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After checking with Chevy, I would suggest giving Circuit City a look. They do very well with installing aftermarket head units and guarantee their work. That's important when trying to change a GM stereo since they are so integrated into the car's computers. Also, you need to remember that your current stereo plays all chimes (door, seatbelt, etc) as well as turn/hazard signal ticks. You will likely have to buy a separate unit to replace those sounds with an aftermarket stereo. That's probably my least favorite thing about GM.
Good luck and tell us what you find out!
06-08-49-011 MAR 06 Interior - Dash Area Clicking/Ticking Noise At Warm Up
The dash in my '06 makes the noises, but I have learned to live with it for now. Mine does it in the summer months when it is very hot out, and also does it in the cooler months when I have the heat turned on and the dash starts to warm up.
Those who have had the Technical Service Bulletin performed claim it helps.
Of course when i brought it to the dealer they insisted they couldnt hear anything.
In my case, they were not able to really help because the fix wasn't there. However, they actually recommended that I call the Better Business Bureau to continue the process if I was not satisfied. (Fortunately most of the problems with my car seem to have been resolved----tires are the big issue now and they fall outside of GM.)
Are you sure about the Lemon Law in your area? We do have it here, but...... I was under the impression that GM had its own standards. I can tell you that they purchased back an Olds Cutlass in the early 90's. It had a water leak in the trunk from the day I picked it up. It ended up being wrecked within about 3 months, so I thought they would go back to the accident as the reason it was still leaking. However, since it had been documented from the beginning that was not a factor.
My salesman actually helped me out on this one. He told me to call customer service. You must go through the process of a complaint to them before anything can be done in regards to the lemon law. (He also suggested the call be made with this car, just in case they were not able to get things corrected.)
Friends just had a Buick purchased back after the repairs didn't fix the problem. It is at least worth checking into. My calls to customer service didn't result in anything beyond getting to vent to someone higher than the powers that be at the dealership. (I know they listened because the next visit to the dealership it was mentioned that they appreciated the positive things that I had to say about them in my complaints. (In my case the problem was not at the dealership; they were as upset as I was and always worked my car into their day. In fact, the general manager was often involved.) I also got a free oil change from the process.
Just wondering if you have had the strut problem return since your replacement? I suspected mine were going bad back when you originally posted this but I've just been kind of dealing with it since I wasn't 100% sure there was a problem. Well, after driving my sister's Impala LT, it was night and day and I realized I wasn't just being picky. My car is extremely "busy" at speed when traveling over anything but perfectly smooth pavement. I took mine in for service and explained the difference between our cars but since they aren't the same trim level, I was told that since mine has the larger/heavier engine that it was normal to bounce more. I suggested that if anything, the SS would be firmer than the LT and they decided to take a look. Needless to say, they found nothing wrong. I'm going to try again and use your comparison method. My only concern is that there won't likely be a new '06 SS on the lot and I'll either get a used SS with the same defective suspension or I'll be told the '07's suspension is different.
Anyway, wish me luck and give me a follow-up on your new suspension. Thanks...
GM has come a long way with reliability with their vehicles but still a long way to go to educate service advisors to be a little more customer oriented when dealing with issues that the customer is concerned with. I have dealt with Chevy service advisors for nearly 40 years and most are OK but their are still a lot of care less attitude employees. If the car is not handling/performing the way it was a few months before when you bought it then you have a legitimate concern.
I would take the car to another chevy dealership and compare answers between the two service advisors as to your problem. If not satisfied, ask to speak with the Service Manager. You paid for this warranty within the cost of the car you expect it perform the way it was a few months before when the car was new. Nothing less would be acceptable.
I will be taking the car to another dealership soon. I'll follow-up here once I have something to report.
It was really quiet compared to our old Dodge minivan, which was another big plus, with better acceleration too.
I recently became the owner of a 2006 Chevy Impala (pics coming soon!) and about had a heart attack when the local Chevy dealership quoted me the base cost for an oil change. I specified that I wanted a different brand of oil than their standard and was told that it would be more expensive (between $30 and $40 for lube oil and filter!). Now I have always done my own service work, but I thought it might be in my best interest to take it to GM because of the oil life indicator needing reset after the oil change. Is there a way that I can reset the sensor or will I be forced to pay the higher cost? Thanks for the help!
Chris
Resetting the oil life sensor, as with all the other information stored in the Driver's Instrument Cluster (DIC) is as simple as pressing and holding the "check mark" button while the information is being displayed. The only procedure that is a little complicated is resetting the tire monitoring after tire rotation. I haven't done it myself but I hear it isn't too tough if you have a helper.
Go ahead and change your own oil. It's a breeze with my SS!
Unless I'm mistaken, all of the maintenance functions have been moved to the DIC (and simplified) in the '06+ models. The reference to the tire monitoring was about how you must reconfigure the system after rotating tires. The '06 tracks actual tire pressure of each individual tire. Once you rotate the tires, you have to "tell" the computer where each tire is located on the vehicle (left-front, right-rear, etc). I believe it's fairly simple with two people as one adjusts tire pressure outside, the other sets the location on the DIC. You can do it alone but would have to repeatedly move back and forth from the tires to the driver's seat.
Ron
Thanks again!
Chris
Probably the best thing would be to take a ride in another 3.9L and compare. If there's another one on the lot where you purchased yours, ask them for a test drive; they shouldn't have a problem with it. If yours is considerably louder, then you should take it in for service.
My owners manual, however, does not indicate the DIC reset can be used to reset the oil life monitor. My manual said to put the key in, turn it to ON (but don't start the engine), and fully press and release the accelerator pedal 3 times within a certain number of seconds. I did that and the monitor reset with no problem. It is the same reset procedure I used to use on my '99 Camaro. Some things never change, I suppose
I definitely agree that it's like a rocket ship. It's so much fun to floor the gas and turn her loose!
BTW, my car is black with tinted windows. I just put winter tires and black winter rims on last week. It's a riot to watch people go to pass me on multi-lane roads and stomp on the brakes when they get beside me. I'm thinking of renting me and my car out to park at the side of the road where speeding is a problem
After you enter the tire position mode you start with the left front wheel. The left front signal light will be illuminated until you adjust the tire pressure up or down 5-10 psi. The horn will beep and the right front light will illuminate, signaling the right front tire to be set. When you finish will all tires the horn will beep twice and your finished.
Transmission shifts rough 1-2nd gear and downshifts rough compared to other GM transmissions. And if im going 0-5 Mph in drive or reverse the car jerks back and fourth.
Clicking sound coming form the engine/transmission area ( more noticeable with raio off)
Snapping/popping coming form dashboard plastics when heat/ac/defroster are on
Remote Start works only up to 30 ft away most of the time
And it seems like when im driving on the expressway the car will go from driving perfectly straight to randomly start steering to the left or right some times. I fell like im going to side-swipe someone sooner or later
Has anyone experienced these symptoms or know if any recalls or Tsb's are out for these issues??
For a 3.9L engine with 242 HP it doesnt seems any faster than my 2000 Taurus with 200HP duratec or the 2004 impla 3.8L 200HP LS i test drove, but those cars are a 2-300 pounds lighter. And 3.9L engine seems to vibrate the cabin when im idle at stops. Not sure if it OHV's nauture compared to DOHC's or just something with this model.
The rough shifting and jerking back and forth at low speed hasn't been reported in this forum as far as I know. Some older model owners have reported rough shifts and it usually turns out to be a bad solenoid (or two) in the transaxle. These sound like issues that will be easy to demonstrate to a service rep and I assume you have the original warranty. I would have it addressed by them.
The clicking sound under the hood has been reported by a couple others. My sister owns the 3.9L and I haven't noticed it on hers. I will see her again over the holidays and I will listen for it. I'll ask her in the meantime but I'm pretty sure hers doesn't have that symptom.
The snapping/popping from the dash has been addressed in a TSB. The fix is applying "anti-itch" tape to the clips that hold part of the dash next to the windshield. It is a fairly simple fix but one owner reported that they noticed a scratch on their dash after they had the service performed. If you're concerned about it, make a note of any blemishes on your dash when you take it in so you'll have grounds if anything is damaged during the repair.
The remote start receivers seem to have issues as well. Some have had their's reprogrammed with temporary results but the only folks who have been satisfied are those who have had the receivers replaced...sometimes twice. Be prepared to argue with the service rep, especially if you have tinted windows (please share if you have tinted windows).
I have seen one other complaint about the car swerving at highway speeds. I don't remember if there was ever an actual fix reported. There have been several complaints about alignment and I personally don't hold Goodyear tires in high regard. Also, I would check to see if the same thing happens on the same stretch of highway, just to rule out road irregularities.
There's no easy way to determine if your car has power issues. Maybe take a similar model for a test drive and measure acceleration (in a safe area of course). After having been arrested (yes arrested) for doing just that, I'm not suggesting it, just offering it as an idea. You never know where a hot-headed cop may be hiding. I must've interrupted the nap of the one I found.
As for the rough idle, I've noticed it was roughest at idle in park or neutral. Once in gear or with the AC engaged, it becomes silky smooth. Make sure you aren't using bargain gasoline and have it checked by the service department as well. You could have dirty fuel injectors or some other issue.
Hopefully this helps you out. Other than a few minor nuisances, I've found my 06 Impala SS to be a great car. Good luck!
My car has some of the issues you are noticing with yours.
The snapping/popping from the dashboard is something I have noticed. Initially it was kind of startling, but I have become used to it. I do not necessarily like the sounds, but I am not ready to have the dealer do the TSB as dealers tend to make things worse most of the time instead of better.
I have also noticed the steering issue, where it will be driving just fine and then it feels like too many corrections will suddenly be needed to keep it straight. I believe, like quietpro, that much of this is due to the tires on the car (and perhaps the factory alignment settings).
To address your other issues:
No clicking noises from my 3.5L, but since you have the 3.9L you probably don't care
Remote start works fine. I usually only remote start it on very cold or warm mornings, and I am able to start it from inside the house. I rarely remote start it elsewhere but in the handful of times I have done so it had to be within about 40 feet. Overall, the remote range is similar to other cars I have owned. I usually use the remote as I am walking up to the car, so the range thing isn't an issue for me.
No transmission issues on mine, although I do get a minor RPM "bounce" while driving at certain speeds...I can see the tachometer needle bounce a little up and down. But the circumstances that cause it have to be perfect, so I chalk it up to a driving condition thing.
Yes i have the clicking and popping noise coming from the dash as well as the remote range problems. The car is going in tomorrow for the remote problem but as far as the popping noises I had the dealership listen for the noise last time i had it in but they said they did not hear anything at the time. But the problem does still persist. Ive had the car since last November and Ive had nothing but problems not to mention the recalls. My lastest problem is with the Engine Hot A/C off message from the DIC. They have replaced the thermostat twice already and again I have the message coming on almost a year after I had it in for the same problem back last Dec. I work for General Motors going on 30 years and this will be the last GM car I'll ever buy. Sorry for the attitude but that just how I feel about it right now.
It has 12,000 miles on it (was a program car) and I hear the snapping and popping when the heater is on.
Also, the remote start has terrible range. I have had it in the shop and they reprogrammed it....still just as bad as ever...sometimes it won't work at 10 feet!
The Chevrolet Garage just called me and said they found a bulletin for this problem and that GM is making a new
antenna and it is being made as we speak (hopefully)...
It will be available in January...
Does anyone know if this is true, or just baloney he is telling me???
Also I notice if I take my hand off the wheel (to test it) the car is all over the place...seems like it definately needs a realignment...
I do like the car, just hope I can get these issues resolved soon!
If you let me know where the Chevy Garage got the info, I can ask my dealership about the new antenna. This is the first I've heard of it but it's welcome information to say the least.
Regarding the alignment, when you say "all over the place" does that mean it tracks off center in more than one direction? Be sure you're on a level road, even a large parking lot, to get an better feel for the alignment.
Subject:
Remote Keyless Entry (Inop/Intermittent Function) Or Tire Pressure Monitor Concerns - keywords fob RCDLR RKE RVS start TIMS TPM transmitter vehicle #PIC4325A - (12/01/2006)
Models:
2006-2007 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo
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This PI was updated with the latest information on the RKE and TPM concerns, advising dealers of the upcoming TSB. Please discard PIC4325.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following diagnosis might be helpful if the vehicle exhibits the symptom(s) described in this PI.
Condition/Concern:
The vehicle may exhibit one or more of the following conditions:
The RCDLR and RKE Transmitters will not function after the serial data bus has gone to sleep.
Intermittently inoperative Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) - A condition of intermittent operation of the RKE transmitters (key fobs) has been identified.
Poor RKE range and/or Service Tire Monitor System message
RKE inoperative after programming any module on the vehicle
New RKE transmitters cannot be programmed
Vehicle may display low fob battery.
Recommendation/Instructions:
A new coax antenna has been developed for the Impala and Monte Carlo. The new coax antenna and the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) for all the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) and Tire Pressure Monitor (TPM) concerns will be available in January 2007. Do not attempt any further repairs for any RKE or TPM concern on the 2006-2007 Chevrolet Impala or Monte Carlo until the TSB is released.
Note: The parts that were available through the Warranty Parts Center (WPC) have been exhausted and no additional parts will be available through the WPC.
Please follow this diagnostic or repair process thoroughly and complete each step. If the condition exhibited is resolved without completing every step, the remaining steps do not need to be performed.
GM bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, NOT a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform these technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions, and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, DO NOT assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See your GM dealer for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.
WE SUPPORT VOLUNTARY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION
© Copyright General Motors Corporation.
I can remote start it when I'm about 5 feet away from my car and I notice that sometimes when I start it, it dies ...I'm going to call that to there attention also.
Do you have that problem too???
Again, thanks for that update, can't wait till January!
Any ideas or similar experiences? :confuse:
Gene
My remote seems to work best when I'm facing the forward end of the car; it's nearly useless from behind. But, sometimes, even from the front I have to be really close. Human nature tells me to push the FOB buttons harder which obviously doesn't help. Hopefully, my FOB won't be broken before the fix is in place. Maybe the next generation FOB will have an indicator light on it so you'll know you're pressing the button and won't abuse it because the car isn't "listening." I can dream, can't I?
Curious if it will fit in the Huge trunk with the seats down.
15MPG is pathetic.
I read an article late last week reporting that the EPA figures posted on new car stickers will be changing starting next year. The EPA will be using a more "realistic" test cycle to come up with their numbers. It will be interesting to see if the Impala keeps its 31mpg highway rating once the revised testing occurs.
As for the mixed mileage being the same as highway mileage, that's also pretty odd. By highway driving, you are driving at a constant speed (55+) with no braking or acceleration, preferrably with cruise control. I have gotten up to 26 mpg with my 5.3L V8 under similar circumstances. My sister has managed 27mpg with her 3.9L (the EPA estimate).
Hilly terrain, heavy traffic that constantly changes speed, etc. will adversely affect your mileage.