Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 694 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Chevrolet Impala. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–25 of 694 · page 1 of 28
My car sometimes cuts off while driving. Was on highway 301 running about 60 mph in the middle lane and just lost power no warning. No code no nothing. Sacred me, I truly feel that's a safety issue, for me and the cars behind me. It's bad not knowing when or where this will happen again.
After I go back and forth between my bright headlights and regular All of a sudden my headlights shut off it happens after so many times going between them
Ignition lock issue. I’m guessing security light came on hard to start vehicle when switch doesn’t work. Almost left me stranded. Apparently this is common. I have kids and if I get stranded with them what am I supposed to do? Something needs to be done
I have a 2003 Chevrolet Impala! Look it up on the internet, and you will see that the failure rate of the GM passlock system is huge, and massively expensive to repair! In fact from a inside relative, says GM makes more money in parts, and repairs than on selling a new vehicle! This is without doubt a premeditated flow to rip off the public! This is in fact insensitive for GM to engineer a constant, and ongoing failure of the of its vehicles! This passlock defect can not be fixed by accessing the cars computer! It should be that easy but it is not a option. Being stranded by this defect is life threatening. The problem is the Passlock system that has failed for me, and hundreds of thousands owners of GM vehicles, and tens of millions of dollars in repairs that GM should be forced to repair, at no costs, past, and present to the owners, and including towing, and a rental car! The passlock defect, and failure completely locks up the cars entire electrical system, so the owner can not start, or even open the trunk of their car in a emergency! After it happens you can’t even access the car radio to reset back to the original factory functions! Even if you disconnect the battery, to get this accomplished, it will be a short while before it happens again! It is crazy expensive just to diagnose this problem! Please note that this is not just a Impala problem! This passlock defect falling involves dozens of Models of all types, old, and new. These vehicles number in the many hundreds of thousands over decades! Many tens of millions of dollars in repairs, and hundreds of thousands waiting to happen! This needs to be addressed at a government level! We won’t to see some consumer protection, and Justice! Thank you for your time, and consideration! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
225/60/r16 Tire bead is warped/slanted (defective) with inability to install the tires
Accelator keeps getting stuck at traffic lights and while driving
Fuel line leaking gas under engine.
Hey my name is [XXX] I recently took my Chevy impala for repairs they told me I need more repairs done I’m like cool my bottom of my car is rusted n my struts are bad n my oil pump n other stuff is not working as well I’m when I gave Chevy a call ball they took my they manager not to bring the car back I’m kinda upset bout this whole thing idk cause they had to fix my head gasket for free but I need help getting these thing fixes. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Traveling at 58 mph in Cruise Control for 10 minutes I increased speed with 4-6 rapid pushes of the Accelerate button in less than 1.5 seconds, Each push is 1 mph. I have never pushed it that rapidly.The engine acted as if I floored the accelerator & the transmission went from 4th to 3rd gear, speed went to 70+ and rapidly increasing. I stepped on the break pedal several times to disable CC but no help, I switched the CC button to the off position several times, no help. Now at 85+ and accelerating hard in wide open throttle (WOT). I shift to Neutral and turned the ignition to the ACC position to retain steering ability as the engine was RPM'ing out to destruction. I coasted off the highway and set ignition to off. After a few minutes I turned engine on and it rev'd out of control, still WOT. Ignition off did not reset the problem. I opened the hood to disconnected the battery & I observe that neither the CC or accelerator cables are not holding the throttle body (TB) in "WOT", it was closed in an idle position. It is not mechanical. I disconnected the battery for several minutes and then the system operated normally. I have used CC a million times but never have pushed that accel button that fast. I served 7 years as a Reactor Operation onboard US navy Fast attack Submarines, have torn apart and assemble mechanical and electrical reactor systems. I have been a Hardware Engineer for 40+ yrs and have 10 US patents in fault tolerant server design. I've been a car guy since 5 yrs old. This is a problem with the cars computer or its code. The rapid pushing of the CC accel button is key here as well as memory retaining this CC state after Key OFF. Its a good thing I experienced with many hard casualty life and death situations while serving, because my car was accelerating out of control, my experience and training in the US Military taught me to keep cool and think.You really should investigate this. I can tell you more specifics but I'm character limited.
ON 3/21/2021 I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY FOR ABOUT 25 MILES, WHEN MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA STARTED MAKING A WHINING NOISE AND IT CONTINUED TO GET WORSE WITH EACH TURN. MY HUSBAND SOON REALIZED IT HAD TO BE THE POWER STEERING FLUID. SO HE PUT A BOTTLE OF POWER STEERING FLUID IN AND AFTER STARTING AND DRIVING FOR A FEW MINUTES THE CAR WAS BACK TO NORMAL! SO I PROCEEDED TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY TO HEAD HOME. AS SOON AS WE GOT TO OUR EXIT ABOUT 23 MILES FROM WHERE WE HAD JUST PUT THE FLUID IN. IT STARTED MAKING THE SAME WHINING NOISE. SO BACK TO THE STORE FOR MORE POWER STEERING FLUID. HE FILLS IT UP. THE NEXT MORNING SAME PROBLEMS. WE KNOW NOW THERE IS A LEAK IN OUR POWER STEERING BUT NOT SURE WHERE EXACTLY. MY CAR NOW SITS AS WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE ADDING BOTTLE AFTER BOTTLE OF POWER STEERING FLUID TO MY CAR EVERYTIME WE NEED TO GO SOMEWHERE. MY HUSBAND BELIEVES WE HAVE RUN INTO THE SAME ISSUES THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN REPORTED BY NHTSA ID# 11316116 BEING POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE RUBS AGAINST SOME PART OF THE MOTOR AND RUBBER HOLE IN POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE.
VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHEN MOVING,TURNING OR STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. BY SWITCHING TO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE MAY START AFTER 1 OR MORE TRIES. SO FAR THE FAILURES HAVE BEEN ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. BUT NOT INTERSTATES. THE FAILURES ARE MANY BUT UNPREDICTABLE.
VEHICLE FIRE. VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. VERY DANGEROUS. VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS.
I JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 03/11/20 AND IT RAN GREAT TILL YESTERDAY WHEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED AND CAUGHT FIRE TO THE ENGINE FROM THE FUEL LINES MELTED THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS GETTING A JUMP. IT SAYS THERE ARE NO RECALLS PENDING IT IS THE 3.8L AND IT LOOKED ORIGINAL ALL THE PARTS DID CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME OUT
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING AS I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN 2 DAYS. I GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND AS SOON AS I TURNED IT TO START THERE WAS A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A BACKFIRE. THE ENTIRE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD EXPLODED INTO PIECES AND WHITE SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SMOKE CLEARED I BEGAN TO ASSESS THE ISSUE, I NOTICED THE MANIFOLD GASKET COVER HAD BEEN BLOWN COMPLETELY OFF AND THE MANIFOLD ITSELF WAS IN PIECES. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON BUT UNCOMMON THING AMONG EARLY 2000'S GM VEHICLES.
THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE RUBS AGAINST SOME PART OF THE MOTOR AND RUB A HOLE IN POWER STEERING RETURN HOUSE
THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKS AND WILL NOT LET ME START THE VEHICLE EVERY COUPLE TIMES THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.
ABS/TRACTION CONTROL.WHEN ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON MAKES GRINDING NOISE /BRAKES GRAB HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO HAVE ON THE ROAD. ONLY HAVE 125,950 MILES HAS BEEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR LAST 5,000 MILES. TOOK TO SHOP MECHANIC.COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. CAN NOT TURN TRACTION CONTROL OFF/ ON MANUALLY DOES IT ON ITS OWN. .HAS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE.THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION TURNING AND WHILE APPLYING BRAKE. CITY STREET AND HIGHWAY.
VEHICLE DIDN'T START, SECURITY LIGHT WAS FLASHING, WAS TOLD TO TURN THE KEY INTO THE 'ON' POSITION AND WAIT EXACTLY 10 MINUTES BEFORE TRYING TO START IT. IT WORKED, BUT THE ISSUE BECAME WORSE AND WORSE UNTIL IT NO LONGER STARTED. WAS THEN TOLD TO REPLACE KEYS, DID THAT, SAME ISSUE. WHEN BLINKERS WERE USED, A LOUD BUZZING NOISE OCCURRED AND EVERY LIGHT ON THE DASH LIT UP, THE GEAR SHIFT LABELS BEGAN FLICKERING AND THE STEREO DID AS WELL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE BCM AND THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND IT HAD FINALLY STARTED, UNTIL I WENT TO TRY TO GO SOMEWHERE. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT THIS ISSUE IS VERY COMMON IN THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.
HAD FRONT END ACCIDENT TWICE AND AIR BAGS NEVER INFLATED.
TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENTLY FOR 6 YEARS. TRANSMISSION MAKES SQUEAK UPON STARTING FROM DEAD STOP AFTER CHANGING FLUID AND FILTER FOR 2ND TIME. ABS WENT OUT 6 YEARS AGO.
2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA 3.4L IS DIFFICULT TO START, REPLACED MANY PARTS TO TRY AND FIX: FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, OXYGEN SENSORS, FUEL EVAP VALVE, AND THROTTLE CONTROL. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 52,XXX MILES. SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES, WAS ABLE TO PULL ERROR CODE P1626: THEFT DETERRENT FUEL ENABLE SIGNAL NOT RECEIVED. KEYS ARE ORIGINAL TO CAR, I HAVE TRIED TO RE-LEARN KEYS TO VEHICLE WITH NO SUCCESS. NUMEROUS REPAIRS ARE LISTED UNDER THIS ERROR CODE, INCLUDING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BCM, AND THIS DOESN'T ALWAYS FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESEARCHED FURTHER.
ON A COLD START MY CAR WILL NOT START FOR AT LEAST ONE TIME, AND ONCE YOU GET IT ON THE HIGHWAY THE CAR WILL SURGE AND JUMP RPMS AND OCCASIONALLY WILL JUST DIE AND LEAVE ME STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY. I'VE REPLACED JUST ABOUT EVERY SENSOR RELATING TO THE ISSUE AND THE FUEL PUMP AND STILL HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG. I STILL OWE MONEY ON THE CAR AND I'D RATHER JUST FIGURE OUT HOW TO FIX IT. THANK YOU AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING BACK FROM YOU.
RECALL ID 240424 RECEIVED THIS FROM CREDIT KARMA. CURRENTLY OUR CAR IS HAVING OVERHEATING ISSUES. ENGINE COOLING ISSUES,EXHAUST MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAILPIPE, OIL LEAKING ON TO MY EXHAUST I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, AFRAID IT MAY CATCH FIRE.
REAR RIGHT BRAKE LINE LEAKING FLUID. THIS COULD BE A FATAL ACCIDENT IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA REAR RIGHT BRAKE LINE IS RUSTED BADLY. THE BRAKE LINE ACTUALLY RUBBING AGAINST AN ACROSS LINE THAT HAS A BUNCH OF ELECTRIC LINES BUNDLED TOGETHER WHICH IS GOING OVER THE RUSTED BRAKE LINE AND ENDS UP CAUSING THE BRAKE LINE WORN OUT AND BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. IS IT POSSIBLE THE ADMINISTRATION COULD CONDUCT A RESEARCH ON THE MODEL OF THIS CAR FOR THIS ISSUE?
COOLANT SYSTEM HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. AFTER REFILLING COOLANT AND OIL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OIL AND COOLANT WERE DRIPPING UNDERNEATH THE CAR. ACCORDING TO A GM REPRESENTATIVE, THERE ARE SERVICE BULLETINS OUT FOR THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL, BUT I'VE BEEN TOLD MY VIN IS NOT ONE OF THEM. IT HAS ALL THE SAME SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN OTHER BULLETINS. I'M NOT SURE HOW/WHY THIS VIN ISN'T INCLUDED WHEN THE SAME SYMPTOMS EXIST.
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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