2002 Chevrolet Impala Fuel System Problems

Your gas gauge bounces up and down while driving, making it impossible to know how much fuel you actually have. This caused you to run out of gas on the road. The fuel pump needed to be replaced to fix the problem, and other Chevrolet Impala owners appear to experience similar issues.

FUEL SHUTDOWNS WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE AT BETWEEN 60-75 MPH. WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS WHILE DRIVING, I IMMEDIATELY LOOSE POWER, IT GOES INTO A ROUGH IDLE, AND I HAVE TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE. IT WILL EITHER IDLE ROUGHLY WITH NO ABILITY TO INCREASE THROTTLE FOR 5-15 MINUTES, OR, IT WILL STALL AND I CAN START IT AGAIN IN 5-15 MINUTES (WHEN WHATEVER IS NOT WORKING, COOLS DOWN). THIS HAS BEEN OCCURRING SINCE 2014. OUR SERVICE CENTER HAS A LONG HISTORY. NO PROPER ERROR MESSAGE IS GIVEN THROUGH THE REGISTER STORAGE WHEN TESTED USING GM SHOP ANALYZERS. CHECKED GAS CAP, REPLACED FUEL PUMP, CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, SPARK PLUGS & WIRES, CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, FUEL INJECTOR, BCM. HAVE NOT REPLACED COIL PACKS AND ICM YET. (A DYNOMETER IS PROBABLY NEEDED TO SIMULATE LOAD FOR A MOVING VEHICLE. MANY SHOPS DON'T HAVE IT BECAUSE OF COST.)

I JUST BOUGHT THIS 2002 CHEVY IMPALA FOR MY SON FOR HIS GRADUATION. THE PREVIOUS OWNERS SEEM TO TAKE GREAT CARE OF THIS CAR AND THE ONLY ISSUE IT HAD WAS THE GAS GAUGE WAS NOT ACCURATE. IT FLUCTUATES BETWEEN FULL AND EMPTY. THIS WEEK IT SEEMS TO BE STUCK ON FULL, BUT EVERY NOW AND THEN COME DOWN TO EMPTY THEN RIGHT BACK TO FULL . WE HAVE MY SON DRIVE MY YOUNGER BOYS BACK AND FORTH TO SCHOOL AND HE DRIVES LONG DISTANCES TO GO TO HIS ARMY TRAININGS. IT HAS BECOME AN ISSUE FOR HIM TO REMEMBER HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE TANK. AND HAS BECOME A WORRY FOR ME THAT HE MIGHT GET STRANDED SOMEWHERE DUE TO NO GAS. AFTER REVIEWING THE COMPLAINTS IT SOUNDS LIKE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS ISSUE. HOPE THE MANUFACTURER DOES SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SOON.

MY SON WENT TO JUMP START THE CAR AND WHEN HE TRIED TO START IT THE ENGINE BLEW UP . THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FLEW OFF IN MULTIPLE PIECES. HAD CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND FOUND OUT THE CYLINDER WAS DEAD DUE TO THE EXPLOSION. THOUGH WELL THE CAR HAD A LOT OF MILES, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ITS TIME. SO WE DECIDED TO BUY A RE-MANUFACTURED MOTOR BECAUSE WE HAD PUT SOME WORK INTO THE CAR AND MY SON AND I THOUGH THAT WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE. EVERYTHING WAS GREAT WITH THE NEW MOTOR TILL NOVEMBER 30TH 2014 WHEN WE NEEDED TO JUMP START THE CAR, AND THE ENGINE BLEW AGAIN THIS TIME TAKING OUT THE FUEL LINE ALONG WITH THE NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD AND THE ENGINE COVER. THE CAR STARTS ON FIRE AND LUCKILY THE FLYING PARTS MISSED MY SONS GIRL FRIEND BY INCHES AS THEY FLEW BY HER.SO I KNOW NOW SOMETHINGS UP. AND I FIND THAT GM HAD DEFECTIVE FUEL REGULATORS THAT WERE RECALLED (04V090000 RECALL#) ON THE 2000 MODELS WITH THE 3800 SERIES 2 ENGINE. NOW I KNOW WHY MY ENGINE BLEW BECAUSE THE FUEL REGULATORS ARE POOR DESIGN. NO CAR NO MATTER HOW OLD ARE HOW MANY MILES SHOULD BLOW AN ENGINE WHEN YOU JUMP START IT. BATTERIES YES ENGINES I WOULD THINK NEVER BUT WHAT HAPPEN TO ME IS THE SAME AS THE RECALL NOTICE AND I AM THANK FULL NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

THIS IS A CONTINUING PROBLEM. WHEN I START MY CAR AND DRIVE IT DOWN THE ROAD, SOMETIMES, BUT NOT ALWAYS, THE IDLE WILL NOT COME DOWN FROM HIGH IDLE. I CAN DO UP TO 45 MPH AND NEVER TOUCH THE ACCELERATOR. IF I TAP THE ACCELERATOR TO RELEASE THE HIGH IDLE, IT WORKS SOMETIMES. USUALLY THOUGHT, I HAVE TO STOP THE CAR AND CUT THE ENGINE OFF, WAIT A FEW SECONDS, AND RESTART IT. THAT USUALLY, BUT NOT ALWAYS FIXES THE IDLE PROBLEM. IF IT CONTINUES TO HIGH IDLE, I HAVE TO REPEAT THE STOP AND START SCENARIO. *TR

MY GAS GAUGE STOP WORKING AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO TELL HOW MUCH GAS WAS IN THE VEHICLE. FUEL GAUGE READ INACCURATELY. I WOULD PUT GAS IN THE CAR AND FILL UP TANK AND BARELY DRIVE MORE THAN 20 MILES AND THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD INDICATE "EMPTY". I WAS TOLD BY PENSKE THAT THEY WERE UNSURE AS TO WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS ISSUE AND THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE ISSUED REPAIRED. I HAVE RAN OUT GAS SEVERAL TIMES SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOAT INSIDE THE FUEL TANK BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE FUEL GAUGE WAS READING INACCURATE AMOUNTS OF FUEL AND THE LOW FUEL GAUGE WARNING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT READ THE FUEL LEVELS PROPERLY. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD DRIFT INDICATE THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL AND THEN IT WOULD DISPLAY HALF FULL AND EMPTY WITHIN MINUTES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE SENDER AND WIRING HAD FAILED. THE VIN WAS REJECTED FROM THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 06/13/11 *BF UPDATED 1/19/2012 *LN *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING OR ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE JERKS. THE JERKING STOPS WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY FOUND NO FAILURES. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOW FUEL SURGE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIAGNOSTIC WOULD COST $90 AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000. UPDATED 062909 *BF UPDATED 07/01/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE TURNS THE IGNITION, IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE KEY. SHE HAS TO WAIT 10-15 MINUTES TO TURN THE IGNITION AGAIN BEFORE THE VEHICLE STARTS NORMALLY. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MONTHS. IN ADDITION, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FLICKER WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE SECURITY LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATES IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE RELAY SWITCHES RUN THROUGH THE FUEL PUMP. TWO NEW RELAY SWITCHES WERE INSTALLED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,651.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CAB. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL LINE AND THE CONNECTOR FROM THE GAS TANK WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FUEL HOSE AT THE RAIL WOULD NOT SEAL AT THE FITTING FORM WHICH CAUSED RAW FUEL TO LEAK ONTO THE ENGINE. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE READS FULL UNTIL THE VEHICLE RAN OUT OF GASOLINE. THE CONTACT VERBALLY SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHICH STATED, THE FUEL PUMP HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION.

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVY IMPALA, AND THE CAR HAS 89000 MILES ON IT. THE GAS LINE THAT GOES TO THE ENGINE HAS A HOLE IN IT AND GAS IS LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE. THE LEAK IS FROM A STEEL LINE THAT WAS RUBBED THROUGH BY THE HOLDER. *NM

FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 3.8 LITER V6 AND THERE'S ALREADY A RECALL ON SEVERAL MODELS 04V090000.*AK

DURING COLD WEATHER MONTHS THE CONSUMER COULD SMELL FUEL FUMES INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NM

MY 2002 CHEVEROLET IMPALA (8000 MILES) HAS DEVELOPED A THUDING LIKE TYPE NOISE IN THE GAS TANK OF THIS CAR... THE DEALER IS TELLING ME THIS IS A NORMAL SOUND... HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY OTHER PROBLEMS REPORTED BY OHTER OWNERS OF 2002 IMPALAS??