Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Chevrolet Impala: Problems & Solutions

1161719212234

Comments

  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    I have a 2001 Impala. Recently the Air Bag warning light has come on and stays on. I remember this happening once last year, but it went away. Does anyone know of this problem? Is there a TSB for this? And since this a safety issue, should I expect the dealer to fix it at no cost? I would appreciate any feedback. Thanks
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    Window switch - yeah, I bought the part locally and installed it myself; I think with tax and all it was about $90 (hopefully "alot" cheaper doesn't mean more than $15-20, which was worth it to have the problem fixed the next day; not sure I could have waited a week for the part to arrive).

    Airbag light - Mine has come on a couple of times (2000 base 3.8L engine); I think the first time I took it in, they said they had to replace part of the wiring connected to the airbag (which I think I paid for, but I forget the amount). The second time they wanted to replace the entire side airbag (seems like they wanted about $400-500 to do this). Since I was having transmission trouble at the time, I opted to pass on repairing the side airbag, and got the tranny fixed. However, when I picked up the car, the airbag light was off, and it hasn't come back on since.

    Which brings up an interesting thought...if they "reset" the light, shouldn't it have come on again by now (this was a couple of months ago)? If they didn't fix anything, the light should still be on, shouldn't it? So either the light isn't working (which would have to have been done by the dealer, since it was working when I took it in), or else there's not a problem. Or if it is a problem, it's something intermittent maybe?
  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    Thanks for your input. My guess is that they have reset yours and there is nothing wrong with it. And doesn't the light come on and flash when you first start the car. If so, then the bulb itself is OK. In anycase, I do believe that this is an intermittent problem and maybe a false signal generated by some sensor.
  • micalimicali Member Posts: 3
    Hello,

    I own a 01 imp with the 3400 engine. Here are my problems. My air bag light is staying on all the time. I think the passlock in the ignition is going bad. Sometimes the car won't start but when we wait 10 minutes it will start up. How can I scan the car and find out what is causing the problem. The dealer ship wants $100 dollars to tell me what is wrong. Can an obd II scanner tell me anything? Does anyone know of any TSB's for this problem.
  • surfsailorsurfsailor Member Posts: 5
    So my ISS is clunking and Chevrolet is aware of it. OK, so why is it that when I took my '00 Impala LS to the Dealer he diagnosed my clunking as worn Tie Rods? Having not reviewed this site beforehand (my first mistake) I trusted him and told them to proceed with the repair (my 2nd mistake).

    So not more than a week later I noticed the clunking had returned leading me to believe they misdiagnosed the problem in the first place thereby costing me a lot of $$$. So my question to this forum is (1.) Has anyone with the ISS problem had any issues with their Tie Rods and (2.) I kept the old Tie-Rods so is there a way to inspect them, outside of the vehicle, and determine whether or not they really needed to be replaced?

    I'm sick of bending over for these Dealers. They're SUPPOSED to be aware of TSB's and common problems with our vehicles and fix them accordingly. For me, this doesn't seem to be the case and I can't afford to put in a new ISS, that from the sounds of it, I'm going to have to replace before long anyway. What are we supposed to do, keep replacing the ISS everytime it starts clunking? What happens if we don't? Is this a safety issue and if so, isn't Chevrolet liable to issue a recall?
  • danzigdandanzigdan Member Posts: 50
    The way I underrstand the ISS (and someone else here can probably tell you from experience) is that it doesn't necessarily have to be replaced. They can pack it full of grease and that may or may not solve the problem. It's not that expensive either.

    I seem to remember other owners having tie rods replaced too (and someone else here can probably tell you from experience about that too).
  • dgonzalez13dgonzalez13 Member Posts: 110
    I've had mine replaced several times, twice on drivers side and 3 times for passenger side. Pep Boys told me my shaking steering when braking was because of a worn tie rod, it turned out to be warped rotors. Pep Boys refunded me on the tie rods parts and labor when i wrote to them and told them about the misdiagnosis (I also showed the manager the same day before leaving that the problem was not fixed by replacing the tie rods). I think they are a normal wear item, like tires and such, but should not be wearing out for at least a few years depending on where you drive. My 2000 Imp has 102K Miles, and I drive it in Brooklyn and Manhattan like sidewalks are just speed bumps. So thats a case where at least 2 sets would fail. But for normal usage the first set should last at least 4 or 5 years, if not a little longer depending on if you do city, highway, or off paved road use.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I had the ISS "fix" done on my 2000 Impala; basically they install a grease fitting and fill the thing full of grease. I haven't had any problems since having it done, and have never had any tie rod issues (at least that I'm aware of).
  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    I have the same vehicle, 2001 Impala. I had the ISS re greased twice. Its back again. And I had the tie rods (both side) and one ball joint replaced at 55K (one month ago). I am the only driver of this vehicle and I don't abuse the car. I am an engineer also. So, I kind of know why this happend. The problem is break rotors and the warping that occurs. You can turn the rotors or put new one in, but you'll get the pulsation in about 10K miles. And if you ignore it, the pulsation will wear out your front end parts like the tie rods and the ball joints. So far, the dealer has Resurfaced the rotors twice on my car. at 35K mile I went back and after lengthy discussions, I ended up with 4 new rotors (but not new pads!!!). This lasted until 50K, the vibration came back. The tie rods and the ball joints were bad. I found that out when I replaced the tires. I went to the dealer and complained to chevy that the tie rods should not have failed in three years. my argument was that the vibration in bad rotors caused this premature failure, etc. To make long story short, I ended up paying for the labor and not the parts. Still cost $250. I did purchase a set of new rotors (Bendix made in USA) and replaced the ones that are one year old. These vehicles do have the break problem. I am not sure why GM is not addressing it.
  • mkulinamkulina Member Posts: 8
    Don't replace your ISS. Grease it yourself. It isn't that difficult and frankly the dealer kit doesn't have enough grease in it to last very long anyway. There are several sets of instructions, but basically, you remove the steering column to get access (four bolts, not scary at all.) Then stuff the joint full of high quality grease (wheel bearing, CV, doesn't matter what type of grease)and the clunking will stop. It took me about 2 hours the first time.

    But don't waste money replacing it when the replacement is the same design.
  • surfsailorsurfsailor Member Posts: 5
    Your last statement mkulina is the exact argument I had. Thanks everyone. I appreciate the tips and advice. Maybe this weekend I'll take the steering column off and 'see what's to be seen'.

    Re: the brake/tie-rod problem, I don't know if this car applies. I've always hated Eagle tires and replaced them with Michelin X-Ones (which I highly recommend for this car. They're the best ride I've had in looooong time) right after I bought it (16k). After that the car was a dream to drive until this damn clunking. I just hope the new tie-rods and some greese will take care of business. If not, I'm buying a truck. This is ridiculous.

    Mahalo
  • surfsailorsurfsailor Member Posts: 5
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been an accident reported here related to the ISS. It's annoying (and seems to get worse if ignored), but it doesn't seem to impact control of the vehicle.
  • jarrettwjarrettw Member Posts: 14
    I own an '03 LS Impala with 21000 miles. Recently at low speeds I feel a bump in the steering wheel. There is also occasionally a shimmy while moderately braking. The braking issue is not constant and seem dependent on the road surface. I do not know if the 2 issues are related. Any thoughts or comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    If the bump in the steering is usually associated with a right-hand turn, and can be felt in the steering wheel and the brake pedal, it's most like the intermediate steering shaft (ISS). The brake problem could just be the ISS clunking being felt in the pedal, or it could be a warped rotor (I've had both on my 2000 model).
  • eddie7eddie7 Member Posts: 2
    I bought a 2004 used Impala last wednesday night. It was a GM certified vehicle. Drove it to work on thursday. On my way home, I heard a grinding noise when accelerating, and the transmission jumped twice. I immediately went to the dealership and had the salesman and a mechanic drive it. They returned and told me the transmission needs to be replaced. I was furious. I returned the car and decided to buy a Honda. I'll never buy a GM product again!
  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    I agree, I had my vehicle twice or even three times fixed, re greased by the dealer. The problem came back again. Do you any specific instructions for this? The four bolts you are referring to, where are they? Inside the car or under the hood?
  • carpaltunnelcarpaltunnel Member Posts: 2
    What happened in the end? I have a 2001 with the same exact problem. The warranty has expired and would like to get away with the fix as cheaply as possible. Thanks for any help you may be.
  • carpaltunnelcarpaltunnel Member Posts: 2
    So what happened in the end? I have a 2001 with the same exact problem, However there is no warranty left. Was there a recall on this issue? I am trying to get away with not spending a great deal of money. Any help you can be would be greatly appreciated.
  • tkccetkcce Member Posts: 5
    I have a 2000 Impala LS that you feel the so called bump in the steering wheel when you step on the brake and can be felt in the pedal as well. The steering wheel bump can be felt when accelerating also as well as at other times driving. I have an extended warranty - is the ISS covered?
  • mkulinamkulina Member Posts: 8
    The ISS can be accessed easily from inside the car.

    Disconnect the battery.

    Then you need to remove the dashboard under the column, and then remove the bolts supporting the column and then the electrical connection and the bolt in the ISS clamp.

    Then slide the column out. There is no reason to remove the shaft itself, although I did that that because I thought I would be buying a new shaft.

    Pack the open end (facing you) full of a high quality heat resistant grease.

    Plug the open end with a cork or robber plug. Then work the joint back and forth until the lubricant works its way into the splines (about 15 strokes, the shaft will move about 1/16 of an inch each way.)

    Bolt it back together.

    No fuss, no real muss and total cost of about $1. I can't see paying anyone to do it for you.

    Regards & good luck,
    Mike
  • jdavis12jdavis12 Member Posts: 19
    I have found several posts on the dead ignition and security warning light problem but no fix. The problem is getting worse on my '00 - ignition completely dead when key turned but all other electronics function fine. Wait 15 minutes (usually) and it starts up. I have tried to duplicate a cause but no luck. This appears to have something to do with the security light and/or .
    Can anyone help with a known fix or diagnosis? I want to avoid the notorious "cannot duplicate" at the dealer and the waste of $ that goes along with it. Thanks.
  • danzigdandanzigdan Member Posts: 50
    I found this over on MSN Autos regarding the 2000 Impalas.

    "An occasional problem with this vehicle is Ignition Lock Cylinder. Failure of the Ignition Lock Cylinder could cause the vehicle to not start with a theft system problem."
  • mikey47mikey47 Member Posts: 1
    Hey eddie7,

    You just had an unfortunate break, I'm sorry you had to encounter this. I just hope you don't think all of those Chevy's out there are like that cause they aren't. I had a Honda Accord in 1981 and it gave me 3 pleasurable years of minor repairs AND GREAT GAS MILEAGE. I just traded my 98 Ford Ranger and all I ever had to do to that truck was put gas and keep the oil changed in it. I hope you the best and hope maybe you'll find luck later in a Chevy. One suggestion. ALWAYS, WHEN BUYING USED, SPEND $50 TO $75 AND HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT BEFORE BUYING, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE 70'S AND I HAVEN'T HAD MANY LEMONS IN MY LIFE. Good luck and God Bless you.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I've always invisioned the ISS thing being "under the hood", and would never have thought to take a look under the dash - next time I'm fiddling around with mine, I may take off the lower dash cover, just to see if I can see where they should have attached a grease fitting when they did the fix on mine.
  • hchu1hchu1 Member Posts: 17
    Hello, has anyone had this problem with their fuel gauge? Just started happening several days ago. While driving home, after about 5 minutes of driving, the fuel gauge indicates normal then all of a sudden goes to empty and the low fuel light comes on. The mileage remaining on the DIC showed an "-E-". I have never seen that indication on the DIC, usually if you have a low fuel indication it says "Low". This problem does not affect the operation of the vehicle. Fortunately the tripometer is not affected. Once it does this the indicator will stay like this throughout the trip. It will reset itself if you turn the engine off. Once started it reads normal for about 5-10 minutes, then back to problem.
    My guess is a poor connection/ground or bad fuel level sensor. I have a Dyna-Scan tool but it appears it can't pick up the fuel level input. What is confusing is that there is no tripped DTC codes. I assume if the unit is defective that a code would be triggered (maybe P0462?). Since it doesn't trigger a code, it acts as if the low indication is a normal signal. The PCM accepts it as such. Any assistance would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. PS. It's on a 2000 LS
  • t_tookalookt_tookalook Member Posts: 29
    Has anyone had this problem?
    I left the motor running and exited the car closing the door. I then heard the locks engage and upon checking I found that all 4 doors had locked. Fortunately I had my spare key with me.
    Rodger-
  • jim257jim257 Member Posts: 8
    I recently heard that the Dex-cool in some GM cars breaks down and becomes corrosive long before the 150,000 miles that it is supposed to last. I am wondering if I should have it replaced with regular antifreeze or not.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I may be wrong, but I think it's better to replace more frequently with Dex-Cool, than to put standard anti-freeze in (which I think will void your warranty, but I'm not 100% certain). I think if you keep the Dex-Cool fresh (like replacing every few years) the corrision isn't an issue.
  • jbm527jbm527 Member Posts: 1
    Hello All. New user here. I have a 2000 LS with about 70k miles and many of the issues mentioned on this forum. I wanted to share what I have done to correct them so far. Regarding the No-start problem. Mine turned out to be the ignition cylinder itself. Apparrently there is a module attached to it called a Passlock sensor. My local Chevy dealer was familiar wit the problem and stocked the part. It was $164 and change and the replaced it in about an hour. the tech had to transfer the tumblers from my old cylinder to the new one so the same key could be used.
    My brake rotors warped pretty bad too. I replaced all four with raybestos heavy duty ones and all new lifetime rated pads. 17k miles later, they are still fine.
    I have yet to replace the intake gasket, but it needs to be done sooner or later. Again, my local dealer is familiar with this problem and said it is common to the 3.8.
    My window switch for the drivers window acted up as well. It happened on a sunday and no store had the part that day. An ebay search turned up many used for sale however. I took the harness connector off of the back of mine, but off the alignment guide and installed 180 degrees reversed. the windows now work as follows:
    the l/f switch works the r/r window.
    the r/f switch works the l/r window, in reverse
    the l/r switch works the r/f window, in reverse
    the r/r switch works the l/f window.
    this gets confusing for a day or two, but it beats not getting the window back up on a cold day.
    My impala also has and odd habit of blowing the license plate lights. All the rest have yet to burn out, but they do regularly. Other than these mostly minor annoyances, it is one of the best cars I have owned. The ride, handling, mileage and performance are all quite good. Am looking forward to getting an SS in a year or two.
  • sportymonksportymonk Member Posts: 258
    I have a 2001 Impala. Rotors turned at 14,000 mi , figured it was just poor installation at factory. At 30,000 mi the dealer said it was the rotors and it was not covered by warranty. Took it to tire place and they said the front rotors were below spec and the rear rotors were at spec and would be below spec if turned. When I asked if they meant the pads, they said, no, the pads were in great shape, it was the rotors. New rotors cost $500 for entire job.

    47,000 miles the rotors had to be turned again. Have 75,000 and am surprised I am not buying new rotors now.

    Friend has a 2000 and they have replaced rotors 4 times in 104,000 miles.

    Some have said the metal needs to be "aged". If the rotors were left out in a field, they would be ok later! (ROTFL at this one)

    Chevy dealer (different one) said Chevy had a fix that involved putting grease on some part behind the rotors.

    Several other places have all said the Impala has a problem with rotors, it is well documented and Chevy won't do anything about it.

    I personally think the wheels are too open and when driving in wet weather, and applying the brakes for a stop from 55 -60, the wheels are letting water in on the rotors which are red hot and the rotors are warping. I vote for the wheels being a bad design. It doesn't appear to be a problem with the material of the rotors and different brans seem to yield different results.

    Am trying to decide which Honda or Toyota I will trade it in one.
  • hchu1hchu1 Member Posts: 17
    The rotors on the Impalas are notorious for warping. I have a 2000 LS and had the rotors r/r after about 10k miles. I have since gotten another 40k miles on the car before deciding to change out the rotors after they started vibrating again. You need to replace them with after-market rotors not OEM. I got a set of 4 on Ebay for about $250.00 including shipping. I saved on the labor and replaced them myself.

    Since replacing the old set, it has been like night and day. After burnessing the rotors it stops w/o vibration straight and true. This is the way they should work. My rotors are also cross-drilled and slotted to help lessened fade and shed heat. If you go this route, make sure that the caliper bolts and lug nuts are torqued to spec., 137lbs and 100lbs respectively.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    The only light bulb I've replaced on my 2000 base Impala (at @74k miles) is one of the license plate bulbs - I replaced them both while I was at it, since they came in packages of 2. About a year or so ago, the light on the passenger side of the interior temp control went out, and recently the light on the "traffic" button on the radio went out - the switch still works fine, but no light.

    I also had the driver's window switch go out - I ended up buying some jumper wires from Radio Shack and connecting the passenger side switch to the driver's door connector to get the window up, then removed the switch entirely until I got the replacement part (I bought a new one; figuring the used ones would probably develop the same problem - but sooner than a brand new unit). Wish I'd thought about turning the switch 180-degrees, though.
  • carendacarenda Member Posts: 1
    I HAVE A 2000 CHEVY IMPALA AND IT HAS BEEN HAVING A PROBLEM WITH STARTING. AFTER CRANKING IT ACTS AS IF IT WANTS TO CUT OFF. THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON BUT NOT THE CHECK ENGINE
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    A scan tool or code reader is required to retrieve stored DTC's. Probably P0300, random, multiple misfire due to those crappy Bosch plugs, or P030(1-6), misfire in cylinder #... from a damaged wire. AutoZone will scan it no charge in the hope of selling parts.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    Agree on the Auto Zone advice; at least they can decode the error, and reset the light so you can see if it comes on again, or might be a one-time event.

    Someone posted a question about spark plugs on the regular Impala page...I saw your comment about Bosch plugs (which I've used before with no problems); I've got no allegiance to any one brand, but would be interested to know your thoughts on a "good" brand.
  • blendengblendeng Member Posts: 12
    Hello all.. I have a 2004 Impala that I bought 2 months ago and only has 1,500 miles. Every so often the A/C light turns on when I turn the vent on. I checked to make sure that the car was not on defrost when I saw the light on. I brought this into the Dealership and they said they couldnt find anything wrong. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    A quick background, I've been a licensed tech almost 40 years, member of IATN with a worldwide membership of over 48,000 auto techs from 137 countries. This group exchange technical knowledge and information with other members, sharing over 1,000,000 years of combined experience. Even with my message filters set to domestic powertrain, chassis, and driveability I receive about 100 emails daily, and I've seen dozens & dozens of posts regarding driveability concerns, hard starts, poor idle quality, etc, etc, which were corrected by removing the aftermarket spark plugs, including the brand previously mentioned, and installing original equipment plugs.

    Although this can be considered anecdotal evidence, there's a plethora of it. In my part time auto repair business I have to service my customers' cars right the first time around. I don't get paid to do it over, and if there's anything I've learned after decades in this business, it's that your reputation as good as the last job you sent out the door. I can't take a chance on using aftermarket parts which might perform as well as OEM parts when OEM will do exactly what the design engineers intended. They tend to cost more, but it's a matter of value received for dollars spent, not the number on the bottom line of the invoice.

    My advice, use OEM tuneup parts.
  • hknoepflehknoepfle Member Posts: 45
    2002 Impala - Just replaced stock tires with Michelin X-radials. The folks at Costco set my pressure at 30 lbs. The tires look under inflated and feel soft, I told the guy at Costco I would probably take them to 35 lbs and he told me it would void my tire warrantee. Any feedback?
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    Unless you're exceeding the maximum pressure posted on the sidewall of the tire, I don't think you'd have to worry about warranty issues. Of course, if you have wear issues down the road, you might want to adjust the pressure to 30 before you take them back to Costco just in case. :-)
  • indebtindebt Member Posts: 1
    I have had enough and have to share the nightmare of my 2001 Impala LS.
    1. Purchased in June 2001. First year all was okay.
    2. Second year the front passenger brake locked up. It was still under warranty so it was fixed.
    3. Then shortly before warranty expired in 3rd year the same brake locked up again. This time there was smoke coming from the wheel and it had to be towed to dealer.
    4. In the 3rd year and at 44,000 miles the drivers side window wouldn't go up. Dealer charged about $170.00 to fix
    5. July 2004 with 52K miles the transmission goes out. $3,300 to replace with rebuilt by dealer
    6. The week after I get it back from fixing the transmission the gas gauge doesn't operate. Always reads full tank when it is empty. Took it back to dealer and they tell me the fuel modulator is shot and want $700. I say NO WAY. I set my mileage meter and when I hit 230-240 miles I know it is time to fill up. I have been told that eventually I should expect the fuel pump to go out.
    7. Oct 04 has a whining sound when I accelerate. Take it into dealer thinking it was the brake again. Charges for diagnostic $80 and tells me the brakes are fine.
    8. Nov 04 Still sounding bad and getting worse. Making left turns starts the whining. Now having hard starts. Take it into dealer and get told that the power steering is gone and they want $600 more.
    58,000 miles and this thing has sucked more money than the IRS. I want to dump it but I still owe another year on it. I am at the mercy of the dealer who is showing no mercy. My only salvation is to warn everyone DON'T BY A CHEVY IMPALA! I also tell people here in Indiana not to use this dealer either. I am not asking for perfection and I am reasonable and expect things to go wrong, but what I have gone through with this car is beyond reasonable.
  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    Let me know if figure it out. I have the same problem. I could not see much under the dash when I removed the plastic cover. Thanks
  • kalantarirkalantarir Member Posts: 14
    can you tell me how to do this? It doesn't appear to be an easy task.
  • alcanalcan Member Posts: 2,550
    Clunk Noise from Front of Vehicle During Turning Maneuver/Steering Wheel Rotation (Replace Intermediate Steering Shaft) #04-02-35-004B - (Jul 27, 2004)

    2001-2004 Buick Regal
    2001-2004 Cadillac Seville -- with RPO JL4 (Control Active Brake)
    1997-2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
    2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, Monte Carlo
    1997-2004 Pontiac Sunfire
    2000-2004 Pontiac Bonneville
    2003-2004 Pontiac Grand Prix

    Condition
    Some customers may comment on a clunk type noise coming from the front of the vehicle during a turning maneuver. This condition may also be felt through the steering wheel when the vehicle is stationary and the wheel is rotated from steering stop to steering stop.

    Cause
    The clunk noise may be caused by a stick-slip condition in the intermediate shaft. An interaction with the steering system creates a vibration that travels up the steering column to the steering wheel.

    Correction
    DO THIS
     
    Replace Intermediate Steering Shaft.
    A new intermediate steering shaft has been released to address the clunk noise.

    Important
    Engineering changes have been made to the Service Parts available through SPO. The Service Parts for the vehicles listed in this bulletin will no longer require lubrication of the Intermediate Steering Shaft.

    Install a new shaft following the Intermediate Steering Shaft Replacement procedure in the Steering Wheel and Column sub-section of the Service Manual.

    Parts Information

    Part Number Description
     
    10367811 Shaft -- Intermediate Steering -- Bonneville / Seville
    10377680 Shaft -- Intermediate Steering -- Cavalier / Sunfire
    10376430 Shaft -- Steering Gear -- Impala
    10376429 Shaft -- Steering Gear -- Monte Carlo / Regal
    10376428 Shaft -- Steering Gear -- Grand Prix
     
    Parts are currently available from GMSPO.

    Warranty Information
    For vehicles repaired under warranty, use:

    Labor Operation Description Labor Time
     
    E7700 Shaft, Steering Intermediate -- Replace
     Use Published Labor Time
  • svoparjsvoparj Member Posts: 1
    Yes, I have a thumping in the front of my 2002 Impala. Put new tires on front and new rotors all around, dealer does not find any thing, car has 32,000 miles on it had one front wheel bearing replaced. About ready to dump the car. Any ideas out there.
  • charts2charts2 Member Posts: 618
    Sorry to here your bad experiences with your car...I have a 2001 LS and so far everything is OK...after the warranty expired on mine no way would I go back to the dealers for work...there are many reputable mechanics that are a lot less expensive and don't be afraid to get second opinions on work that was diagosed to cost a lot. Ask friends who have had good experiences with car shops and check out their hourly rates thats where it kills you. Most car dealerships have the highest hourly/shop rates on the planet.. Good luck
  • distantrunnerdistantrunner Member Posts: 5
    Recently had small repair to front bumper, while at body shop asked them to repair front windshield chip in glass. Windshield was replaced as I later found out a month later. Since then, water collects on front right hand side floorboard. Initially glass repair said was not their fault. Body repair guy said this is a "design flaw" of chevy and as courtesy cleaned and cleared debris out of front windshield trap(collects leaves, etc. which breakdown and clogs drain). Thought everything was find - no way. Back to glass dealer - now they look at it since body shop has cleared out debris trap - again "design flaw" - said no water leak from replacement of glass - added "double sided tape which they said would cause water to run away from car not into floorboard. Thought it was fixed - it rained today - no way.....
    What do I do???? I've got the feeling glass guy feels this is a "design issue" and yet I know if I now go to dealer they will say not there problem because window has been replaced. Should I try another mechanic?? Has anyone else ever had this problem?
    The reason I ask this is because rear defroster was repaired several times by dealer - they said could not replace because it may cause future problems. Now unfortunately, the front glass was replaced instead of being repaired and I'm afraid I will have continual problems. Am I?
    Moisture because of leak causes problems in clearing glass on sides of vehicle now as well. Should I be looking for a new vehicle because I will always have problems now???
    I'ld appreciate any input, as a woman I always feel at a loss when trying to deal with any auto repair. Thanks.
  • distantrunnerdistantrunner Member Posts: 5
    Sorry for late reply - just came across defroster issue after I just posted another problem. Dealer repaired defroster with paint on substance. It works however the line painted does not look show room quality. Not happy with dealer to say the least.
    Now I have a water leak in front floorboard. I felt was result of replacing front windshield. Body shop and glass repair shop say this is a design flaw of chevy. They've cleaned debris/line which collects leaves/debris, also added sticky tape to deflect water - no luck. I'm going to try repair shop that does my service/oil changes this week. Beginning to get disgusted with my chevy - wondering if I should be thinking of replacing.
    Have you had any other issues?
  • mcateer2mcateer2 Member Posts: 1
    I have the same exact problem with mine, Taking it in this morning. Same problem.......
    Not sure what to do.
  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Member Posts: 872
    I've been on this board off and on since early 2000, and don't recall many mentions of water collecting on the floorboard - I've seen it mentioned on some other GM boards (like the Colorado/Canyon, for instance), but I wouldn't say it was a well-known problem on the Impala by any means. Things like the intermediate steering shaft, warped brake rotors, peeling roof seam filler, etc. I would consider known problems with the Impala, but not rainwater collecting on the floor.
This discussion has been closed.