2002 Chevrolet Impala Exterior Lighting

ON MARCH 19, 2008 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT 5AM AND TURNING ON MY HIGHBEAMS. A CAR WAS COMING OVER THE HILL SO I TURNED OFF MY HIGHBEAMS AND MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. IN A PANIC I HIT THE BRAKES AND ENDED UP PUTTING MY CAR IN THE DITCH. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT OUT OF THE DITCH BUT I WAS PRETTY SHOOK UP. AFTER JIGGLING MY DIMMER SWITCH I WAS ABLE TO GET MY HEADLIGHTS AGAIN. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE DIMMER SWITCH THAT NEEDED REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST $450. I FOUND AN AFTER MARKET ONE ONLINE AND PUT IT IN MYSELF FOR $350. I NOTICED MY LIGHTS FLICKERING BEFORE THIS EVENT BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. USUALLY IT WAS 1 OR 2 TIMES A WEEK FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN THE SWITCH FINALLY WENT OUT COMPLETELY. I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE A RECALL ON ALL DIMMER SWITCHES DUE TO THE FACT THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON A VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING IN THE DARK. IN MY CASE I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN DURING BAD ROAD CONDITIONS. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 IMPALA AND THE SAME PROBLEM AS EVERYONE ELSE. MY BLINKERS WILL RANDOMLY STOP WORKING. WHEN I PUSH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND OFF 3 OR 4 TIMES THE BLINKERS START TO WORK AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT HER HEAD LAMPS DIMMED PERIODICALLY. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD LIGHT MODULAR FAILED AND COULD BE REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $500. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,500.

2001-2002 CHEVY IMPALA HEADLIGHTS STOP WORKING WHEN CHANGING FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH BEAM AT ANY TIME ALSO BURNING WIRE SMELL ON GOING PROBLEM WITH GM NEEDS TO BE RECALLED GM WANTS $700 TO FIX . *TR

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS. BOUGHT USED IN 2005 HAD 72,000 MILES. IT NOW HAS 89,800 MILES. SINCE I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE BCM MODULE, REBUILT TRANSMISSION, REPLACE THE PCM MODULE, REPLACE ALL FOUR ROTORS ALONG WITH BRAKE PADS ALL AROUND, AND NOW MY LEFT TURN SIGNAL HAS STOPPED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WORKS FINE. WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS WORKING THE HAZARDS WORK FINE AS WELL, BUT WHEN THE LEFT ISN'T NEITHER DOES THE HAZARD LIGHTS. ALONG WITH THE PROBLEM IT DISENGAGES THE TRACTION CONTROL, WHICH THEREFORE DISENGAGES THE CRUISE CONTROL. I READ ON A FORUM THAT REPLACING THE HAZARD SWITCH WILL FIX THIS PROBLEM HOWEVER NOT MY CASE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REPLACE THE TURN SIGNAL MODULE, BUT THE PART IS 299.99 PLUS LABOR OR THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THEY COULD TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM, BUT AT ASTRONOMICAL LABOR CHARGES. FROM ALL THE FORUMS I'VE READ AND MY OWN PROBLEMS THE 2000-2002 IMPALAS ARE NOTHING, BUT GARBAGE! THIS WILL BE MY LAST AMERICAN MADE CAR! VERY VERY DISAPPOINTED CHEVROLET CUSTOMER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING OF THE VEHICLE WOULD FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THE LIGHTS WOULD THEN SPONTANEOUSLY ILLUMINATE AGAIN. THE DEALER HAS NOT YET BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 138,000. UPDATED 04/21/08 *CN UPDATED 04/21/08 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 10 MPH, THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MAKING EITHER A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,700.

HEADLIGHTS TURN COMPLETELY OFF WHILE DRIVING - MANIPULATING HI/LOW BEAM SWITCH TURNS THEM BACK ON. *TR

2002 IMPALA TURN SIGNALS WORK AT TIMES AND THEN DON'T WORK. I FOUND THAT PRESSING THE HAZARD SWITCH SEVERAL TIMES DID WORK BUT ONLY FOR A SHORT WHILE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. *TR

MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED ON 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA CAUSING A LOSS OF HIGH BEAM LIGHTS. THE SWITCH AND THE HIGH BEAM BULBS HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY REASONS. *TR

SUDDENLY BLINKER LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK, IF YOU MOVE OR USE THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH THE BLINKER LIGHTS WILL START TO WORK, SOMETIMES. YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY JIGGLE OR MOVE THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH FOR THE BLINKER LIGHTS TO WORK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE TRAVELING TO JACKSON, FL., THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED BY A POLICE OFFICER AND WAS INFORMED THAT HER HEADLIGHT WAS FLICKERING. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL DEALER IN FLORIDA AND THEY INFORMED HER THAT THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT HOUSING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $1,000. THE CONTACT COULD NOT PROVIDE THE FAILURE MILEAGE; HOWEVER, SHE NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE HAS WORSENED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. SIX MONTHS AGO, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL CONTROL MECHANISM FAILED. THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK ON A CONSISTENT BASIS AND WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. WHILE MAKING A TURN IN TRAFFIC, THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT ALWAYS WORK PROPERLY. THE FAILURE IS AN ONGOING OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

TURNING SIGNAL DID NOT COME ON. THIS OCCURS RANDOMLY PUTTING MY LIFE IN DANGER IN MANY OCCASIONS. *TR

ABOUT 9 MONTHS AGO HIGH BEAMS WOULD GO OUT COMPLETELY (NO LIGHTS AT ALL) UNTIL HIT LEVER. GOT WORSE UNTIL NO HEADLIGHTS AT ALL. TOOK TO DEALER AND CHARGED ME $629.66 FOR A MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH. ADVISED GM OF NHTSA PEO6017 BUT THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT GM WOULD NOT COVER DUE TO AGE (2002) AND MILEAGE (107,200). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS BACK ON INITIALLY, BUT NOW THEY WILL NOT ILLUMINATE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 020209 *BF THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED. UPDATED 02/03/09.*JB

HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY GO OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. IT IS IN AT THE DEALER NOW FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A WEEK. THIS COULD KILL OR INJURE SOMEONE. I JUST PURCHASED THE CAR A MONTH AGO (2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA). *TR

WE HAD JUST TURNED ON TO HWY 188 WHICH IS A COUNTRY ROAD IN WISCONSIN. MY HUSBAND HAD JUST TURNED ON THE HIGH BEAMS WHEN WITHOUT WARNING WE LOST ALL HEADLIGHTS. HE SWITCHED IN BACK TO THE LOW BEAMS BUT IT WAS UNRESPONSIVE FOR 30 SECONDS, THEN AFTER CYCLING THE LIGHT SWITCH A FEW TIMES IT CAME BACK ON TO THE LOW BEAMS AND WE DIDN'T USE THE HIGH BEAMS AT ALL FOR FEAR WE WOULD LOSE LIGHTS AGAIN. *TR

IN READING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE06017 - I WANT TO REPORT THAT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA - THE HEADLIGHTS FAIL WITHOUT PREDICTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TURN SIGNAL ILLUMINATES SPORADICALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS A SHORT IN THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHER UNIT AND MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT A RECALL DOES NOT EXIST FOR THIS FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 110,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

TL* - THE CONTACT HAS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN CLOSING THE HOOD IT PRESSED THE RUBBER ABOVE THE HEADLIGHTS INTO THE TOP OF THE HEADLIGHTS, AND CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO THE HEADLIGHTS. THERE WAS ALWAYS WATER IN THE HEADLIGHTS WHICH CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO BE DIM AND NOT TO PERFORM AT HIGHEST POTENTIAL. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PAINT WAS COMING OFF OF THE TURN SIGNAL DUE TO THE WATER. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BECOMING DIMMER AND DIMMER. *AK UPDATE 4/9 *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MYSELF AND MY WIFE HAVE EXPERIENCED HEADLIGHT FAILURE. IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DIMMER SWITCH BECAUSE WHEN THE LIGHTS DO GO OUT, MANIPULATION OF THE SWITCH USUALLY CAUSES THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. *JB

2002 IMPALA TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. VERY DANGEROUS! HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 4-5 YEARS. OUT OF WARRANTY. DON'T HAVE MONEY TO REPAIR. *TR

FAILURE OF DIMMER CONTROL ON 2002 IMPALA. SWITCH BEGAN FEELING HEAVIER TO ACTIVATE, THEN HEADLIGHTS FAILED MULTIPLE TIMES, INITIALLY ON HIGH BEAM AND THEN ON LOW BEAM. HEADLIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY GO OFF WHILE DRIVING. TOGGLING THE DIMMER SWITCH WOULD REACTIVATE THE LIGHTS. FORTUNATELY I WAS DRIVING ON A FAIRLY STRAIGHT ROAD. DEALER INDICATED THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. REVIEW OF INTERNET COMPLAINTS, THIS ISSUE APPEARS COMMON. REPAIR WITH DEALER COST $479. *TR

2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS. HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. THEY COME BACK ON WHEN YOU ACTIVATE THE HIGH/LOW BEAM LEVER. NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURY HAVE OCCURRED. TOOK TO DEALER AND WAS QUOTED $400-$600 TO FIX IT. I HAVE ORDERED A BODY CONTROL MODULE TO TRY TO FIX IT MYSELF. *JB