissan 300Z car in 1999. It was very low miles (12k or so). It did run a little goofy so he took it to a local Nissan dealer in Mesa, AZ. The dealer run the VIN # , found that several updates (TSB's) were never done to the car. They performed all of the repair items for no charge. The car ran great after that.

scotsman93535

After reading all of the messages pertaining to the 2000 Impala engine cradle, I decided to look at my car for the problem. I had envisioned, incorrectly, that the brackets being discussed were critical to holding up the engine. This is not the case.

The brackets that were photographed by TEO are located at the very rear of the engine cradle and are welded to a cross member. You must find this cross member and then look up to see the brackets welded to it. It appears that the brackets and cross member, do one thing, hold up and secure the power steering piston. They have nothing to do with holding up the engine.

So far I have not had a problem with these brackets and have had no popping noises.

Can anyone supply me with the TSB number for the cradle?

jeffreyw1

to the Impala forum. dime I am glad to see that you purchased an impala to replace the sub. The Impala AS and base Impala are great cars. I know that I am extremely happy with mine. I did not get many options on my AS, but many of the options I wanted were already standard equipment on the AS anyway. I am impressed with how the Impala AS handles in curves and start-out acceleration. The 3.8L engine is one of the best engines that General Motors have ever produced as far as efficiency and power is concerned. I know I love mine. May all have a great and blessed day!

jeffreyw1

who was the person on this forum that had their dash autographed by Dale Earnhardt? I remember seeing back several forums ago and can't remember who it was. I think that person lives in Alabama. Thanks!

eng62ine

I am right with you. I live in SE Pennsy, and I owned a 96 Jimmy, and just traded it in for the Impala. My line of reasoning was this: 1) I can count the number of times I used the 4WD on one hand for the 5 years I owned it. 2) The braking was/is TERRIBLE, on the Jimmy. 3) Safety is much better in the Impala over the Jimmy (major concern of mine with a 3 month old). 4) Gas mileage. 5) Insurance premiums (Its $5 more to insure a brand new Impala than a 5 year old SUV). Also I pulled out the sticker for the Jimmy, $27,000 MSRP in 1996 for the SLS, cloth, CD, running boards, PW, PL, PS. I bought the '01 LS, leather, CD, sunroof, 1SB, for $25,000 MSRP. Can't beat the Impala's value.

teo

The TSB number for the "Shim Material" cradle fix is: #00-08-61-003 dated 10/23/2000. The official TSB title is "Clunk/Pop Noise from front of Vehicle (Shim Rear Frame/Cradle Mounts)" It applies ONLY to all 2000 model year Impala/Montecarlo vehicles.

Scotsman: Any resolution on sight for your engine shutdown problems??

Platour: Thanks for your response on the pluckering of the seat fabric around the side airbag cover. I hope this very minor item is already fixed for the 2001's.

Crosley: TSB's are free of charge repair items while the car is still under the limited warranty. After the warranty expires, you have to pay for the cost of the TSB repair in full out of your own pocket. If you have 3500 Miles left on the warranty, try to go ahead and get it done as soon as possible before it runs out.

dmullins

I finally dropped my car off at the dealer yesterday. I just called to check on it and was told by the service advisor that an engine cradle and an intermediate steering shaft have been ordered. I wonder why they're replacing rather than applying the TSB to the cradle. I guess I'll have to wait until I get her back to find out for sure. Either way, I hope this is the end of my problems.

Drew

tomaso7

Your profile says you still own a Dodge. Anyway think again about the 30 degree figure you gave for an incline. 30 degrees is huge. Look at a protractor and extend it in your mind. Or on a piece of paper draw a 90 degree angle. Halve it. The halve it again and that's 22 and 1/2. Even that is steep. Streets like Kingswood in the Beaches area is nowhere near 30 degrees and it's steep. But I do know what you mean - I love the TC!

shamino

Duh..what was I thinking?? I guess I just got too excited about the Traction control feature! But the street does seem pretty steep.

On another note, has anyone replaced the wheel liners and put in the shims for the 2000 model impalas yet??

scotsman93535

This is an update to the engine/stumbling problem that has plagued me for about 7 months now. Some of what you will read is a repeat of earlier messages.

On Feb. 22, 2001, after having a recorder installed in the car, the dealer, once again replaced the ignition switch. This is the third switch installed on this car. The original ignition switch, and then two more, were installed by the dealer over a two-month period.

The recorder indicated a 3-volt drop at the ignition switch and sensors when the hesitation occurred. They felt that the first switch that they installed was defective so they replaced it again.

I really had my doubts about the ignition switch being the problem. For the past 12 days since installing the new switch, I have not had one-hesitation problem. It is early yet to be absolutely sure that the problem has been fixed. If it goes another two weeks with no problem, I will feel secure that it was in fact the ignition switch. If the ignition switch caused this problem, it would appear that GM had a bunch of defective switches when they were manufactured!

If my problem has been fixed and anyone would like the names of the service advisor and service manager, I will be happy to supply them to you so that your dealer can speak to them directly.

hvan3

It was wet and cold in LA last night. I was driving out of the LA Clippers arena, my Impala started hestitating.

Once I had the engine started, I started driving off slowly. (I have to admit, I didn't properly warmed up the engine). I was going about 15 miles/hour. The engine started stuttering. My heart immediately sank. Instantly, I thought of scotsman's post.

I only had my Impala for 2 weeks. I will keep you posted if this problem becomes an epidemic. However, there's no cause for alarm because I should know better to warm up the engine a bit longer..

bdime

Had the remote start installed yesterday. At 19 degrees (not counting wind
chill) this AM I was sure a happy camper! Still loving this car at the gas
pump too- only getting 16-19 mpg but alot better than my explorer did.
I miss the height of the SUV but I'm enjoying the nice ride and good looks.

platour

Rather than Impala XI, may I suggest this area be called "Impala General Chat." Or something along that line. Impala-Let's Talk? Impala Discussion Forum? Impala-What's on Your mind? That may stimulate more participation from lurkers. My simple Photopoint album at New Years's attracted over 1700 hits, for example. The Impala people are out there but need a good reason to get on-line! Members are very polite and informative so let's try to get more participation....

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=223638&a=10790790&f=0

platour

The heater is great! And I noticed the mpg is less than I expected but hopefully that will pick up with break-in.

scotsman93535

hvan3

It is my opinion that it is not necessary to sit and wait for any modern car to warm up before you drive off. Once you start your car you should be able to drive without any engine hesitation. Driving slowly for the first mile or so should be fine.

I am sorry about your problem. I have a feeling that your hesitation will not stop until we discover the cause. Maybe the ignition switch is really at fault.

This really gets dangerous when you are attempting to enter traffic.

dmullins

Has anyone else had the cradle replaced, rather then having the shim kit TSB applied to it to correct the clunking noise?

hvan3

I don't think the engine hestitation is an epidemic problem that everyone is experiencing. Maybe it's just a random event. Anyhow, I don't want others to be alarm about my minor incident. I really do fault my "impatience" for not warming the engine.

Lets hope your ignition switch is the root cause of the engine hestitation. If so, it should be a easy fix for anyone who experience this problem.

By the way, what's your build date? Mine is 5/00.

duraflex

Very early on, I had some hesitation.

Another poster suggested tightening the gas cap five clicks after filling..something about keeping air out of the gas line or creating a vaccuum. Anyway, it seemed to work.

Also, try buying your gas from a different station.

NEVER buy gas when the fuel truck is refilling the underground tanks. It stirs up all the sediment in the bottom and that can wind up in your car.

Living in the cold northeast, I always have always warmed it up for 2-4 minutes on cold morning - not when I come out again after the car has been run for the day. For one thing, that engine oil and trans fluid is pretty viscous on a 15 degree morning.

bjl5

To Platour, Thanks for providing the year (1972) that HP ratings changed from"Gross" to "Net".I knew it was in the early 1970's.The last sentence you wrote in post #1773 you indicated FWD didn't you mean RWD (Rear Wheel Drive)? all Vette's have been RWD.

tpken

Duraflex - Thanks for that insight on not fueling up while the gas truck is refilling the tanks. I'd never thought of that but what you said makes a lot of sense. I always pump at the local BJ's wholesale club at 10 to 15 cent per gallon savings compared to most local prices and they sell LOTS of gas there. Usually a line - reminds me of the 70's gas crisis lines - and the refueling truck is often there.

BTW - final snow tally at my house in coastal Maine - 30 inches over a day and a half - higher drifts. At least it didn't stick to the trees like other areas - we never had more than a flicker of our lights whereas others were in the dark for a while. Played monopoly, read and shoveled - nice day off. Watched some TV show on best beaches in America last night - man did that look enticing! Teo - your South Beach is SIZZLING! Gonna have to get in shape before checking that one out!

Best to all

Ken

dmullins

I called this morning to check and find out why the cradle was being replaced rather then having the fix called for in the TSB applied, and now I find out that the TSB shim kit is in fact on order, not the cradle and not the intermediate steering shaft. I'm told that they can't get the shim kit until Friday, so they return my car to me and say they will call me when the shim kit arrives. I return to the office and call the Chevy dealer 3 miles from the office (maybe 8 miles from the dealer who has the kit on order), and I am told they have 4 kits in stock. I call the service manager and advise him of the situation. He is checking into it and tells me he'll call back. I'm also told the tech said there is no problem with my intermediate steering shaft. I'm patiently waiting!

cabello

Hey, I'm also thinking of adding a remote start. But did you already have the keyless entry/alarm keychain? I dont want to carry two transmitters. I also know that you need a special adaptor for these cars right? Fill me in on the starter please......still have a rattle in my front end, will take in this monday for the 3rd time spoke with 2 service managers this time.

cookie01

I went from hardly seeing even one Impala a week (besides mine) to seeing about 10 in the last two days. Those $1000 cash back insentives must have got some good attention at the dealer.

By the way... sorry about the snow and yuck everywhere (especially the RAIN for Sweetpolly) it's 67 and beautiful sun here in Oregon... Shocking really. We don't know what to make of it... But I washed that car last night...

teo

Unfortunately this incentive is not offered on a National level, just a handful of states are getting it. Seems the car is selling very well elsewhere as the Impala has been immune to large rebates or special finance incentives across the board like most other GM products.

Beautiful cool and sunny day here in Miami....65F, not a cloud in the sky...dry and just beautiful...it will get warmer as the week goes by.

larryhart

I am bringing in my Y2K Torch Red LS tonight to have the cradle REPLACED with the 2001 version. My dealer was hesitant to apply the shim fix to the original cradle & GM concurred (maybe it's the improved welding on the 2001 version).

I also suffer from the clunking problem, but the dealer was advised by GM to see if the new cradle helps. If not they've promised to install a new Intermediate Steering Shaft.

Whilst my car is at the dealer they will also apply the Rear Wheelwell TSB fix (which they were unaware of until I supplied it).

Despite the clicks and clunks I still love this car. The Torch Red color is electric and has made me more speed trap conscious !!

teo

Keep in mind that the steering wheel clunks are a whole separate issue from the cradle clicks. Even after you get the new 2001 revised engine cradle, I am almost 100% sure that the steering clunks will still be there. Since the dealer is waiting on parts anyway (New cradle) insist on having the intermediate steering shaft replaced also at the same time....kill 2 birds with one stone if you will.

I think you can save time and the hassle of going back to the dealer and waiting for parts on two separate ocassions.

hvan3

For those who do not experience clunking noise in the engine cradle, I believe it's unnecessary to request GM to repair or replace the engine cradle. For god sake, it's going to drive GM warranty cost exponentially for unneccesary repairs. If it ain't broken, why fix it?

Just one man's opinion.

tomaso7

Where in Toronto do you live? I was born there and now live in Burlington.
My e-mail is tomaso7@home.com. Regards.