2002 Chevrolet Impala Electrical System

SEVERAL ELECTRICAL / SECURITY PROBLEMS - LIGHTS GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. ALSO AT TIMES WHEN APPROACHING CAR, IT WON'T START DUE TO SECURITY SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN STARTER CIRCUIT. ALTHOUGH THESE THINGS CORRECT THE PROBLEM AFTER WAITING, THE DEALER DOESN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT I PAY FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS THAT MIGHT FIX THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO SPEND MORE MONEY ON THIS VEHICLE. *JB

WHEN GETTING INTO MY CAR I GO TO START MY CAR AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START. THE SECURITY LIGHTS COMES ON WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT START AND THE SECURITY LIGHT IS ON. IT IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE SECURITY SYSTEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH THIS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT 30 MINUTES BEFORE THEIR CAR WILL START. THIS COULD PUT A WOMAN IN A SERIOUS SITUATION. WE NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT IS THE PROBLEM AND I HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP. *JB

IS THERE A WAY TO LOOK INTO THE CHEVROLET IMPALA 2002, 2001, AND 2000 MODELS FOR FAILURE OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM. THE LIGHT COMES ON AT TIMES AND WHEN TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE YOU ARE TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM CAN'T BE FOUND. AFTER THE LIGHT COMES ON, YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN OR IF THE CAR WILL START AND YOU HAVE IT TOWED AND NO PROBLEMS ARE FOUND. I THINK THIS CAN LEAD TO SOME TYPE OF SAFETY PROBLEM IF YOU NEED TO MOVE YOUR CAR IN A HURRY AND IT DON'T START. I'VE TALKED WITH MANY OWNERS OF THE TYPE OF CARS AND THEY ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM. *NM

DRIVING WHEN ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A SHORT PERIOD. IT DID NOT EFFECT THE CAR PERFORMANCE BUT IT DID RESET THE CLOCK ON THE RADIO AS IF THE BATTERY HAD BEEN DISCONNECTED. ANOTHER TIME THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS BRAKE LIGHTS FLASHED AND THE RADIO PULSED. THE SECURITY LIGHT REMAINED ON AS I WAS MOVING FORWARD OUT OF A DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED AND ALL THE LIGHTS CLEARED. *NM

DT: THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS NOT DESTROYED, BUT THE SEATS WERE DOWN TO THE WIRES. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED A SPARK COME FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED, BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY STATES THEY ARE GOING TO INSPECT IT. THE BACK WINDSHIELD SHATTERED BEFORE THIS, APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS PRIOR. THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING ERRATICALLY BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTEED BUT ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY HAVE TO DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DID RESPOND. THEY THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF ELECTRICAL WIRING. THE POLICE DID RESPOND, BUT DID NOT FILE A REPORT. THIS HAPPENED JULY 3, 2005. *NM

STARTING 2/05 I HAVE HAD THE "SECURITY" WARNING LIGHT AND MY ENGINE FAIL TO START ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE BCM THE FIRST TIME BUT HAVE NOW BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS A TSB ON THIS ISSUE AND THAT, PER GM, I NEED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED PARTS TO PREVENT MY VEHICLE FROM SHUTTING DOWN ON THE ROAD. IF THAT IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS. GM KNOWS ABOUT THIS BUT WILL NOT STAND BEHIND IT'S DEFECT UNTIL A MAJOR ACCIDENT HAPPENS. THEY SHOULD DO A RECALL AND HAVE THESE ALL REPAIRED BEFORE A MAJOR ACCIDENT DOES TAKE PLACE. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BEFORE A LIFE IS LOST BECAUSE OF A WELL KNOWN DOCUMENTED FLAW. *NM

THE AC DELCO BATTERY POST CAME OFF OF THE BATTERY. THE CLAMP AND CABLE WERE TIGHT, THE POST WAS EATEN IN TWO FROM THE INSIDE. *NM

PROBLEM WITH MESSAGE CENTER, SECURITY LITE COMES ON THEN BATTERY LITE, THEN SERVICE VEHICLE SOON, THEN AIR CONDITIONING WOULD NOT TURN ON, STARTED FUNNY, DID NOT START TURNING OVER WHEN I FIRST TURNED THE KEY IT STARTED TO TURN OVER ABOUT 1 SEC AFTER TURNING THE KEY AND STARTED OK THEN. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED A THE SAME TIME FOR THE FIRST TIME. PRIOR TO THIS I REPORTED A POPPING/SNAPPING NOISE WHEN YOU TURNED THE KEY. THE CHEV DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL (3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM).

2002 CHEVY IMPALA THE SECURITY LIGHT GOES ON WHEN DRIVING. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN DRIVING THIS WAY THE CAR WILL NOT START AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. A FRIEND WHO HAS A NEWER IMPALA HAS HAD SECUIRTY LIGHT GO ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE ENGINE TOTALLY SHUT DOWN . VERY SERIOUS IMPLICATIONS COULD ARRIVE IF ON HIGHWAY OR BRIDGE AND CAR DIES.

BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) FAILED AFTER 57,000 MILES. THE OTHER COMPUTER THAT RESIDES IN THE SAME HOUSING IS COVERED BY A 80,000 MILE WARRANTY, WHERE AS THE BCM IS NOT. THERE ARE NUMEROUS TSB'S THAT ARE POSTED CONCERNING FAILURE OF THE BCM. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND MANY SOURCES ARE AVAILABLE BY RESEARCHING THE INTERNET. THE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP EVEN SAID THAT "IMPALAS ARE NOTORIOUS" FOR PROBLEM WITH THE BCM. GENERAL MOTORS SAYS THAT IT IS NOT COVERED AND THEREFORE WILL NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT COSTS OF THE BCM. IF SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR MODEL (2002 IMPALA LS) THEN WHY HASN'T ANYTHING BEEN DONE BY THEM. I AM THANKFUL THAT MY CAR DID NOT SHUT OFF ON THE HIGHWAY AND DID SO IN MY PARKING LOT. *NM

IGNITION SWITCH - MALFUNCTIONED. Y HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH SECURITY LIGHT. HAD TO BE REPLACED BY DEALER SERVICE. *AK

I RECENTLY(3-7-05) PURCHASED A USED 2002 CHEVY IMPALA FROM MY UNCLE. HE TOLD ME THAT BASED ON INFO RECEIVED FROM A FORMER GM MECH.; THERE WAS A STARTER PROBLEM THAT HE HAD YET TO EXPERIENCE. I HAVE HAD THE CAR A LITTLE OVER 3 WEEKS NOW AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 5 DAYS. I REPLACED THE STARTER YESTERDAY(3-23-05) BASED ON WHAT MY UNCLE HAD TOLD ME. 20 MINUTES AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW 1 THE CAR DID NOT START. CALLED A LOCAL DEALERSHIP THIS MORNING(3-24-05) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE BODY CONTROL MODULE AND THE IGNITION CYLINDER. THIS DEALER TOLD ME THAT HE HAS 1 MONTE CARLO/IMPALA COME IN EVERY MONTH WITH THIS PROBLEM. I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS RECALL ON THE PART(S). HE TOLD ME "NO" AND THE THE REPLACEMENT COST WAS BETWEEN $450-600. NOW I'M OUT $250 FOR A STARTER I DIDN'T NEED AND BEING TOLD I'M LOOKING @ ANOTHER BILL AROUND $500. IN MY OPINION 1 CAR A MONTH IS TOO MANY AND THAT WAS AT JUST 1 DEALER. I HAVE 14 CHEVROLET DEALERS WITHIN 15 MILES OF MY HOUSE. THAT IS 168 CARS JUST NEAR ME IN 1 YEAR. I THINK THIS NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO.

VEHICLE FAILS TO START - MOTOR DOES NOT CRANK, STARTER DOES NOT ENGAGE. TESTS SHOW BATTERY, STARTER, ALTERNATOR CIRCUITS ARE GOOD - NO ERROR CODES GIVEN. VEHICLE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH AND THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY. LOCAL MECHANIC STATES THAT GENERAL MOTORS IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTERS OVERWRITING ITS OWN CODE AND THEREFORE CAUSES PROBLEMS, SUCH AS THIS, WITH THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE STARTS OCCASIONALY AT BEST. VEHICLE IS UNRELIABLBE - CANNOT TRUST IT TO START WHEN NEEDED. GOING TO CALL DEALER TO CHECK IF THERE IS A "SILENT RECALL" TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OTHERWISE, WILL ATTEMPT TO USE NHTSA SERVICE BULLETIN #00214A TO TRY TO GET PROGRAM RELOADED INTO VEHICLE'S COMPUTER WITHOUT CHARGE THOUGH I EXPECT VERY LITTLE HELP, IF ANY, FROM A DEALER.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET THE CAR CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE NEXT WEEK WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 70 MPH THE CAR CUT OFF AGAIN WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS. ONCE I GOT IT STARTED IT CUT OFF ABOUT 4 MORE TIMES BEFORE I COULD GET HOME. THE DEALER REPLACE THE FUSE BOX. NOW ABOUT 7 MONTHS LATER THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN. I INFORMED GMAC AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO BACK TO THE DEALER. I GUESS SO THEY CAN HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE TO HURT SOMEONE THIS TIME.*AK

THE CAR STALLS ON THE FREEWAYS OR SIDE STREETS WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS, AND I LOSE CONTROL THE POWER OF THE CAR AND THE BRAKES. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND THE DEALERS ARE NOT ABLE TO REPAIR IT. *NLM

AN UNCONNECTED WIRE RENDERED THE VEHICLE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM INOPERABLE WHICH IN TURN RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *NM

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATES' SOMETIMES VEHICLE WON'T START. CONSUMER HAS TO TRY ABOUT THREE TIMES BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

PRESSING HORN BUTTON TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT. DEALER SAID IT WAS DESIGNED THAT WAY, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. *AK

THE HORN ON 2002 MODEL WAS HARDER TO PUSH THAN ON THE OLDER MODELS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HORN DESIGN SAFETY PROBLEM COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *YH

AT 45MPH THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH NO WARNING AND WILL NOT START BACK UP. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER RETURNED TO HER CAR WHICH WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT TO FIND IT ON FIRE, CONSUMER STATES THE PROBLEM OCCURRED DUE TO FAULTY WIRING. *SLC

HORN IS VERY HARD TO LOCATE AND ACTIVATE WHEN NEEDED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE SEVRICE MANAGER SAYS THAT AIR BAGS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO BLOW THE HORN DURING AN EMERGENCY CONDITION. ALL IMPALAS AND MALIBUS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *YH