2000 Chevrolet Impala

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, A CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT A FIRE HAD ERUPTED NEAR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN. ALSO, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY MISFIRED AND PERFORMED SLUGGISHLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SCHUKEI CHEVROLET INC (721 S MONROE AVE, MASON CITY, IA 50401, 641-494-5589) FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBERS: EA02030 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) AND PE00005 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS. WHEN THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, HE WAS PROVIDED A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,500. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 IMPALA WITH APPROXIMATELY 161,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR IS USED AND I AM THE 2ND OWNER. I WENT TO HAVE MY NORMAL OIL CHANGE AS I HAD NOTICED THE LOW ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING OUT OF OIL FREQUENTLY, BUT I DIDN'T SEE ANY OIL LEAKS. THE PRINT OUT AFTER THE OIL CHANGE STATED MULTIPLE OIL LEAKS. BUT THERE WAS NEVER ANY OIL ON THE GROUND. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING VERY ROUGH AND WAS STARING TO RUN WARMER THAN USUAL. NOT HOT, BUT PAST THE MIDDLE LINE ON THE TEMP GAUGE. AND I HAD NOTICED A BURNING SMELL AFTER DRIVING, BUT NEVER SAW ANY SMOKE. THIS ALL STARTED IN APRIL 2014 AND HAS BEEN ONGOING. I'VE TAKEN THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP AND NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. NOW JULY 5,2014 I WENT TO TURN LEFT AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN. I HAD TO PUT A LOT OF MUSCLE INTO TURNING THE WHEEL. I CHECKED THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND SAW IT WAS LOW SO I TOPPED IT OFF. PROBLEM SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED RIGHT? WRONG. IT GOT WORSE. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TENSIONER PULLEY. O'ER $100 LATER, THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORSE. WHEN I TURN LEFT THE WHEEL STAYS STUCK AND I HAVE TO JERK IT BACK STRAIGHT. THUS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS I TRANSPORT MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE. SINCE THESE PROBLEMS STARED THE CAR EATS A LOT OF GAS. GOING 5 MILES SHOULD NOT USE ALMOST A QUARTER TANK OF GAS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON AT RANDOM TIMES, DURING THESES TIMES THE CAR EATS A LOT IF GAS. WHEN THE LIGHT IS NOT ON GAS MILEAGE IS OK. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

ON 2/24/14 AT APPROXIMATELY 2:50 PM, I PROPERLY ATTACHED A SET OF BATTERY JUMPER CABLES FROM MY TRUCK TO THIS CAR TO START IT FROM A DEAD BATTERY SITUATION. WHEN THE OWNER ATTEMPTED TO CRANK THE CAR, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD DURING THE CRANKING, RESULTING IN AN EXPLOSION AND SMALL FIRE. THE OWNER IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED THE CAR OFF, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, AND I IMMEDIATELY CLOSED THE HOOD SO THAT THE FIRE WOULD NOT SPREAD, CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND REMOVED THE VEHICLES AROUND IT. THE FIRE DEPT. RESPONDED WITHIN 5 MIN., AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH WATER. THE FIRE DEPT. AND POLICE INSPECTED THE CAR, AND LEFT AFTER IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS PROPERLY EXTINGUISHED, AND THERE WAS NO FURTHER RISK OF THE FIRE RE-STARTING. THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO THE ENTIRE UNDER-HOOD AREA OF THE CAR. WHEN THE EXPLOSION HAPPENED, THE ENGINE COVER AND OIL FILLER CAP WAS BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 5 FT. FROM THE CAR, THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS BLOWN OPEN, AND THE FIRE WAS BURNING INSIDE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. WE ATTEMPTED TO PUSH THE CAR INTO THE PARKING SPACE, BUT IT WOULD NOT MOVE. IT SEEMED THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED, PROBABLY AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE. THE CAR HAS SINCE BEEN TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. THE CAR'S OWNER WAS INSIDE OF THE CAR, ATTEMPTING TO START IT VIA THE IGNITION KEY. I ASKED HER IF THERE WERE ANY PRIOR ISSUES WITH THE CAR, AND SHE TOLD ME THAT AT THE TIME, OTHER THAN A FLAT TIRE AND DEAD BATTERY, THE A/C WAS INOPERATIVE, AND NOT BEING USED. APPROXIMATELY 2-3 YEARS AGO, THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A LOCAL DEALER, AND A RECALL ISSUE WAS PERFORMED ON IT. SHE DID NOT REMEMBER WHAT SERVICE AND RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE ON THE CAR. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN OPERATED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS. I AM THE PERSON MOST ABLE TO GIVE THE DETAILS OF THE INCIDENT. THE OWNER OF THE CAR (SISTER) HAS AUTHORIZED ME TO ACT ON HER BEHALF IN THIS MATTER. *TR

MY CAR STARTED TO OVER HEAT IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER IN MINNESOTA. THERE WAS PLENTY OF COOLANT IN THE RESERVOIRS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING THERE WAS A NOISE AND ONCE I STARTED TO MOVE AGAIN THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE GAS GAUGE BEGAN SHOWING THE INCORRECT ABOUT OF GAS LEVELS IN MY VEHICLE. *TR

I W ALSO AS DRIVING INTO A SHOPPING PLAZA AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND MY CAR STEERED ACROSS THE ENTRANCE AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES IT STARTED BACK UP.I AM SO NERVOUS BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED,ALSO EVERY NOW AND THEN IT JUST WONT START UP AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL. THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK EITHER SO YOU CANT JUDGE THE GAS NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES I HAVE A 2000 CHEVY IMPALA. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR IT WOULD JUST STALL OR DIE AS IF SOMEONE HAD REACHED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WOULD NOT START FOR A FEW DAYS. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS CAR TO TWO MECHANICS AND NEITHER WERE ABLE TO STOP THE PROBLEM BUT TOLD ME THAT DIFFERENT PARTS WERE THE CULPRIT, SO 800 DOLLARS LATER I HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP, CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR,REPLACED THE BATTERY, TESTED THE ALTERNATOR, TESTED THE FUEL INJECTORS BOTH HOT AND COLD, TESTED THE IGNITION MODULE AND STILL THE CAR DIED LEAVING MY CHILD AND I STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY IN COLD TEMPERATURES. I THEN CALLED A GM DEALERSHIP WHOM SAID ANOTHER 120.00 JUST TO LOOK AT IT AND SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM . THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED EMPTY; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS NOT EMPTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THE FLOATER IN THE FUEL TANK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE TRAVELED FOR FIVE MINUTES IN THE VEHICLE AND UPON RETURNING TO HER RESIDENCE, SHE OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS THAT INDICATED A POTENTIAL FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO LOCATE THREE RECALLS FOR HER YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL THAT COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 04V090000, 01V136000 AND 04V090000). THE MANUFACTURER TOOK POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE APRIL 2009 AND HAS YET TO COMMUNICATE THE OUTCOME TO THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT CONFIRM IF ANY OF THE RECALLS APPLIED SPECIFICALLY TO VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

ON FEB.10TH OR 11TH.MY NEIGHBOR WAS ATTEMPTING TO JUMP START MY CAR BECAUSE THE BATTERY HAD FAILED DUE TO A 3 DAY SNOW STORM. AFTER TURNED THE IGNITION THE SECOND TIME, THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM. WHEN WE CHECKED THE ENGINE, WE NOTED THE MANIFOLD COVER HAD CRACKED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. ALSO THE WIRES WERE ON FIRE. MY NEIGHBOR QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. LATER, I WENT TO MY DEALER(FRANK Z CHEVROLET IN DAYTON, OH. ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REPAIRS COULD COST FROM $1,800-$2,000 MAINLY DUE TO THE FIRE DAMAGE. SINCE I HAVE BEEN UNEMPLOYED FOR 18 MONTHS, I HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR AN ESTIMATE OF ACTUAL DAMAGE.

NO CRASH, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER,GAS GAUGE GOES WACKY MOST OF THE TIME THE GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK AT ALL, THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF THE TIME, I HAVE READ COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER IMPALA OWNERS ON LINE AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS A RECALL FROM G.M. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST YOU ARE GOING. ALSO MOST OF THEM SAID THE TEMP. GAUGE GOES ALSO AND THAT CONCERNS ME IF YOU CAR WOULD OVERHEAT YOU WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED, UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE, NOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO INVEST IN A NEW MOTOR AND THAT IS WAY TO COSTLY. PLEASE SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP THE PROBLEM TO BE FIXED, WERE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE REPAIR WAS TO COST $500.00. *TR