2002 Chevrolet Impala Owner Complaints

The contact’s son owned a 2002 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the contact was unaware of how the failure occurred; however, the contact’s son was involved in a crash in which the vehicle collided with a wall. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed during the crash. The contact stated that the contact’s son sustained multiple injuries, and medical attention was provided. The contact was unaware if any warning lights were illuminated at the time of the failure. The contact stated that the injuries included a fractured nose, lacerations to the nose and cheek, a broken right femur, a shattered right knee, collapsed lung, broken ribs, and paralysis on the right side. The contact also stated that the right foot required amputation. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and deemed destroyed by an independent mechanic. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

NHTSA ID

11736024

Incident

May 6, 2026

Fuel system or backfire is what I believe happened to it. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety was severely put at risk because the car exploded and caught fire while I was inside the car and fire came through the dash and air conditioner slots, anything could of happened whether shrapnel or burn. this also put others at risk if my spouse was in the car with me or the apartment complex I live in could have caught fire and endangered multiple people. No the issue has not been seen or confirmed by a dealer or service center. Yes the vehicle has been inspected by state fire marshal. No there was no warning lights or problems at all. We drove the car the night before, everything was normal and nothing was showing on the dash and the next day I jumped in, put my seat belt on and started the car to make sure it was running good and it exploded and caught flames.

NHTSA ID

11708557

Incident

Jan 3, 2026

225/60 R16 tire size valve leak and pushed in slow tire leak

NHTSA ID

11662981

Incident

Apr 22, 2024

Power windows fail at times Blinkers fail at times Front hub assembly damage Front calipers are damaged and affect steering These are available for inspection. There are huge safety risks with all of these compromised issues. Last inspection is unknown. No known warning lamps present.

NHTSA ID

11662881

Incident

May 23, 2025

Transmission hesitates to pull out in drive from a stop

NHTSA ID

11596624

Incident

Jun 25, 2024

I was driving out of supermarket I was alone and the airbags deployed. I was hit hard and had a panic attack. I was able to drive home 14 miles. Windshield busted and dash board totaled Everyone I try to download a picture I'm sent to the begining. I'm going to have pictures on file incase needed. .

NHTSA ID

11573901

Incident

Feb 24, 2024

I was driving along when out of no where my trunk opened. I got off the highway and closed it. At that time I was puzzled wondering who had been in my truck to have not closed it correctly. I knew I hadn't been in it in awhile. It wasn't until a few weeks later when the "Service Vehicle Soon" light on my dash came on. I went and had my vehicle scanned and was told about the TrapAlert system in the trunk and that is why my trunk popped open. I realize there was a post about this like a decade ago. But this is happening to me now and I can't find help for this issue anywhere. I've contacted both Chevrolet and GM support online as well as repair shops and no one seems to know what I'm talking about. GM told me they don't keep info on Vehicles older than 10 years. All the information online would suggest there is an actual sensor somewhere in the trunk although extremely vague on where it actually is and that it has a disable switch. Well, we've tore this thing apart only to find out it's some looped wiring that goes into the stereo amp in the trunk. I've yet to see a sensor yet for some reason my vehicle is still giving a single that someone is trapped in the trunk thus, popping the trunk whenever it wants. I've been searching high and low for information and already spent $1100 to repair issues to clear the dash light and nothing seems to work. Just a waste of time and money and considering this happened while I was driving 55mph I would think it obvious that its dangerous. Could we at least get some actual information without having to spend more than the Vehicle is worth. Smh

NHTSA ID

11489431

Incident

Jul 12, 2022

My vehicle caught on fire after I returned from it getting serviced by Pepboys in Phenix City Alabama. My car was only getting serviced for the A/C and once I returned home, my car caught on fire in our drive port.

NHTSA ID

11418512

Incident

May 11, 2021

I JUST PURCHASED THIS 2002 CHEVY IMPALA WHICH CAME WITH THE IMPORTANT VEHICLE SAFETY RECALL AND I WOULD NEED THE PROBLEM FIXED. NHTSA 15V-701 IM ACTUALLY NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT/

NHTSA ID

11373732

Incident

Nov 6, 2020

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE GAS GAUGE WAS FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN. I SUBSEQUENTLY RAN OUT OF GAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT I DID NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS I HAD. I WAS STUCK ON THE ROAD. I HAD TO GET THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED. I CHECKED ONLINE AND THERE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL PUMP ON OTHER CHEVY IMPALAS.

NHTSA ID

11362423

Incident

Sep 15, 2020

Mileage

75,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE NEEDED TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DENNY MENHOLT CHEVROLET (3000 KING AVE W, BILLINGS, MT 59102) ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 279,303.

NHTSA ID

11343691

Incident

Jul 23, 2020

Mileage

279,303 mi

HIGH BEAM SWITCH HAS BEEN BROKEN, VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN GOOGLE SEARCHING. NO ONE FIXES IT AS IT IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. CANNOT USE HIGH BEAMS AND MANY PEOPLE ADJUST THE LOW BEAMS HIGHER AS A SOLUTION, WHICH IS BAD FOR EVERYONE. SHOULD BE A RECALL?

NHTSA ID

11340188

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

SUPPOSEDLY THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FIXED IN 2003 BUT IT STILL TELLS ME THAT MY COOLANT IS LOW AND IT LEAKS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2019. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAYED SHIFT FROM 1ST TO SECOND.

NHTSA ID

11319827

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 2002 CHEVY IMPALA AND GOT IT LOOKED AT BEFORE PURCHASE THE ONLY THING THAT POPPED UP ON THE CODE READER WAS THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, SOMETIMES MY SIGNAL LIGHTS WORK SOMETIMES THEY DON'T, MY SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T LIGHT UP OR ANYTHING. I THEN START TO SMELL GAS WHEN I TURN ON THE HEAT OR AIR IT'S UNBEARABLE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CHECK FOR ANY RECALLS AND THERE ARE A FEW DEALING WITH THE ENGINE COOLING AND EXHAUST/GAS LEAK ALONG WITH ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THEY SAID THE CAR COULD CATCH ON FIRE AT ANY TIME. I HAVE TWO TODDLERS SO THERE IS NO WAY THAT THIS IS A SAFE CAR.

NHTSA ID

11289264

Incident

Oct 1, 2019

TAKARA RECALL

NHTSA ID

11241426

Incident

Mar 15, 2018

Mileage

19,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR OF BURNING OIL EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS OIL ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MODERN CHEVROLET (5955 UNIVERSITY PKWY, WINSTON-SALEM, NC 27105 (336) 793-5943) BUT, WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

NHTSA ID

11240441

Incident

Jun 1, 2019

Mileage

186,000 mi

ON APRIL 9TH OF 2017, OUR 2002 IMPALA LS WAS BROUGHT IN TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SERVICED DUE TO THIS RECALL: THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN UNDER HOOD FIRE. THIS WORK WAS DONE IN APRIL 2017: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINES FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINES PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION. SUMMER OF 2017 WE HAD THE OIL AND FILTER REPLACED, AND AFTERWARDS LOTS OF SMOKE CAME FROM ENGINE. WE THOUGHT THE MECHANIC HAD SIMPLY SPILLED SOME OIL ON THE ENGINE. SUMMER OF 2018 OIL AND FILTER WAS CHANGED AND SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WE AGAIN THOUGHT THE MECHANIC HAD SPILLED SOME OIL ON THE ENGINE. IN MARCH OF 2019 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, FACING DOWNHILL AT AN ABOVE AVERAGE ANGLE, AND OIL BEGAN TO SEEP OUT OF THE ENGINE AND BURN OF ON THE HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD LOTS OF SMOKE AND POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO BOB MCCOSH, WHO HAD PERFORMED THE ORIGINAL GASKET REPLACEMENT IN 2017, TO HAVE THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK INSPECTED. UPON INSPECTION A PIECE OF GASKET, ABOUT 2 TO 3 INCHES LONG, WAS FOUND TO BE PROTRUDING FROM BETWEEN THE VALVE COVER AND THE ENGINE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION OF THIS GASKET, THE EDGE OF THE GASKET VISUALLY APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN CAUGHT BY THE BOLT AS IT WAS TIGHTENED AND THIS EITHER TORE THE GASKET OR WEAKENED IT SUFFICIENTLY SO THAT THE GASKET FAILED. SAID GASKET IS CURRENTLY IN MY POSSESSION. WE KNOW IT FAILED BEFORE THE OIL/FILTER CHANGE IN THE SUMMER OF 2017, BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT ISSUED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTERWARDS. THIS RECALL REPAIR LASTED FAR LESS THAN THE 12MONTH/12,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE, TODAY APRIL 2019, STILL HAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES SINCE THE ORIGINAL RECALL WORK WAS DONE IN MARCH 2017.

NHTSA ID

11196031

Incident

Apr 9, 2019

LAST YEAR I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM A PRIVATE DEALER. SINCE PURCHASING IT, MY CAR ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE RUNNING HOT. MY "CHECK ENGINE COOLANT" LIGHT USE TO COME ON SO OFTEN, I WENT OUT AND PURCHASED ANOTHER RADIATOR HOSE AND CLAMPS AND GOT THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. HOWEVER THE ISSUE WITH MY CAR RUNNING HOT HAS NOT GONE AWAY. I'M SCARED THAT THIS IS A BIGGER ISSUE THAN COOLANT AND IT COULD CREATE A FIRE AND AFTER READING THE RECALL, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE UNTIL THIS PROBLEM IS FIXED.

NHTSA ID

11194205

Incident

Oct 30, 2017

Mileage

196,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL, FUEL, AND POWER STEERING FLUID. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE ENGINE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

NHTSA ID

11173601

Incident

Jun 13, 2018

Mileage

118,000 mi

THE SPRING ON THE DRIVER SEAT BROKE NOT VERY HEAVE PEAPLE DRIVING THE CAR. BODY OF THE CAR I HAVE 2 IMPALAS 2002 AND 2004 BOTH ARE RUSTING UNDER THE DOORS AND AT THE QUARTER PANELS I LOOK AT ALL IMPALAS AROUND THE AGE OF BOTH OF MINE AND 90% OF THE ARE RUSTING IN THE SAME SPOTS. MY CARS WERE RUSTPROOFED AND UNDERNEITH IT IS A MESS YOU CANT HARDLY GET A JACK UNDER BOTH OF THEM. I KEEP THEM GARAGE KEPT SINCE WE GOT BOTH OF THE I WILL NEVER OWN A IMPALA AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11129184

Incident

May 1, 2015

Mileage

89,000 mi

ABS IS KICKING BACK AND TRACTION CONTROL IS COMING ON FOR NO GIVEN REASON MAKING STOPPING THE CAR INCREASINGLY HARD AT SLOW SPEEDS. INEVITABLY CAUSING THE ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS TO COME ON THE LIGHT IS NOW STAYING ON AS SOON AS THE CAR IS TURNED ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE SHOP TO ATTEMPT TO FIND THE PROBLEM BEING TOLD IT IS AN ELECTRICAL GROUNDING PROBLEM ALSO MAKES THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN DOING THIS

NHTSA ID

11112401

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

Mileage

58,000 mi

YOU PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND IT DOESNT TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS FREE THERE IS NOTHING ELSE WRONG. YOU HAVE TO SIT THERE FOREVER MOVING THE KEY IN EVERY WHICH WAY. TO HOPEFULLY FIND THE RIGHT COMBINATION TO GET THE CAR TO START.

NHTSA ID

11112057

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

THE PIECES THE DEALER GLUED UNTO MY IGNITION KEY FELL OUT. I DID NOT DO ANYTHING. I JUST NOTICED ONE DAY THEY HAD FALLEN OUT. GLUING THE PIECES IN THE KEY WAS NOT A FIX. I AM USING MY SPARE KEY, BUT I AM AFRAID THEY WILL COME UNGLUED AND FALL OUT.

NHTSA ID

11083177

Incident

Mar 30, 2018

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), THE VEHICLE FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WIRED TO A STARTER TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CENTURY CHEVROLET (6105 WEST 120TH AVE, BROOMFIELD, CO), BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,598.

NHTSA ID

11079586

Incident

Sep 24, 2014

Mileage

144,598 mi

CAR RANDOMLY LOCKS ME OUT FOR 10 MINUTES, THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. THESE CARS ARE [XXX]. CONSTANTLY LEAVES ME STRANDED. PASSLOCK SECURITY CODE, SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES FOR 10 MINUTES. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ID

11076643

Incident

Mar 7, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi