2004 Chevrolet Impala Visibility Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA ID

10680810

Incident

Jan 6, 2014

Mileage

110,000 mi

2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER HAD CAR FIXED AND RECEIVED NO REIMBURSEMENT. *TA THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE DASH LIGHTS AND THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE AIR CONDITION AND HEAT. . *JB

NHTSA ID

10661742

Incident

Dec 1, 2014

I LEASED THE CAR 5/10/2014 AND I HAD SEVEN OCCASIONS WHERE THE CAR SIMPLY WOULDN'T START AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON OVER NIGHT ON ITS OWN WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY TO DIE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607219

Incident

May 13, 2014

ENGINE HESITATES,STALLS, AND SHIFTS HARD. HAD TO REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH AND LOCK CYLINDER, HEAT SENSOR, FUEL CAP, REPROGRAM ANTITHEFT, WATER PUMP, ALWAYS GETTING BUBBLES IN TIRES, GAUGES DNT WORK, PUDDLE ON PASS SIDE, HEATER CORE, 2 SETS OF WARPED ROTORS, TRACTION CONTROL(ABS) KEEPS GOING OFF, FOUND WIRES UNDER HOOD CHAFFED( BY RUBBING ON BELT I BELIEVE)WHICH CAUSED NO START. NEW PROBLEMS ARE LIGHTS ON DASH AND HEAD LIGHTS WILL TURN OFF AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING, I HAVE A COOLANT LEAK WHICH I THINK ITS DUE TO BLOWN GASKET, AND TONIGHT I AM DRIVING IN FOG AND MY FRONT WINDOW FOGS UP IN 2 SECONDS. I WIPED W HAND AND REALIZED I WAS HEADING TOWARDS A PERSON WALKN. WAY TO DANGEROUS!!!!! I HAVE HAD CAR FOR ONLY 2 YRS. I AM DIVORCED W 3 KIDS AND 1 SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD W LOTS OF APPTS. I NEED A RELIABLE CAR, CANT AFFORD NEW CAR OR A SHOP TO FIX CAR. I HAVE HAD TO BECOME A MECHANIC CAUSE OF THIS CAR AND I HAVE NO TIME FOR THAT, THANK GOD FOR INTERNET, I WNT TAKE KIDS IN CAR AFTER DARK, IT UNRELIABLE AND THATS SAD. PLEASE LOOK INTO ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560740

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

200,000 mi

THE HEATER COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING BUT WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE PASSENGER SIDE TO WORK (IT HAS DUAL TEMP. CONTROLS). THE TURN SIGNALS WORK JUST WHEN THEY WANT TO AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO THE SAME. THEY JUST STOP WORKING WITH NO WARNING WHAT SO EVER. HAVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BUT NOBODY CAN DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THESE PROBLEMS. HOWEVER, UPON THE RESEARCH I'VE DONE SINCE THESE PROBLEMS BEGAN I'VE FOUND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THESE SAME ISSUES YET THERE HAS BEEN NO KIND OF RECALLS TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546241

Incident

Jun 4, 2012

INCIDENT DESCRIPTION = I PURCHASED RAIN-X WIPER AT WALMART FOR MY 2004 IMPALA VEHICLE. IT COST $17.99+ AND WAS A 22-INCH MODEL. A WEEK OR SO LATER I RAN INTO A HEAVY DOWNPOUR WHILE DRIVING WEST ON I-40 FROM MEMPHIS TO LITTLE ROCK. THE WIPER PORTION OF BLADE ASSEMBLY BEGAN TO WORK ITS WAY OUT OF THE END OF THE HOLDER AND QUICKLY REACHED ABOUT 5 TO 6 INCHES OUTSIDE THE HOLDER. THE RUBBER BEGAN TO WHIP AROUND AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY TO PUT THE RUBBER PART BACK IN PLACE. THIS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE I HAD TO STOP AND SEARCH OUT A MINI-MART WHERE I COULD BUY A ROLL OF ELECTRICAL TAPE TO TAPE THE RUBBER END TIGHTLY ENOUGH SO IT WOULD STOP FLYING OUT OF THE HOLDER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10293434

Incident

Oct 15, 2009

DRIVING ON A DARK RURAL ROAD AT NIGHT AND TRIED TO PUT MY LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM. THE LIGHTS WENT TOTALLY OUT WHEN I TRIED TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM. PREVIOUSLY DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS THEY HAVE FLICKERED WHEN I WENT TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM BUT DID NOT GO TOTALLY OUT. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL MORE TIMES TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT TOTALLY EACH TIME SO I DO NOT DARE TO TRY TO PUT THEM ON HIGH BEAM NOW AT ALL. I HAVE CALLED A DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. THEY SAY THEY WILL HAVE TO TEST THE CAR FIRST THEN TAKE THE STEERING COLUMN APART AND PROBABLY REPLACE THE SWITCH. ESTIMATED COST UP TO $1000.00 MY CAR HAS ONLY 27,499 MILES ON IT AND I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW IN 2004. *TR

NHTSA ID

10258419

Incident

Jan 24, 2009

Mileage

27,200 mi

THE TEMPERATURE WAS 10 BELOW ZERO AND MY HEATER BLOWER QUIT WORKING CAUSING ALL OF THE WINDOWS TO ICE UP ON THE INSIDE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME SAFELY. I CHECK THE FUSES, BUT COULD FIND NO BLOWN FUSES. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY (MONDAY) AND, THANKFULLY IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER MY G.M. EXTENDED WARRANTY AT NO COST TO ME. I HAD 69,560 MILES ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217780

Incident

Jan 21, 2008

Mileage

69,560 mi

HEAT NO LONGER WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10217072

Incident

Feb 6, 2008

SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 12/04, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER PERFORMED VERY POORLY. IN 3/07 IT CEASED WORKING, HOWEVER DASHBOARD CONTROL SWITCH AND I/P CONTROL RELAY APPEARED TO REMAIN FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BREAKER (MECHANICALLY BROKEN ARMATURE) TO BE CAUSE OF COMPLETE FAILURE. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF CIRCUIT BREAKER, I/P CONTROL RELAY, AND ANTENNA MODULE, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS BACK TO PERFORMING POORLY. ELECTRICAL GRID APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONAL - GOOD HEATING PATTERN (WHEN IT HEATS) WITH NO VISUALLY OBVIOUS DEFECTS. NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WERE FOUND IN I/P CONTROL RELAY AND ANTENNA MODULE THAT WERE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS INDICATES EXCESSIVE CURRENT DRAW THRU DEFROSTER GRID, WHICH CAUSES CIRCUIT BREAKER TO TRIP AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS OF OPERATION. MANUALLY CYCLING THE DEFROSTER CONTROL ALLOWS BREAKER TO COOL AND CAN AGAIN BE ACTIVATED TO PROVIDE 10-15 SECONDS OF REPEATED OPERATION. NOTE THAT ELECTRICALLY DISCONNECTING THE GRID (AT THE WINDOW) DOES NOT CAUSE THE BREAKER TO TRIP, INDICATING NO SHORT IN THE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS. WITH POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE OEM CIRCUIT BREAKER, DIAGNOSIS REVEALED TO OBVIOUS HEAT DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER COMPONENTS/WIRING IN THE VEHICLE. REAR DEFROSTER GRID APPEARS TO BE SOURCE OF THE EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL LOAD IN THE CIRCUIT. PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ADDRESSED IN TSBS THAT I CAN LOCATE TO DATE. DISCUSSIONS WITH SEVERAL TECHNICIANS HAS RESULTED IN NOTHING MORE THAN GUESSES AT THIS TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10205403

Incident

Oct 10, 2007

Mileage

30,000 mi

WOW SAME PROBLEM AS EVERYONE ELSE. SPEED DOES NOT REGISTER PROPERLY SEEMS TO BE WHENEVER IT WANTS IT WILL SHOW SPEEDS HIGHER THEN WHAT THEY ARE. THIS IS A DANGER BECAUSE SPEEDS ARE GUESSED IN SCHOOL ZONES AND HIGHWAYS. AFTER A COUPLE DAYS SPEED WILL BEGIN TO WORK OK. NOW THE BLOWER MOTOR AND HEATER DO NOT WORK UNLESS YOU POUND BY THE ASHTRAY AREA AND HOPEFULLY THE AIR CONDITIONING WILL START BLOWING BUT THE HEAT WILL NOT COME ON WHEN SWITCHED TO HEAT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE LIVING IN MONTANA WHEN IT GETS BELOW 32 AND COLDER IT WOULD BE NICE THIS WINTER TO THAW OUT THE WINDOWS SO I CAN SEE WHEN DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS. SOMETIMES WHEN THE AIR IS BLOWING YOU CAN SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. WE ARE IN DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN MONTANA AND IF MY CAR WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE ON SIDE OF ROAD AND CONTINUE UP THE MOUNTAINS THIS COULD BE A DISASTER BE CREATING A WILDFIRE. I AM UNHAPPY WITH MY CAR WHICH HAS STARTED PROBLEMS AROUND THE 30,000 MILE MARK. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH IS NEEDING TO BE CLICKED TWICE BEFORE DIMMING DOWN FROM HIGH BEAM. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO BLINDING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN LIKE SLIPPING INTO GEAR AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10202854

Incident

Dec 1, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING, EVERY TURN YOU HEAR KNOCKING AND BUMPING, RECENTLY WAS TOLD THAT THE RACK AND PINION NEEDS TO REPLACED THE CAR HAS ONLY 60,000 MILES. I HAVE HAD IT FOR 2 YEARS AND I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROPLEMS. MY AC WORKS HOWEVER ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE HEATING UNIT WORKS. THE KNOCK SOUD OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASE THE DEALER SHIP SAD NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH THE SAME VEHICLE AND HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE KNOCK AND BUMPING FORTUNAELY THERE CAR WAS TOTALLED AND THEY WERE NOT INJURIED AT LEAST THEY ARE NO LONGER RESONSIBLE FOR THIS LEMON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10201783

Incident

Jun 7, 2007

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55MPH, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE BACK REAR WINDOW. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO ERUPT INTO FLAMES AND ENGULF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND PROVIDED A WRITTEN REPORT. THE FIRE MARSHALS REPORT STATED THE FIRE WAS ELECTRICAL AND STARTED WITH A SHORT IN THE WIRING TO THE REAR DEFROSTER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND DEEMED TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

10154207

Incident

Mar 25, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

HVAC SYSTEM IN THE 2004 IMPALA HAS A PROBLEM. THE AC COMPRESER RUNS IN THE HEAT ONLY MODE AT TEMPS AS LOW AS 30 DEGREES. THIS CAUSES THE INSIDE WINDOWS TO FOG UP ON THE INSIDE AND IF THE VECH IS LEFT PARKED OUTSIDE ALL THE WINDOWS WILL FOG UP. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP ALL WINDOWS CLEAN IS TO OPEN ONE OF THE WINDOWS A LITTLE AND RUN DEFROST WITH AT LEAST HALF SPEED. IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS THE FRONT AND SIDE WINDOWS FOG UP AND IT IS VERY HARD TO CLEAT THE SIDE WINDOWS. THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSING MY GAS MILEAGE TO GO DOWN AND MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE WHEN IT IS COLD OUT. DEALER SAID IT IS OK. THE MANUAL SAYS THE AC SOULD ONLY RUN ABOVE 40 AND ONLY IN DEFROST OR DEMIST MODES.*AK

NHTSA ID

10110293

Incident

Jan 1, 2005

Mileage

200 mi