2001 Chevrolet Impala Steering

POWER STEERING HOSE FLUID LEAK ONTO EXHAUST SYSTEM INTO THE CADILLAC CONVERTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHENEVER THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE IN EITHER DIRECTION, HE HEARD A GRINDING AND CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT. MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE STEERING BECAME VERY LOOSE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. UPDATED 07/14/09 *BF UPDATED 07/16/09.*JB

WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO A STORE MY CAR WAS DRIVING JUST FINE BUT, AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME. THIS ALMOST CAUSED ME TO HIT A CAR THAT WAS AT A STOP SIGN. I HAVEN'T HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS UNTIL NOW.. IT JUST HAPPENED UNEXPECTEDLY. I CHECKED THE FLUID AND IT WAS FINE THE CAR THEN DROVE OFF JUST FINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A SLOW RATE OF SPEED HE COULD FEEL BUMPING AND CLUNKING IN THE STEERING WHEEL. TOOK IT BACK TO WHERE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE BUT COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE ANY DEFECTS OR FAILURES. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A SERVICE CENTER FOR THE REPAIRS NEEDED. THEY INFORMED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE PROBLEM HE IS EXPERIENCING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AFTER THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT HE NEEDED THE STEERING SHAFT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 49,425. UPDATE 09/18/08. *JB

2001 CHEVY IMPALA STEERING COLUMN HAS "KLUNK" SOUND. *TR

CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING - DEALER INDICATED CAUSE WAS FROM INTERMEDIATE SHAFT, BUT TOLD NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE ENTIRE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT AND THE ABS LIGHT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,929 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA. POWER STEERING HARD LINES ON PASSENGER SIDE NEAR RADIATOR HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY SEVERED BY THE ATTACHING FENDER WELL COVER PLATE. CAR HAS 89K MILES. BOTH HARD LINES WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT APPEARS THAT OVER TIME, THE COVER PLATE RUBBED INTO THE HARDLINES AND PUNCTURED THE LINE RESULTING IN COMPLETE RESERVOIR DRAINAGE. CAR VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER FOR MY WIFE WHO WAS ABLE TO GET HOME. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT A LOUD POPPING NOISE IS HEARD. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT JOINTS WERE WORE OUT. THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT, IT MADE A ROUGH NOISE AND FELT AS IF IT WERE DRAGGING. THE NOISE WAS MORE NOTICEABLE AT 5-10 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DISASSEMBLED THE STEERING SHAFT AND ADDED GREASE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOW RETURNED AFTER 40,000 MILES AND THE DEALER RECOMMENDED ADDING THE GREASE UNDER REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. HOWEVER, THE UNIT IS SEALED AND THE CONTACT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY GREASE NEEDED TO BE ADDED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERTED. UPDATED 6-27-2006 - *NM

I OWN A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH A STEERING PROBLEM. THE DEALER "REPAIRED" THE STEERING MECHANISM TWICE UNDER WARRANTY AND NOW I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE STEERING MAKES A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING, OR GOING SLOW. AFTER 3 TIMES I HAVE NOW CONCLUDED IT IS ALSO CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH MY BRAKES AND TIRE WEAR. I GET A STEADY VIBRATION AND THE STEERING FEELS LOOSE. I HAVE REPLACED BRAKES, ROTORS AND TIRES. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS. I BELIEVE IT IS DANGEROUS. IT FEELS LIKE I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF MY CAR. I NOTICED THERE HAVE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME CLUNKING NOISE AND WOULD APPRECIATE A RECALL FROM GM. *JB

STEERING COLUMN HAS HAD CLUNKING NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD AND FELT WHILE DRIVING. HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP ON DIFFERENT SERVICE VISITS. *JB

MY 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS JERKING WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, FRONT END SOUNDS LIKE IT IS READY TO FALL APART,FRONT END WOBBLES WHEN DRIVING,KNOCKS WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE,TRANSMISSION BOGS WHEN SHIFTING BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY DROVE IT AND DECIDED A NEW STEERING SHAFT WOULD SOLVE ALL MY PROBLEMS, AMD GM IS ALSO AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND USED TO REPACE SHAFT BUT THAT GOT TOO EXPENSIVE SO NOW THEY HAVE A KIT TO LUBRICATE THE BEARING. MY CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT INCLUDED . STEERING IS ESSENTIAL IN A VEHICLE. I FIND THIS PROBLEM A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MYSELF,PASSENGERS, AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD WITH ME. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT FOR DOCUMENTATION. IF EVER THERE IS AN ACCIDENT RELATED TO THE STEERING ISSUE OF MY CAR I WANT THE COURTS TO KNOW THAT ALL WERE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM I WAS HAVING AND NOBODY WANTED TO FIX A DEFECT THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF. I WILL BE FIXING IT AT MY EXPENSE AND WHEN IT IS RECALLE I WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED.*AK

I OWN A 2001 IMPALA AND IT HAS A CLUNKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN, I HAD THIS FIXED LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME NOT TO DRIVE IT THAT WAY BECAUSE IT WAS DANGEROUS. NOW IT IS BACK AND I CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP HAVING THIS FIXED. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IS THIS?*JB

AFTER A YEAR OF CLUNKING SOUNDS IN THE STEERING COLUMN, I'VE JUST TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD IN THE PAST THAT IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. NOW THE SOUNDS ALL ADD UP TO $1500 IN REPAIRS, FOR A PROBLEM THAT I'VE FOUND 4 OTHER IMPALA OWNERS HAVE. NEEDED FOR REPAIR ARE STEERING GEAR, STEERING SHAFT, POWER STEERING PUMP, SERPENTINE BELT (OLD ANYWAY), AND ALL WHEEL ALIGNMENT (RECOMMENDED FOR THIS WORK). ALL TOTALING JUST UNDER $1700. MY AUNT HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, IT WAS REPAIRED TWICE UNDER WARRANTY. TALKING ON BREAK AT WORK, FOUND OUT OUR COMPANY CAR (IMPALA) HAS THE SAME ISSUE, ANOTHER EMPLOYEES IMPALA HAS THE SAME NOISE. THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM THAT THEY WILL NOT RECOGNIZE. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE HEARD A CLANKING NOISE AND COULD FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENED MOST OF THE TIME, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. SOME DAYS THE NOISE WOULD NOT BE APPARENT. LAST WEEK BEFORE IT WAS WORKED ON, THE CONSUMER COULD FEEL THE VIBRATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. CONSUMER SAID THAT SOUND DID NOT SEEM TO FOLLOW ANY APPARENT CYCLE OR SEEM TO BECOME MORE DEFINED AT ANY CERTAIN TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS, AND WAS APPARENTLY FIXED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST YEAR. *AK *SC *JB

1) THERE'S A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT ON MOST W,J, AND G PLATFORM GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES. IN AS LITTLE AS 15-20K MILES, THE STEERING WILL GET SLOPPY AND WILL "KLUNK" ON LOW SPEED STEERING MANEUVERS, AND WILL ALSO "KLUNK" ON ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. ) IN SOME CASES, THE STEERING SHAFT WILL BIND UP OR BREAK, RESULTING IN STEERING FAILURE. THERE ARE DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS HAPPENING IN POLICE EQUIPPED IMPALA VEHICLES. 3) IN MY CASE, THE DEALERSHIP "LUBED" THE STEERING SHAFT. RATHER THAN REPLACE THE FAULTY PART, GM ADVICES TO INJECT A SYRINGE OF GREASE INTO THE YOKE OF THE SHAFT, AND PLACE THE PART BACK INTO THE VEHICLE. 10-15K MILES LATER, THE PROBLEM RETURNS. I'VE TWICE HAD MY STEERING SHAFT LUBED FOR THIS PROBLEM. GM HAS JUST RECENTLY DEVELOPED A REDESIGNED PART, BUT AVAILABILITY IS SEVERELY LIMITED, AND THE COST OF REPLACEMENT IS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE OWNER IF OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY PERIOD (3YEAR/36000 MILES. *AK

WHILE PARKING AT VERY SLOW SPEED, VERY LOUD CRACKING NOISE FROM FRONT OF CAR WHILE SLIGHTLY TURNING STEERING WHEEL. HAPPENING OFTEN. HAVE HAD FRONT END INSPECTED TWICE, NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH WHEEL BEARINGS,OR TIE RODS. PREVIOUS OWNER HAS HAD STEERING RACK REPLACED, POSSIBLY DUE TO SAME COMMON PROBLEM- WHICH MAY BE POOR LUBRICATION OF STEERING SHAFT AS REPORTED IN WWW.IMPALAHQ.COM/TSB01-02-32-001A.HTML

THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE STEERING PROBLEM BUT WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB THE STEERING SHAFT WAS TAKEN OUT AN GREASED. TIE RODS WENT BAD ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

STEERING WHEEL SEEMS VERY HARD TO TURN ,AND WHEN TURNING A CORNER IT PULLS VERY HARD. DEALER CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. VEHICLE JERKED AND VIBRATED. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TIE RODS WERE DEFECTIVE, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I'M GETTING A "POP" AND "KLUNK" IN THE FRONT END. I WAS TOLD BY AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE PERSON THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS GOING BAD. I HAVE TALKED TO MY LOCAL GM DEALER, AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL OR SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. MY CAR HAS ONLY 45K ON IT, HARD TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT AS STEERING IS GOING BAD IN LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. I DON'T FEEL LIKE I HAVE TO REPLACE IT AT MY EXPENSE, WHEN IT SEEMS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT. *NM

CAR WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2002 WITH 33000 ON IT. ONE MONTH LATER, A POPPING/CLICKING SOUND BEGAN IN THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN, AND THE STEERING WHEEL DID NOT MOVE SMOOTHLY WHEN IN TURNING MOTIONS. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, TOLD THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED LUBRICATION. REPLACEMENT NOT RECOMMENDED. WARRANTY COVERED. TWO YEARS LATER, PROBLEM CAME BACK, ALBEIT FAR MORE SEVERE THIS TIME. IMMEDIATELY TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT WAS COMING APART AND NEEDED IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT. WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AND CHEVROLET WOULD NOT COVER. WENT AHEAD WITH REPAIR ANYWAY BECAUSE WAS EXTREMELY SCARED BY THE PROBLEM! HAVE SUBMITTED FORMAL COMPLAINT TO CHEVROLET OF THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. AM HOPING CHEVROLET WILL CORRECT THIS DESIGN FLAW.*AK

REFERENCE # 10086513 THE DEALER TODAY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN AT NO COST TO ME. I GUESS I SHOULD HAVE GIVEN HIM MORE OF A CHANCE. I MUST HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD HIS INTENTIONS. I AM SATISFIED AND AM EXTREMELY HAPPY WITH THE DEALER'S ATTITUDE. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS SEDAN WITH ONLY 18K MILES ON IT. IT IS NOW EXPERIENCING A 'CLUNKING' IN THE STEERING. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER YESTERDAY, HE SAID (1) IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND (2) SINCE I AM 6 MONTHS OUT OF WARRANTY, REPAIR WOULD BE AT MY COST! HE SAID THE PROBLEM WAS A MINOR ONE, SOME $200.00 TO FIX (WITH GREASE?) , NOT TO WORRY ABOUT ANY DANGER, ETC. SINCE I WANT THE PROBLEM FIXED, I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SAME. SINCE YESTERDAY, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS PROBLEM INDEED IS VERY SERIOUS, BUT THAT GM IS IGNORING IT, AND HAS NOT ISSUED ANY RECALL(S) FOR THE PROBLEM. I FEEL VERY STRONGLY (1) THAT THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION SINCE THERE ARE MANY CASES OF 'LOCKED' STEERING RESULTING IN CRASHES, (2) AND THAT GM SHOULD FIX THIS KNOWN PROBLEM UNDER AN 'IMPLIED WARRANTY' SCENARION. OTHERWISE, MY IMPALA MIGHT INDEED CRASH HURTING OR KIILLING US. I INTEND TO DEMAND THAT AN GM AREA REPRESENTATIVE CONTACT ME SOONEST TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO AND WHAT GM WILL DO FOR ME. I HAVE DOCUMENTED MY SITUATION AND AM GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY LAWYER FOR LEGAL ACTIONS IN CASE SOMETHINGS BAD DEVELOP FROM THIS DOCUMENTED DEFECT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO, SINCE MY DEALER IS TREATING THIS PROBLEM SO LIGHTLY. THANK YOU JOHN WILLIAMS