2008 Chevrolet Impala Steering

HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT A MONTH WHEN IT FIRST DID THIS GOING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AT 5-10 MPH AND HIT A MUD PUDDLE. I TRIED TO TURN OUT ONTO THE RD AND ALMOST WENT IN DITCH BECAUSE THE CAR WOULDN'T STEER. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND A COUPLE OF TIMES THE CAR ACTUALLY SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES THE CHARGING SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON. THIS IS SO VERY DANGEROUS. GLAD TO SEE IN NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE ISSUE. *TR

DRIVING THROUGH A WATER PUDDLE I LOST MY POWER STEERING ,HAPPENS EVERYTIME I HIT WATER, IT HAS ALSO LOCKED UP ON ME A COUPLE TIMES. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN APPLYING BRAKE STEERING WHEEL CLUNKS. ALSO WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL YOU FEEL A CLUNK. INTERMEDIATE SHAFT IS ISSUE HAVE HAD CAR LOOKED AT AND PROBLEM HAS BEEN VERIFIED. *TR

THIS SITUATION HAPPENS FREQUENTLY WITH THIS CAR WHEN IT RAINS AND THE GROUND IS WET. MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHEN DRIVING MY CAR IN THE RAINY WEATHER. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN SOMETHING UNDERNEATH THE CAR GETS WET THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE BELT WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEM PERSIST. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, ESPECIALLY, WHEN IT RAINS. I'M AFRAID THE STEERING WHEEL WILL START LOCKING WHEN DRIVING IN DRY WEATHER TOO! *TR

I HAVE OWNED MY 2008 CHEVY IMPALA SINCE JUNE 2011 AFTER TWO WINTERS AND HEADING INTO A THIRD I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS CAR CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED IN ANY SNOWY CONDITION. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY WINTER SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, WHEN DRIVING THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP UNDER CONTROL. OTHER CARS PASS BY ME AND STARE AT ME AS IF SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH ME BUT IT IS THE CAR, I CAN BARELY GO 25 MPH WHILE OTHER CARS ARE DOING 40MPH+ WITH NO PROBLEM. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY HAVE NO SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM, I HAVE ALSO HAD THE NOTORIOUS TIRE WEAR ON THE INSIDE ONLY PROBLEM TOO. EVEN AFTER BRAND NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT THE CAR HAVE ZERO IMPROVEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO HANDLING IN THE SNOW. WHEN TRYING TO GO ANYTHING FASTER THAN 25 MPH IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WONT STOP BLINKING AS IF THE CAR CANT GRAB ON TO ANYTHING AND IS DRIFTING AROUND FREELY. THIS IS REALLY A PROBLEM AND CAN BE LIFE THREATENING IF THEIR IS NO SOLUTION OFFERED, I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE NOR SAFE WHILE DRIVING IT AND THAT IS AN ISSUE WHEN YOU LIVE IN CHICAGO. IF ANY ONE KNOWS A FIX TO THIS PROBLEM I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT OR I GUESS I WILL JUST HAVE TO BORROW SOMEONE ELSE'S CAR WHEN IT SNOWS AND I HAVE TO BE SOMEWHERE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN OTHER TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ALWAYS WHEN THE GROUND WAS WET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE NOT ALIGNED AND CAUSED THE REAR TIRES TO WEAR PREMATURELY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DID NOT KNOW WHY THE TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY HOWEVER THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER AT 40 MPH. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE POWER STEERING BELT FRACTURED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIRS. SIXTY DAYS AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO APPLY THE BYPASS RELAY BUTTON TO GET THE CAR OUT OF PARK. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND THE BATTERY WAS DRAINING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

SYMPTOMS WERE NOISE WHEN STEERING AT LOW SPEED, PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE "WANDERING" WHEN DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. PROBLEM WAS DEFECTIVE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. GM REDESIGNED THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IN 2008 IN RESPONSE TO THESE VERY PROBLEMS. GM HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PART, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETINS, INCLUDING TSB # 01-02-32-0010. THE TSB INDICATES THE NEED FOR REPLACING, NOT LUBRICATING, THE PART. THE TSB STATES "ENGINEERING CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE SERVICE PARTS AVAILABLE THROUGH SPO. THE SERVICE PARTS FOR THE VEHICLES LISTED IN THIS BULLETIN WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE LUBRICATION OF THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT" GM RE-ENGINEERING THE PART INDICATES TO ME AS AN OWNER THAT THEY KNOW THE ORIGINAL PRODUCT WAS DEFECTIVE, BUT ARE CHOOSING TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE, POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PART AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDELY DOCUMENTED ON GM OWNER AND DEALERSHIP FORUMS ACROSS THE INTERNET. THIS PROBLEM IS SHARED BY CHEVROLET IMPALAS, CHEVROLET MONTE CARLOS, BUICK REGALS, BUICK LACROSSES, OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. ALL OF THESE VEHICLES ARE BUILT ON THE GM "W BODY" PLATFORM. DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THESE VEHICLES, THE PROBLEM LIKELY AFFECTS MANY MILLIONS OF OWNERS. I HAD THE PART REPLACED AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAD A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY THAT, ACCORDING TO MY INVOICE, ONLY SAVED ME $30 ON THE REPAIR. I WAS CHARGED A $200 DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PART. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE SIDEWALLS ON THE TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REAR TIE ROD WAS DEFECTIVE. AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES, ROTORS AND TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIE ROD AND ALL OF THE COMPONENTS WHICH WERE WEARING PREMATURELY, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND COULD NOT BE UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BU THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING HEAVY RAINFALL. MY SON WAS TURNING RIGHT ONTO A HIGHWAY, AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN. ONCE HE BEGAN HIS TURN ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP FOR A FEW SECONDS. HE THEN TURNED DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET AND DROVE AROUND A FEW BLOCKS, LOSING STEERING AGAIN FOR A FEW SECONDS WHILE TURNING A CORNER. HE PROCEEDED TO DRIVE BACK ONTO THE HIGHWAY AND DROVE 70 MILES TO HIS DESTINATION, RAIN CONTINUING, WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ON THIS SAME DAY, I DROVE HOME 70 MILES FROM THIS DESTINATION, THE RAIN CONTINUED AND I HAD DRIVEN ABOUT 30 MILES WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED FOR A FEW SECONDS AFTER I CROSSED A RAILROAD TRACK AND TURNED ONTO A RESIDENTIAL STREET. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE IF NOT MORE INCIDENTS OF THE STEERING LOCKING UP EACH TIME IT RAINS. THE STEERING EITHER LOCKS WHILE MAKING A TURN, OR AFTER THE TURN IS COMPLETED, OR AS WE ARE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPOT. TODAY, 9/14/2011, IT WAS RAINING AND MY STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE TURNING FROM A STOP SIGN, THEN AGAIN WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE, AND AGAIN AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY. ON THIS DATE, HOWEVER, I NOTICED THAT THE LOW BATTERY INDICATOR CAME ON WHEN THE STEERING LOCKED. WHEN THE STEERING FIRST STARTED LOCKING UP, WE REPORTED IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH OUR VEHICLE. WE HAVE NOTIFIED THE CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WHERE OUR IMPALA WAS PURCHASED, AND GM. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR STEERING PROBLEMS ON THE 2008 IMPALA. THEREFORE, WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM RESOLVED. *TR *KB

POWER STEERING FAILS TEMPORARILY WHEN GOING THRU SMALL AMOUNT OF SPLASHING WATER. CAR WAS INSPECTED, BELT & TENSION PULLEY REPLACED. FAILURE LASTS APPROX. 20-30 SECONDS.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA AND WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, SO MY TIRES WERE TURNED AT AN ANGLE. WHEN BACKING UP, I LOST ALL POWER STEERING MAKING IT VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEEL. ONCE I BACKED OUT AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE THE STEERING BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. I CHECKED POWER STEERING FLUID BUT IT WAS NOT LOW. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS FAIRLY REGULARLY. *TR

WHEN SLOWING DOWN AND MAKING A TURN. STEERING LOCKS UP. WHEN COME OUT OF TURN AND HIT GAS STARTS WORKING AGAIN. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 CHEVY IMPALA LTZ, PURCHASED ON 7-4-08 FORM A GM DEALERSHIP IN YUKON, OK. THE CAR HAD 3670 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED. IT WAS DRIVEN, ACCORDING TO DEALERSHIP, BY THE AREA FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR GM. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHENEVER YOU DRIVE THROUGH STANDING WATER OR WET SNOW, YOU CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT DOES NOT HAVE TO MUCH WATER, JUST A WATERHOLE WHERE RUN OFF FROM A SPRINKLER SYSTEM HAS RUN OFF THE DRIVEWAY. ONE TIME, IT WAS LEFT IN AN ENCLOSED GARAGE OVER NIGHT AND THE DRIVER THE NEXT MORNING JUST ABOUT HIT A PARKED VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY COULD TURN THE THE STERRING WHEEL. THE CAR HAS BEEN TO TWO LOCAL GM DEALERSHIPS AND THEY CANNOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. GM SAFETY HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND THEY COULD NOT GIVE AN ANSWER FOR THE PROBLEM EITHER. THE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE FEEL THAT THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF NOT FIXED. SO FAR, MOST OF THE TIMES THIS HAS HAPPENED HAS BEEN IN TOWN AND AND AT LESS THAN 35 MPH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WERE WEARING PREMATURELY DESPITE HAVING AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE EVERY THREE MONTHS. THE DEALER ADVISED HAVING AN ALIGNMENT ANNUALLY AND ROTATING THE TIRES EVERY 6,000 MILES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 31,900.

STEERING WHEEL LOCKS COMPLETLY WHEN TURNING HAPPENS AT LEAST EVERY TWO WEEKS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT MADE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE STREET. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE 74 MILES AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR WHEN SHE APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER YIELDING OR STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS ALWAYS TRAVELING AT A LOW SPEED AND MAKING A LEFT TURN WHENEVER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45946. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50993.

POWER STEERING DIES WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS WET. DEALER IS NEVER AVAILABLE FOR AN APPOINTMENT WHEN IT HAPPENS. MY MECHANIC HAS REPLACED THE BELT AND CLEANED EVERYTHING. IT WORKS FOR A SHORT WHILE THEN STARTS AGAIN. IS ANY HELP AVAILABLE? *TR

EARLY MORNING START /DROVE FOR APPROXIMATELY 4-8 MINUTES. TURNED INTO PARKING LOT AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK (3/4 TURN) WHEN THE STEERING FROZE. STOPPED THE CAR AND THE STEERING SEEMED TO RETURN. PARKED CAR AND ROTATED WHEEL LEFT TO RIGHT AND NOTICED THAT THE WHEEL FROZE ONCE AGAIN. TURNED CAR OFF AND NO CONTINUED ISSUE ON RESTART. IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT CAR TO DEALERSHIP AND AWAITING A DECISION ON WHAT OCCURRED. DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING VEHICLE UNTIL DEALER CAN REPAIR ISSUE. *TR

WHEN I TURN MY WHEEL OF MY CAR IT FEELS AS IF ITS KNOCKING. *TR

I OWN A 2008 CHEVY IMPALA AND I HAVE BEEN HEARING CLICKING NOISES IN THE STEERING SHAFT. I HAVE TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE SERVICED AND THEY PUT 2 NEW FRONT TIRES ON REPLACED THE ASSIST STEERING SHAFT AND PUT A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT ON THE CAR BECAUSE MY TIRES WERE WORN ON THE OUTER EDGE I STILL HEAR THE SAME NOISE WHEN I TURN COMING OUT OF A PARKED POSITION AND THE NEW TIRES THEY PUT ON ONE WAS DEFECTED AND I ALMOST HAD A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 38 IN CAMDEN N.J BECAUSE ONE OF THE TIRES RADIAL BELTS POPPED AND CAUSED A BLOW-OUT WHICH SENT ME AND MY HUSBAND AND 2 KIDS IN A FIGHT FOR OUR LIVES TRYING TO GET OUT OF ON- COMING TRAFFIC WE HAD TO RIDE AROUND ON A DONUT IN A 2008 FOR 12 HOURS UNTIL WE COULD FIND A USED TIRE TO COME BACK TO RICHMOND VIRGINIA 256 MILES AWAY FROM HOME. I ALSO OWNED A 2004 CHEVY IMPALA AND UPGRADED TO THE 2008 AFTER HAVING MY CAR SERVICED 5 TIMES FOR THE SAME THING AND LOW AND BEHOLD I'M EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM CLICK CLICK CLICK................................... *TR