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Comments
And I found out that if you use the key to open the drivers door, if you hold the key in the unlock position for a second or two it unlocks all four doors.
We've only had the car for 20 months now......LOL
Tony
(( pause ))
That is just too cool. I held the key on "unlock" for a second or so and all 4 locks unlocked.
I then locked it, and held it, and nothing happened (other than the drivers door locking)
Neat. Now go play and find out some more things to tell us :-)
I've got a 12 year old that usually finds EVERYTHING ! He counted the buttons, anything that qualifies as a push type "thingie" and he came up with a very high number. I'll have to get with him to get that number, or a recount. Seems like it was well over 80, if not 90 or more.
The blinker alone has many.
blinker left
blinker right
brights
cruise button on
resume
windshield washer settings
push type washer fluid
...as if you didn't know, but it sure was cute listening to him and his number go higher than I expected :-)
Another subtle thing I've noticed is with the LS wheels in rainy weather the brakes seem to get wet easily. Braking is significantly reduced for the first 100 feet or so after driving on wet/rainy roads for a few minutes. After the initial time, the brakes get noticeably more powerful with no change in pressure on the pedal. Anyone else notice this?
To help with the concern of not enough cooling make sure the temp controls are all the way down (not to insult anyones intelligence, but you'd be surprised at how many people think they're just for heat). Using the A/C in the winter with the heat set up is a great way to quickly defog the side windows when there a several people in the car. Also, the quickest way to cool down the interior on a hot day is to open a couple of windows about one inch, set the fan to 5, the direction to the floor or bi-level and max cool for about 2 minutes. This forces the majority of hot air up and out the windows.
The other answers concerning the difference between recirc and fresh modes are correct IMO. Also remember that in fresh mode you're having to pull air thru the hepa filter.
As for the odor issue..you might want to check that hepa filter and make sure it didn't somehow get wet. If it did, the only recourse would be to replace it.
Mediumfry--The symptoms you describe are classic CV joint problem. Notably, you hear/feel a knocking noise while turning at low speed. Time for a warranty trip to the dealer.
Glad to be of some help. Great board. And I do love my 2k Regal blue metallic LS.
Oh, and I will be watching..haha
Teo should be able to shed more light on this issue, as i am an intrigue owner not an impala owner.......yet.
Roderacer - I, too, instructed the dealer not to put a sticker on my car when I purchased my 2k. They put one on anyway, so I refused to take delivery until it was removed - which they did promptly. I let them put a logo license plate holder on though - since it's easier to remove if I ever have a falling out with them.
By the way - the dealer installed a software update hoping to correct the hesitation problem I've been having. Since that update, I have had 3 of the biggest hesitations to date (and a couple small ones) and two cases of sputtering/jerking (which has never happened before) where I thought I was going to stall out. I'm going back in to get the wheel liners installed - and will have the dealer check it again.
If you are feeling 'faint' clunks traveling upwards the steering wheel column when making turns (Either direction) at slow speeds and also traveling downwards the brake pedal, then there is no doubt that your IIS warrants immediate attention and replacement.
On my 'old' 2000 Impala LS the problem showed up at around 11,000 miles. When I made a right turn at very low speeds it felt like the whole front end was going to fall apart. Once the dealer replaced the IIS, the steering was nice and tight once again.
Our friend, Bz4, is all too familiar with this problem in the Oldsmobile Intrigue. Nearly every Intrigue owner has had the IIS replaced at some point in the life of the car. Us Impala owners have had a similiar fate, specially with the 2000 year model.
Yours is the first case of a '01 Impala with the IIS problem. Your build date (11/00) could suggest that at the time of assembly they were using the same exact problematic IIS. But there is a catch...the part number hasn't changed, so we don't really know if the IIS on newer '01 Impalas will eventually require attention as well...time will only tell.
When I test drove the Passat (before getting the Impala) VW guy showed me that if you held the key in the unlock position for a few extra seconds it rolls all the windows down. That was cool... Then they did a TV commercial about it and EVERYone knows now... sigh...
1 - If you press the TRAF button while listening to the radio, it will either play the traffic bulletin if the current station has one for you, or it will scan to band to find to find a station that is broadcasting a traffic bulletin. If it gets once around the dial, it'll give up.
2 - If you press the TRAF button while listening to a tape or CD, you have instructed the radio to interrupt your music whenever it detects a traffic bulletin on the currently tuned-to station.
Important note for #2: It is my understanding that the traffic interrupt will only happen if the station you tuned to last broadcasts a traffic bulletin. I do not believe that the RDS constantly scans the entire FM band when you're listening to a tape/CD... it only monitors the one station you left it on last.
(What *I* want to know is why there's a CD icon on the 5 button?)
I remember the threads re: this a few hundred posts ago... just bringing it up again.
Thanks,
RR
Don't think the octane has too much of an efect on mileage.
Even better is that I may not have to put the higher grade stuff in?? Or is it always better to go with the best your wallet can take?
Thanks!
RR
I wouldn't put high octane in at all.
I had a brand new Z28 in 1983 that got 13 mpg when i first bought it. All of sudden on one tankfull
it jumped to 15mpg. On the next few tankfuls it level out at about 17 mpg. The car was noticeably quicker in acceleration also. This all happened in the first 1000 miles.
My intrigue has gotten the same mileage ever since it was new, because those engines actually tightenen up a little bit. I have gone from using half a quart of oil every 3000 miles to no oil once it hit 20,000 miles.
It's been quite sometime since I've posted...pardon me if this has been discussed, I've only had time to skim the last couple hundred posts or so.
Does anyone have info or know of a Chevy enthusiasts site that would follow developments relating to the scheduled freshening of the Impala for the 2003 model year? Probably everything is focused on 2002 for now, but I'm wondering what changes might be in store for 2003, prior to the brand new model (which I think is due for 2005).
If you don't have any info on what's coming for 2003, what things would you like to see changed in a freshening?
Wife and I just ordered a 2001.5 Passat Wagon, so it's not too early to start thinking about my new car which we'll get a couple years down the road!
Best regards,
PeterJ
I've enjoyed this feature but find there are not a lot of stations - even around Boston, Hartford, and New York that broadcast this way.
Ken
Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any sites where you can purchase Impala accessories for the car?
Unfortunately my local dealer has totally horsed up any jobs so far, both mechanically and interpersonally. I think I'll be going to a nearby town to get it looked at.
Thanks again...
Chevy evidently spent some time engineering this car for police and taxi duty. CV joints seem to be a non issue with these cars.
The intermediate steering shaft is a supplier problem not a design one. My intrigue still has noises in it which seem to be related to the rubber grommet that is mounted above the struts. This is a design issue with the intrigue which is not present in the impala.
Judging from your build date i feel that it is the intermediate steering shaft.
I havealso found that the people on this site usually bat close to a .1000 when it comes to diagnosing problems with their cars. The dealers are usually in the .250-.400 range. Seriously.
They're glad for the business - they get reimbursed from GM for warranty repairs.
After I clean the LS, I may just put it on. Haven't decided what's worse. A paint chip from a rock or minute scratches from dirt and silt getting under it.... HMMM. I think the latter would tick me off more.
And the cover is embossed with the IMPALA text, not deer logo as I was led to believe....
Thanks,
RR
www.nhtsa.org
Go to "Recalls"
Then select, 'Regional recalls'
Select year 2001, make Chevrolet, then Impala.
http://www.edmunds.com/new/2001/chevrolet/impala/ls4drsedan38l6cyl4a/crr_1.html
Brad
When are you coming down to Florida?
PS: With that huge Impala windshield you can't miss the big Mouse's ears!
For the past 13 days I have been ENJOYing my LS. I am not concerned with the blemishes that can occur while driving everyday like rock chips and such so much as I am worried about paint damage that I cause by installing an aftermarket part that the instructions even advise can cause scratches if not meticulously cared for.
I see paint care the same way I view scheduled maintenance, i.e oil changes. Don, if that sweet dual cat-back exhaust system would have come with a big red tag warning that installing the system could cause damage to the engine, would you still install it? I'd think not.
Second issue that I have is that you have the beautiful silver paint which will hide blemishes and scrathes tons better than my Black paint will.
I just think it is a bit odd for a hodd "protector" to come with warnings about damaging the paint. *???*
Will I put the cover on? The jury is still out. Either I put it on and get a line of scratches across the hood and then be FORCED to keep it on for the length of my ownership, or I don't put it on and deal with the "few" chips that may or may not occur....
....anybody want to buy a hood cover?? HA! Just kidding, but I just may have a brand new one for sale in the next couple of weeks.
I am aware that is "just a car", but I am the one that has to look at it and drive it every day and I would like to keep it as new looking as possible, is that wrong? Nah.
Brad- My car is begging me to wash it. But the rain keeps on falling. Maybe Sunday.
Thanks, and keep that LS taken care of, Don!
RR
RR
When I returned the car to its maker last month, I removed the Car Bra and the front bumper and hood were as good as new..not a single scratch, chip...just clean perfection. Not paint mildew or any crap like that. The front end looked perfect. Then I realized that while a Car Bra might be a bit of an unconvenience and the car might not look so beautiful after all, it does provide genuine protection against the common elements even in adverse weather conditions. All it demands is periodic clean-up, that's all. The protection it provides is truly worth the *hassle*.
Car Bras of the 1980's and those manufactured by 'Le Bra' or otherwise known as 'Le Crap' are nothing but garbage. The best Car Bra, bar none, in the market today is the Perfect Fit one which is also sold at GM dealerships as OEM equipment (For about $25 to $30 more). Old Car Bras had major issues with mildew formation, scratches, paint contamination, etc. The Perfect Fit Car Bra is truly one of the finest out there in terms of quality, fit and materials used as all these issues are a thing of the past.
If you do care about the looks of your car and its resale value, the $84 Perfect Fit car bra is the best and cheapest insurance agains front end road damage.
I will be installing the Car Bra on our new '01 LS this weekend.
I'll be picking up my license tag and registration from the dealership whenever it gets there. I'll ask them about ordering the Perfect Fit. I don't know if Autozone and places like that carry that brand but I may call them and ask. I'd rather save $25 if I could.
www.carbras.com
Their car Bras are $84 plus $10 for shipping and handling to your doorstep.
This is how the CarBra for your car looks like:
http://www.carbras.com/perfectfit/bigcars/pontiac_1997-2000%20prix.htm
Good luck
It's raining so hard here in Waterloo that I wish I had a bottle of car wash soap with me! :-0
Brad
My salesman called me today with a price on the navy blue impala that i drove earlier in the week.
$400 under invoice!! I couldn't believe it. I told him to hold the car for me, but to look for a bronze mist without spoiler.
I went by there after i talked to him on the phone to get financing info, and the car was not in its normal space.
They told me that it was sold last night! The guy who gave him the price didn't know it had been sold. And they haven't been able to find me any navy blue cars without spoilers on the dealer locator.
So now i am considering a white car. I don't really like white cars.
Windshield - It looks like because of the slope of the windshield, and the position of the DIC, that they ended up putting the mirror more in the field of view than perhaps desirable. I keep thinking someday they'll do that "car of tomorrow" approach and have the mirror sticking up through a hole in the top of the car (sort of like a rear-facing periscope), but where would we hang our parking tags and high school tassels if they did that?.
p.s. - my Impala goes braless - I'm not much on added paraphernalia on cars; I guess having matured during the 80's when everybody seemed to put a luggage rack on their trunks and such, it just turns me off. Maybe if the bras came in body-matching colors or something, I might find them more appealing. For now I'm content to wash the front end after a long trip, and accept the occasional chip or scratch. I've got more chips on my side mirrors than I do anywhere else; not much I can do to protect those.
nosirrahg - When I looked up the web page for Perfect Fit, they do come in body-matching colors. I didn't check the price though.
bh0004 - Send us some of your rain! We're in a bad drought. I've been wanting to wash my car but the water pressure has been too low during the day. I'm afraid that I wouldn't be able to rinse all the soap off.
A question I wanted to ask is that the temp gage shows that a temp of 245 degrees is when one needs to shut off the engine for overheating. That seems a little high to me. I've got the aluminum cylinder heads and wondered if I should shut off the engine at a lower temp because of this. Does 245 degrees sound high or should I think of pulling off the road and cutting off the engine at a lower temp?
I got caught in a traffic jam a couple of days ago (stop and go at 5 mph) and watched the temperature go up to 210. I was really getting nervous but then the second fan kicked in and the temp didn't get any higher. Fortunately, I got to an exit soon after and took an alternate route home.
Spoiler is much less important, even while I also would prefer the clean lines. Some cars look really bad with spoilers, but not Impala. Additionally, the spoiler helps when backing it up in a tight place - the high trunk lid notwithstanding.