Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 39 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 39, in the owner's own words
after car not used for two days, turning ignition on and attempted to start the engine a extremely load explosion came from engine compartment! Upon looking at the engine the PLASTIC intake manifold was blown to pieces. no warning a explosion was to occur, car was running normal prior to explosion.
MY SONS CHEVY IMPALA WAS IN OUR DRIVEWAY UNTOUCHED FOR TWO DAYS. WHEN HE GOT IN IT AND TURNED THE KEY TO START THE VEHICLE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED AND CAUSED AN ENGINE FIRE. WHILE ONLINE I FOUND THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS!!! WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN ADDRESSED? HE COULD HAVE DIED. AND IF I WASN'T IN THE YARD TO REACT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT MY HOUSE COULD HAVE GONE UP WITH IT.
ON DEC, 12, OUR 2001 IMPALA WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW DAYS AND SINCE THE WEATHER WAS COLD, MY HUSBAND WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WOULD START. WHEN HE TURNED THE KEY, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION IN THE INJECTOR SYSTEM. FLAMES SHOT OUT AND THE SYSTEM WAS BLOWN APART. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS NOT IN OUR GARAGE AT THE TIME AND HE WAS NOT INJURED. WE CALLED VERMILION CHEVROLET IN DANVILLE, ILLINOIS AND THE PERSON WHO ANSWERED SAID IT WAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL REGULATOR THAT HAD CAUSED THE PROBLEM. HE SEEMED TO BE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. WE HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED A RECALL FOR POSSIBLE UNDER THE HOOD FIRES, BUT HE TOLD US THAT WAS FOR A LEAKY VALVE COVER GASKET, NOT THE FUEL REGULATOR. WE HAVE COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE, BUT THEY ARE BALKING AT COVERING THE DAMAGE. WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY ESTIMATES ON GETTING IT REPAIRED YET. WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE INSURANCE. MEANWHILE WE HAVE A CAR WE CANNOT DRIVE. WE DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT, BUT THAT THE 2001 MODELS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALL. WHY NOT? HELP!!
AS ANY SERIOUS CAR OWNER, I TRIED TO ADDRESS THE CHEAPER ITEMS SUCH AS BATTERY REPLACEMENT AND SPARK PLUGS, ALL HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. SLOWLY ALL THE ELECTRICAL APPLICATIONS IN MY CAR BEGAN TO STOP WORKING FROM THE BLINKERS, RADIO, HAZARDS, CRUISE CONTROL, CAR WINDOWS, AND FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED STARTING. I WAS TOO BROKE TO ADDRESS IT THEN, SO EVERY EARLY MORNING MY CAR WOULD REQUIRE A NICE JUMP START TO BEGIN THE DAY. THIS IMPALA WOULD NOT START SO OFTEN THAT I PURCHASED A PORTABLE BATTERY TO JUMP IT EVERYWHERE, EVEN AS SIMPLE AS THE GAS STATION. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE PARASITIC DRAIN (DRAIN ON THE CAR BATTERY) WAS COMING FROM THE DASH CLUSTER/INSTRUMENT PANEL WHICH WAS IN LINE WITH THE COMPLAINTS I HAVE DISCOVERED ON GOOGLE THAT THE BCM WAS CAUSING NON-STARTER ISSUES FOR OTHER IMPALAS. HOWEVER, ONCE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS REPLACED MY RADIO WAS STILL NOT WORKING AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR BECAME A NON-STARTER AGAIN; THEREFORE, I SUSPECTED THE ROOT OF THE ISSUE STILL HAND NOT BEEN DISCOVERED. I EXPLAINED THIS TO MR. MCGHEE, THE OWNER OF MCGHEES AUTO SHOP, HE DID A THOROUGH JOB OF COMBING ALL THE INTRICATE WIRES TO DETERMINE FINALLY AN INTERMITTENT DRAW OCCURRING FROM THE AMPLIFIER IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR. THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, FIXING THE AMPLIFIER, COST A GRAND TOTAL OF 220$ TO HAVE THE ACTUAL PART FIXED; I DID NOT WANT TO RISK PLACING A NON-STOCK AMPLIFIER, MY SPECIFIC AMPLIFIER IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE, IN THE CAR. HOWEVER, I LIKE OTHER CONSUMERS CONTINUALLY PAID TO REPLACE PARTS THAT FAILED AS IT WAS NOT OBVIOUS THERE WAS AN UNDERLYING MALFUNCTIONING IN A PARTICULAR APPLICATION THAT MADE THE ESSENTIAL PRODUCT USELESS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REPLACED THE SENSOR AND THE FUEL FILTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.
WE BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 98,000 MILES - GAS GAUGE HASN'T WORKED FROM BEGINNING. BACK IN MAY HAD WHEEL BEARINGS CHANGED AND EVER SINCE ABS COMES ON CONSTANTLY WHILE APPLYING BRAKE AND SLOWING DOWN. ABS LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES. ABS WILL KICK IN ABOUT 3 TIMES AFTER APPLYING BRAKES. NEPHEW SCANNED IT TO SEE CODES AND THEY WERE: C1221 LF WHEEL SPEED SENSOR INPUT SIGNAL IS 0 C1222 RF WHEEL SPEED SENSOR INPUT SIGNAL IS 0. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE??? *TR
WHEN YOU START THE CAR THE FUEL GAUGE ALWAYS STAYS ON FULL AND I CAN NEVER TELL HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE TANK. *JS
THE COOLING OVERHEAT LIGHT WENT ON AND THE CAR TURNED OFF ON ME AND MY CHILD ON THE EXIT OF THE 170 FWY, IT NOW MAKES A SCREECHING SOUND LIKE METAL, THE RADIATOR LEAKS AND SOMETHING SMELLS BURNED, THE MECHANIC I WENT TO THAT WAS CLOSE BY SAID I HAVE TO NOW REPLACE THE ENGINE AND OTHER EXPENSIVE ITEMS THAT SEEM TO FALL UNDER THE 2001 IMPALA RECALLS, MY FUEL PUMP HAS AN ISSUE AS WELL AND THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM EVEN WORSE IT TURNS OF AND ON AS IT PLEASES. *TR
2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE EXPLOSION AND CAUGHT FIRE BEFORE CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRED. *SMD
I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY IMPALA AND THE GAS GAUGE HAS A PROBLEM I WOULD FILL IT UP AND THE GAUGE WOULD GO RIGHT TO E AND THE CAR WOULD SAY CHECK ENGINE OIL I JUST GOT A OILCHANGE AND LOW ENGINE COOLANT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD BACK FIRE AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, FOLLOWED BY SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 161,711. ...UPDATED 03/27/13 *BF
FATHERS DAY I WAS DRIVING MY IMPALA ABOUT 9 MILES TO MY HOUSE EVERYTHING WAS FINE THE ENGINE WASN'T HOT NO WARNING THAT SOMTHING WAS WRONG. I HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED MY VECHICLE KEPT UP WITH WORK ON IT ANYWAYS I DROVE IT HOME PARKED IT WENT INSIDE AND NOT EVEN 5 MIN LATER THERE WAS SMOKE AND A FIRE HAD STARTED UNDERNEATH MY HOOD. LOOKED LIKE IT WAS SOMTHING ELECTRICAL AND ALL I HAVE ON THE VECHICLE FOR INSURANCE IS LIABILITY. *TT
ON 4/09/12 AT APPROXIMATELY 18:20 I GOT IN THE CAR THAT HAD BEEN SITTING ALL DAY IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY HOME AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START IT THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. AFTER FEELING THE HOOD I OPENED IT AND DISCOVERED A FIRE ON THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND ALONG THE BACK SIDE OF THE ENGINE CLOSEST TO THE FIREWALL. FORTUNATELY SINCE I WAS HOME I HAD QUICK ACCESS TO AN ABC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND I RAN INTO THE GARAGE AND GRABBED IT AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. AFTER THE FIRE WAS OUT I NOTED THE ENTIRE ENGINE COVER AND THE TOP OF THE ENGINE UNDER THE COVER WAS IN PIECES ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND IT APPEARED THE EXPLOSION WAS INSIDE THE AIR PLENUM/ INTAKE MANIFOLD. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY LOCAL AUTO SERVICE LOCATION VIA AAA AND CONTACTED MY INSURANCE CARRIER THE FOLLOWING DAY. REPAIRS INCLUDED REPLACING THE AIR PLENUM, FUEL RAIL, INJECTORS, FUELS LINES, IGNITION WIRES, FUEL REGULATOR, AND VARIOUS GASKET KITS AND SENSORS. BASED ON INTERNET RESEARCH I HAVE HEARD OF THE FUEL REGULATOR DRAWING RAW FUEL INTO THE AIR PLENUM / INTAKE MANIFOLD VIA A VACUUM LINE WHICH RESULTS IN THE EXPLOSION WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD DISPLAY THE AMOUNT OF FUEL LEVEL WAS MORE THAN THE CAPACITY IN THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 10/4/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER FILLING THE TANK TO CAPACITY, THE GAUGE WOULD ONLY READ 1/4 TANK TO 3/4 FULL. UPDATED 10/24/11
PROBLEM: THE GAS METER IS NOT ACCURATE, IT GIVES ME FALSE READINGS WHICH RESULT IN ME RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR OVER FILL MY GAS TANK. I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE! THE GAS METER USUALLY READS FULL BUT THAT'S NOT TRUE. WHILE DRIVING THE GAS METER WANDERS BACK AND FORTH FROM FULL TO EMPTY. I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR FAR BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW MUCH GAS I HAVE. PLEASE HELP ME!
CHEVROLET IMPALA LS 2001 HAVE A DEFECT WHERE THE GAS GAUGE MOVES UP AND DOWN CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS EVERYTIME I DRIVE! YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE BECAUSE THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE. WHICH LEADS TO RUNNING OUT OF GAS OR OVER FILLING. I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE FIX. I HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT ITS JUST A DEFECT. *TR
I HAVE A 2001 CHEVY IMPALA WITH A 3.8L V6. TODAY AROUND 3:30 CENTRAL TIME I WENT OUTSIDE TO START MY VEHICLE AND I SAW THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD SO I GOT ANOTHER VEHICLE OF MINE AND PUT ON MY JUMPER CABLES AND ALLOWED THE BATTERY TO CHARGE, AFTER WAITING FOR IT TO CHARGE, I TURNED THE KEY. WHEN I TURNED THE KEY I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION, AND THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS SO LARGE I HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO PUT IT OUT, THEY WROTE A REPORT ON THE INCIDENT. I HAD PLASTIC PIECES ALL OVER. I WOULD TO KNOW WHY I HAVEN'T RECIEVED A RECALL ON THIS IF THERE HAS BEEN REPORTS OF THIS ISSUE.
2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES. HE HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT IT AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL RAIL HAD RUPTURED AND SPRAYED GASOLINE THROUGH THE HOT ENGINE. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE FILLED THE FUEL TANK AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD REGISTER THAT THE TANK WAS EMPTY. AFTER A FEW DAYS, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD REGISTER EMPTY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. SHE HAD TO REFILL THE TANK TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD POSSIBLY BE THE FUEL PUMP OR FUEL FILTER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 114,000
01 CHEVY IMPALA FUEL PUMP ISSUES HAS CORRECTED PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES IN WHICH IS A KNOWN DEFECT, OTHER NITE CAR SHUT DOWN ON SPEEDING HIGHWAY WITHOUT REASON OR WARNING. *TR
MY VEHICLE WAS A 2001 CHEVY IMPALA, ( CITY POLICE VEHICLE) 02/17/10 I WENT OUT IN THE MORNING TO START THE CAR PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. UPON TURNING THE IGNITION TO THE ON POSITION THERE WAS A SONIC BOOM. (SO MUCH THAT IT SHOOK OUR HOUSE)THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BEGAN SMOKING MY HUSBAND ( A FIREMAN) RETURNED TO THE CAR AND SLIGHTLY LIFTED THE HOOD AND FOUND IT HAD FLASHED OVER AND WAS TOTALLY INVOLVED. 911 WAS CALLED AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED EXTINGUISHING THE FLAMES. THIS IS CITY POLICE VEHICLE SO NOT SURE WHAT IF ANYTHING WILL BE DONE BUT I WANTED TO REPORT THE INCIDENT IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT OF KEEPING OTHERS FROM BEING INJURED. THIS EXPLOSION WAS POWERFUL AND FAMES ERUPTED IMMEDIATELY. SEARCHING THE WEB A ODI RESUME WAS FOUND WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE THE CIRCUMSTANCE OF MY EXPERIENCE. INV: EA 02-030 PROMPTED BY :PE02-050 THIS WAS A COLD START , IN THE WINTER MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE HAS A PLASTIC MANIFOLD. ALSO THE 8TH VIN DIGIT IS AN 8. OUR DEPARTMENT HAD SEVERAL OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR IF WE SHOULD HAVE FURTHER CONCERN ABOUT THE OTHER 2001 CHEVY IMPALAS ON THE ROAD THANK YOU *TR
FIRST OCCURRENCE 01-08 IS EXACTLY DEPICTED IN NHTSA #04V090000. REPAIR COST $1,600. SECOND OCCURRENCE 01-09 IS REPEAT OF PRIOR, THIS TIME EXPLOSION CAUSED ENGINE FIRE. CAR AT DEALERSHIP, REPAIRS APPROX. $2,000. GM SAYS VIN IS NOT IN RECALL SERIES. HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE WITH SAME COMPLAINT ON INTERNET. *TR
DROVE CAR TO WORK, PARKED 3 MIN LATER CUSTOMER COMES TO MY JOB SCREAMING TO CALL 911 BECAUSE A CAR IS ON FIRE, I CAME OUT AND WAS MINE. AFTER THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUR, THEY SUSPECTED THAT A FUEL LINE WAS LICKING, I WENT TO A WEBSITE TO FIND 2 RECALLS ON MY CAR THAT I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF, THIS ONE WAS BACK IN 2001, AND I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM A CHEVY DEALER ON 2002, AND WAS SERVICE BY THEM SEVERAL TIMES. NOW CHEVROLET ONLY WANTS TO PAY $2,000.00, BECAUSE I DID NOT BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AS REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I CONTACTED THE GENERAL STATE ATTORNEY FOR THE STATE AND HIS OFFICE SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT TRUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR SEVEN MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V136000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. THE REPRESENTATIVE ADDED THAT BECAUSE THE CONTACT DID NOT PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, SHE WOULD ONLY BE REIMBURSED $2,000 FOR ACCRUED VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT YET RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE. SHE HAS ACCESS TO OBTAINING SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
I WAS PASSING ANOTHER CAR, MY CAR BACKFIRED, I THEN LOST POWER. RETURNING HOME AT A VERY SLOW SPEED. I NOTICED A BURNING SMELL, THE EXHAUST WAS RED HOT. THE PROBLEM WAS A BURN HOLE IN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH MELTED SOME ELECTRICAL WIRING. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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