Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 30 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 30, in the owner's own words
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/
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
"TAKATA RECALL" I AM HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MY SECURITY SYSTEM. AT RANDOM TIMES MY CAR WILL NOT START AND THE SECURITY LIGHTS UP ON MY DASH. I HAVE TO WAIT ABOUT 10-15 MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL START BEFORE IT WILL FINALLY START UP. ONCE IT DOES IT RUNS JUST FINE UNTIL THE NEXT TIME. THIS IS VERY ANNOYING AND SUCH AN INCONVENIENCE AS WELL AS NOT SAFE. I WAS LEAVING FROM TAKING MY SON TO THE ER ONE MORNING AT LIKE 3AM AND IT DONE THIS. SO I AM SITTING AN THE ER PARKING LOT WITH A SICK 2 YEAR OLD AT 3AM. THANK GOD IT WASN'T WHEN I HAD TO TAKE HIM IN. WHAT IF I WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT AND SOMETHING WORSE COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY CHILD. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS.
TAKATA RECALL I WAS DROPPING MY DAUGHTER OFF AT THE BABYSITTERS HOUSE ON MY WAY TO A FUNERAL AROUND 10:30 ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 1, 2016. I PULLED OUT THE BABYSITTERS DRIVEWAY AND PROCEEDED TOWARDS BERKSHIRE STREET. MY CAR WAS IN MOTION AND BEFORE I MADE IT TO THE CORNER MY PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG BURST OPEN MY DASHBOARD OPENED ALL THE WAY ACROSS TO DRIVER'S SIDE. MY RADIO BROKE OFF MY BUTTONS FLEW OFF THE DASH AND I COULDN'T TELL WHETHER IT WAS DUST OR SMOKE FROM THE AIRBAG. I WASN'T HURT BUT WHEN I INHALE MY CHEST HURT AND MY ASTHMA FLARED UP AND MY RIGHT EAR IS IRRITATED. ALSO MY WINDSHIELD IS CRACKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DIDN'T HIT A BUMP OR CAR IT'S SMOOTH PAVEMENT I WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHAT CAUSED IT.
FOR AWHILE MY CAR HAS BEEN HAVING STARTING PROBLEMS, AT RANDOM TIMES IT DOES NOT START AND IT TAKES TEN MINUTES FROM THE FIRST TIME I TURN THE KEY TO START. RECENTLY IT STARTED SHUTTING DOWN (AS FAR AS DASHBOARD FUNCTIONS AND THE MOTOR KILLS) BOUNTY FOR A BRIEF MOMENT AS I AM DRIVING I NOTICED IT DOES IT WHENEVER I USED THE TURN SIGNALS AND IT ALSO MAKES A BUZZING TYPE NOISE WHEN I USE THE TURN SIGNALS THEN IT GOES AWAY. NOW MY CAR WON'T START AT ALL, IVE HAD MY BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR BOTH TESTED AND THEY BOTH CAME BACK FINE.
MY CAR DOES NOT MAKE A SOUND WHEN I TRY TO TURN IT ON SOMETIMES. I'LL HAVE TO KEEP TURNING THE KEY FROM THE OFF POSITION TO THE START POSITION SEVERAL TIMES UNTIL IT FINALLY COMES ON. I HAVE HAD MY IGNITION SWITCH CHECKED AND WAS TOLD IT IS FINE. THIS IS A VERY RANDOM ISSUE BEING IT WILL HAVE TODAY AND NOT HAPPEN AGAIN TILL LIKE 6 MONTHS AND WILL HAPPEN FOR 3 DAYS IN A ROW. THEN WON'T HAPPEN TILL THE NEXT YEAR AND WILL ONLY HAPPEN FOR A DAY. IT IS VERY IRRITATING BEING IT HAS MADE ME LATE FOR WORK IN THE PAST AND THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO DETERMINE WHEN IT MIGHT HAPPEN AGAIN. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT SAT OVER NIGHT OR IF I JUST DROVE IT GOT OUT AND THEN GOT BACK IN, IT'S JUST COMPLETELY RANDOM.
ABS SYSTEM IS FAULTY RIGHT SIDE KEEPS COMING UP WITH CODES "C1233 AND C11226" THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE NOT APPLYING BREAKS.WE HAVE REPLACED THE HUB ASSEMBLY ON BOTH SIDES EVEN THOUGH THESE CODES ARE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. STILL DIDN'T HELP.
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN ON A DRY ROAD,WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF AND IT WOULD BARELY MOVE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON. AFTER THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON THE CAR WENT FINE.THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS AND I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT AUTO MECHANICS. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. EACH AUTO MECHANIC WILL TELL YOU A DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE SHOP. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 10 TO 12 MONTHS AGO AND THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN NOW, AND MY WIFE WILL NOT EVEN RIDE IN MY CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE IS SCARED TO. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION STARTED INTO THIS MATTER. IF YOU GO TO SOME CHAT ROOMS ON THE WEB YOU WILL FIND MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR IMPALAS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS COMPLAINT. *TR
YOU CAN BE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN YOUR TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING. THEY WILL WORK WELL FOR HOURS THEN WHEN YOU GO TO MAKE A TURN THEY EITHER WILL NOT TURN ON OR TURN ON FOR A COUPLE SECONDS AND THEN TURN OFF. IF YOU LIGHTLY TAP THE EMERGENCY FLASH BUTTON THEY WILL START WORKING AGAIN BUT IF YOU TAP THE EMERGENCY FLASH BUTTON TO HARD YOUR EMERGENCY FLASH LIGHTS TURN ON. IT REALLY CONCERNS ME WHEN I TRY TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE FAST LANE AND THEY STOP WORKING. I FEEL THIS IS WORSE THEN THE KEY PROBLEM GM HAS HAD BECAUSE THEY WORK ON AND OFF AT ANY GIVEN TIME WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE SPOKE WITH A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE TURN SIGNALS AND THEY HAVE ADVISED ME THAT IT WILL RUN ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FOUR HUNDRED TO HAVE REPAIRED.
MY MASS AIRFLOW SENSOR AND ALTERNATOR IS CAUSING MY ENGINE TO SHUT OFF ON ME ON STREETS AND INTERSTATES. A ACCIDENT HAS NOT HAPPENED YET BUT IM TRYING TO DIFFUSE THIS SITUATION BY GETTING IT FIXED. MY NAME IS [XXX] . I JUST BOUGHT THE CAR 12/7/14 WITH 88,624 MILES ON IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING ON MAIN STREET IN RIO VISTA AND MY VEHICLE JUST SIMPLE SHUT OFF. THE CAR ROLLED AND HIT A PLANTER IN FRONT OF THE STORE AS I TRIED STEERING IT OUT OF THE STREET. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NOT OPERATE. I CALLED THE AMICA ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WAS TOWED TO ABEL CHEVROLET. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS TYPICAL TO THIS YEAR VEHICLE AND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THEY REPLACED IT AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $509.11 SINCE MY IGNITION HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, DO I NEED TO TAKE IT BACK IN? ALSO WILL I BE COMPENSATED FOR THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT? *TR
ISSUES WITH THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE). THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH THE CAR WOULD NOT START WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AT ALL. ACCORDING TO THE PENSKE CHEVY, THE BCM IS BAD DUE TO THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR
I WAS DRIVING STARAIGHT DOING 40 AND AND I SAW A VECHILE SPEND OUT OF CONTROL I TRIED TO DRIVE FASTER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BUT DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION CAUSING THE THE OTHER CAR TO HIT MINES IN THE REAR RIGHT NO ONE WAS HURT BUT MY CAR WAS SCATCH AND A DENT I NOTICE IT FREQUENTLY THAT WHEN DRIVING THE KEY COMES OUT BY ITSELF ITS REALLY SCARY AND DANGEROUS. *TR
THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM AND ABS LIGHT CAME ON INDICATING THE CAR HAD LOST THE ABS FUNCTION. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE FUNCTION WAS SUPPOSED TO STILL WORK. HOWEVER, IF WHAT I EXPERIENCED RECENTLY USING THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION IS SUPPOSED TO CONSOLE ME OR OFFER BRAKING SECURITY IT HASN'T LEADING ME TO HAVE MY BRAKES WORKED ON AT MIDAS. WHAT LED ME TO MIDAS WAS THE UNNERVING FEELING OF MY RIGHT FRONT BRAKE SHUDDERING AND GRABBING. THEY SAID THE FRONT BRAKES AND PADS WERE FINE BUT THEY DID DO THE REARS. I CALLED GM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS. I THEN WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THEY HAD NO SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS. SINCE THIS IS PART OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM I AM ASTONISHED THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I AM NOT THE ONLY CUSTOMER WITH THIS PROBLEM ACCORDING TO MY OWN INTERNET INVESTIGATING. ACCORDING TO CHEVY THIS PROBLEM COULD COST THOUSANDS. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR MECHANICAL BUT ELECTRICAL INVOLVING THE ABS SENSORS AND/OR ECB MODULE. *TR
I PUT A NEW FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR IN AND NOW MY 02 IMPALA WONT START AND NOT GETTING ANY POWER TO FUEL PUMP NOW, WE ARE A CAR LOT AND THIS CAR HAS BEEN SITTING UNABLE TO START NOW FOR OVER 2 WEEKS, HAD MANY CERTIFIED MECHANICS FROM OUR AREA OBSERVE THE PROBLEM, INCLUDING 2 CERTIFIED CHEVROLET MECHANICS, AND NONE HAVE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION. JUST DON'T MAKE SENSE, I AM SURE CHEVROLET IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS SO I CAN HAVE IT REPAIRED SO WE CAN SELL THE CAR. *TR
THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSED THE CAR ENGINE TO TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS HAVING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS GETTING TO JUST 25-30 MPH AND WHILE DRIVING IT, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART IT. AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS, I FOUND ONLINE THAT LETTERS (SPECIAL POLICY NUMBER 05551) WERE SUPPOSEDLY SENT OUT TO IMPALA OWNERS FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS FAULTY PART. I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR SO I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS AND JUST GOT IT REPLACED IN OCTOBER. A CHEVY DISTRICT SPECIALIST SAID THE CAR WAS BOUGHT 18 DAYS BEFORE THIS WARRANTY COVERAGE AND I WAS 2 YEARS OUTSIDE OF IT BECAUSE I'M THE SECOND OWNER. THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND LESS THAN 84,000 MILES ON IT AS OF TODAY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WARRANTS A RECALL, BUT SEVERAL SITES HAVE CUSTOMERS SAYING THEY'VE HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART MULTIPLE TIMES ON THEIR CARS BECAUSE GM SOLD A CAR WITH A FAULTY DESIGN. *TR
MY ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON. WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL, THERE'S A FUNNY NOISE AND A FEELING LIKE MY BRAKES ARE SCRUBBING. *TR
I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN INVOLVING UNRESOLVEABLE ISSUES WITH A 2002 IMPALA LS. DUE TO PASSLOCK, MY CAR WILL RANDOMLY NOT START, THINKING THAT I (THE OWNER) AM TRYING TO STEAL THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BEING THAT I AM A YOUNG, UNMARRIED WOMAN, WHO HAS TO DRIVE IN AND THROUGH ROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS TO GET TO WORK AND SCHOOL. THIS ISSUE COULD LEAVE ME AND OTHERS STRANDED AT LOCATION. AND WHO KNOWS WHAT COULD HAPPEN FROM THERE, VARYING FROM MURDER TO ASSAULT, ETC. AND IF YOU KNOW FLINT, SAGINAW, AND DETROIT MICHIGAN, THIS IS A HUGE ISSUE. THE CAR HAS BEEN EVALUATED BY THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS, TWO DEALERSHIPS, AND THERE IS NO SOLUTION. ASIDE FROM THAT ISSUE, THE CAR'S TRACTION CONTROL TURNS ON AT RANDOM, THE ABS BRAKES TURN ON, ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENTS. THIS IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT CAN'T BE RESOLVED BY ANY OF THE MECHANICS I'VE TALKED TO. THIS IS COSTING TONS OF MONEY AND GM HAS NO SOLUTION. GM NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL AND HAVE THESE ISSUES FIXED. *TR
CAR WOULD NOT START CHANGED PASSLOCK AND STILL WILL NOT START. SECURITY LIGHT IS ON, RADIO IS LOCKED AND THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT, THEY ARE GUESSING THAT IS THE BCM AND THE SDM BUT THEY CANNOT PROMISE THAT IT WILL WORK. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC PASS LOCK SYSTEM PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR A YEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE PRESENT TO RECEIVE A COMPUTER GENERATED CODE IN ORDER TO INSTANTLY RECTIFY THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECURITY LIGHT ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE, WHICH ALSO PREVENTED IT FROM STARTING. VARIOUS COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY 4-6 TIMES, INCLUDING TWICE THIS WEEK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,500.
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS HAVING A PROBLEM ON THE SECURITY FEATURE ON THE BCM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP AND THE CAR WILL START, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED BECAUSE SHE DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT. THE CAR IS STILL STARTING INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CALLED GM, AND THEY REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. GM MADE A FILE OF HER COMPLAINT. THE CONSUMER STATED SPECIFICALLY THAT SHE HAD BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS AND SHE CONSIDERED THAT A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE SHE HAS FIVE KIDS. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SECURITY FEATURE FOR THE PAST YEAR.*AK
DT: WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD AT 2000 RPMS AND ABOUT 65 MPH, USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR ABOUT 50 MILES, THE ROAD STARTED CHANGED TO ONE LANE AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM STOPPED ELECTRICALLY, BUT THE MECHANICAL PORTION CONTINUED TO ENGAGE. BRAKES HAD TO BE DEPRESSED HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PUT INTO NEUTRAL TACHOMETER JUMPED TO 4000 RPMS. *AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED FROM A STOP HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. *NM THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT. THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD AND HAD A CRACK IN IT. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, GOING 65 MPH IN CRUISE, THE MOTOR SUDDENLY SPED UP THEN SLOWED DOWN AND A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. *SC *JB
CRUISE CONTROL NOT RESPONDING. SUDDEN LUNGE/ACCELERATION CAUSED CAR TO SPEED OFF THE ROAD. DRIVER INJURED, CAR TOTALED. SUSPECT CRUISE CONTROL LATER KICKED IN, SOME 40 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT.*AK
WHEN USING MY CRUISE CONTROL, TURNING IT ON AND CANCELING, THERE IS A CLUNK. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND SAID BASED ON ANOTHER CHEVY IMPALA IT WAS NORMAL. *JB
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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