2001 Chevrolet Impala Equipment Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND ACTIVATED THE ALARM, THE VEHICLE SEEMED DIFFICULT TO RESTART. THE LIGHTS AND DOORS WOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY BUT THE VEHICLE TOOK 10-20 MINUTES TO GET IT STARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 97,000.

I BOUGHT MY 2001 CHEVY IMPALA LS IN 2004, UNTIL DECEMEBER 2009 THE CAR WAS RUNNING GREAT. IT STARTED WITH MY CARS "TRACTION ACTIVE" LIGHT COMING ON ON WHENEVER I ACCELERATED THEN AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THIS LIGHT COMING ON MORE AND MORE OFTEN (4-6 TIMES DAILY) I EXPERIENCED AN INCEDENT IN WHERE MY BRAKES JAMMED UP THE BRAKE PEDAL GOT HARD AND I ALMOST HIT A CAR INFRONT OF ME. I WENT TO GET MY BRAKES CHECKED AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WHERE FINE (I FIGURED THEY WHERE FINE A I HAD JUST RECENTLY CHANGED THEM) WELL THE ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES STARTED HAPOENING MORE AND MORE OFTEN AT LEAST ONCE OR TWICE DAILY NOT EVRYTIME BUT 1-2 TIMES A DAY AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE AUTO SHOP AND THEY TOLD ME IMPALA'S ARE KNOWN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS MODULE. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM IMPALA OWNERS ALL OVER THE U.S HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE TRACTION ACTIVE AND THE ABS LIGHTS COMING ON. IT SEEMS TO BE A DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE. THIS MODULE AND THE REPAIR COST ME A TOTAL OF ABOUT $1,000.00

THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM ON MY 2001 IMPALA IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WILL CAUSE THE CAR NOT TO START FOR 10-20 MINUTES. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY AND ALWAYS AFTER THE CAR IS STARTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE DAY, SO I HAVE BEEN STRANDED AT THE GYM, RESTAURANTS, GAS STATIONS, WORK, ETC. MOST OF THE TIME, THIS HAPPENS AT NIGHT AFTER I MAKE A STOP IN BETWEEN WORK AND COMING HOME. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR SINGLE WOMEN WHO ARE STRANDED IN A PARKING LOT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WAITING FOR 20 MINUTES FOR THEIR CAR TO START. *TR

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. RECENTLY A COIN FROM THE ASHTRAY ENDED UP IN THE LIGHTER SOCKET. THE LIGHTER AND THE POWER SEATS STOPPED WORKING. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE POWER SEAT CIRCUIT BREAKER. HOWEVER, THE FUSE TO THE LIGHTER HAD NOT SHORTED OUT. INSTEAD, HE SAID, IT MELTED A WIRE UNDERNEATH THE CARPET. THE COST TO REPAIR IT WAS ABOUT $200.00. THE 2004 MODEL HAS A SEPARATE SECTION IN THE ASHTRAY BLOCKED FROM THE SOCKET SO THAT IT COULD NOT HAPPEN ON THE NEWER MODEL. I ASSUME THE ENGINEERING CHANGE WAS MADE BECAUSE MY PROBLEM HAPPENED BEFORE, AND THAT CHANGE WAS MADE TO REDUCE THOSE INSTANCES. I WOULD HAVE HAD NO PROBLEM IF THE FUSE HAD BLOWN WHICH IT DID NOT. I ASKED MY MECHANIC TO REMOVE THE FUSE BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THE MELTED WIRE MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE. I PAID FOR A NEW CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD PAY FOR THE LIGHTER BECAUSE OF THE ENGINEERING OMISSION ON THE EARLIER MODEL. *AK

WHILE RIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE WINDOWS IN THE UP POSITION, THE ENTIRE GLASS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FELL INSIDE THE DOOR. TOOK CAR TO BE REPAIRED AND DISCORVERED THE REGULATOR HAD BROKEN.

VEHICLE COMES EQUIPPED WITH A CHILD MOTION SENSOR THAT'S LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. THIS DEVICE PREVENTS A CHILD FROM BEING LOCKED IN THE TRUNK. WHILE DRIVING THE SENSOR INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO SENSOR MALFUNCTIONING. DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE BAD SENSOR BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER NO LONGER MADE THAT PART. *AK