2003 Chevrolet Impala Visibility Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY AND BECAME STUCK IN A VERTICAL POSITION. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER HOWEVER, IT WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. UPDATED 12/24/13*CN

NHTSA ID

10547260

Incident

Aug 29, 2013

Mileage

124,000 mi

FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFOGGER BLOWS ONLY COLD OR HOT AIR- IE GETS STUCK IN ONE OR THE OTHER POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10367894

Incident

Nov 25, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

REAR DEFOGGER FAILURE- DOESN'T WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10367893

Incident

Nov 25, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME BACK ON AFTER HIGH BEAMS WERE USED ON A BACK ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. CHECKED CONNECTIONS AND SPARK PLUGS AND THEY WERE NOT THE ISSUE. BELIEVE IT IS A FAULTY SWITCH AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10365933

Incident

Nov 6, 2010

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH HE ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW BUT IT WOULD NOT OPEN. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND THE DOOR LOCKS WOULD ALSO MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT COULD ONLY MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. HE REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR HIMSELF BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VCM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

NHTSA ID

10359215

Incident

Jul 5, 2010

Mileage

137,000 mi

DRIVING MY 2003 IMPALA AT NIGHT. REAR SEAT PASSENGER ROLLED DOWN WINDOW CAUSING THE HEAD LIGHTS TO SHUT OFF. WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE BRIGHT LIGHTS BEFORE SLOWING CAR. ABLE TO RE-CREATED THE PROBLEMS BY ROLLING DOWN THE WINDOW AND HAVING THE HEAD LIGHTS TURN OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10283815

Incident

Sep 6, 2009

Mileage

156,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. 3,000 MILES AFTER SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SHE HAD BRAKE FAILURE. ON APRIL 8, 2003, DEALER REPLACED REAR ROTORS, NOV. 19, 2003 FREED UP SLIDERS, MARCH 26, 2004 FULL ROTOR ASSEMBLY REPLACED IN FLORIDA, JUNE 7, 2005 COMPLETE BRAKE CHANGE. AUG. 16, 2005 RESURFACED BRAKES AND ROTORS, JAN. 16, 2006 REFACED REAR ROTORS, JUNE 30, 2006 REPLACED REAR ROTORS AND REFACED FRONT ROTORS, JAN. 10, 2007 RESURFACE WORK NEEDED TO BE DONE BUT DID NOT PERFORM REPAIRS, MAY 23, 2007 REPLACED ALL 4 ROTORS. THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE REPAIRS, MAY 22, 2008, REPLACED REAR PADS AND SERVICED CALIPERS. THE DEALER WILL NOT MAKE ANY ADDITIONAL REPAIRS AND FEEL AS THOUGH THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN TO REMEDY TO FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3259 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50295. UPDATED 7/3/08 *CN THE PASSENGER SEAT HEATER AND REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER WERE INOPERATIVE. THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING. THE DEALER LUBED THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THE REAR STABILIZER SHAFT AND LINK WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 07/15/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10228754

Incident

Apr 8, 2003

Mileage

3,239 mi

WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CAN CAUSE ACCIDENT WHEN THEY ARE NOT WORKING. HAVE NOT YET BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FAILURE DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO RECREATE FAILURE MODE. WORK GREAT WHEN YOU DON'T NEED THEM, BUT WHEN IT IS RAINING THEY ALMOST ALWAYS FAIL! *TR

NHTSA ID

10208607

Incident

Sep 1, 2007

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A BREAKER OR A FUSE FOR THE REAR DEFROSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH THIS COMPONENT. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE MUST PAY TO HAVE THE FEATURE ADDED. THE VIN AND ENGINE SIZE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. THE CONSUMER STATED HE DIDN'T REQUEST TO HAVE THE FEATURE ADDED JUST REQUESTED TO SHOW HIM THE BREAKER. UPDATED 11/07/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10198630

Incident

Feb 1, 2007

Mileage

45,000 mi

2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONTACT STATES THAT THE DEFOGGER FAILED. A MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BREAKER FOR THE DEFOGGER DID NOT EXIST AS SHOWN IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AND DIAGRAM ON THE BREAKER COVER. *MC *JB

NHTSA ID

10187896

Incident

Mar 1, 2007

NOTICED IT TOOK LONGER FOR THE CAR TO HEAT UP LAST WINTER; THIS WINTER STARTED OUT THE SAME, AND I NOTICED THE BLOWER WOULDN'T WORK ON SETTING 5 SOMETIMES. THEN IT QUIT HEATING ALTOGETHER, AND THE FAN WOULD QUIT BUT START BACK UP. NOW THE FAN QUIT BLOWING ALTOGETHER. NO HEAT, NO DEFROST, IN SUB-ZERO WEATHER, AND I'M LOOKING AT ABOUT $1000 IN "REPAIRS" WHICH SHOULD BE COVERED AS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THANKS GM. I'LL BE SURE TO BUY ANOTHER OF YOUR VEHICLES. THERE IS A MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK, AND THE BLOWER MOTOR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10182424

Incident

Feb 12, 2007

Mileage

67,275 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ENGAGED, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. UPDATED 12/12/2006 - ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT WHEN SWITCHED FROM HIGH BEAM TO LOW BEAM. THE LIGHTS DID NOT COME BACK ON UNTIL THE CONSUMER BEGUN TO JIGGLE THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. THE POWER WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO DOWN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER WINDOW SWITCH. *NM

NHTSA ID

10171727

Incident

Oct 23, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

THE CAR STARTING SMELLING LIKE ANTI-FREEZE AND THEN A BIG PUDDLE APPEARED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE ONLY THING WE DID WAS DRIVE FROM NAMPA, ID TO BILLINGS, MT, WHICH WE HAVE DONE FOUR TIMES BEFORE. IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT THE HEATER CORE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE CAR HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT RIGHT NOW AS OF JULY 28TH, 2006. IN NOVEMEBER OF 2003, THREE MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, THE HEATER CORE WAS REPLACED AT 31,000 BY THE LITHIA DEALERSHIP IN HELENA, MT. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS ALSO REPLACED IN MAY 2006 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND MAKING A TICKING NOISE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10163746

Incident

Jul 24, 2006

Mileage

68,000 mi

HEATER QUIT WORKING, THEN CAR STARTED OVERHEATING. TURNING OFF HEATER/DEFROSTER CAUSES IT TO STOP OVERHEATING SO MUCH, BUT TEMPERATURE STILL RISES WHEN WAITING AT LIGHTS. CAR IS ALSO NEEDING OIL REPLACEMENT, AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE 2 MONTHS AND 1500 MI AGO. MILEAGE IS AROUND 60,000. THERE IS OIL LEAKING OUT IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE ENGINE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10156123

Incident

Apr 26, 2006

Mileage

58,000 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER QUIT MOVING AND GOT BENT BY THE OTHER WIPER HITTING IT , SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE OF TURNING THEM ON WHEN THERE WAS TOO MUCH SNOW ON THEM. THEY REPLACED THE DRIVER'S SIDE ARM, WHICH WAS STRIPPED. IT WORKED OK FOR A WHILE, THEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE QUIT AGAIN, BEFORE IT SNOWED. TOOK OFF ARM AND SAW THAT THE ARM WAS STRIPPED AGAIN. SWITCHED THE ARMS SO I'D HAVE AT LEAST ONE WORKING WIPER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10147046

Incident

Nov 8, 2005

Mileage

41,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED A SCREW IN THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS LOOSE. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD ONLY APPEAR IN FREEZING CONDITIONS. HOWEVER IT HAPPENED WHEN IT WAS RAINING. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WIPER WAS NOT TO WORK PROPERLY. THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES. EACH TIME THEY TIGHTEN THE SCREW LOCATED AT THE BASE OF THE WIPER. THERE HAS BEEN NO PERMANENT SOLUTION. *AK UPDATED 1/25/2006. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146125

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

DT: THE DASH WAS CAVING IN, THE WINDSHIELD WAS OFF LEVEL AND THERE WAS KNOCKING IN THE STEERING, THE UNDERNEATH FRAME WAS HANGING DOWN ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE; THERE WAS A GAP IN THE CONNECTION OF THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE DOOR, AND OTHER PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED, AND THE WHEELS ALIGNED. THEN, THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AT FIRST THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND THEY REPLACED GEAR SHAFT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10132669

Incident

Feb 3, 2004

Mileage

28,194 mi

WHILE STOOPED AT A RED LIGHT THE REAR WINDOW DEFROST COIL POPPED, SHATTERING THE REAR WINDOW. THE WIRES FROM THE DEFROST COIL HAVE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE WINDOW. THE DEALER STATED THEY CAN'T COVER THE WINDOW. THE DEFROSTER WAS NOT ON. *NM

NHTSA ID

10108567

Incident

Jan 20, 2005

Mileage

48,000 mi

VEHICLE WILL NOT DEFROST WITHOUT LETTING INTO THE OUTSIDE FUMES. DURING WINTER MONTHS THE DEFROSTED WILL LET THE OUTSIDE AIR AND GAS FUMES INTO THE CAR. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO INSISTED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THIS VEHICLE AND ALL VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER 2001 WERE MADE THIS WAY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10075506

Incident

Jun 1, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

WINDSHIELD LEAKED WATER INSIDE OF DASHBOARD. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10073886

Incident

May 19, 2004

CHVE IMPALA, WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID TENDS TO FREEZE EASILY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10056690

Incident

Jan 15, 2004