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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