I have one (2006) and love it! Superb power, delectable exhaust sound, handles great, relatively good gas mileage for a V-8 (the DOD helps), very quiet cabin at highway speeds, excellent BOSE sound system and topnotch fit and finish, at least in my car. I am very impressed with the quality of recent GM cars including the 2006 Chevrolet Impala SS.
Car makers normally pinch pennies when it comes to car speakers. They are cheaply made ($1.00 a piece sourced from China). Anyone who wants an immediate improvement on audio sound should just replace these original speakers. That alone will make a big difference in overall audio perception. Of course for those who want 1000W output have to use additional amplifier.
Most low cost original speakers have little LOW (BASS) or HIGH (TREBLE). Their response is mostly MIDRANGE. So the BOSE speakers may just be $2-3 a piece and probably have better LOW and HIGH. But BOSE name alone is worth $100.00 . What a marketing marvel and brand equity !
Remember the $500 Bose Wave system for home (AM/FM/CD w MP3). It is just a mechanical tuned box with < $50 electronics. And they are selling $500 a pop. What a profit margin !
Hello all, I am having an issue with my heater ('06 SS) taking an exceptionally long time to get hot. It seemed that when I first bought the car, my heater would be blowing luke warm air before I left my neighborhood. Now, it takes 10 - 15 minutes before I'm getting hot air (I park in my garage and the car's temp is usually between 40-50 degrees any given morning). My sister took her car ('06 3LT) in for slow heat and they told her it was a common problem to get a bubble in the heater hose. This caused the heater to warm up slowly. They flushed it and she says hers is working much better now. Has anyone else had a similar problem with their '06+ Impalas? Is anyone aware of a TSB addressing an issue like this?
I would like to see some comparison from others with their heaters. For example, how long does it take before you start feeling warm air? Do you park your car in a garage or outside? How long is it taking your car to warm and what is the outside temperature?
Also, I am pretty sure that back when the car was new, I would definitely feel warm air once the temperature gauge had moved up even a little bit. Could anyone compare that to their experiences?
I have never been pleased with the heater performance of my 2006 2LT's heater. Let's see if I can answer some of your comparison questions:
1. Approximately 10 minutes before I feel appreciably warm air...this is even after remote starting for 5 - 7 minutes.
2. My car sits outside in the driveway at night.
3. Takes my car 12 - 15 minutes to reach full operating temperature. Outside, overnight temperature lately has been 15-25 degrees F.
Of all of the cars I have owned in the past 19 years, this one has the slowest to warm heater of all. My previous vehicle's heater, in a Dodge Durango, would literally cause pain it would get so hot so quickly. It has been somewhat of an adjustment from that vehicle to this one.
Once the car warms up, however, the heater does get hot. I just wish it would do so quicker than it does. I haven't bothered to go to the dealer about it...if the heater ever stops working then I will go
It sounds like you have the same problem I do...if it's a problem. Do you remember if the heater worked any differently when the car was new or has it always been this way? What season did you buy your car? I ask because if you owned it for a significant period prior to your first use of the heater, you may have developed the "bubble" that my sister was told about.
Anyone else out there with some heater performance feedback? Please refer back to my post (#3222) and give any info you can.
I bought my Impala new the last week of July 2006, so the heater would not have been used for the first time until mid-October 2006. As near as I can recall, the heater has never been all that fast to warm, but once it does it gets toasty.
Ron: Just to let you know, my '06 SS has always got up to working temperature within three miles. The heated seats keep it cozy for that short distance.
As a side note on heaters, I've had a annoying fault for a long time, maybe from day one, where the fresh air/recirc button (whichever one) has to be reset on every re-start of the car. I mentioned this to the service writer on my last visit for an oil change and she tried to indicate that this was normal. I suggested she check on software updates and, blow me down, the software had been updated and the fault was fixed.
Ron, I don't know if my experience is a fair comparison; the weather here in central Texas doesn't have extremely cold nights, and my Impala is garaged at home. However, when leaving home, and the car temperature indicates 40-55 degrees with outside air temps approximately 30-40 degrees, the car will put out warm air within approx half a mile. Granted, full "hot" air doesn't start fulling the cabin until at approx the 4-5 mile point, and at that point I'm starting to dial the temp control downward. As I said, probably not a real valid comparison because the outside air temps are seldom even in the mid twenties. Having said that, by comparison, my wife's Grand Prix takes approximately twice as long to get warm air coming out of it, but about the same length of time to reach the "hot" air stage. Clark
I have been having problems with my 2006 Impala too. The Service Tire Monitor System lite keeps coming on. How can I contact GM to let them know of my disappointment with this car and how can I found out about any recalls? A friend of mine just bought one yesterday and already her STMS lite iscoming on. Told her she should've asked me about buying the car first.
My 06 Impala had this problem; we took it to the dealer and they replaced the right front tire sensor under warranty. Fine since. I'm not sure I would need to call the manufacturer and complain about one small problem. 2006 was the first year for this tire pressure monitoring system, so I'm not surprised they have some bugs to work out. My 2007 335i BMW has had two TPMS errors in 9 months. They each went away after restarting the car. It's amazing what people expect from cars nowdays. I remember just hoping my would start on a cold morning. Now, unless it goes 100,000 miles without a single problem, people trash it and complain about what a piece of junk it is.... :confuse:
Same here...had an issue with my TPMS and it was fixed under warranty. A related issue to this is the FOB may have limited range or not work at all. This can also be fixed under warranty. Rather than panic, just ask your service department to fix it. They will likely give you a rental car to use while they repair the problem if you ask. Chevy has come a long way and can't always guarantee that every little component will last forever. Things break...on ALL brands of vehicles. My 2006 had a couple small problems but nothing that makes me think it isn't still a great car.
Martin, Thanks for the insight. I am pretty sure my SS would warm up that quickly before. I don't know if you read my earlier post but my sister was having problems with her heater taking a long time to heat up. She lives in WV and it gets pretty cold...down to zero or so fairly regularly this time of year. Anyway, she asked, they fixed (known issue with a bubble forming in the heater hose/core...somewhere...she didn't know for sure). Now hers heats up very quickly. Once she mentioned this to me, it reminded me that I had began wondering to myself if the car was taking longer than normal to warm. Then, I remembered that I USED to think it was super fast at warming up...but isn't any longer. Anyway, I'm now trying to figure out if this is a problem with particular engine sizes or if it's the common hardware on all Impalas that's affected.
Clark, What model Impala do you have again?
Thanks to both of you for chiming in....and Clark, it's pretty similar temp wise here...we only have rare days when it gets below 40...and that's in the winter.
Ron, I have a 2006 2LT that I'm very pleased with; 3.5 L engine. I, too, have been monitoring the warm up cycle and it appears to be longer than it used to be. I hadn't heard of the issue with a bubble forming in the radiator hose, but I can certainly see where it would impede coolant flow. Thanks for the tip. And yes, I love the moderate temperatures that we have in the winter. Clark
I got to "researching" the 06+ heater warming issue, and it seems it is somewhat of a common concern. The first thing that people recommend is to check the coolant level in the car.
So I checked mine yesterday morning (cold engine - 3.5L V6) and it was significantly below the cold level line. I filled it up to the cold level line with Prestone pre-diluted Dex-Cool (handy stuff to have around when you own a GM or Chrysler)
After filling, I started the engine and let it run for about 4 minutes. The engine heated noticeably faster than it has been lately, with the temperature gauge going well over the first 1/4 mark in just the 4 minutes. I turned on the heater in the car, and warm air actually came out. I was very pleased, to say the least. Temperature was about 39 degrees F at the time.
If you are having heater warming issues, I suggest checking the coolant level. It seems silly, but it made a noticeable difference for me.
I have an 06 LT. Has anyone had any problem with their wipers? It has only happened during one day, but the passenger side blade was making a noise each time it came up like it was catching on the windshield molding or something. Also, it was not lying completely down each time, nor when I turned the wipers off. I could see light below the wiper blade on the passenger side. I checked it to make sure nothing was caught in it and causing the noise and not letting it lay down. There was nothing. The next day when I used them again, there was no noise and they went back to the proper position when turned off. Odd.
I got a call from my attorney last week that GM had made me another offer on taking my :lemon: car back. If you remember, in October last year the BBB awarded me a replacement but attached an offset of $4200 for mileage, which according to TN law should not happen with replacement vehicles. They now are offering me a replacement with a $6000 offset because now I have more miles. Needless to say, being the smart business person I am, I jumped right on it. . . only if I was an idiot!!!! The saga continues.
I have the same issue on the right wiper blade and the answer is that the wiper blade is too long. The "problem" only occurs (at least for me) when the weather is cold and the wiper blade isn't as flexible so it doesn't lay down. The blade is about 1 1/2 inches to long and rests on the windshield molding.
I was thinking about getting a shorter blade the next time I replace them and see if that helps. It's a real pain in the butt when it's snowing outside
You would think that they would have used blades of a length that this would not happen. The noise is distracting when it catches on the molding every time it makes a pass. As I said, so far it has only occurred that one day recently, but I keep expecting it every time it rains.
One of the things I have done with all my vehicles since 1988 is to convert both the wipers to the length of the shortest wiper, so when I own a spare pair, if just one goes bad, I still have anothe rhandy just in case, altho I routinely change the wipers every 6-8 months...
On my 04 Ram 1500 and 04 Crown Vic, it just makes it easier when both wipers are the same length...and the sweep gives ample visibility, except that the shorter wiper that replaced the longer wiper now will not sweep the upper 2 inches of the windshield, but that is where the dark tint is anyway and you can't see thru it on a clear day, anyway...
Ryster, That's not silly at all. I have been meaning to check my coolant (sadly, I'm not as maintenance savvy as I once was or should be). I thought that could possibly be an issue and now that you're having luck with the solution, I'll be sure to check mine when I get home. I'll follow up tomorrow if I see any improvement.
I have an '07 Impala SS with 19000 miles. About a month ago, I noticed during normal driving that if I step on the gas quick and then let off suddenly that I would get a distictive 'thump' from the front end, presumably the transmission. Its as if the car downshifts, doesn't need the lower gear, then upshifts with the thump. I can duplicate the condition at will although it takes a quick jab on the throttle and just as quick letting off the throttle. I demonstrated this to the dealer and was pretty much brushed off with 'if there's no TSB then there can't be an issue' This is, at the least, an annoyance. At the most, a problem which could get worse. I don't have anyone else's experience to compare my situatuion to so thats why I'm addressing this board. I'm aware of the enhanced 4T65E transmission in the SS and must admit that this seems to be a 'highly strung' tranny. It downshifts very quickly, unlike the slushbox in our Toyota family hauler. I haven't been able to drive any other SS's to see if this is just a characterstic that I'll have to get used to or not. Other than this, I've enjoyed the car. A few minor fit/finish problems were taken care of and I had the ISS (steering shaft) replaced because of bumps from the suspension being transferred to the steering wheel. The replacement shaft was a new part number and so far so good. Love the V8 rumble, could do without the steering wheel tug of war under hard acceleration. TIA to any responses.
Say if you have time for discussion groups, we could use another good attorney on a professional collision owners group discussion forum. Please come by for a visit to the shop owners group or offer any assistance to the consumer advice forum regarding insurance problems. The group discussion is hosted by an insurance advocate site. www.ican2000.com (insurance consumers advocate network)
Thanks for the compliment...how do you know I'm a good attorney, instead of one of the many who really just know nothing and clog up courts for the heck of it???...:):):):):) The group discussion is hosted by an insurance advocate site. www.ican2000.com (insurance consumers advocate network)
www.prodiscussions.com
mike: which is it...www.ican or www.prodiscussions???
I am a person with two Buicks currently and I follow the discussion to learn what's what. I should have commented the even hoses could be touching something as the motor moves back and give a thump. I mention motor mount movement from following Bonneville discussions with their supercharged motors which Bonnie owners tend to drive much more aggressively than I drive my Buick. I recall a few have had motor mounts deteriorate or that were insufficient for the hard torquing their SSEI's can give.
I bought my 06 Impala with 53,000 miles on it about a week ago. I have loved it, up until yesterday, when while just driving along one of the mall roads, it started to make a strange squealy whiny sound that came from the steering column area. When that sound started, it was nearly impossible to turn the car. It ran fine and shifted, etc without a problem, but when I had to turn on a road that was just about impossible. I barely made it back into my driveway -had to use two hands to get it to turn enough to get in the driveway. Needless to say, I'm a bit "peeved" about this. I have to get a rental car today to be able to make it to work Monday on time. I'll have to call the dealer promptly at 730am Monday morning to have them come TOW it back to the shop where they will have to repair it.
This really ticks me off, because my car I traded in for this one, a 1997 chevy lumina with 145,000 miles on it NEVER failed me. It had misc. little issues, but I was always able to get to work and back and drive around without any problems.
Sounds like a loss of power steering fluid. This happened to me on my '06 at only 7,500 miles. Chevrolet has issued a Technical Service Bulletin that addresses this problem. It is particularly a problem in cold climates. If you live in a colder region of the country it may apply to your car. Hopefully the dealer gave you a warranty of some sort when you purchased the car.
My car also had the problem with no warning. In the morning it was fine on my 30 mile drive to work, then when I started it to go home that evening there was a horrendous squeal and whine. Seems just enough power steering fluid had leaked out to cause the issue. The dealer fixed the problem and had the car back to me the same day I took it in. I am at 23,000 miles now and the steering has been fine since.
You may want to check the power steering fluid level yourself, and if it is low/empty top it off with the correct fluid and drive the car to the dealer yourself. That would save the cost of a tow. Just a thought. Even if you replace the fluid before you take it in, the dealer should readily be able to identify any leaks in the steering system.
I second ryster's suggestions. Look in owner's manual to identify where the power steering pump is for replacing fluid. You can get powersteering fluid at many places. I think they even had it at Kroger's in our area.
The reason the car turns so hard is that you are turning the wheels through the mechanical linkage only without the pressure of the hydraulic fluid kicking in to help turn. This is the way cars drove before power steering was common. The gear ratio was higher so the wheels turned easier, but parking was difficult work in some car models.
I agree with the others on a probable power steering pump issue. Worst case scenario if it is not that would be the steering rack, hopefully it is not that since it is an expensive fix.
not certain I'd buy another because of the problems I've had. Actually, it was the dealership and its service dept that made this car-buying exp a living H---l. Anyway, is there some way to adjust the brightness of radio display. I know about the parade dimming but this is not the case. The display use to be much brighter but now I can barely read it at times. When I first noticed how dim it was a cpl of wks ago, I thought I was mistaken. But this morning I saw it light up real bright for a min or 2 and then went very dim again.
Have you tried adjusting the brightness level using the button/knob just below the trunk release on the dash? (The button/knob is on the left side of the steering wheel. Push the button in and it will pop out as a knob, then you can rotate it left/right to adjust the brightness.) The reason it was brighter for you and then dimmed was because of the daytime running light feature; when the DRL are on instead of headlights the intstrument lights will be brighter because it is brighter outside. Hope this helps.
Yes, I've made certain instrument panel lighting was turned at the brightest. I understand the instrument lites are brighter during daylite hrs based on what I read in my manual (parade dimming is what it's called), which is why I don't understand why the radio display is as dim as it is. BTW, when I got in car yesterday at lunchtime, the radio display was very bright again; went to gym; got in car and display was still very bright. Got in car to go home after work, it was very dim again. Wonder if parade dimming feature is only for instrument lites or does it control radio display as well. If so, maybe it is going bad. Guess it's back to the srvc dept. I have had to drop this car off at the srvc dept more than I did my Mazda. I've been told never buy the 1st yr model of a new or re-designed car; let them get the kinks worked out first. Regardless, I still love the body and interior, esp that smell of leather
Anybody have any experience with extended warranties offered by third parties? My 2006 has about 39,000 and I just got a mailing through my dealer for one.
The best advice I've collected is only buy from teh car manufacturer.
There are car dealers who sell at discounted prices. One was Black Pontiac in I believe Pennsylvania. Search on the web for GMPP that's the warranty name. Compare prices. Out-of-state doesn't charge sales tax.
I believe they email you pricing when you request it. It's an automatic reply IIRC. Check out their website--and there are others.
This is one that I had shopped for my 03, but I ended up not purchasing. The prices tend to go up and that discouraged when because I shopped just after a price increase.
Some local dealers will price match. For service it makes no difference where you purchased the warranty. It's in the computer for your car' VIN number.
Is it dimming when the a/c compressor kicks in and out? Some of this is normal-when the battery's load changes, the radio and dash can dim briefly. The load on the battery can change when starting, when the a/c compressor fires up/shuts off, and when other accessories are turning on or off. That might be what you're getting. If so, it's normal. If it's staying dim for long periods, you may have a problem. (And, the compressor will run sometimes even if the heater/air conditioner isn't.)
It dims for long periods of time (i.e. all the way to work which is a good 30 min drive). It's weird because I never know when it's gonna be bright/dim. Sometimes it stays one way (bright or dim) all day and other times it will switch between the two throughout the day. Very annoying when I can't see the time. :mad: My guess there's a problem somewhere. I'm just so sick and tired of dropping it off at the service dept. I am an avid Mazda driver but fell in love with the newly designed Impala and the interior. Wished I had stayed with Mazda.
Just a thought: When the radio display is dim, are your tail lights on?
The Automatic Headlight system on our SS is quite sensitive to low daylight and, even when the sun is up but very low, will turn the lights on (and dim the radio display).
Do make sure, of course, that the light sensor (on the dash at the base of the windscreen) is clean and not obstructed.
With a service contract, you're basically pre-paying for repairs. Think about it. If a company can sell you a contract for, say $1500, and they need to make a profit, then the average expense to repair your car is a good bit less than $1500. Park that $1500 in your savings account instead of sending it to the third-party and you have a reserve account for surprise repairs AND you control who fixes your car, what parts they use, and where your loaner car comes from.
With a service contract, the administrator (not necessarily the same company that sold the contract to you) has the right to require used parts, they can pay only 'customary' labor charges (which means: you pay the difference), they can require you take the car to their mechanic, they can monkey around wasting time before giving authorization for repairs. They can also go out of business, leaving you with a worthless contract.
The advantage with GMPP is that GM backs the contract. They have a vested interest in keeping you happy. They also use only GM/ACDelco parts and have contracts with GM dealerships in regards to labor/time.
I still wouldn't buy a service contract, but if you must, get a GMPP.
I have noticed the same radio display dimming behavior in my '06. When the radio display is dim, the auto headlights are on.
However, I have noticed that if I manually override the auto headlights, and manually turn the headlights on, the radio display does not go as dim as when the auto headlights have engaged.
Regardless, it does not sound as though the OP's radio display is doing anything out of the ordinary.
Struggling and frustarted...as is Dealer!!!! Happens intermittently...but dealer has had it when IT occurs. Turn the car on...radio is on but it's like it is on mute (it is not).... On Star or phone not available as no access to radio....yet all chimes and blinker noise comes out of all my speakers at a Very Loud Volume. Have had a module replaced...radio replaced twice...May correct after turning car off and then restarted or may expeience for a full day....may return to normal...or sometimes it becomes the silent car...no radio(yet can scan stations and turn volume sky high)...no chimes...no blinker sounds HELP....started when car 3 months old....now 18 mnths into a 3 yr lease...GM says they will continue to try.......
I have a 2006 Impala LT, when using the remote start the car will not heat up. It has the outside temperature gauge, so it should heat but does not. Any suggestions?
Whatever you left your temp control settings on determines what air (hot or cold) comes out when you remote start. In other words, when you last get out of your car, if the temp control is set to heat, when you remote start the next morning it should heat up (and vice versa).
I meant to get back to you sooner on this but I tested my car to see if I could re-create your problem. I tried to do this at several different speeds, causing the transmission to down-shift into 1st and 2nd gears (because you didn't mention exactly what speeds you were talking about). Regardless, I could not make a clunk sound or get any type of jerk that might result in one.
Let us know if you found the source of the problem but I would guess that you do have something going wrong. The motor mount or some other component (as stated above) sounds like the most likely cause. Good luck!
I disagree. The temperature of the ventilation during the remote start is based against outside air temperature. If it's cold outside, the system blows hot air through the defroster. If it's hot outside, the system blows AC through the vents.
My sister had a similar problem with her car and it turned out to be a bubble in the heater hose. I too have noticed my car doesn't warm up as fast as it did when new and suspect I have hte same problem. I did have low coolant when I first noticed it but have filled it up with no significant change noted.
If you're still within your warranty, have it checked. I think I even remember a TSB being mentioned for this issue.
Good luck and be sure to tell us if you get it fixed!
All radio functions plus chime, On Star, Turn Signal are controlled and/or routed through the radio. Actually the radio makes the Chime and Turn Signal sounds itself in newer GM radios (including yours). So, it is to me, the radio is right in the middle of every action. It could be something else (connecting to the radio) is at fault and causes the radio screw-ups.
Sometime it is the radio computer's initialization problem. Every time you turn on the ignition, the radio computer starts the initialization process to turn everything on from the sleep mode. If somehow something causes improper initialization, the radio could lose some of its function or in worst case its audio processor could go brain dead.
Since this is intermittent problem, it is very hard for the dealer to troubleshoot and repair. If this is a design problem, more people should have reported already. Unless you are one of those unlucky owners of the new radio model (car makers do change design and/or supplier of components yearly to save some bucks).
Comments
I have one (2006) and love it! Superb power, delectable exhaust sound, handles great, relatively good gas mileage for a V-8 (the DOD helps), very quiet cabin at highway speeds, excellent BOSE sound system and topnotch fit and finish, at least in my car. I am very impressed with the quality of recent GM cars including the 2006 Chevrolet Impala SS.
Most low cost original speakers have little LOW (BASS) or HIGH (TREBLE). Their response is mostly MIDRANGE. So the BOSE speakers may just be $2-3 a piece and probably have better LOW and HIGH. But BOSE name alone is worth $100.00 . What a marketing marvel and brand equity !
Remember the $500 Bose Wave system for home (AM/FM/CD w MP3). It is just a mechanical tuned box with < $50 electronics. And they are selling $500 a pop. What a profit margin !
jt
I am having an issue with my heater ('06 SS) taking an exceptionally long time to get hot. It seemed that when I first bought the car, my heater would be blowing luke warm air before I left my neighborhood. Now, it takes 10 - 15 minutes before I'm getting hot air (I park in my garage and the car's temp is usually between 40-50 degrees any given morning).
My sister took her car ('06 3LT) in for slow heat and they told her it was a common problem to get a bubble in the heater hose. This caused the heater to warm up slowly. They flushed it and she says hers is working much better now. Has anyone else had a similar problem with their '06+ Impalas? Is anyone aware of a TSB addressing an issue like this?
I would like to see some comparison from others with their heaters. For example, how long does it take before you start feeling warm air? Do you park your car in a garage or outside? How long is it taking your car to warm and what is the outside temperature?
Also, I am pretty sure that back when the car was new, I would definitely feel warm air once the temperature gauge had moved up even a little bit. Could anyone compare that to their experiences?
Thanks for any info anyone would like to share.
Ron
I have never been pleased with the heater performance of my 2006 2LT's heater. Let's see if I can answer some of your comparison questions:
1. Approximately 10 minutes before I feel appreciably warm air...this is even after remote starting for 5 - 7 minutes.
2. My car sits outside in the driveway at night.
3. Takes my car 12 - 15 minutes to reach full operating temperature. Outside, overnight temperature lately has been 15-25 degrees F.
Of all of the cars I have owned in the past 19 years, this one has the slowest to warm heater of all. My previous vehicle's heater, in a Dodge Durango, would literally cause pain it would get so hot so quickly. It has been somewhat of an adjustment from that vehicle to this one.
Once the car warms up, however, the heater does get hot. I just wish it would do so quicker than it does. I haven't bothered to go to the dealer about it...if the heater ever stops working then I will go
Anyone else out there with some heater performance feedback? Please refer back to my post (#3222) and give any info you can.
Thanks again!
Just to let you know, my '06 SS has always got up to working temperature within three miles. The heated seats keep it cozy for that short distance.
As a side note on heaters, I've had a annoying fault for a long time, maybe from day one, where the fresh air/recirc button (whichever one) has to be reset on every re-start of the car. I mentioned this to the service writer on my last visit for an oil change and she tried to indicate that this was normal. I suggested she check on software updates and, blow me down, the software had been updated and the fault was fixed.
It pays to be persistent!
Martin
Thanks for the insight. I am pretty sure my SS would warm up that quickly before. I don't know if you read my earlier post but my sister was having problems with her heater taking a long time to heat up. She lives in WV and it gets pretty cold...down to zero or so fairly regularly this time of year. Anyway, she asked, they fixed (known issue with a bubble forming in the heater hose/core...somewhere...she didn't know for sure). Now hers heats up very quickly. Once she mentioned this to me, it reminded me that I had began wondering to myself if the car was taking longer than normal to warm. Then, I remembered that I USED to think it was super fast at warming up...but isn't any longer. Anyway, I'm now trying to figure out if this is a problem with particular engine sizes or if it's the common hardware on all Impalas that's affected.
Clark,
What model Impala do you have again?
Thanks to both of you for chiming in....and Clark, it's pretty similar temp wise here...we only have rare days when it gets below 40...and that's in the winter.
Re your slow warm up - have you considered the thermostat could be failed in the open position?
Martin
I got to "researching" the 06+ heater warming issue, and it seems it is somewhat of a common concern. The first thing that people recommend is to check the coolant level in the car.
So I checked mine yesterday morning (cold engine - 3.5L V6) and it was significantly below the cold level line. I filled it up to the cold level line with Prestone pre-diluted Dex-Cool (handy stuff to have around when you own a GM or Chrysler)
After filling, I started the engine and let it run for about 4 minutes. The engine heated noticeably faster than it has been lately, with the temperature gauge going well over the first 1/4 mark in just the 4 minutes. I turned on the heater in the car, and warm air actually came out. I was very pleased, to say the least. Temperature was about 39 degrees F at the time.
If you are having heater warming issues, I suggest checking the coolant level. It seems silly, but it made a noticeable difference for me.
Later!
I was thinking about getting a shorter blade the next time I replace them and see if that helps. It's a real pain in the butt when it's snowing outside
On my 04 Ram 1500 and 04 Crown Vic, it just makes it easier when both wipers are the same length...and the sweep gives ample visibility, except that the shorter wiper that replaced the longer wiper now will not sweep the upper 2 inches of the windshield, but that is where the dark tint is anyway and you can't see thru it on a clear day, anyway...
Try it, you will be a convert instantly...
That's not silly at all. I have been meaning to check my coolant (sadly, I'm not as maintenance savvy as I once was or should be). I thought that could possibly be an issue and now that you're having luck with the solution, I'll be sure to check mine when I get home. I'll follow up tomorrow if I see any improvement.
Ron
Its as if the car downshifts, doesn't need the lower gear, then upshifts with the thump. I can duplicate the condition at will although it takes a quick jab on the throttle and just as quick letting off the throttle.
I demonstrated this to the dealer and was pretty much brushed off with 'if there's no TSB then there can't be an issue'
This is, at the least, an annoyance. At the most, a problem which could get worse. I don't have anyone else's experience to compare my situatuion to so thats why I'm addressing this board.
I'm aware of the enhanced 4T65E transmission in the SS and must admit that this seems to be a 'highly strung' tranny. It downshifts very quickly, unlike the slushbox in our Toyota family hauler. I haven't been able to drive any other SS's to see if this is just a characterstic that I'll have to get used to or not.
Other than this, I've enjoyed the car. A few minor fit/finish problems were taken care of and I had the ISS (steering shaft) replaced because of bumps from the suspension being transferred to the steering wheel. The replacement shaft was a new part number and so far so good.
Love the V8 rumble, could do without the steering wheel tug of war under hard acceleration.
TIA to any responses.
www.prodiscussions.com
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The group discussion is hosted by an insurance advocate site. www.ican2000.com (insurance consumers advocate network)
www.prodiscussions.com
mike: which is it...www.ican or www.prodiscussions???
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I'll vouch for his integrity.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
This really ticks me off, because my car I traded in for this one, a 1997 chevy lumina with 145,000 miles on it NEVER failed me. It had misc. little issues, but I was always able to get to work and back and drive around without any problems.
My car also had the problem with no warning. In the morning it was fine on my 30 mile drive to work, then when I started it to go home that evening there was a horrendous squeal and whine. Seems just enough power steering fluid had leaked out to cause the issue. The dealer fixed the problem and had the car back to me the same day I took it in. I am at 23,000 miles now and the steering has been fine since.
You may want to check the power steering fluid level yourself, and if it is low/empty top it off with the correct fluid and drive the car to the dealer yourself. That would save the cost of a tow. Just a thought. Even if you replace the fluid before you take it in, the dealer should readily be able to identify any leaks in the steering system.
The reason the car turns so hard is that you are turning the wheels through the mechanical linkage only without the pressure of the hydraulic fluid kicking in to help turn. This is the way cars drove before power steering was common. The gear ratio was higher so the wheels turned easier, but parking was difficult work in some car models.
Do you see any drip spots under the car?
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Thanks
There are car dealers who sell at discounted prices. One was Black Pontiac in I believe Pennsylvania. Search on the web for GMPP that's the warranty name. Compare prices. Out-of-state doesn't charge sales tax.
http://www.gmoutlet.com/gmpp.htm
I believe they email you pricing when you request it. It's an automatic reply IIRC. Check out their website--and there are others.
This is one that I had shopped for my 03, but I ended up not purchasing. The prices tend to go up and that discouraged when because I shopped just after a price increase.
Some local dealers will price match. For service it makes no difference where you purchased the warranty. It's in the computer for your car' VIN number.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
(And, the compressor will run sometimes even if the heater/air conditioner isn't.)
The Automatic Headlight system on our SS is quite sensitive to low daylight and, even when the sun is up but very low, will turn the lights on (and dim the radio display).
Do make sure, of course, that the light sensor (on the dash at the base of the windscreen) is clean and not obstructed.
With a service contract, the administrator (not necessarily the same company that sold the contract to you) has the right to require used parts, they can pay only 'customary' labor charges (which means: you pay the difference), they can require you take the car to their mechanic, they can monkey around wasting time before giving authorization for repairs. They can also go out of business, leaving you with a worthless contract.
The advantage with GMPP is that GM backs the contract. They have a vested interest in keeping you happy. They also use only GM/ACDelco parts and have contracts with GM dealerships in regards to labor/time.
I still wouldn't buy a service contract, but if you must, get a GMPP.
I have noticed the same radio display dimming behavior in my '06. When the radio display is dim, the auto headlights are on.
However, I have noticed that if I manually override the auto headlights, and manually turn the headlights on, the radio display does not go as dim as when the auto headlights have engaged.
Regardless, it does not sound as though the OP's radio display is doing anything out of the ordinary.
Let us know if you found the source of the problem but I would guess that you do have something going wrong. The motor mount or some other component (as stated above) sounds like the most likely cause. Good luck!
My sister had a similar problem with her car and it turned out to be a bubble in the heater hose. I too have noticed my car doesn't warm up as fast as it did when new and suspect I have hte same problem. I did have low coolant when I first noticed it but have filled it up with no significant change noted.
If you're still within your warranty, have it checked. I think I even remember a TSB being mentioned for this issue.
Good luck and be sure to tell us if you get it fixed!
Sometime it is the radio computer's initialization problem. Every time you turn on the ignition, the radio computer starts the initialization process to turn everything on from the sleep mode. If somehow something causes improper initialization, the radio could lose some of its function or in worst case its audio processor could go brain dead.
Since this is intermittent problem, it is very hard for the dealer to troubleshoot and repair. If this is a design problem, more people should have reported already. Unless you are one of those unlucky owners of the new radio model (car makers do change design and/or supplier of components yearly to save some bucks).
jt