Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 62 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 62, in the owner's own words
MY IGNITION SWITCH HAS A RECALL THAT SOMETIMES TAKES FOREVER TO GET KEY TO TURN OVER, THE STEERING SHAFT AND KNUCKLES ALSO HAVE A RECALL THAT MAKE ME DRIFT AND SLIDE ON DRY ROADS, ENGINE AND COOLING SYSTEM AS WELL HAS RECALL.
WELL THE CODE WAS TELLING ME TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CURRENT ONE IS RATHER LOOSE AND DOESN'T TURN OFF ALL THE WAY WITH OUT A LITTLE EXTRA WHICH HAS BEEN CAUSING OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES. AND NOW MY STEERING WHEEL IS LEANING AND PULLING TO THE LEFT OUT OF NOWHERE. AND THESE ALL HAPPEN SITTING STILL OR MOVING. NOT SO BAD ON THE HIGHWAY BUT CITY STREETS ARE HELL
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR SHUTS OFF AND POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, LUCKILY ONLY AT LOW SPEEDS SO FAR. I GOOGLED IT AND FOUND TONS OF PEOPLE SAYING THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO THEIR IMPALA. NOT COOL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE PROGRESSING FROM THE AREA OF THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING IN EITHER DIRECTION. NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09E005000 (STEERING) AND 08E063000 (STEERING) WERE REFERENCED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
POWER STEERING HARD AND TRYING TO RUN HIIT CHANGED WATER PUMP.
TAKATA RECALL KEY FALLS OUT WHILE I AM DRIVING SPEEDOMETER GAS GAUGE AND COMTROL PANEL NOT WORKING CAR JUMPS IN REVERSE
I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM. WHEN I MAKE SHARP TURNS THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON, AFTER THIS LIGHT COMES ON IT PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND MAKES IT HARD TO STOP AND EVEN SLIDES SOMETIMES. I HAVE REPLACED ALL SPEED SENSORS AND REPLACED THE WIRES AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND MANIPULATE THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN IN ORDER FOR THE LIGHTING/ELECTRICITY TO RETURN. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE RECEIVED A RECALL REPAIR FOR THE IGNITION KEY WHERE THE KEY WAS REPLACED. AFTERWARDS, WHEN THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION AND TURNED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND THE KEY WAS IN THE ON POSITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO MANIPULATE THE KEY IN THE START POSITION SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OVER 10 YEARS OLD, THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,536.
I HAVE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP BUT STEERING WHEEL STILL HARD TO TURN, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE EARLY 2014
TODAY MY CAR LOCKED UP AND MY STEERING LOCKED UP WHEELS AND SPEED JUST MY BRAKES WAS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKED . THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF, NOT START BACK UP. I WAS AFRAID BECAUSE I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 70-80 MPH THEN SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A GUARDRAIL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A CRACKED OR BROKEN RIB, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD AND WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AFTER THE CRASH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND CAUSED HER TO HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. IT TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE CAR WOULD RESTART. SINCE THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD THIS HAPPEN AT LEAST 3 TIMES A YEAR SINCE. I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AFTER SHE HAS TOLD ME IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND HAD OUR MECHANIC LOOK AT IT ALSO. ALSO HAVE HAD THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES NOT WORKING PROPERLY FOR 2 YEARS NOW AND HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY, WE THINK THERE IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PIN POINT IT. THE CHROME PLATE ALUMINUM ALLOY RIMS THE CHROME HAS BEEN FLAKING OFF SINCE THE CAR WAS 2 YEARS OLD AND WE NOW HAVE TO KEEP REFILLING THE TIRES WITH AIR AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. HAVE GONE TO THE DEALER A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT GET A RUN AROUND THAT ITS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I HAVE TALKED TO A GENTLEMAN WHO ALSO HAS THE ONLY OTHER 2004 IMPALA SS IN OUR TOWN AND HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS WE HAVE HAD AND GOTTEN SAME RESPONSE FROM OUR LOCAL DEALER WHERE WE BOTH BOUGHT OUR CARS FROM. MY IMPALA SS AT THIS TIME HAS JUST OVER 80,000 MILES ON IT AND IN ADDITION TO PROBLEMS MENTIONED ABOVE WE HAD TO HAVE POWER STEERING PUMP, RACK IN PINION AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED AND LOOKING LIKE THE RACK IN PINION IS GOING OUT AGAIN AS I WRITE THIS. I'VE BECOME VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH CHEVROLET OVER THIS CAR. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT AND TRAVELED INTO A DITCH. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V00000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.
CHEVROLET IMPALA 2004, TRAVELING ON A 4 LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY, AT 65MPH, USING CRUISE CONTROL, 2 ADULT PASSENGERS USING SEATBELTS, DRIVER SAW TRUCK ENTERING THE INTERSECTION FROM THE DRIVERS RIGHT SIDE. THE DRIVER ACCELERATED AND SWERVED TO AVOID A COLLISION. THE IMPALA WAS STRUCK BY THE TRUCK. SKID MARKS WERE MADE ON THE HIGHWAY BY THE TIRES OF THE IMPALA FROM THE IMPACT TO WHERE THE IMPALA STOPPED AND THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE DRIVER WORKED TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK TO RESTART THE IMPALA IN ORDER TO MOVE THE IMPALA TO A SAFER POSITION ON THE HIGHWAY, OUT OF THE LANES OF TRAFFIC. UPON STOPPING THE DRIVER TURNED OFF THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. THE KEY WAS NOT ON A KEY RING. THE KEY HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM THE FOB AND KEY RING UPON RECEIVING THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE, GM RECALL 14350. THE HAZARD BLINKERS WERE TURNED ON. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER MOVED TO THE ADJACENT FRONTAGE ROAD. THE DRIVER OF THE TRUCK CALLED THE LOCAL POLICE. THE DRIVER OF THE IMPALA CALLED 911. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE. PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES AND THE SKID MARKS ON THE HIGHWAY, MADE BY THE IMPALA. NO SKID MARKS WERE VISIBLE ALONG THE PATH TRAVELED BY THE TRUCK. THE IMPALA HAZARD BLINKERS WERE TURNED OFF. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO START THE IMPALA. THE IMPALA DID NOT START. THE PASSENGER WORKED TO START THE IMPALA, THE DASH LIGHTS DID NOT TURN ON, THE HEAD LIGHTS DID NOT TURN ON. A WITNESS MOVED A VEHICLE INTO POSITION TO FACILITATE A "JUMP START", THE IMPALA STARTED, THE SECURITY WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE IMPALA WAS DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE AND PARKED, ODOMETER READING 297336. ARRANGEMENTS FOR REPAIR HAVE YET TO BE DETERMINED. *TR
WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT POWER STEERING FAILED, HAD TO MAN HANDLE. WAS DRIVING THRU FLOODED ROAD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE WET ROAD SURFACE. THE DRIVER FAILED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK, HEAD, AND BACK INJURIES AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT IT WAS NOT CONFIRMED IF THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
@ 65MPH TRAFFIC CAME TO A SLOW DOWN,I HAD PLENTY OF SPACE 2 STOP IF I HAD 2 IN MY LANE. I APPLIED THE BRAKES & THE WHEELS LOCKED UP & WAS SKIDDING OUT OF CONTROL,IT SURGED INTO THE LANE LEFT OF ME & THE REAR SLID OVER WHERE I WAS SIDEWAYS. I TRIED TO CONTROL MY STEERING BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND,THEN IT WENT INTO THE LANE RIGHT OF ME NEARLY MISSING A TRUCK IT SHOT OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE AND WAS NOW ON THE SHOULDER WHERE I STILL HAD NO CONTROL OF ANY STEERING AT ALL.THEN THE CAR SLAMMED INTO A CONCRETE RETAINING WALL AND FINELY THE CAR STOPPED.THE AIR BAGS DRIVER AND PASSENGER NEVER INFLATED. DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END WAS A TOTAL LOSS INCLUDING THE HOOD,BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE FENDERS HAD CRUNCHED, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER DOORS BENT THEN THE BATTERY DIED.I ALREADY REPLACED A BATTERY THREE WEEKS AGO FROM SOME KIND OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS MALFUNCTIONING. *TR
I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH LIGHTS FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. FIRST STARTED OUT WHERE IF I HAD MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON EVERY NOW AND AGAIN ALL MY LIGHTS WOULD GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS WOULDN'T STAY ON SO HAD TO HOLD TO KEEP THEM ON. THEN IT CAME A PERIOD OF TIME WHERE ALL MY LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK. ON FRIDAY, JUNE 27TH 2014, I WAS AT WORK AND HAPPENED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND NOTICED MY LIGHTS WERE ON. WENT OUTSIDE TO SEE IF CAR WAS DEAD. WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR I COULD SEE THAT MY STEERING COLUMN WAS SMOKING (ON FIRE) COMING FROM THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. THE BRIGHT LIGHTS HAD STUCK TO ON SOMEHOW AND THIS IS WHY I COULD SEE THAT MY LLIGHTS WERE ON. I UNHOOKED THE BATTERY AND THE SMOKING STOPPED. WHEN I WENT TO HOOK BATTERY BACK UP THERE WASN'T ANY MORE SMOKING BUT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING AS FAST AS THEY COULD AND I COULDN'T SWITCH OR DO ANYTHING TO MAKE THEM STOP. THE HAZARDS OR ALL MY LIGHTS WERE BLINKING ON/OFF REPEATEDLY. NOTHING I COULD DO TO STOP. AS OF NOW I'M DRIVING WITHOUT ANY FUSE TO THE WIPERS AND THE LIGHTS WORK DURING THE DAYTIME BUT WILL NOT WORK AT ALL AFTER DARK. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE PART THAT IS NEEDED TO REPLACE THIS IS A MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SWITCH. HOWEVER, THIS IS GOING TO COST $800 TO REPLACE. MANY COMPLAINTS OUT THERE ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL CAR AND NO RECALL?? *JS
MY 2004 IMPALA HAS THE ABS LIGHT ON. IT SOUNDS AND FEELS LIKE THE ABS IS COMING ON WHILE DRIVING. THE STEERING FELT ODD. I WAS RIGHT BY MY HOUSE SO I SHUT IT OFF AND TURNED BACK ON AND DROVE IT THE BLOCK HOME. I TRIED DRIVING IT AROUND THE BLOCK THE NEXT DAY AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I AM FINDING MANY PEOPLE POSTING THE SAME THING ON THE INTRANET. MANY CRASHES.I CALLED CHEVY AND WE READ / LOCATED THE SAME RECALL, FROM 6/14/04 #04049. WE IN TURN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, AND AFTER MANY DAYS, CALLS, FINALLY GOT MY CAR IN. THEY JUST CALLED SAYING THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY SPECIFIC IMPALA. IT IS DOING EXACTLY WHAT ALL THE OTHER PEOPLE/CRASH VICTIMS TALK ABOUT. I CALLED CHEVY BACK AND THEY SAID IT GOES BY STATE. I GUESS I AM SUPPOSE TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT CRASHES AND THERE IS AN INJURY/DEATH BEFORE THEY DECIDE THAT THERE ARE MORE IMPALA'S OUT THERE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM THAT NEED THE RECALL. I AM AT WITS END AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW. MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP. I AM HAVING AN ESTIMATE DONE ON DOING WHAT THE RECALL STATED TO DO AND WILL THEN CALL CHEVY BACK TO TRY TO PUSH THE MATTER HIGHER UP THE CHAIN. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 IMPALA WHEN I HIT A POT HOLE. I TRIED TO TURN AND HIT THE BRAKES AND NOTHING WORKED. I SLAMMED ON MY EMERGENCY BRAKE AND AFTER A WHILE I REALIZED THE CAR HAD SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. A MONTH LATER MY BOYFRIEND HAD THE SAME EXPERIENCE DRIVING IT. *TR
WE WHERE RAN INTO ON DRIVER SIDE NO AIRBAG CAME OUT WE HAVE HAD LOTS OF STEERING PROBLEMS. AS OF TODAY THERE IS STILL PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING WHEEL ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON AND WE JUST WONT DRIVE ON HIGHWAY AT ALL. *TR
THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS DEFECTIVE AND CLUNKS WHEN TURNING AND LOW SPEEDS. *TR
AFTER LISTENING TO A RADIO REPORT ON NPR DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM WITH GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALLS I DECIDED TO TEST MY OWN CAR FOR RELATED PROBLEMS. AS I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY I TAPPED ON THE KEY WHILE IT WAS IN THE IGNITION AND THE KEY SWITCHED FROM ON TO ACC MODE. THIS RESULTED IN MY CAR ENGINE SHUTTING OFF, POWER STEERING LOSS, ASSISTED BRAKE MALFUNCTION, BATTERY WARNING LIGHT, AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENED EXACTLY AS THE RADIO REPORT SAID THEY WOULD WITH A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. OVER THE LAST 3 YEARS MY BROTHER IN-LAW AND I HAVE BEEN HAVING VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH OUR IGNITIONS AND NOW I BELIEVE ALL THESE PROBLEMS MAY BE CAUSED BY THE DEFECT WHICH GM HAS RECENTLY REPORTED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE GM RECALL HOTLINE AND REPORTED MY CAR MODEL AND VIN. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO SINCE THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ENOUGH REPORTS LINKED TO THE IMPALA. I WOULD APPRECIATE THE RECALL LIST BEING EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE IMPALA IF POSSIBLE. AT LEAST THE YEARS OF 2003 AND 2004. *TR
THE TRACTION CONTROL TURNS ON VERY FREQUENTLY WITHOUT CONTROL,LIGHTAPPEAR CLAIM THAT THE TRACTION SYSTEM NEED SERVICES AND SOME OTHER TIME THE SINF OF THE ABS I CONSTANTLY PUSH THE TRACKING SYSTEM OFF WHEN IS ON BUT DO NOT RESPOND AT OLL. THIS CAUSES THE CAR TO MAKE A GRINDING NOISE. WHEN BRAKING THE CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE AND CAR IS NOT STOPPING IT FEELS LIKE IT'S LOCKING UP AND MY STEERING GOING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN SLIDING WAY TO . IN A SUDDEN STOP NEEDING TO BE MADE IS AT GREAT RISK OF A ACCIDENT, ALREADY WAS CLOSE TO PASS OVER A PEATON THAT WAS MAD AT ME AND HIT MY CAR IN THE BACK BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM THAT I TRAY TO CORRECT BUT IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT TO RESOLVE AS SOME AS YESTERYEARS,Y HOPE THAT NOBODY ARE KILL ALREADY,BUT I WILL HOLD STARTING WITH "GM CHEVROLET"RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING WHO HAPPENED TO ME AND FAMILY. *TR
WELL I'M SO TIRED OF REPAIRING THE SAME PROBLEM .THIS ABS ISSUES ARE DRIVING ME CRAZY I MEAN I ALREADY REPLACED THE [XXX] COMPUTER THE BEARINGS THE CABLE THAT SENDS THE SIGNAL AND STILL THIS PROBLEM IS GOING ON IN SINCE 2009. EVER SINCE 2009 IS RIDICULOUS AND DANGEROUS I MEAN IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS ISSUE BECOMES AN ACCIDENT I MEAN I'M DRIVING FINE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE [XXX] CAR ACTS ALL STUPID THE BRAKES DON'T EVEN WORK FINE BECAUSE THE ABS SYSTEM MAKES THEM PUSH BACK TO YOU AND THEN IT MAKES YOUR CAR PULL TO THE RIGHT FOR NO REASON IT SO ANNOYING I'M A HARD WORKING PERSON I HAVE INVESTED A LOT OF MONEY INTO MY CAR FOR GMC TO SELL ME A DANGEROUS CAR I ALSO HAD TO GET ANOTHER MOTOR BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL WOULD SHAKE WHEN EVER YOU WOULD ACCELERATE BUT I JUST WANT TO GET THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE FIXED PLEASE MAKE THEM REPAIR MY CAR BECAUSE SOONER OR LATER MY WIFE OR ME ARE GOING TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT....THANK YOU *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
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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