2002 Chevrolet Impala Exterior Lighting
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
HIGH BEAM SWITCH HAS BEEN BROKEN, VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN GOOGLE SEARCHING. NO ONE FIXES IT AS IT IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. CANNOT USE HIGH BEAMS AND MANY PEOPLE ADJUST THE LOW BEAMS HIGHER AS A SOLUTION, WHICH IS BAD FOR EVERYONE. SHOULD BE A RECALL?
THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OCCURS AT RANDOM TIMES AND CONDITIONS. AS I'M TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND I PULL BACK THE DIMMER SWITCH LEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND LEAVE ME TOTALLY IN THE DARK. THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON AGAIN IS TO CONTINUE TO MANIPULATE THE DIMMER/TURN SIGNAL LEVER UNTIL THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT HAD TO ACTIVATE THE HIGH BEAMS AS AN INTERIM FIX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURNING SIGNALS FAILED TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED AND WHEN SWITCHING FROM THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, THE LIGHTS WOULD SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WOULD SWITCH THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF, BUT THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT REMAIN ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 05/29/14 MA THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 06/2014 *JS
THE TURN SIGNALS STOP WORKING ON ITS OWN. THEN STARTED WORKING AGAIN. THE SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED TWICE IN 2009 FOR THE SIMILAR FAILURE WHERE THE DIMMER SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED EACH TIME. THE CONTACT PLANNED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,936.
I HAVE A 2002 IMPALA AND MY TURN SIGNAL WORKS SOMETIMES AND OTHER TIMES IT DOESN'T. MY MOM HAS A CHEVY MALIBU AND HERS WAS DOING THE SAME THING AND THEY RECALLED IT DUE TO DEFECTIVE PARTS SO I LOOKED IT UP ON LINE AND GM HAS RECALLED OTHER MODELS BUT NOT IMPALA. SO I TOOK IT TO A GM LOCATION AND THE GUY TOLD ME THEY KNOW ITS A PROBLEM BUT UNTIL THEY RECALL IT THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO BUT PAY FOR IT. IT STARTED AT AROUND 98,000 MILES AND I WOULD ALMOST GET HIT WHEN I SLOWED DOWN TO TURN AFTER A WHILE THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY I GUESS ABOUT 135,000 NOW ITS BACK AGAIN IM AT 182,000 AND STILL NO RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL MECHANISM WAS SLIGHTLY JOLTED THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE UNIVERSAL LIGHT SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. UPDATED 04/15/11*LJ UPDATED 11/21/11
BOTH HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AT NIGHT WITH NO WARNING. SOMETIMES LOW LIGHTS TURN OFF AND THEN COME BACK ON AFTER A FEW SECONDS. SOMETIMES HIGH LIGHTS SHUT OFF AND DO NOT COME BACK ON UNLESS THE LIGHTS ARE MANUALLY SWITCHED TO LOW. THIS HAPPENS AS MUCH AS ONCE A MONTH TRAVELING AT 65 MPH EVER SINCE I OWNED THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO INDICATION WHEN AND WHERE THIS WILL HAPPEN. IT IS JUST RANDOM. IF YOU ARE UNAWARE HOW TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON, THEY WILL NOT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF SEVERAL OWNERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO REMEDY! *TR
I OWN A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS 4D. I WOULD BE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND FOR NO REASON BOTH HEADLIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF, DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT ABILITY TO SEE. WHEN I THEN I THEN HIT THE HIGH/LOW DIMMER SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES WITH MY HAND THE LIGHTS WOULD RETURN. THIS WOULD OCCUR ONCE EVERY MONTH OR SO, AND OCCURRED AT THIS APPROXIMATE FREQUENCY OF TIME FOR AS OFTEN AS I OWNED MY CAR, SINCE 2007. IT IS QUITE FRIGHTENING TO DRIVE AT NIGHT WHEN YOUR LIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY GO OFF WITHOUT WARNING. FINALLY, LAST YEAR THE HIGH BEAM WOULD NOT CLICK ON WITH THE SWITCH APPARENTLY BEING BROKEN. MY FATHER OWNED THE SAME YEAR IMPALA, AND HE REPORTED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, THE LIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY GO OUT AND HE WOULD HAVE TO HIT THE SWITCH TO HAVE THE LIGHTS RETURN ON. HE HAD HIS FIXED AND IT COST HIM IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 600 DOLLARS. MY BRIGHTS ARE CURRENTLY NOT FUNCTIONING DUE TO THIS BROKEN SWITCH WITH THE COST TO FIX BEING AROUND 600 DOLLARS. I FIND IT QUITE UNUSUAL WITH THE SAME YEAR IMPALA TO HAVE THIS OCCUR, AND FIND IT EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. *TR
2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA HEADLAMPS GO OFF WHILE DRIVING WHEN HIGH BEAMS ARE ON. FREQUENCY IS EVERYTIME HIGH BEAMS ARE USED. RESEARCHED PROBLEM ON INTERNET AND FOUND THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM. WHY WILL GM NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SAFETY RECALL SITUATION? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD BECOME FILLED WITH WATER WHENEVER IT WOULD RAIN. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED AND RESEALED YET THE HEADLIGHTS CONTINUED TO RETAIN MOISTURE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHT WOULD SHORT OUT WHENEVER THE BULB WAS REPLACED. THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS WOULD ONLY OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 36,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNALS WOULD FAIL INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 69,000.
2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA BLINKERS STOP WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. HAPPENS EVERY MONTH OR TWO AND LASTS ABOUT AN HOUR OR UNTIL THE FOUR-WAY FLASHER IS REPEATEDLY TURNED ON AND OFF. FIXED BY REPLACING THE HAZARD SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS WAS DANGEROUS SINCE THE BLINKERS WOULD NOT WORK WHEN EXPECTED AND NECESSARY SUCH AS CHANGING LANES ON THE FREEWAY, OR WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AT A BUSY INTERSECTION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA.THE CONTACT ALSO OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THE LIGHTS WENT OFF. THE CONTACT STATES HE TOLD HIS CHILDREN TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THE CONTACT STATES THE ISSUE HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLES REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
I HAVE A 2002 CHEVY IMPALA. ABOUT A YEAR AGO THE TURN SIGNALS INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED WORKING. I WAS TOLD THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL WAND WOULD COST $500.00 (NOT INCLUD.LABOR) AND THERE IS NO AFTER MARKET PART. MY MECHANIC COULD NOT CONFIRM THE PROBLEM THOUGH. ALL ELSE ON THE WAND WORKS. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM IS CONNECTED WITH MY AIR/HEAT RUNNING AND/OR LOSS OF POWER. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL NEAR REAR-END INCIDENCES. I AM AFRAID TO HAVE MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ITEM? *TR
2002 CHEVY IMPALA: TURN SIGNAL RANDOMLY STOPS FUNCTIONING: SOMETIMES WHEN LEVER IS PULLED SIGNAL WILL FUNCTION THEN JUST STOP, OTHER TIMES SIGNAL DOES NOT WORK AT ALL WHEN LEVER IS PULLED. PRESSING HAZARD BUTTON SEVERAL TIMES RETURNS TURN SIGNAL FUNCTIONALITY TEMPORARILY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! AN INTERNET SEARCH OF "2002 IMPALA TURN SIGNAL" ON GOOGLE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
WE WERE DRIVING HOME AT NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS ON OUR 2002 CHEVY IMPALA WENT OUT AND DIDN'T COME BACK ON. WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT AT THE TIME, BECAUSE WE WERE DRIVING IN TOWN AND THERE WERE STREET LIGHTS. THIS WAS THE 3RD OCCURRENCE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FOG UP. THE DEALER CHARGED $300 TO REMEDY THE ISSUE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THERE WERE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL THAT REMAINED ILLUMINATED FOR A YEAR; HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED DIM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF AND THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THEY COULD REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT UNIT FOR $600 AND THE TURN SIGNAL MODULE FOR $400. THE CHEVROLET MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE ARE NO WARRANTIES OR RECALLS RELATED TO THE HEADLIGHTS OR TURN SIGNALS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.
CHEVY IMPALA 2002 TURN BLINKERS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY SIMILAR TO 03V327000 RECALL CAMPAIGN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS WERE ACTIVATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTORE THE HEADLIGHTS BY TURNING OFF THE HIGH BEAMS. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS POSSIBLY FAILING. THE COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE $600. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS DIM. THE CONTACT HAS TO PLAY WITH THE DIMMER SWITCH IN ORDER FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE FAILURE HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR TWO YEARS AND PROVIDES POOR VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CHEVROLET AND A CHRYSLER DEALER AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE APPROXIMATELY $600 FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE THE REPAIR AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. HE BELIEVES THAT GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000. UPDATED 07/08/09 *BF THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHEN THE DIMMER WAS USED. THE DEALER STATED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS FAILING INTERNALLY. UPDATED 07/08/09.*JB
HEAD LIGHTS WILL GO OUT WHEN USING THE DIMMER LEAVER. I HAVE REPLACE THE DIMMER SWITCH TWO TIMES ON MY 2002 CHEVY IMPALA. COST $450.00 EACH TIME. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2002 Chevrolet Impala has 86 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.