2006 Chevrolet Impala

jnt

It takes two to tango in this case: the material difference between your clothes and the seat or between your shoes and the carpet.

So having car ground strap may not help much since the rubbing action creates Electrostatic built up on your body, not on the car. The car ground trap helps if the charge is created by the rubbing action between tires and the road.

May be you should wear ground trap on your shoe just like those Electrical assemblers in the factories. Hopefully, that will bleed the charge away. Or change your shoes to different type. Hopefully, the material composition difference between them and the carpet will not generate large enough charge that will shock you.

jt

imidazol97

Check into the dirt guard sprays like 3M Scotchgard. See if the can mentions anything about reducing static electricity formation. I'd use whichever on carpet and seats. Try wearing a different kind of pants and different jacket material. Avoid polyester blends. Try cotton and wool.

The statis is built up when two nonconductors are rubbed against each other. Make one of them conductive with the antistatic spray for cling in clothing or other treatments and you've broken the chain.

Shoes also can be a factor like the other post mentions. Try a different pair of shoes without the insulating rubber soles.

Karen_S

A national personal finance magazine is looking to interview consumers who own a car which has cylinder deactivation technology and is happy/unhappy with the fuel mileage it receives. Please send an e-mail to ctalati@edmunds.com no later than Monday, July 3, 2006 by 2:00 PM PST/5:00 EST containing your daytime contact information and what car you own.



Thanks,

Chintan Talati

Corporate Communications

Edmunds.com

exalteddragon1

the impala really need to go RWD. I think its great if it does and im sorry if i changed my oppinnion, but Camry and Accord have been killing US automakers with FWD for years. In the family sedan segment, it does not matter which wheels power your car, it matters on how well your car holds up, how safe it is, how roomy it is, and what kind of fuel economy you get.

I'll be happy if it goes RWD, but for people like me they will have the Camaro, so I'm not very crazy over the Impala going RWD at this point.

On the same note, GM can still succeed with RWD if the Impala is built better than its competition, i mean if it has less problems in it and lasts longer.

luvsling

This is absolutely correct. I was frustrated until blue in the face until I found a fix for the issue.

Buy this part:

http://www.kerrindustries.ca/home.asp

6S1 Short Shift Lever


A special short shift lever replaces the standard shift lever. The shorter shift leer provides additional hand clearance to computer screens and other equipment when shifting the transmission. Includes lever.

Be aware that you will have to do the install yourself as Chevy does not "authorize" this fix.

Took care of the issue though.

Please complain to Chevy Customer Care as the more complaints, the more likely they will acknowledge the problem and offer a fix themselves for it at no expense to you.
--------------------
I concur with the column shifter blocking part of the stereo display (I own a 2000 Impala, but rented a 2006 LT a month ago for about a 1,500 mile "test drive" ). It wasn't that big of a deal, but I did think it was one of those little things that somehow got overlooked.

charts2

Police Impalas (9C-1) have had short shift transmission selector levers since 2002.

dispencer1

I've driven GM cars for 40 years and never before have I had a transmission like this one that slams into gear when you slow down then accelerate. Is this the same transmission that they use in the LaCrosse? I hope not because it would certainly mar the Buick image of quiet luxury. My Deville transmission doesn't do this and neither did my '01 Malibu one. GM transmissions were always noted for their quiet, almost imperceptable shifts. With this one you have to really watch it or it kicks you in the fanny. Really crude. I'd expect it in my '87 Silverado but not on a 2006 Impala. What gives with the transmission? This rough shifting can't be good for it. Just another reason that this Impala is my last one. I have a 2LT. Perhaps the 3LT transmission is different?

quietpro

Sounds like you have a problem. My SS is "heavy duty" but shifts very smoothly. Occasionally, you can catch it off guard and get a firm re-engagement but for the most part, mine is just fine. I don't know for a fact it's the same basic tranny that was in my '02 Monte Carlo SS but I'll ask my nephew (tranny mechanic). It seems to perform the same for the most part. It isn't the most advanced tranny out there but I feel it will be more than adequate and reliable.

priggly

Your transmission is an aberration and I would talk to the dealer about it.

The tranny on my SS is smooth as buttered silk. The shifts are virtually imperceptible and among the smoothest of any transmission I have ever driven. The car is a pure delight to drive with that super small block V-8 coupled to the wonderful 4-speed automatic tranny and I could not be happier with the car!

dispencer1

This isn't a SS -I would assume that the SS would have a different transmission- probably a heavier duty one. Somebody on an earlier post said that he had the same problem during "taxi stops" where you slow down to almost a stop then accelerate. I will talk to the dealer about this -it was very suprising when it happened.

imidazol97

I hope the dealer can tell you it's something in the valve body or a repairable flaw. I've had many GM 3 and 4 speeds. None did that. I had Ford 3 speeds that got lost and finished engaging at the last minute during power on mode.

evandro

I've observed this on my Bonneville a few times over the 4-year period I've owned it. The conditions must be right to reproduce it, but when it does happen it doesn't sound good.

Please, keep us posted.

batista

Yes, I know what you are experiencing. When you accelerate at around 15 mph you get a bit of a jolt because you are about to shift down into 1st and by giving it gas it then decides to shift back into 2nd.
I don't think you have a problem you just need to stop accelerating at that shift point.
You can stop more until you avoid the 12-18mph range.

evandro

I don't think you have a problem you just need to stop accelerating at that shift point.

I wish that the tranny would be smarter than destroy itself, but that's what I do. I just ease up in such situations and accelerate lightly.

dispencer1

Thanks - I've never experienced this in any other car with the exception of my beat up '87 Chevy truck. The Deville shifting is like silk. I'll watch it from now on. I remember the old twin turbine dynaflow . It was great -you couldn't feel it shift at all. It was widely advertised.

nosirrahg

Ran across these photos/drawings just now of a future Impala "concept"...below the pictures is a disclaimer of how this group decided to do an idea study of what a future Impala might look like. I thought for the sake of discussion I'd post a link and see what folks thought, since there have been rumors of a RWD Impala coming in the relatively near future. From what I can tell there's no direct/official connection between these drawings and GM/Chevy, but thought they were worth sharing.

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-2006-Chevrolet-ImpalaZ-SS-Concept-by-Bo-Zolland- .htm

nifty56

Not familar with the tranny but is it drive by wire which seems to be what alot of manufactures are using and having the same shift shocks at certain RPM etc.?

nsb

Has anyone had a problem with the dealer putting in the wrong amount of oil during an oil change?. My dealer thought the 3.9 v6 took 4.6 qts with filter. The 3.9 v6 takes 4.0 qts with the filter.

evandro

Well, my Bonneville still has the Series II 3.8 V6, so it doesn't have by-wire throttle.

charts2

A year ago a friend of mine took his Monte Carlo to a Chevy dealership for an oil change. He has the 3.4 engine. They overfilled it. He put in the amount that the 3.8 engine would take. He found out when he got home and checked the level.

Next time you go for an oil change have the service advisor write on the invoice in big letters for the technician 4.0 qts with the filter.

quietpro

Any '06 Impala SS owners out there with suspected/confirmed speedometer or odometer errors? I just took mine on a lengthy trip and compared mine with a GPS I brought along. My speedometer is off by -3 mph, give or take .1 mph and the odometer is off by approximately -2.5%. While that means I'm getting better gas mileage than indicated, that 3 mph is probably responsible for a speeding ticket I received on the second day of ownership.

I had mentioned my suspicion of the speedo a while back but never had a chance to check it out until now. Has anyone else had much experience with a GPS? I'm a beginner, admittedly, but was using a Garmin GPS III Plus. I am under the assumption that they are very accurate but don't know for sure that they are better than an odometer when it comes to curves and terrain when determining mileage. As for speed, it was a consistent discrepancy. I will be talking to the service manager about it. The odometer error isn't a huge problem but the speedo error is a big concern.

charts2

I thought the speedometer/odometer would be very accurate being electronic. When mechanical speedometers were in use many had their issues. You haven't changed wheel sizes have you?

quietpro

No, everything is factory. I could speculate if this turns out to be a pattern but for now, I'm just trying to ensure my observations are correct and determine if I'm just an unlucky owner or if we're all driving faster than we think.

charts2

Why not double check with wife or friend. Have them drive ahead of you at say 30 mph, 60 mph etc and have them beep their horn when they reach that speed and then check your speedometer. Then you will know if your close or not.

elc32955

Intersting... My experience with prior Impala speedometers is that generally they are right on, verified by traffic radar (I do speedo calibrations for the local Impala SS club). Make sure your tire sizes are correct for the vehicle, you can inadvertently throw your speedo if you've put new tires on and changed size/ratio, also you might verify the powertrain combo you are supposed to have is what is really what is installed on the vehicle. It would be very rare to see an optioning error straight from the factory, although I guess it could occur. I need to sit down in a '06 and run the radar in it to make sure there's a match from the speedo vs. the radar. I'll also ask the members over at NewImpala.Com in their dedicated 06 & up sections to see if they've had any problems. Last time I ran a Garmin GPS in a vehicle (I had a GPSMap195) the GPS seemed to be slightly off in the known good vehicle...

Take care
Eric

quietpro

Eric,
Thanks for the help. My SS is all factory. I have suspected the speedo ever since I got a ticket the second day I owned it. I was speeding but got clocked a few mph faster than I thought I was doing. I may have made the difference. Anyway, I just want to get it figured out.

Thanks again...
Ron

poncho167

I am not sure how accurate the GPS is being that the military programs the figures. I once read that the GPS for the public is intentually off because of a threat of a missle strike. I don't know this for sure though.

quietpro

I'm not an expert but I am military and use GPS. The inaccuracy you're speaking of is more about resolution. In other words, where a military system could pinpoint to the foot, civilian systems may only be good to the yard. That's a general reference, I don't know what resolution each system has and couldn't tell you if I did. But, it's not necessarily a built in error as much as a lessening of precision for general public use. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if there are built in errors that help protect our strategic sites. It would only make sense to keep our enemies from using our systems against us.

gm2005

I had an Impala LS rental car for about 2 weeks. It was one designed for a fleet (had no OnStar, no "goodies"). Throughout the time, I only got about 16-17 mpg mixed driving. It also felt as if there was no overdrive. Has anyone else had any experience with that?

gm2005

Chevy updated their Impala site, and here are some new changes to the car:
-3.9 liter gets Active Fuel Management
-All models get tire pressure monitors
-New 17" polished aluminum wheels
-LTs get optional brushed metallic trim
-Three different colors of red, along with other new colors

micweb

We have a 2006 Impala LS and it definitely has overdrive - the rpm are very low on the freeway, even at 80. We get around 27 mpg on long trips, but only 17-18 in between when my wife uses it for short city trips. Is it possible you were driving it in 3rd?

gm2005

No, it was totally in "D". It's not a really big deal - I don't have it anymore, but I was just wondering if anyone had the same experience.

The LS really does have some "get-up-and-go", though. And I thought an '02 LS was quick.

steveinalta

If you think the LS had some get up and go , take an SS out on a nice piece highway and open it up

quietpro

Steve, you read my mind.

steveinalta

Ron ,I don't seem to have any speedometer issues on my SS, my biggest complaint with the car to date is the fact that the tire pressure sensors are overly sensitive

balich

Our new Impala has the following stereo:

AM/FM STEREO W/ RDS, CD & MP3
PLAYER & AUXILIARY INPUT JACK

How does one hookup the I-POD to the stereo ?

It says it has a MP3 hookup – we see the hookup but did not

find the adapter in the car ?

Does the car come with the adapter ?

If not .. what do we need and where do we get it ?

Thanks in advance!!!

Karen_S

Congrats on your new ride!

You might want to check out the Chevrolet Impala: Radio

quietpro

You need a male to male connector. You can get it at Radio Shack and probably even Walmart. If you're unsure, just look at the plug on your headphones. You'll need a cable with one of those plugs on both ends.

One thing I noticed was that my MP3 player wasn't very loud when played through the car stereo. It's not something I would use much at this point so it's not an issue.

martin22

I've just picked up on this thread and decided to check it out. I strapped on my Lowrance Iway500 to the SS and drove round the block. Whilst in cruise at a steady indicated speed of 60 mph, the GPS was showing a steady 61.5 mph. So, yes, the Impala is undereading but not to the extent you had measured and probably within tolerance. (When I lived in the UK, +/- 10% was the legally allowed tolerance).

What a great car this is. I still can't stop smiling every time I touch the throttle!

quietpro

I love mine as well. I just want to know how far off my speedo is and would prefer it to be over rather than under.

How's your experience with GPS? Have you found them to be consistent regardless of brand? In my case, I was traveling around 75 mph and the error was about 3 mph. Any error would increase or decrease relative to speed, at least if it was due to an error in computing wheel size/revolution, etc.

martin22

Either way, over or under, I think it's just manufacturing tolerance plus of course over or under inflated tires.

My only GPS experience is with the Iway500 and I cannot recommend it too highly (go look at CNET reviews). I don't normally use it for speed measuring except when it's on our boat. For horizontal ground speed I trust it implicitly.

As far as navigation is concerned, it is second to none. The only quibble we have is with the female voice giving directions. She (we call her Sybil)is normally OK but when we go off her designated route and she has to recalculate, she gets quite stroppy. Go off the route several times and we can detect a degree of anger in her voice (like "perform a U turn NOW!).

However, all is not lost - Lowrance have now provided another free software download which, amongst other things, provides alternative languages including 'UK English'. This lady (we call her Phoebe) sounds quite posh, in a mature BBC sort of way, and is much more polite if we go off route.

luvmbooty

3.5L can use E85, right? If you do, what city and state are you in? Is it conveniently available? How much does it cost a gallon and to fill tank compared to gasoline? Do you notice any difference with performance? The 3.8L or 5.3L can't use E85, right? Any comments about E85 are appreciated.

damon34

I was considering buying a ss but i was wondering about the gas mileage if it really gets what is says? I drive about 90% highway. Thanks

quietpro

The slower I drive, the closer I get to the EPA estimate. The best I've gotten was at an average 70 mph and got 26 mpg. More often than not, I'm getting 24 mpg at 75 - 80 mph. Considering all the power and enjoyment, the few mpg may be worth it. It is to me.

priggly

With a scant 2,000 miles on the odometer at a steady 65 mph I am getting 28.5 mpg. At 60 it increases tp 29.5 mpg.

In city driving it is 17 mpg.

Personally, I am very pleased with these figures which are comparable to the mileage I get with my 1997 Subaru Outback with a four cylinder engine. I think the Displacement-on-Demand technology definitely works.

steve333

The Impala LT with the smaller engine has been getting only 15MPG in the city for me.
You should be pleased with what you're getting. I know I'm not.

damon34

THanks guys, I just wonder what i will get on mostly highway and some city. U know gas just went up again.

ivanadrivealot

Quietpro is correct. Just thought I'd offer another cable solution that has worked extremely well for me. It's a retractable male-to-male stereo cable. No messy cords, as you can just pull out what you need, and it stores nice and small (affordable too):

Zip Linq 3.5mm retractable audio cable

Just in case the link doesn't work, here's the text of it:
http://www.cyberguys.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?productID=8348

Now if you have an iPod and want to add some remote control capabilities without removing the radio head, check out the RF (radio frequency) "AirClick" remotes at Griffin Technology. It's not as refined as an integrated solution, but it's all portable too, for use on home stereos, etc.

Hint: The AirClicks are generally much cheaper on Amazon.

jaypolicow

Back when I had cloth seats and static problems I found I could reduce the static by putting a very small amount of liquid fabric softener on a rag and rubbing it over the cloth. I also read that someone had similar results by rubbing a dryer sheet on the fabric although I never tried that myself.

Jay

steve333

Does anyone here get a catalyter converter odor at times from their car? I seem to smell a rotten egg odor from time to time.