2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

02cavalier · April 2007

Mike, the wooshing sound could be the coolant level being too low. Add 50/50 Dexcool mix to your overflow reservoir and see if that helps. There are also 2 air bleed screws on topp of the engine that may help get the air out of your system (I'm assuming you have the 3.4).

02cavalier · April 2007

BTW my 2004 Impala 3.4 made the sound when I first bought it about 2 months ago. I drained and refilled the coolant since it was 3 years old and never heard the sound again.

mrialsjr · April 2007

I have never done that on an Impala but I can tell you from experience on the Buick Le Sabre with the same engine that the easist method doesn't sound that way if it's something you've never done however here it is.

Put a floor jack with a block oif wood under the engine (not under the oil pan)

Jack it up just to where you can tell you've put a little upwards pressure on the egine.

Remove the bolts in the front two engine mounts.

VERY SLOWLY, lower the jack. As you do this the engine will roll forward and down making the rear spark plugs move to an upward facing position once they get to a point where you feel you can reach them lock the jack and take care of the plugs.

Have fun. By the way as a note on all vehicles if something is in the way of what you're getting to and its removable in the long run you're better off to remove it than work around it.

jlkil · May 2007

This car was purchased from a dealer from a fleet with about 16,000 miles on it. Has been maintained with oil changes as per manual. It has been using about 4-5 quarts of oil between changes lately. Took it to shop today and was recommended to part with it. One plug was coated in oil and the radiator is full of sludge. The car has 112,000 miles on it and obviously the engine is in for a major overhaul. Is this typical of these engines? btw, all the miles have been highway miles. also, the owner's manual recommends coolant change at 150,000 miles, but this has majorly broken down.

fathertyricius · May 2007

My 2001 LS has the dual temp control. The drivers side bulb on the temp slide has burnt out. Does anyone know if this is a actual bulb or a LED?
Thanks.

woody20 · May 2007

Hi All, new member. Have a problem, my drivers side power door lock will not work using the drivers switch. It works fine with all other switches in the car and the remote. Swapped the switch out and still will not work. I have voltage from the Body Control Module (BCM) on the passenger side but none on the drivers side. Wiring diagram shows power to both front switches from the same pin on the BCM. Any ideas before I take it in.
Thanks

nosirrahg · May 2007

My passenger-side bulb went out years ago; at the time I asked around on this board and was told that the control unit is basically a sealed unit. I've never actually taken mine out to check, but from what I've been told there's no way to replace the bulb (or LED) when it goes bad.

FWIW I think my "TRAF" light on the radio and maybe one other has gone out too. While this may be somewhat annoying, I will say having the steering wheel radio/cruise buttons light up is a huge benefit. I don't think about it as much until I drive my wife's 2003 Honda Accord at night, which has radio/cruise control buttons on the steering, but which aren't illuminated. I can't tell you how many times I've been in her car at night with the cruise on, trying to turn up the radio like I do on the Impala and finding my speed increasing instead!

nosirrahg · May 2007

My power WINDOW switch on the driver's door went out once, but I've never had a problem with the LOCK switch. Actually I've made it a habit to lock my car with my fob to avoid locking my keys in the car, so I rarely use my switch except to unlock the doors when I have passengers in the car (if it's just me I unlock the door with the manual button next to the door handle). My window switch just required a replacement, but if you've swapped switches and that didn't work maybe you've got a short on the driver's side somewhere.

quietpro · May 2007

I would try to "shoot" the wire if you can isolate it. Trouble spots would likely be where it bends like where the bundle goes between the door and the car body. I don't know if there's an easy way to open up that insulation boot or isolate the wiring but if you've gone as far as the BCM, I think you have needed skills to verify the wiring between the switch and the BCM.

...or had you already done that? :confuse:

woody20 · May 2007

Actually I had not done it as it is in a crappy place to work. Will do though. The BCM in under the IP console on the drivers side and not much room #$$%^. Darn engineers.
Thanks for the suggestion

jlkil · May 2007

thanks. I have a lot of faith in the mechanic; known him a long time. He gave me his opinion after examining the car and then would not let me pay him a dime. If he can't help you, he don't charge you. He could have just did what I asked and charged me hundreds.
We never noticed anything coming out of the tailpipe, but apparantly there was as there has been no other signs of where oil has gone. It had used about 1/2 quart in 2 weeks; about 700 miles of driving.
The car never had much power from day 1. I've had the 3.8L in a transport van and a regal and never a complaint about the power and never an engine problem. I considered the lack of get up and go a perception as I drive a turbo jetta; no compare. We must have just got a fluke that needs another home.

woody20 · May 2007

I all, did a rad flush on the weekend and noticed brown sludge on rad cap and in overflow bottle. flushed the rad four times running the car with clean water between each time for twenty minutes as per maint manual. Car is 2003 impala and just gone over 160,000K. Engine is 3.4. Not burning any oil. Change oil and filter every three months or 5000k since owning in 2004. Is this caused by the Long life rad fluid? Any recommendations to using normal rad fluid and changing out each year, will it cause any problems or should I replace long life each year?

woody20 · May 2007

Do you know the brand name of the interchangeable coolant and do you see the old green hurting any seals in the system if I stayed with that? I typically like to flush every year but haven't because of all the hype about this long life.

woody20 · May 2007

Shot the wires, found a break in the connector at the door/car body connector. Actually the pin that was crimped on the car side of the wire was broken. Was going to be a #%$^&^^% to change so I jumped the break. Working great. Thanks for the suggestion and really glad I bought the factory manuals paid for them over the last two days.

quietpro · May 2007

Wow...glad I could be of help. Guess that air force training paid off. Hopefully you can pass along the favor to someone else in the forum someday.

nosirrahg · May 2007

On the way home yesterday I noticed my turn signals wouldn't work. I went out running errands later and they'd work at times, but then not work at others. I noticed if I had them on and nothing happened I could hit my emergency flashers and that would serve to "jump start" them into working. Since the problem cropped up I'd say they probably don't work 20% of the time.

Seems like there's been talk of replacing a blinker controller under the dash somewhere here before; I'm just wondering if these symptoms indicate that's what I need to do, or is this tied to some greater (BCM) problem?

neals1820 · May 2007

What is the best way to contact Chevrolet regarding an issue where I feel the dealer over charged me for repairs. $723.54 to check and replace a BCM!

I can't find an e-mail address on any of the GM web sites and the toll free number is a joke for a car out of warranty.

jlkil · May 2007

thanks.. we sent this impala on the road and got another jetta. This one not a turbo, (2.5l inline 5) not as much power, and does not require 91 octane ga$ either.

jlkil · May 2007

I had contacted Pontiac once after the local dealer gave my son and my wife a hard time when he went to look at a Trans Am. This after I had bought 3 brand new cars from them and spent lots in their service department. I was 19 when I bought my first brand new car, a '79 trans am; he was 19 and didn't even get to drive a trans am. He went across the street to the ford dealer and bought a mustang; I guess they wanted the business. I contacted the dealer and got no response; then contacted Pontiac and was told it was a dealer issue. If you've already paid, probably not much you can do; except contact the BBB. You might call some other dealers and get a quote on what this would cost.

nosirrahg · May 2007

FYI - After two failed attempts to replace the plugs myself, I finally caved and took the Impala to my mechanic to have him do it. Picked the car up on Friday, and have driven it maybe 50 miles thus far.

Initial impression of the "Halo" plugs - The car definitely runs a little quieter, and a little smoother than before. It also seems to have slightly less power than before, or at least throttle response seems to not be as crisp. This could be from the change in timing; it's not a dramatic change, and if the gas mileage actually improves I can live with it.

As for gas mileage, I left the garage and immediately filled the tank (@ $3.25 per gallon

), so I'll report my average for the few tanks prior to the switch, as compared to the same number after the change. Initially, based on the DIC readout, I'm not seeing any improvement in mileage...but since I've only put a few miles on the car and it's been in "learning" mode timing wise, I'll withhold judgement for a few more weeks.

And FWIW my mechanic said the wires/plugs were a bear to get off, but that the old plugs looked to be in very good shape. These were the original plugs, which I just replaced @ 107,000 miles. I remembered thinking when I bought the car that the claim of 100k mile plugs was bogus, but realistically the car was running fine, and I only changed them because I was intrigued by the reported fuel savings with these different plugs. Still don't believe in 100k mile coolant, but I'm sold on the plugs.

topper7 · May 2007

Something you may want to know if you are having trouble with engine power and transmission not shifting.

2001 Impala LS 74,000 miles. Driven by my wife and complained that car did not have any power, engine would accelerate but not shift when it should. I took it for a test run. Engine hesitated, bogged down, slow to shift from 1st to 2nd and then shifted into high gear quicker than normal. Now, no power in engine. When going up a small hill, car would not go above 45 mph. Hard to get it to down shift. When it did down shift, engine RPMs high, but car would not go any faster. No computer alerts showed on dash. I called OnStar for diagnostics. They did not receive any engine codes and recommended that I take it in to have it looked at.

Took it in to dealership thinking I would be buying a new transmission and other parts. Dealership told me a minimum of $80.00 for diagnostic check which I said okay. I need the car fixed.

Dealership called me back the next day and said the catalytic converter was bad. Everything else is okay. No charge because it is under warranty. No diagnostic charges either.

Car runs great now! :surprise:

topper7 · May 2007

Need to replace brakes again on this car. Brakes constantly pulsating. I have had rotors turned and even replaced the last time. I was told that the new rotors were better than the OEM. But here we are again with the pulsating brake problem again.

I really do not want to go with OEM brake rotors and pads if I can help it.

Does anyone out there have any recommendations? I have seen many different slotted rotors. They are more expensive. Are they any better? Since my wife drives the car 95% of the time, I would like to have the best brakes I can get for safety and comfort.

Thanks in advance for any input on this matter.

quietpro · May 2007

Some people swear by the cross-drilled rotors and since they are better at dissipating heat, they should resist warping better. A buddy of mine has a set and is very happy with them.

Also, you might check your wife's braking style. My brother-in-law is a two-foot driver and tends to rest his left foot on the brake a lot as well as brake while accelerating. As a result, my sister's car goes through brakes about twice as fast as normal. If your wife has a similar habit, you may try to talk her into a new braking style.

tommy42 · May 2007

I have a letter from GM for 10 year or 120,000 miles. I got it in Sept 2005. Ihave a 2001 3.8.

nosirrahg · May 2007

My rotors warped very early on on my 2000 Impala, and I had them turned under warranty. One things I heard was that it was common for lug nuts to get overtightened which could lead to warped rotors. I bought a torque wrench, and ever since I've rotated the tires myself and torqued the lug nuts to the proper specs (and when I get new tires I come home and retorque things correctly). I'm still on my original rotors at 107k miles (only turned that one time), and I've only replaced brake pads once (at 48k miles). I actually went this weekend and bought new rotors and pads from AutoZone (which combined cost me @ $177); I hope to install them this coming weekend, but realistically I won't know if their rotors are any good for several months down the road. These came with a 2-year warranty, which is about as long as I plan to keep the car, so hopefully I won't have to fool with brakes any more on this one.

cob · May 2007

The brakes on my 2004 were pulsating at 70,000 so I replaced the front pads and rotors with the cheapest set at the parts store $90 total. The brakes still pulsated. I then check the rear brakes and the metal on one of the rotors was flaking off in spots so I bought the cheapest set of pads and rotors for $75 now the car stops smooth. The brake rotors and pads can be changed in less than an hour with minimal tools. I will see how many miles I get out of the cheap parts but at this point there is no way I am spending $100 per rotor for cross drilled etc. unless they last 4 times as long as the cheap brakes. The GM brakes lasted 70,000 miles.

jthoffman · June 2007

Tommy42,
Does the letter indicate that the 3.4 liter is covered for 10/120,000? I was just diagnosed with a bad converter and the dealer wants to charge me $750.00!!!
Thanks, John

topper7 · June 2007

I found my letter, dated September 2005 that I received from the central office of Chevrolet Motor Division. I hope this helps you out.

Dear Chevrolet Customer,

As the owner of a 2001 model year Chevrolet Impala, equipped with a 3.4L or 3.8L V6 engine, your satisfaction with our product is very important to us.

This letter is intended to make you aware that some 2001 model year Chevrolet Impala vehicles, equipped with a 3.4L or 3.8L V6 engine, may have a condition where the catalytic converter is replaced due to complaints of lack of power or illumination of the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL). This may be due to the front endcone insulation from the catalytic converter breaking away and blocking the front of the catalyst brick and preventing the free flow of exhaust gas through the converter.

THIS IS NOT A RECALL. Do not take your vehicle to your Chevrolet dealer as a result of this letter unless you believe that your vehicle has the condition as described above.

WHAT WE HAVE DONE: General Motors is providing owners with addtional protection for the Catalytic Converter. If this condition occurs on your 2001 Chevrolet Impala, equipped with a 3.4L or 3.8L V6 engine, within 10 years of the date your vehicle was originally placed in service or 120,000 miles (190,000 km), whichever occurs first, the condition will be repaired for you at no charge.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this special coverage must be performed by a General Motors dealer. You may want to call the service department at you dealer to find out how long they will need to have your vehicle so that you may schedule the appointment at a time that is convenient for you. This will allow your dealer to order parts if they are not already in stock. Keep this letter with your other important glove box literature for future reference.

REIMBURSEMENT: The enclosed form explains what reimbursement is available and how to request reimbursement if you have paid for repairs for the special policy condition.

If you have any questions or need any assistance, just contact your dealer or the Chevrolet Customer Assistance Center between the hours of 8:00 AM and 11:00 PM, EST, Monday through Friday. They can be reached at 1.800.630.2438. The deaf, hearing impaired, or speech impaired should call Text Telephone (TTY), 1.800.833.2438.

We are sorry for any inconvenience you may experience; however we have taken this action in the interest of your continued satisfaction with our products.

General Motors Corporation

ajcars · June 2007

I have a 2003 Impala with 36,000 miles on it. A couple of weeks ago my airbag light came on. I tried to take it to my regular mechanic but he didn't have the software to diagnose it - said GM generally didn't release the software until 5 years after the model year production. So, I took it to the dealer and they replaced the SIR Coil for $731. This seems awfully high to me. Has anyone else had this problem and had the coil replaced? How much does that normally cost? Thanks!

2k_impala_ls · June 2007

my airbag light has come on 2 times over the years. On this forum I found an article about a person who had the same problem, took it to the dealer and it was the plug under the drivers seat so I unplugged the yellow connector, reconnected it and the light went out both times. I hope you didn't get taken by the dealer.

ajcars · June 2007

Thanks. I had seen those postings also, but couldn't see a yellow connector. I saw 2 black connectors - unplugged each of those and cleaned them but that didn't make any difference.

Judging by the grease they left on the steering wheel, door, and floor mats, the dealer must have done something. You'd think that after charging $700 they would at least clean that up. I don't have trust in this dealer - they're always trying to sell me something more than what I came in for (e.g., "it looks like you need a tire rotation" when I just finished rotating my tires myself).It seems that $700 for this work is high.

ajcars · June 2007

For those of you looking for Impalahq.com, its content has been salvaged and is posted at http://impalahq.naioa.com/.

After reading the posts on this web site since before I bought my 2003 Impala, I feel its time to give something back based on my experiences in the past 4-1/2 years. I know some of this will be repetitive of other posts, but I have found tidbits of information in various posts that have helped me, so maybe this will help someone else.

December 2002  Took delivery on 2003 Impala base model,upgraded to 3.8L, traction control, folding rear seat, etc.

October 2003 6,331 replace throttle body nuts/add coolant pellets (recall).

History of Repairs made due to steering wheel squeal and clunking noises (all under warranty):
March 2004 9,427 shaft, steering intermediate  replace.
August 2004 12,834 seal, intermediate steering shaft - replace and lubed.
December 2004 15,859 shaft, steering intermediate - replace, bearing and/or bushing, steering shaft lower  replace.
March 2005 17,670 shaft, steering column  replace.
December 2005 23,909 torqued front suspension bolts.

<< Result: It still clunks in June 2007 >>
December 2005 23,909 Brakes pulsed- Resurfaced front brake rotors (under warranty)
April 2006 29,410 Replaced fuel filter at dealers recommendation ($80 parts/labor)
June 2007 36,000 Airbag light on; Dealer replaced SIR coil ($731)
??? Radio occasionally jumps stations for no reason. Dont recall when this started and dont know what the solution is.

June 2003  Installed Drawtite Class II trailer hitch. Although I dont plan to tow Class II capacity, this hitch fits much better and securely than any Class I hitches I saw. Advice: hitch dealers and websites will try to steer you to Class I hitches due to Impalas rated towing capacity. I suggest sticking to your guns and going with this hitch. Very easy to install  about 2 hours work taking your time-and is almost hidden. Somewhere on the web someone had posted a photo essay of the installation process that was very helpful. I use my hitch almost exclusively for my hitch-mounted bike carrier. Mechanic installed trailer wiring harness. I would have done it myself, but I dont like messing with the electronics. It looks simple  just pull carpeting away from right sidewall in trunk and tap into tail light wiring there.

Other Advice:
-- Change the cabin air filter yourself. Its about the simplest job anyone can do on this car and it will save you $$.
-- Engine air filter: why GM engineers would make one of the most simple routine maintenance items so hard is beyond me. Wear gloves to protect your hands from getting scraped up on the plastic filter housing.
-- buy a torque wrench if you dont have one and rotate the tires yourself. The cost of the wrench will be recouped the first time you do your own rotation. Torque lugnuts to specification to avoid warped rotors.

I do routine maintenance myself and have my trusted mechanic change oil every 3k-4k miles.

Would I buy this car again? Im not sure. It runs fine and gets good mileage for its size, but every time I hear that steering wheel clunk (each time I drive it) I get irritated. GM had 3 model years prior to mine to fix this known problem and didnt do it. Even the repairs done under warranty take a chunk of time out of your life having to shuttle the car there and back. Also, tires are wearing out already at 36k. My friend has an 02 Saturn with 80k on it  her stock tires and brakes are in better shape than mine and she hasnt had any problems with her car. Same with friends who have Toyota Camrys  and now that Camry is coming in a hybrid version that will be very tempting.

uzbekbashi · June 2007

I have an 04 Impala with 71,000 miles on it. So far, have had to replace warped rotors which I did myself at 41k and no other problems yet--until 4 days ago when I parked the car and noticed a smell like burning oil. I checked quickly under the hood and saw nothing obvious but did not look carefully. The next day I moved the car and noticed a fresh puddle of oil on the ground. Not good. However, the car was working fine otherwise. I then looked at the engine in more detail and noticed fresh oil everywhere. I suspected this would take more effort to fix than I had the time and skills to do (no professional mechanic, I), so I took it to the dealer, expecting the worst. I have had some bad experiences in the past with attempted rip off jobs and steeled myself for bad news. Several hours later I got a call and it turned out that the problem was a cracked oil filter which was replaced and nothing else found wrong. The dealer did not even try to sell me on any extra services or detailing, which I have also been offered nearly every time I have taken a car to be repaired at other dealers. Not sure if I can post the name of the dealer but would like to let others know in the southern New Jersey area where to take their vehicles.

cob · June 2007

My 2004 has 70,000 miles and only repair was I just had to replace all four rotors and pads. They were the originals front and rear. The steel on the rear rotors was peeling off causing the car to vibrate as if the rotors were warped. Turns out they were not warped just cheap castings. As a side note found out the other night that the back window will not withstand a foul pop fly from a softball. Fortunatly I have glass coverage and the $475 window was free. It cost twice as much as the front windshield due to the defront/radio antenna/ and onstar.

fnone · July 2007

Hi, Did you fix this problem? My Impala starated reading the wrong temp recently. Thanks

fixit4 · July 2007

I have a 2004 Impala and my daughter tried to insert one CD while another was already inside. Now the player does not recognize the CD inside and will not eject the CD. I have removed the fuse and the player displays a message "Check CD" but that is it. Any solutions???

nosirrahg · July 2007

Does it try to eject the CD at all? My 2000 occasionally (especially in hot weather) will have a CD hang up in it, but it will try to eject and then the disk won't come out through the rubber slit opening. It'll drag the CD back in and try again a couple of times, and then give up and keep the CD loaded. The only way I've been able to get CDs out at that point is to take my pocket knife (tweezers would probably be better) and when the CD rises up and tries to come out, I stick the knife blade in beneath the CD and help slide it out (though this of course leads to scratched CDs). The problem tends to also happen more often with certain CDs (I think it depends on the label/paint thickness); I've made copies of some CDs on my computer just to avoid playing the original that tends to hang up in it.

2k_impala_ls · July 2007

I had the same problem with ours. I took the entire dash out and the radio, I unplugged the radio from the harness and plugged it back in and it worked, don't ask me why. Maybe it resets something, who knows but it worked.

nosirrahg · August 2007

Actually I've got to take my dash out to replace my hazard/flasher switch...I need to remember to take a look at the radio while I'm in there and see if there's anything I can do to make the CDs come out easier. If I knew the problem was the CD hanging up on the rubber slit at the front I'd be tempted to trim it just a hair and see if that helps, but it may be something internal (and trimming the rubber might just let more dirt get in and make it worse).

fixit4 · August 2007

It does try to eject the CD and I can hear it grind somewhat but I do not see the CD move forward or backward. Is there an easy way to get to the player without removing the entire dash?

nosirrahg · August 2007

Not to my knowledge, but I took mine off the other day (and discovered I'd been sold the wrong part, so I had to put it back on and wait for the new part to arrive), and it wasn't that difficult to do. Basically you open the doors and remove the fuse box covers on either end of the dash (which is normally covered by the closed doors), and you'll see screws holding the dash in place. You remove those on both sides, as well as the two above the instrument panel and two beneath the dash on the driver's side, then the entire front piece across the front just more or less snaps off.

It's a little easier to do if you've got a console shift lever (mine is on the column

), and there are wires connecting the hazard switch (which is what I have to replace) that you'll have to disconnect and such, but once you get started on it you'd be surprised at how easy it is. The only other thing I remember is the plastic piece around the ignition that shows "off-acc-on-start" needs to pop off before you remove the dash, and then once you put the dash back on you just snap that plastic collar back on. I found more detailed instructions on forums on naioa.com (North American Impala Owners Association), but I had to dig around a good bit to find them.

2k_impala_ls · August 2007

I luckily have the factory repair manuals, 2 books the size of a big phonebook. I got them from someone on this site, they bought them new with the impala, paid 125, they sent him an update, a whole new set, I got the original set for $25, what a deal.

nosirrahg · August 2007

If the 3.4 is the same as the 3.8 then the filter is located underneath the car towards the gas tank, sort of behind the driver's side rear wheel (backing the car up on a set of ramps makes it very easy to get to).

It's a pretty good sized filter, and as a result a fair amount of gasoline will pour out when you change it, so have some rags handy (and maybe do it outdoors as opposed to in the garage just in case).

I'm having similar symptoms to yours on my 2000 model, but it's an electrical "missing" problem due to spark plugs/wires...at least I think. I fixed it once and things were good for about a month, and now the problem is back. If my fix doesn't actually fix it this time, it could be time for me to change the fuel filter again as well.

nosirrahg · August 2007

I've never bothered with doing so the couple of times I've changed mine, but it's probably a good idea (or else have several rags around). I found the following info at naioa.com that might be helpful:

To replace:
Relieve the fuel system pressure by popping the hood and finding the port that you use to test for fuel pressure (I believe it is on the passenger side of one of the fuel rails on the 3.4, at least it was on my GA) it looks like a valve stem. Get something to push the valve in (like your draining air from a tire) and make sure you have a rag of some sort to catch the fuel that will spit out. Take the bracket for the filter off. One end of the filter has a nut the other has a clip, push the white "clips" in and pull that end of the line off the filter (its a good idea to have something to catch the fuel). Then I believe the filter itself has a 13/16" nut and im not sure what size the line is but its a little smaller, you want to losen that nut and take the filter off. Put the new filter in, make sure you put the cap back on the fuel pressure release, turn the key to "ON" and let the system build pressure then start the car.

Alternatively on the fuel pressure:
Instead of relieving the pressure into a rag in the engine bay, I just pulled the fuel pump fuse or relay and then let the car run until it died. Then, I took the filter off.

Of those two choices, I'd lean towards pulling the fuse for the fuel pump and running the engine to clear the pressure, versus risking getting gas all over the engine compartment. But of course that involves finding the fuse to pull, which I haven't researched. But I followed this same procedure on my old '84 Buick Skyhawk, and it's pretty straightforward...assuming the fuse is easy to find.

okiejohn · August 2007

Can anyone give me a reference or instructions on how to remove the light switch in a 01 Impala LS? The dash lights dont come on and I thought I would make sure the switch is bad before going any further but I dont know the correct way to get it out.

fathertyricius · August 2007

Ive been having issues with my radio/cd player. The cd drive finally died, but regarding the cd not ejecting reading the above posts, I had that same problem some time ago. I have a 2001 LS and occassionally the cd wouldn't eject all the way. I found out why. If you use a cd with a label on it, the cd thickness would make it difficult for the radio unit to eject it properly. These units only like thin cd's. I don't use labels anymore, and mark the cds with a felt tip magic marker. That solved that problem. It never happened again.
After six and a half years of the cd player always providing me my entertainment, it finally died today. At first a few days ago, the reader drive could not find a track on the cd or would struggle to find it, and then finally it would play after a few long seconds. If you would press to advance to the next track while a track was already playing, you would hear the cd drive struggle to find the next track then finally play. If it didnt find the beginning of the track, it would give up leaving a prompt on the led display, "Check CD". Well today when I tried to insert a cd, the Check CD prompt came on immediately. The player didnt make any attempt to play. When I tried to eject the cd, the cd failed to eject. Nothing happened. I kept pressing the eject button and nothing. No noise from the unit trying to eject the cd. I held the button in for about a minute, then the cd came out, but it left the prompt Check CD on the display along with the time. I tried again to see if the cd would play and nothing. I used another cd, and nothing. All the time having to hold that eject button in for about a minute until when the cd would finally eject. I suppose the cd drive assembly finally gave up after six years of constant use. I must have my music, so I called my Chevy dealer that I do buisness with, and they are getting me a reman unit where I exchange my unit with a reman under full warranty for a year. They will do the full install making the swap, reprogramming of the radio to the BCM all for $345. I could have gone with a aftermarket unit, but all the settings for alarms, door locks, tire pressure etc are programmed in that unit besides being a radio/cd player. I don't want to loose the ability controlling those features, so Im staying with original equipment. A new unit costs $640 without the cost of the reprogramming, with the same warranty, so I went with a reman unit for half the cost. My appointment for the swap is next week, so I will post the update on how things went.

fathertyricius · August 2007

The prolbem isnt your headlight switch. The problem is the signal changer stalk. Your low/hi beam switch inside that stalk probably went bad. Try seeing if you have hi beams when the low beams dont work. If your hi beams come on its the stalk. Go back and forth low to hi beam constantly. This should make the low beams come on until you want to use the stalk for a lane change using your signal lights. The low beams may go out while using the stalk to signal for the lane change or turn. Use your fog lamps if you have them just in case you loose your low beams while driving just to stay visible to others on the road. Goodluck.

2k_impala_ls · September 2007

I was having the same check cd issue. I just removed the radio from the dash, removed the cd player from the radio. I am going to either buy a used radio for the cd player. It was very easy to remove. There is a place in syracuse (united radio repair) that fixes Delco radios. I might even look on ebay. It shouldn't cost me that much to do it myself.

2k_impala_ls · September 2007

Just won an auction on ebay, like new, same radio as 2000 impala, only $38. I am going to switch the cd player part only (pop off the cover, remove 4 screws and plug it in. very simple) ohh, after you take the dash apart LOL so no need for a re-program by the dealer. I will replace the worn buttons and keep the rest for parts.

nosirrahg · September 2007

Let us know if you're successful in your CD player swap; I know mine hangs up occasionally (typically only on CDs with thick labels, either the painted-on or stuck-on type). Mine seems especially bad in hot weather, so I've pretty much resigned myself to not listening to CDs during the summer (or if I do I switch one out first thing in the morning when the car is at its coolest). I don't think a CD player swap would solve my problem at this point, but with 110k+ miles on my 2000 I figure it's only a matter of time before the CD player gives out, so if your approach works it'll be good to know.

2005 and Earlier Chevrolet Impala

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