Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 76 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 76, in the owner's own words
I TURNED THE KEY IN MY CAR TO START IT, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD POP AND THE ENGINE STARTED SMOKING. THE ENGINE THEN CAUGHT FIRE AND IS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THIS CAR HAD BEEN USED 2 DAYS PRIOR WITH NO ISSUES, NO SAFETY LIGHTS ON, NO ISSUES DRIVING AND IT STARTED FINE THAT LAST TIME IT WAS DRIVEN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS SENT ME A REPORT ON THE CAUSE.
TAKATA RECALL MY INTAKE MANIFOLD HAVE A RECALL ON IT AND I WOULD LIKE TO BRING IT IN TO GET FIXED. I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AN AUCTION. ALSO MY FUEL FLOW DOES NOT WORK.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT A FIRE HAD ERUPTED NEAR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN. ALSO, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY MISFIRED AND PERFORMED SLUGGISHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SCHUKEI CHEVROLET INC (721 S MONROE AVE, MASON CITY, IA 50401, 641-494-5589) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBERS: EA02030 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND PE00005 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, HE WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,500. *TR
ISSUES W/STARTING VEHICLE, DOESN'T TURN OVER, SINGLE CLICK. THIS STARTED 3 WKS AGO. SECURITY LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, WOULD NOT START..RESET OF DIAGNOSTICS, CAR WILL START A FEW TIMES THEN NOT START. REMOVE BATTERY CABLES ALSO FIXES THE PROBLEM BUT ONLY TEMPORARILY PURCHASED USED, REPLACED RECALLS: KEY KNOBS & VALVE COVER GASKET,
HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODING AND CATCHING FIRE. AS THIS SAME THING HAPPEN TO ME, SOUNDS LIKE A LAWSUIT WAITING TO HAPPEN. MINE JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN THE DRIVE WAY, WHEN I WENT TO START IT I SAW SMOKE. SO I TURNED IT OFF, LOOKED UNDER HOOD DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WENT TO START IT A FEW DAYS LATER AND I HEARD A REALLY LOUD POP, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE. I QUICKLY TURNED TO OFF POSITION. OPENED MY HOOD AND SURE ENOUGH THE MANIFOLD HAD EXPLODED. WHAT IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING? COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATHS TO OTHERS OR EVEN MYSELF, IF IT WASN'T CONTAINED. NOT EVERYONE CARRIES A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!!
MY IMPALA EXPLODED THE INTAKE AND CAUGHT FIRE MELTED HARNESS AND SMOKE DAMAGE TO INSIDE CAR GM KNOWS THIS PROBLEM AN HAS NOT HAD A RECALL ON THIS IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN KILL SOMEONE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FUEL ODOR EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE AFTER IT WAS STARTED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL AND THERE WAS AN ODOR EMITTING THROUGH THE VENTS INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
I WENT TO START MY 2000 CHEVY IMPALA AFTER SITTING FOR 2 DAYS IN THE COLD. IT WOULD NOT START. WE OPENED THE ENGINE TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. I TRIED TO START THE CAR ONE MORE TIME AND IT SOUNDED LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF. PARTS FLEW EVERYWHERE HITTING EVERYONE AROUND THE CAR. WHEN WE CHECKED THE ENGINE WE NOTICED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WE WERE LUCKY NO ONE WAS HURT BE FLYING INTAKE PARTS. *TR
THE CAR SAID ENGINE POWER REDUCED. STARTING DISABLED AND CUT OFF. LOSING ALL CONTROL OF BRAKES STEERING AND ACCELERATION. AT THIS POINT I REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. *TR
WENT TO START CAR AND INTAKE BLEW UP, CAUSING A LARGE FIRE AND PIECES OF THE BURNING PLASTIC HIT MY SON WHICH WAS STANDING BY CAR. THE HOOD WAS UP AT THE TIME AND WE DID GET THE FIRE OUT. IT APPEARS THIS WAS A FUEL REGULATOR ISSUE AND I DO NOT SHOW IT AS BEING DUE FOR MY CAR. IT MUST OF BEEN DONE ALREADY BUT THIS ISSUE STILL HAPPENS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I WAS LUCKY IT WAS NOT WORSE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RECEIVED THE RECALL REPAIR FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM AND THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.
I HAVE A 2000 IMPALA WITH APPROXIMATELY 161,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS USED AND I AM THE 2ND OWNER. I WENT TO HAVE MY NORMAL OIL CHANGE AS I HAD NOTICED THE LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING OUT OF OIL FREQUENTLY, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY OIL LEAKS. THE PRINT OUT AFTER THE OIL CHANGE STATED MULTIPLE OIL LEAKS. BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY OIL ON THE GROUND. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND WAS STARING TO RUN WARMER THAN USUAL. NOT HOT, BUT PAST THE MIDDLE LINE ON THE TEMP GAUGE. AND I HAD NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AFTER DRIVING, BUT NEVER SAW ANY SMOKE. THIS ALL STARTED IN APRIL 2014 AND HAS BEEN ONGOING. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. NOW JULY 5,2014 I WENT TO TURN LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. I HAD TO PUT A LOT OF MUSCLE INTO TURNING THE WHEEL. I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND SAW IT WAS LOW SO I TOPPED IT OFF. PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED RIGHT? WRONG. IT GOT WORSE. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TENSIONER PULLEY. O'ER $100 LATER, THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. WHEN I TURN LEFT THE WHEEL STAYS STUCK AND I HAVE TO JERK IT BACK STRAIGHT. THUS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS I TRANSPORT MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE. SINCE THESE PROBLEMS STARED THE CAR EATS A LOT OF GAS. GOING 5 MILES SHOULD NOT USE ALMOST A QUARTER TANK OF GAS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON AT RANDOM TIMES, DURING THESES TIMES THE CAR EATS A LOT IF GAS. WHEN THE LIGHT IS NOT ON GAS MILEAGE IS OK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR TO MOVE IT OUT OF THE WAY AND THE ENGINE EXPLODED BURST INTO FLAMES, INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BLOWN INTO PIECES. *TR
ON 1/8/14 AT APPROX. 8:00 AM, I ATTEMPTED TO START MY CAR, I HEARD A LOUD POP OR BANG AND SMELLED SMOKE, I QUICKLY GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. I POPPED THE HOOD AND LUCKILY MY NEIGHBOR AND BOYFRIEND HAD COME OUTSIDE AT THIS POINT AND PUT THE "FIRE" THAT HAD STARTED UNDER THE HOOD, OUT WITH SNOW. BASICALLY, I ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE CAR, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DURING THE CRANKING, RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION AND SMALL FIRE. I CONTACTED GM DIRECTLY ASKING IF THERE WAS A POSSIBLE RECALL THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THE SITUATION THAT HAD OCCURRED. AFTER A SHORT INVESTIGATION, THE CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVE DENIED MY CLAIM STATING THAT MY CAR WAS PROBABLY JUST OLD. IT WAS NOT UNTIL I HEARD ABOUT THE COBALT RECALLS, DID I DECIDE TO DO MORE INVESTIGATIONS. *TR
ON 2/24/14 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:50 PM, I PROPERLY ATTACHED A SET OF BATTERY JUMPER CABLES FROM MY TRUCK TO THIS CAR TO START IT FROM A DEAD BATTERY SITUATION. WHEN THE OWNER ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE CAR, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DURING THE CRANKING, RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION AND SMALL FIRE. THE OWNER IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED THE CAR OFF, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE HOOD SO THAT THE FIRE WOULD NOT SPREAD, CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND REMOVED THE VEHICLES AROUND IT. THE FIRE DEPT. RESPONDED WITHIN 5 MIN., AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH WATER. THE FIRE DEPT. AND POLICE INSPECTED THE CAR, AND LEFT AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED, AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER RISK OF THE FIRE RE-STARTING. THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE ENTIRE UNDER-HOOD AREA OF THE CAR. WHEN THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED, THE ENGINE COVER AND OIL FILLER CAP WAS BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 5 FT. FROM THE CAR, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BLOWN OPEN, AND THE FIRE WAS BURNING INSIDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. WE ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE CAR INTO THE PARKING SPACE, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT SEEMED THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED, PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. THE CAR'S OWNER WAS INSIDE OF THE CAR, ATTEMPTING TO START IT VIA THE IGNITION KEY. I ASKED HER IF THERE WERE ANY PRIOR ISSUES WITH THE CAR, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT AT THE TIME, OTHER THAN A FLAT TIRE AND DEAD BATTERY, THE A/C WAS INOPERATIVE, AND NOT BEING USED. APPROXIMATELY 2-3 YEARS AGO, THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A LOCAL DEALER, AND A RECALL ISSUE WAS PERFORMED ON IT. SHE DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT SERVICE AND RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE ON THE CAR. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. I AM THE PERSON MOST ABLE TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. THE OWNER OF THE CAR (SISTER) HAS AUTHORIZED ME TO ACT ON HER BEHALF IN THIS MATTER. *TR
MY CAR STARTED TO OVER HEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER IN MINNESOTA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIRS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THERE WAS A NOISE AND ONCE I STARTED TO MOVE AGAIN THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE GAS GAUGE BEGAN SHOWING THE INCORRECT ABOUT OF GAS LEVELS IN MY VEHICLE. *TR
MY BATTERY WAS DEAD, SO I PUT A BATTERY CHARGER ON THE BATTERY, THEN WENT TO START THE CAR. I TURNED THE KEY FOR ABOUT THREE REVOLUTIONS AND THEN THE CAR EXPLODED! I WASN'T SURE WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS SITTING INSIDE THE CAR AND THERE WAS SNOW ON THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT OUT AND THERE WAS PLASTIC PARTS ALL AROUND THE CAR, AND THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE MOTOR! *TR
I W ALSO AS DRIVING INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND MY CAR STEERED ACROSS THE ENTRANCE AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES IT STARTED BACK UP.I AM SO NERVOUS BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED,ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN IT JUST WONT START UP AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL. THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK EITHER SO YOU CANT JUDGE THE GAS NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES I HAVE A 2000 CHEVY IMPALA. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION AND SMOKE IMMEDIATELY EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD WHERE FLAMES BEGAN TO ERUPT. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE HIMSELF AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FIRE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP HOSE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 04V090000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED AND AS A RESULT, THE GAUGE INDICATED THAT WRONG AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE GAS TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 167,000.
AS I WAS PULLING INTO TRAFFIC ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY....THE CAR STALLED AND I WAS ALMOST TAKEN OUT BY A SEMI......TWICE!!!!!!!! THIS CAR SHOULD BE FIXED BY GM DUE TO THE PASSLOCK PROBLEM WHICH WAS MY ORIGINAL PROBLEM...THE BCM WAS REPLACED AND REPROGRAMMED NOW THIS STALLING AND THE AIR NOT WORKING IS NOT ONLY UNFAIR BUT UNSAFE. PAID ALOT OF MONEY FOR MY CAR TO COME BACK UNSAFE.....AND I HAVE TALKED TO NUMEROUS OWNERS OF THESE CARS....DON'T MATTER HOW MUCH OR WHO U PAY TO REPROGRAM...STILL SAME PROBLEM. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR IT WOULD JUST STALL OR DIE AS IF SOMEONE HAD REACHED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WOULD NOT START FOR A FEW DAYS. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS CAR TO TWO MECHANICS AND NEITHER WERE ABLE TO STOP THE PROBLEM BUT TOLD ME THAT DIFFERENT PARTS WERE THE CULPRIT, SO 800 DOLLARS LATER I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR,REPLACED THE BATTERY, TESTED THE ALTERNATOR, TESTED THE FUEL INJECTORS BOTH HOT AND COLD, TESTED THE IGNITION MODULE AND STILL THE CAR DIED LEAVING MY CHILD AND I STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. I THEN CALLED A GM DEALERSHIP WHOM SAID ANOTHER 120.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM . THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED EMPTY; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE FLOATER IN THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE TRAVELED FOR FIVE MINUTES IN THE VEHICLE AND UPON RETURNING TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS THAT INDICATED A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THREE RECALLS FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 04V090000, 01V136000 AND 04V090000). THE MANUFACTURER TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE APRIL 2009 AND HAS YET TO COMMUNICATE THE OUTCOME TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT CONFIRM IF ANY OF THE RECALLS APPLIED SPECIFICALLY TO VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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