2002 Chevrolet Impala Transmission Problems

AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS AS THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU RACE THE MOTOR. NEARLY REARENDING OTHER VEHICLES, PROPERTY OR PEDESTRIANS. I CAN NOT SAFELY PULL OUT AT AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION MAY SLIP. I'VE READ ON MESSAGE BOARDS WHERE HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND GM HAS NO GOOD FIX FOR IT. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATER IF THE CAR IS WARM OR COLD THE TRANSMISSION STILL ACTS UP. 89K MILES ON THE CAR WHEN THIS BEGAN AND I HAVEN'T FELT SAFE DRIVING THE CAR SINCE. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10318310

Incident

Nov 15, 2009

Mileage

89,000 mi

THE FIRST THING IS THAT I HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET TWO TIME NOW IT IS LEAKING AGAIN INTO THE WATER RESERVOIR THEN I HAD TWO REPLACE THE MAIN CONTROL ( BCM ) AND ( PCM ) BY THE DEALERSHIP HA TO REPLACE THE STARTER AND THE WATER PUMP HAD TO RE PLACE TWO WINDOW MOTOR AND TWO WINDOW ELECTRONIC SWITCH THAT CONTROL EACH WINDOW THERE A LOT MORE BUT THIS ARE THE MORE IMPORTANCE ONES IT WOULD BE OKAY IF I GOT THIS CAR USED BUT I PAID FOR A NEW CAR SO I WOULD NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF BREAKDOWNS DOES GM STAND BEHIND THERE CAR OR WHAT !!!!!!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10250940

Incident

Feb 22, 2005

Mileage

70,000 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 47,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *CN

NHTSA ID

10213806

Incident

Dec 28, 2007

Mileage

47,000 mi

IN JANUARY 2006 MY 2002 IMPALA LOSS POWER. I WAS GOING UP A VERY SMALL HILL AND I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING TO MAKE IT UP. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY LOCAL MOM AND POP'S GARAGE AND THEY PUT IT ON THE COMPUTER. IT SHOWED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD EVENTHOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON. I HAD THEM REPLACE NOT KNOWING THAT THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY FOR EMISSIONS AND THEY DIDN'T USE A GM PART. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID COME ON. AGAIN IT SHOWED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AS THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID HE HAD NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH PUTTING A NON-DEALER PART ON A CAR BEFORE BUT DID REPLACE THE CONVERTER ONCE AGAIN WITH A NON-GM PART IN CASE THE FIRST ONE HAPPENED TO BE A BAD PART. A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS BACK ON. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SHOWS AS WELL AS THE TRANSMISSION. OF COURSE, THEY WOULDN'T MAKE GOOD ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BY THIS TIME BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WASN'T THE ORIGINAL GM PART. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST $775 JUST FOR THEM TO LOOK AT THE TRANSMISSION. I CANNOT AFFORD THIS AND JUST BROUGHT THE CAR HOME. I'M STILL DRIVING IT BUT IT'S WORSE AND WORSE EVERY DAY. I WOULDN'T TRUST DRIVING THIS CAR VERY FAR. I'VE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER & THE TRANSMISSION THAT YOU WOULD THINK GM WOULD HAVE TO STEP UP AND DO SOMETHING. AT THIS POINT I WOULD NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER GM VEHICLE AND MY HUSBAND IS DIEHARD GM. I'VE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR HOPING THAT IT WOULD LAST UNTIL MY DAUGHTER STARTS DRIVING AND I COULD HAND IT TRUSTINGLY DOWN TO HER BUT THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THE CASE. MY HUSBAND DOESN'T TAKE CARE OF HIS TRUCKS LIKE I WOULD AND HE STILL HAS A 1995 THAT RUNS GOOD.

NHTSA ID

10177294

Incident

Jan 15, 2006

Mileage

76,000 mi

2002 IMPALA BREAKING SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION ARE DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKING CALIPERS ON THE BACK DISC ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HOLDS LESS THAN ONE INCH OF THE DISC. *TS THE OTHER THREE CALIPERS GO ALL THE WAY NORMALLY. THIS HAS RESULTED IN LESS BRAKING CAPACITY ON ONE SIDE. THE TRANSMISSION ROLLS WHEN ON A HILL. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10153037

Incident

Mar 1, 2006

I PURCHASED MY '02 IMPALA THROUGH THE CORPORATE LEASING COMPANY OF MY FATHER'S EMPLOYER. HE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR OTHER THAN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TURNING BLACK BY 85,000 MILES. WHEN I GOT THE CAR IN JUNE OF '05, IT WAS AT 121,000 MILES, I DROVE THE CAR AROUND ALL DAY, PARKED THE CAR FOR 5 MINUTES, AND WHEN I WENT TO START IT, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE DASH LIT UP, THE RADIO CAME ON, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T TURN OVER, NOT EVEN A CLICKING SOUND, INDICATIVE OF A DEAD BATTERY. I WAITED 10 MINUTES, TRIED AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I WENT FOR ANOTHER MONTH WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, HOWEVER IN LATE JULY, THE CAR FAILED TO START. AGAIN I WAITED 10-15 MINUTES, AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THIS CONTINUED SPORADICALLY UNTIL OCTOBER 20, WHEN IT TOOK 30 MINUTES OF WAITING TO GET IT TO CRANK. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL GM DEALER, WHO PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND ADVISED ME THAT THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE) HAD FAILED AND WAS SENDING A SIGNAL TO THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM TELLING IT THAT MY KEYS WERE INCORRECT. THE SERVICE WRITER INFORMED ME THAT A NEW BCM INSTALLED WOULD RUN ABOUT $500.00, AND THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED THAT THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON FAILURE IN BOTH THE IMPALA AND THE MALIBU, WHICH GM HAS YET TO RECALL. THE TECHNICIAN DID SUGGEST THAT A MORE COST EFFECTIVE OPTION EXISTED WITH SEVERAL OF THE AFTER-MARKET SHOPS, IN WHICH A BYPASS-RELAY WAS INSTALLED UNDER THE DASH, TO BLOCK THE ERRONEOUS SIGNALS FROM THE BCM, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE COST FOR THIS BYPASS IS ABOUT $55.00 AND TAKES APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR TO INSTALL. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SOLUTION, IS IT BLOCKS THE KEY RECOGNITION FEATURE OF THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO STEAL, IF SOMEONE CAN START IT WITHOUT DAMAGING THE KEY IGNITION. I THINK IT IS NECESSARY FOR GM TO UNDERSTAND THAT A VEHICLE'S FAILURE TO START DUE TO FAULTY COMPONENT IN THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN WHICH NEEDS TO ADDRESSED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10140398

Incident

Jun 15, 2005

Mileage

121,500 mi

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. IT HAS AROUND 53,000 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN SLOWLY. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO SHE TOLD ME THE CAR SHIFTED HARD AND I DROVE IT AND FOUND THAT PROBLEM ALSO. THAT WENT AWAY FOR 2 WEEKS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WE WERE REFERRED TO A INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN THE IMPALA HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS AND WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY IS SOME PROBLEMS BUT JUST WOULDNT GET SPECIFIC WITH ME. I THEN WENT TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING AS THE FIRST SHOP TOLD ME AND THAT WAS I NEEDED THIS REBUILT. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS A BAD DESIGN AND WANT $2400. TO $2600. TO FIX IT. THIS IS THE SAME PRICE AS THE FIRST PLACE GAVE ME. I THINK IF THIS IS SO COMMON OF A PROBLEM G.M. SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I AM GOING BACK TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND AM GOING TO ASK THEM JUST WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I'M NOT A HAPPY PERSON, THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD AND INFACT IT'S BEEN TREATED NICELY. I CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON IT BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE ONE IN EFFECT FOR IT. I ALSO THINK THIS PROBLEM COULD BE A SERIOUS ROAD HASSARD IF THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT WHILE BEING DRIVEN.

NHTSA ID

10122359

Incident

May 16, 2005

Mileage

52,300 mi

DT: ON 4/20/05 WHILE DRIVING,GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN UNINTENTIONALLY ,AND UPON PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL, CAR WOULD NOT SPEED UP. THIS OCCURRED ON DRY PAVEMENT ON HIGHWAY. CAR WAS REGULARLY SERVICED WITH RECORDS AVAILABLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT EVERY 6 MONTHS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10122115

Incident

Apr 20, 2005

Mileage

49,000 mi

DT: CONSUMER STATES: BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. WHEN TRYING TO START IT'S LIKE A DEAD BATTERY, NO NOISE LIKE SOMEONE TOOK THE STARTER OFF. HAVE SOME LIGHTS COME ON BUT NOT ALL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10122037

Incident

May 3, 2005

Mileage

25,805 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10111055

Incident

Oct 3, 2004

Mileage

45,000 mi

I NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WHEN IT WARMS UP. I TOOK TO CHEVROLET DEALER, THEY CHANGED MY TRANSMISSION MOUNTS, AND DOG BONES. I PAID QUITE A FEW DOLLARS AND MY VEHICLE STILL HAS THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS 85,000 MILES, BUT I,VE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE VERY WELL. I,VE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY STEERING PLAY.THE DEALER CHANGED SOME PARTS IN THE ASSEMBLY WHICH IS BETTER. I'M A MECHANIC AND I DON'T BELEIVE THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH MY DRIVETRAIN MOUNTS, BUT IT'S IN THE TRANSMISSION. I PAID ALOT OF MONEY AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. SINCE OWNING THE CAR I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS WINDOW. THE MOTOR WAS CHANGED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY NOW IT'S DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. THE PROBLEM IS IT WILL GO DOWN BUT WON'T GO UP SOMETIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10104834

Incident

Dec 22, 2004

Mileage

84,500 mi

JUST PURCHASED A 2002 IMPALA WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIION WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS AT AN INCLINE WHEN IN DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT ALL AUTOMATIC DO THIS TODAY. DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I CONSIDER THIS A HAZARD. HAVE BEEN DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS FOR YEARS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096346

Incident

Oct 25, 2004

LOUD "THUMPING" NOISE COMING FROM LOWER ENGINE AREA. ECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM. FLY WHEEL DISINEGRATED. POORLY MANUFACTURED PART. *AK ONE MONTH LATER "LOW COOLANT" ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BAD INTAKE VALVE SEAL. POOR QUALITY GM PART. BOTH PARTS REPLACED AND REPAIRED AS RECOMMENDED.

NHTSA ID

10096010

Incident

Aug 1, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

1. WITHIN THIS PAST MONTH, AM NOTICING TREMENDOUS POWER LOSS AND SHIFTING/TIMING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSON WHEN ACCELERATING TO HIGHER GEAR.. POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT POWER TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK 3. HAVE INVESTIGATED AND SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING A SHIFT SOLENOID THAT IS A VERY TROUBLESOME ISSUE WITH A LOT OF GM OWNERS. TYPICAL PARTS COST AND LABOR FOR THIS PROBLEM RUNS IN THE $400.00 BALLPARK.

NHTSA ID

10088485

Incident

Mar 1, 2004

Mileage

58,000 mi

CODE P1811 CAME UP ON THE INFO SCREEN. THE PRESSURE CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT AND FRIED MY TRANSMISSION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10062035

Incident

Feb 16, 2004

Mileage

45,200 mi

2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA, IN THE WINTER BELOW 20 DEGREES CAR MUST WARM UP BEFORE IT CAN BE SHIFTED IN TO DRIVE. IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056412

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

Mileage

1,500 mi

CAR ROLLS BACKWARD ON AN INCLINE. I.E. AT A STOP LIGHT. MUST USE BOTH FEET (1 ON THE GAS AND 1 ON THE BRAKE) TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ROLLING INTO THE CAR BEHIND WHEN I AM ON A STEEP INCLINE. I HAVE DOCUMENTS FROM THE DEALER STATING THIS IS "NORMAL". THIS IS THE FIRST AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION I HAVE EVER OWNED THAT ROLLED BACKWARD WITHOUT STOPPING AFTER A FEW INCHES. THIS IS AN UNRESOLVED PROBLEM AND NOT JUST AN INCIDENT. FEBRUARY 1 2002 IS JUST A START DATE YOU CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY THAT I HAVE SEVERAL INCIDENTS EVERY DAY BECAUSE THIS TRANSMISION WILL DO THIS ON EVERY INCLINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10051216

Incident

Feb 1, 2002

WHEN IN DRIVE AND STOPPED AT AN INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACK IF BRAKE IS NOT APPLIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

8011862

Incident

Mar 28, 2002

WHEN ON AN INCLINE, VEHICLE WILL START TO ROLL BACKWARDS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK DEALER STATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

8001410

Incident

Dec 20, 2001

CONSUMER BACKING UP AT ABOUT 3 MPH WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER CAME OFF. DEALERSHIP REPLACED GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

898709

Incident

Nov 2, 2001