2000 Chevrolet Impala

SAFETY RECALL 09047 FOR 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REASON FOR THE OIL SEEPAGE ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS DUE TO THE VALVE COVERS BEING MADE OF PLASTIC AND IT REQUIRED FREQUENT GASKET CHANGES, BECAUSE THE COVERS DID NOT PROPERLY COMPRESS THE GASKET. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ONLY EFFECTIVE REMEDY WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE VALVE COVERS WITH METAL ONES, WHICH WOULD COMPRESS THE GASKET MORE EVENLY AND PREVENT OIL LEAKAGE ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE REMEDY STATED THAT THE DEALER WILL REMOVE THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETENTION CHANNEL AT THE FRONT OF ENGINE AND INSTALL TWO NEW SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINERS FOR FREE. OIL HAS ALREADY BEGUN LEAKING FROM THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE; THEREFORE, THE REMEDY WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT IN CORRECTING THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 07/17/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON JUNE 25TH. THE CONSUMER INSISTED THAT THE TECHNICIAN TELL HIM WHERE THE OIL LEAK WAS COMING FROM. THE OIL LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET, WHICH WAS BELOW THE SPARK PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINERS. THE SPARK PLUG WIRE RETAINERS THAT THEY REPLACED HAD NO EVIDENCE OF OIL, THEREFORE THE LEAK WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL AND DID NOT POSE A SAFETY THREAT. UPDATED 07/21/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THREE YEARS AGO, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT RECENTLY RECEIVED A GMC RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL THE CONTACT BACK. HE HAS NOT YET RECEIVED A RETURN CALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 108,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I HAVE NOTICED THAT ME STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY STIFF AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME OUT FROM THE HOOD. I DROVE THE CAR HOME SLOWLY, AND THE NEXT DAY TAKEN IT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP. MY ENGINE WAS BLOWN DUE TO THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET (WHICH ALREADY HAD BEEN REPLACED) AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. I HAD TO REPLACE A BRAND NEW ENGINE.($4K). NEXT MY TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY DONE, AND I HAD TO REPLACE THAT. THE RADIATOR WAS MESSED UP AND HAD TO REPLACE THAT AS WELL AS THE STARTER. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF AT ALL EITHER. NOW I CAN NOT GET MY CAR SMOGGED DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHICH THE CODES CAME UP AS "TOO LEAN ON BANK 1" WHICH COULD MEAN A VARIETY OF THINGS ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC. TODAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WHICH SMELLED LIKE BURNT PLASTIC. OH...HOW COULD I FORGET A FEW MONTHS BACK MY CAR JUST WOULDN'T START OUT OF NOWHERE AND THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE SENSORS AS WELL. OH ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE STEERING ON THE CAR IS SO STIFF AS IF I DON'T HAVE POWER STEERING. ALL THE MONEY I HAVE INVESTED IN THIS VEHICLE I COULD BE DRIVING AROUND A MERCEDES! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. SHE IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD. THE POWER WINDOWS AND LOCKS FAILED AND TRAPPED THE CONTACT IN THE VEHICLE MOMENTARILY. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE SIDE OF THE GARAGE AND CAUSED MINOR PROPERTY DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS AND ONLY OFFERED $1,000 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. SHE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000, WHICH STATED THAT IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND, INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

5/1, 5/2--IGNITION SIMPLY CLICKED . IT TOOK SEVERAL MINUTES TO GET IT STARTED IN EACH CASE. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP--COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. NOT THE BATTERY. 5/6, 5/8--ENGINE DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IGNITION CLICKED WHEN TRIED TO RESTART. TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP AGAIN--COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. CHRONIC--SINCE I HAVE HAD THE AUTO THE "LOW COOLANT LIGHT" SHOWS. THIS LAST TIME AT REPAIR SHOP, I WAS TOLD THAT AUTO WAS LEAKING COOLANT--MOST LIKELY GASKET AND WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR

I OWN A 2000 CHEVY IMPALA WHICH CAUGHT ON FIRE APPROXIMATELY MARCH OR APRIL OF 08. I CALLED 911 AND A FIRE CREW WAS SENT TO MY PRIOR RESIDENCE. I RECENTLY HEARD OF THE RECALL ON THE NEWS, HOWEVER, THEY STATED NO FIRES WERE REPORTED THUS FAR. I NEED TO FIND OUT IF MY CAR WAS IMPACTED. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP, SO AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AS TO MY NEXT STEPS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE, ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT WILL COME ON WHICH IS PRELUDE THAT COOLANT IS LEAKING INTO THE OIL. MOST ALL PEOPLE WILL NOT EVEN KNOW THIS. GM USED A PLASTIC GASKET AND IF YOU CHECK WITH ANY REPAIR SHOP/GM SERVICE GARAGE THEY WILL ALL TELL YOU THE SAME, THE PLASTIC GASKET JUST DETERIORATES, WITH ANY MILEAGE FROM 60K TO 90K AND THE COST TO REPAIR IS FROM $795 TO $995 PLUS TAX AND GARAGE SURCHARGES IE SOME CHARGE CLEAN UP AND ADD ONS SUCH AS COST OF TOWELS AND CLEANERS ETC. I WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL REPAIR PROFESSIONALS THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM THEY KNOW AS SOON AS A IMPALA ROLLS THROUGH THE DOOR, EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. ""I BELIEVE GM SHOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP FOR USING A DEFECTIVE PART AS NO OTHER VEHICLES HAVE SUCH POOR FAILURE RATE, NOR HAVE I EVER IN MY 58 YEARS OF LIVE AND OWNERSHIP OF 15 CARS/TRUCKS EVER HAD TO REPLACE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BECAUSE OF DETERIORATION. JUST SEARCH THE INTERNET AND YOU WILL FIND A MILLION PEOPLE OF THE SAME ISSUE. IF THEY KNEW WHERE TO COMPLAIN, I AM SURE YOU WOULD BE SWAMPED. I HOPE SOMETHING CAN BE DONE TO HELP ALL OF THE OWNERS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ASSISTANCE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. SHE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND IT EXPLODED. THERE WAS NO FIRE JUST A SPARK AND SMOKE.. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A REPORT. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT A FIELD INSPECTOR WOULD INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND MAKE A DETERMINATION REGARDING THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT COMPENSATION WOULD NOT BE PROVIDED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000. UPDATED 3/5/09 *CN UPDATED 03/10/09. *JB