Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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 29, in the owner's own words
THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT STAY UP AND IT FALLS INTO YOUR VIEW WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUES WITH THESE CARS. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AS IT COULD FALL INTO VIEW OF THE WINDSHIELD UNEXPECTEDLY AND CAUSE A CAR CRASH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEATING SYSTEM BLOWER MOTOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
JUST PURCHASED ON 02/02/2015 THE CAR COMES WITH REMOTE START SO CLEANED THE ICY SNOW OFF THE CAR AND WINDOWS. GOT INTO THE DRIVERS SIDE PUT ON MY SEATBELT THE CAR HAD SHUT OFF AFTER WARMING UP.SO I PUT THE KEY IN AND STARTED THE CAR PUSHED THE THE SPRAY BUTTON. THE PASSENGER SIDE WORKED THE DRIVERS SIDE DID NOT.AFTER GOING ONLINE I FOUND OUT PAGE AFTER PAGE OF COMPLAINT'S WHY NO RECALL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THEY SAY IT COST $300.00 TO 600.00 EACH SIDE GM MADE THE PROBLEM THEY SHOULD BAY TO FIX IT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW ASSEMBLY FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,562.
THE INSIDE OF THE CARS WINDOWS WOULD FOG AND THEN ICE UP DURING LAST YEARS WINTER. COULD NOT SEE OUT THE WINDOWS EXCEPT SMALL AREA OF DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WINDOW. TOOK INTO DEALERSHIPS TWICE AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY OR FIX IT. *TR
THERE IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2006-2013 IMPALA REAR DEFROSTERS NOT WORKING. LOOK ON YOUTUBE AND YOU WILL SEE THE PROBLEM IS VERY EVIDENT. GM/CHEVY USED A SMALL BULKHEAD CONNECTOR FOR THE HIGH CURRENT DEFROSTER WIRES LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE KICK PLATE OF THE 2006-2013 IMPALA'S THAT BURNS OUT. THIS REALLY SHOULD BE A RECALL DUE TO A FIRE HAZARD. THE "HOW TO" FIX ON YOU TUBE LOOKS LIKE IT WILL WORK, BUT THIS REALLY SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AND FIXED BY GM. INEXPERIENCED MECHANICS TRYING TO FIX THIS MAY GET HURT, LET ALONE INCREASING THE ELECTRICAL/FIRE HAZARD BY IMPROPERLY "FIXING" THE PROBLEM. GM IS RECALLING THEIR VEHICLES FOR EVERYTHING ELSE SO WHY NOT FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM? SAD FOR PEOPLE IN WINTER CLIMATES NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT THEIR REAR WINDOW DUE TO THIS SYSTEMIC PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH THE IMPALA. *TR
SS MODEL: THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE AND WHEN I WAS INSPECTING IT THE METAL PIECE CONNECTING THE VISOR TO THE ROOF WAS EXTREMELY HOT. AFTER DRIVING MORE YOU COULD SMELL AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I GOT HOME AND WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WERE FLICKERING. I THEN NOTICED THAT THE VISOR WAS ACTUALLY BURNED AND IT BURNED THE INTERIOR ON THE ROOF. I THEN PULLED THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR ALL INTERIOR LIGHTING. IT'S NOT FIXED YET. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. TWO TRANSMISSIONS REPLACED, TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED, FOUR BATTERIES, WATER PUMP REPLACED, POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED, ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT REPLACED, WINDSHIELD WASHER PUMP DOESN'T WORK, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL/ABS WARNING LIGHTS ARE MOSTLY ON. WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE NOT ON THEY BOTH "WORK" WHEN THEY NOT SUPPOSED TO. NONE OF THESE PROBLEMS HAS BEEN UNDER WARRANTY. AN AWFUL LOT WRONG FOR A CAR WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. *TR
2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. SHE EXPLAINED TO THE DEALER, THERE WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. EACH TIME, THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER, SHE WAS INFORMED THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM, AND THEREFORE NO PROBLEM EXISTED. BESIDES THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, THERE WAS A HORRIBLE RATCHETING MACHINE-GUN TYPE NOISE COMING FROM BEHIND THE DASH, WHEN SHE CHANGED THE VENT POSITION. THE LOUD NOISE LASTED FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AND WAS ALMOST EAR-PIERCING. ALSO, THE ENGINE MOUNT BROKE, THE WATER PUMP, STEERING AND TIE RODS FAILED, THE ENGINE BURNED EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL, AND THE ENGINE LOW OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE WINDOWS MADE A SCREECHING SOUND, THE SUNROOF WOULD DRAG, THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERED WERE FOGGED AND FADED. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ON. ON APRIL 24, 2013. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE THEM ASSESS THE SAME TRANSMISSION SLIPPING PROBLEM, SHE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING FOR SEVEN YEARS. THEY DROPPED THE TRANSMISSION PAN, AND THEY FOUND FINE METAL, PIECES OF ALUMINUM AND CLUTCH MATERIAL IN THE PAN.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN RAIN. 2ND FAILURE IN 19 MONTHS. WIPER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY REPLACED BOTH TIMES. *TR
REAR DEFROST DOES NOT WORK, LIGHT TURNS ON BUT DOES NOT DEFROST REAR WINDOW. *TR
MY TRACTION CONTROL, ABS AND SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST LIGHT CONTINUE TO COME ON DESPITE THE FACT THAT I HAVE HAD THE SENSORS REPLACED 3 TIMES NOW. I WILL HEAR A GROWLING NOISE WHEN I PUT ON THE BRAKES OR GET A FOUL SMELL WHEN I TURN ON THE DEFROST, ALSO WHEN I GET THAT SMELL THE DEFROST DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY THEN LATER THE ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND BRAKE ASSIST LIGHT WILL COME ON. I HAVE HAD A CHEVY DEALER AND THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM CHECK THE PROBLEM AND SAY ITS FIXED 3 TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. *TR
WHITE SPADE CONNECTOR FOR REAR DEFROSTER WIRE BURNT/MELTED INSIDE CONNECTOR HARNESS. LOCATED UNDER PASSENGER SIDE KICKPLATE UNDER FUSE PANEL 2006 CHEVY IMPALA. POSSIBLE SMALL ELECTRICAL FIRE DUE TO IMPROPER CONNECTOR UNABLE TO SUPPORT REAR DEFROST ELECTRICAL AMPERAGE. *TR
THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR WILL NO LONGER STAY UP AND FALLS DOWN OBSTRUCTING FORWARD VISION. I'VE GONE ON THE INTERNET AND THIS IS A SOMEWHAT COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE IMPALA. GM HAS NO REPAIR FOR IT OTHER THAN REPLACEMENT. A NEW VISOR COSTS 125.00 PLUS INSTALLATION. I THINK IT SHOULD BE A RECALL BASED ON SAFETY.
DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED. I WAS ROLLING UP THE WINDOW. I HEARD A LOUD BOOM SOUND WHICH SCARED ME. THE WINDOW COMPLETELY STOPPED. THEN EVENTUALLY IT FELL INSIDE DOOR FRAME AND THE WINDOW SHATTERED. *TR
THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE CAUSING THE WINDOW TO DROP SUDDENLY IN THE DOOR. *TR
DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN A RAIN STORM - THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ABRUPTLY STOPPED. DEALER INSTALLED NEW WIPER TRANSMISSION 8-23-10. I ASKED IF THIS HAPPENED VERY OFTEN. DEALER SAID AFTER I CALLED, THEY HAD ANOTHER CALL FOR THE VERY SAME THING. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR WOULD NOT REMAIN IN THE UPWARD POSITION AND WOULD CONTINUOUSLY FALL INTO THE DRIVER'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE SUN VISOR WOULD HANG EXTREMELY LOW. THE CONTACT STATED THE BEEN FAILURE PRESENTED ITSELF SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SUN VISOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD FIRST NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER REPLACED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE REAR DEFOGGER DOES NOT WORK. NOTHING HAPPENED, IT JUST QUIT WORKING. WHEN YOU PUSH THE REAR DEFOGGER BUTTON ON THE FRONT PANEL, THE LIGHT LIGHTS UP SHOWING IT IS WORKING, BUT IT ISN'T WORKING ON THE REAR WINDOW. IT IS HAZARDOUS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW WITH FROST AND EVEN SNOW BUILT UP ON IT. *TR
BUZZING NOISE FROM WINDOW COMING DOWN. *TR
REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER-- WHEN WE HAD A RECENT SNOW STORM (ONE OF MANY), I USED MY REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER (DEFROSTER) ONLY TO FIND OUT IT WASN'T CLEARING THE WINDOW OF FOG OR MELTING THE BLOWING SNOW. THIS PREVENTED ME FROM SEEING THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME EXCEPT FROM MY SIDE MIRRORS. THE LAMP ON THE CONTROL LIGHTS NORMALLY, BUT THERE IS NO VOLTAGE GOING TO THE REAR DEFOGGER GRID CONNECTORS (ON EACH SIDE OF WINDOW). THERE IS NO SEPARATE FUSE GOING TO THIS DEVICE, ONLY A RELAY IN THE FORWARD FUSE BOX. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A BURNT PIN ON THE LARGE CONNECTOR BLOCK UNDER THE KICK PANEL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AS A NEW CONNECTOR (BOTH HALVES) WOULD BOOST THE COST FROM $261 TO $411, AT THE DEALERS SUGGESTION, I HAD THEM JUMPER THE WIRE FROM EACH SIDE OF THE CONNECTOR INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE CONNECTOR. (AS THIS CONNECTOR IS THERE FOR ASSEMBLY PURPOSES ONLY, WHY NOT JUMPER IT.) I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO EITHER A POOR CONNECTION OF THE PINS DURING MANUFACTURING (HIGH RESISTIVE CONNECTION) OR IMPROPER SIZED PINS THAT ARE NOT HEAVY ENOUGH TO CARRY THE CURRENT. AS THIS CONNECTOR IS NOT NORMALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE OWNER/OPERATOR AND DOES NOT MOVE, IT IS NOT A "WEAR ITEM" AND THUS WAS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. MY SERVICE WRITER TELLS ME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED ON AT LEAST ONE OTHER IMPALA THAT HE HAS SEEN IN HIS GM SHOP. WHY ISN'T THIS POWER GRID FUSED AS IT USED TO BE IN EARLIER IMPALA'S? IS THE PIN THE PROPER SIZE FOR THE CURRENT GOING THROUGH THE PIN? THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT BEFORE IT CAUSES A FIRE IN A CAR. I HAVE A PHOTO AVAILABLE OF THIS CONNECTOR IF NEEDED. THE OLD CONNECTOR AND PINS ARE STILL IN MY CAR. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS RAINING HARD AND MY VISION WAS TOTALLY OBSCURED. I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL THE RAIN ABATED TO CONTINUE ON MY JOURNEY. I CONTACTED A GM SERVICE CENTER AND WAS INFORMED THAT I WOULD NEED TO BUY A NEW MOTOR ALTHOUGH THE CURRENT MOTOR WORKS JUST FINE HOWEVER THE RUBBER AROUND THE ARM THAT ATTACHES TO THE MOTOR IS CRACKED. THIS SHOULD NOT OCCUR IN A CAR THAT IS NOT THAT OLD. *TR
I HAVE A 2006 CHEVY IMPALA THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND CAME ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF ALONG WITH WINDOW CLEANER SPRAYING NON STOP, THIS ALSO CAUSED TURN SIGNALS TO STOP WORKING AND KEYS TO BE LOCKED INTO CAR. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BECAUSE I COULD NOT SEE WITH ALL THE SPRAYING. *TR
IN JANUARY 2007 I PURCHASED A 2006 CHEVY IMPALA AND APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER I HAD MY FIRST PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. FIRST PROBLEM: "SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM" (7/07) I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE SENSORS WERE REPLACED FOR FREE IN TWO OF THE TIRES. I HAVE SINCE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN. I DID NOT HAVE THIS FIXED AT ALL IN 2008 BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP WANTS TO CHARGE ME FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE SENSORS. I JUST LET THE MONITOR CONTINUE TO BLINK ON AND OFF. I HAD IT REPLACED IN 4/09 DUE TO OTHER STANDARD REPLACEMENTS. SECOND PROBLEM: HEATING (FOUND PROBLEM 10/07) TO GET HEAT IN THE CAR YOUR FOOT MUST BE ON THE PEDDLE AND THE CAR MUST BE MOVING. THE MOMENT YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE PEDDLE TO PRESS THE BRAKE, THE HEATER GOES OUT AND THE AIR TURNS COLD. THIS PROBLEM WAS FIXED IN 4/09, WHEN THE OTHER REPLACEMENT PARTS WERE FIXED. THIRD PROBLEM: ON AND OFF JERKING (9/07) IF YOU ARE AT A STOP LIGHT AND IT TURNS GREEN. YOU PRESS ON THE GAS TANK BUT THE CAR DOES NOT GO ANYWHERE FOR A MOMENT. THEN IT JERKS AND TAKES OFF. IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS A DELAY IN THE THINKING PROCESS LIKE THE CAR IS NOT AWARE IT SHOULD GO WHEN YOU PRESS THE GAS. IN 4/09 I ADDRESSED THIS PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP BUT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND WRONG WITH THE CAR AND OF COURSE IT DID NOT HAPPEN WHEN THEY TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE. *TR
WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING BUT IN A STOPPED POSITION, IE., AT A STOP LIGHT, THE HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR - ON ANY OF THE DIAL OPTIONS, I.E, FEET, FACE, COMBINATION, ETC. WHEN DRIVING, IT THEN HEATS, BLOWS WARM AIR. WHEN I HAD MY CAR INTO THE DEALER LAST YEAR (MAHOWALDS MOTORS IN NEW PRAGUE WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR) FOR THE NORMAL SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE, THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT THIS. THE SERVICE MANAGER PULLED UP A BULLETIN FROM MARCH OF 2008 AND IT STATED THAT THIS MAKE/MODEL CAR WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM. IT TOLD THE DEALERSHIP HOW TO FIX IT (NO PARTS INVOLVED - JUST TAKING OFF SOME HOSES AS THERE WAS AIR BUBBLES OR BLOCKAGE THAT WAS CAUSING THIS - AND THEY WANTED SOME WHERE AROUND $186.00 TO DO THIS.). I ASKED WHY THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE WHEN THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS, THAT THIS MAKE OF CAR WAS GOING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND I WAS TOLD THAT AS LONG AS WE DIDN'T BRING IT UP, THEY WERE NOT FIXING IT AS IT WAS NOT A "RECALL", JUST A BULLETIN LETTING THEM KNOW IT WILL HAPPEN. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS PROCESS WHEN A DEALERSHIP OR A HUGE COMPANY LIKE CHEVROLET KNOWS THERE IS A FLAW BUT SITS BACK AND KEEPS THEIR MOUTH SHUT ABOUT IT AND THEN WHEN CONFRONTED THE CUSTOMER IS TOLD IT WILL TAKE $186.00 TO FIX. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO 'PARTS' INVOLVED IN THIS REPAIR, THAT THIS WAS THE REASON IT COST THIS MUCH.....IT ALMOST MAKES IT SOUND LIKE, IF THERE DO NOT HAVE ANY PARTS COST TO FALL BACK ON, THEN THEY BOOST UP THE LABOR CHARGES. BOTTOM LINE IS, THE BULLETIN CAME OUT IN MARCH OF 2008, AND MY CAR WAS IN EVERY 3000 MILES FOR THE OIL CHANGE, THIS 'ERROR' REPAIR SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND NOT 'HIDDEN' IN THE BACKROOM. THIS IS MY COMPLAINT. I HAVE TALKED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THIS DEALERSHIP (WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW), A COUPLE OF TIMES, AND HE SAID HE CAN'T AND WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT....I ASKED HIM TO CALL THE KEY COMPANY ON THIS AND HE SAID THAT ISN'T PART OF HIS JOB. WHERE DOES CUSTOMER SERVICE END THAT IT ISN'T 'PART OF HIS JOB. *TR
FIRST THE WHEEL HAD A SHIMMY IN IT. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED AND NEW BRAKES. THAT WASN'T IT . IT WAS THE FRONT BALL JOINT. 2. CAR WOULDN'T HEAT UP. RADIATOR CAP REPLACED AT DEALER FOR 45 DOLLARS. REAR DEFOGGER QUIT WORKING. 4. POWER STEERING OUT NOW AND IT FEELS LIKE THE RACK AND PINION GOING TO FAIL. CAR NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY NOW WITH 64K. I AM TIRED OF THIS LEMON. *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.
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