2006 Chevrolet Impala Visibility

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.

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

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY IN RAIN. 2ND FAILURE IN 19 MONTHS. WIPER TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY REPLACED BOTH TIMES. *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

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE CAUSING THE WINDOW TO DROP SUDDENLY IN THE DOOR. *TR

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

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.

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 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

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

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

MY DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR WAS FALLING DOWN AND WOULD NOT STAY UP. THE COMPANY REPLACED IT FOR FREE. HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER SIDE IS FALLING AS WELL AND MY WARRANTY IS EXPIRED. THIS BLOCKING VIEW NOT TO MENTION UNATTRACTIVE. I HAVE AN OTHERWISE BEAUTIFUL CAR. *TR

CHILD'S NECK TRAPPED IN WINDOW FRAME ASSEMBLY. FROM DRIVER'S SEAT, UNABLE TO OPERATE WINDOW RELEASE. *TR

A WEEK AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S WINDOW WAS MAKING SCREECHING SOUND WHEN LOWERED. I TOOK IT BACK ON JULY 3, 2006. THE INSIDE DOOR PANEL WAS REMOVED AND THE ACTUATOR WAS LUBRICATED. LESS THAN A WEEK LATER THE SCREECHING NOISE CAME BACK. I THEN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT CHEVROLET WAS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING NEW WINDOW SEALS BUT THEY WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE. I WAS TOLD TO WAIT UNTIL MY FIRST OIL CHANGE AND BY THAT TIME THE NEW GASKETS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2006 CHEVY IMPALA ON MARCH 1, 2006. IT WAS PURCHASED UNDER THE NAME OF VIRGINIA BRADY. I GOT MARRIED IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. I HAD MY CAR IN 3 TIMES TO FIX THE DRIVERS WINDOW. IT SCREECHES LIKE SOMEONE'S FINGER NAILS ON A BLACK BOARD. TO ME THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE AS WHEN THE WINDOW SCREECHES WHEN YOU PUT DOWN THE WINDOW. A PERSON CRINGES AND SOMETIMES WILL CLOSE THEIR EYES. I HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT I DO NOT DO THIS AS IT CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE SCREECHING HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR SITS IN THE SUN FOR A WHILE. IN COOL WEATHER IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. THE FIRST TIME I TOOK THE CAR IN WAS MAY 22, 2006. THE REPORT THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SEEMED LIKE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN. THE SECOND TIME WAS JUNE 8, 2006 AND THE LAST TIME WAS JULY 14, 2006. ON JULY 14, I RECEIVED A NOTICE THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A PROBLEM WITH A NUMBER OF 2006 CHEVY IMPALAS. I HAVE THE PAPER WORK THAT CHEVY ISSUED ON MAY 18, 2006 ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. NOW I AM SUPPOSE TO BRING BACK MY CAR AND LEAVE IT AGAIN. WHY AM I PAYING FOR A NEW CAR THAT SEEMS TO SPEND SO MUCH TIME IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE CHEVY DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THE NEXT PROBLEM THAT I CONSIDER A SAFETY PROBLEM IS THE DRIVER'S SIDE READ VIEW MIRROR. I AM A TALL PERSON SO I DIDN'T NOTICE THIS BEFORE, ALL I NOTICED WAS A CRACK UNDERNEATH THE MIRROR WHEN I BACKED INTO THE DRIVE WAY AT HOME. NOW I FOUND OUT THAT THE MIRROR DOESN'T GO TO THE RIGHT FAR ENOUGH FOR SAFETY. IF SOMEONE SHORTER THAN MYSELF OR SOMEONE WHO LIKES THE SEAT UP FURTHER THAN I DO, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO USE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR PROPERLY. TODAY, SUNDAY, AUGUST 27, 2006, I GOT A CALL FROM JASON WHO WORKS AT THE CHEVY SERVICE ABOUT ME TAKING MY CAR BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEM TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX. *JB

SIDE WINDOWS ARE SCRATCHING WHEN WINDOWS LOWERED AND RAISED. *JB

REAR WINDOW DEFOGGER NOT OPERATING DUE TO LOOSE WIRE, CAUSING TO SPARK WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS DID NOT KNOW THIS TILL RECENTLY VEHICLE MAY HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE IF I DID NOT SEE IT WAS DETACHED FROM THE WINDSHEILD. *NM