2004 Chevrolet Impala

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE DASHBOARD AREA AND THEN SPREAD TO THE HOOD. THE FIRE OCCURRED TWO TO THREE MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. A RELATIVE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HAND DUE TO THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS ELECTRICAL. THERE IS NO FIRE OR POLICE REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE CONTACT DOES NOT KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF THE REPAIR WORK. THREE MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OR MORE. THE BRAKES AND THE DISC WERE REPLACED AND ALIGNED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR AND THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED WITHIN A MONTH. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE DISC FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE CONTACT DETECTS THE SMELL OF FUEL WITHIN THE VEHICLE. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL WAS FULL; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO THE PRESENCE OF FUEL ON THE GROUND AFTER ADDING FUEL TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS NOT DIAGNOSED THE CAUSE OF THE FUEL GAGE FAILURE OR THE ODOR. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MAY NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO THE FUEL ODOR IN THE INTERIOR. ALTHOUGH THE BRAKES WERE REPAIRED TWICE, THE VIBRATION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE RECEIPTS FOR ALL OF THE REPAIRS THAT WERE PERFORMED, INCLUDING AN INSURANCE REPORT. THERE IS NO FIRE OR POLICE REPORT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 81,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. UPDATED 08/15/07.*JB

I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE CAR STARTING. WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY. WE BOUGHT A NEW ONE. IT DID NOT HELP. WHEN A MECHANIC LOOK AT IT HE SAID THAT IT MAY BE A NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. HE TOLD ME HOW TO START IT , FIRST I HAVE TO HAVE THE KEY ON THE ON POSITION AND THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO START IT. THIS HELPED, BUT I WAS WONDERING IF ANYONE ELSE HAS HAD ANY PROBLEM LIKE THIS?*AK

TL-* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE SITTING AT A STOP SIGN A PICK UP TRUCK CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND CAUSED IT TO CRASH INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE PASSENGER , A CHILD, WAS IN THE REAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DURING THE CRASH, THE REAR SEAT BELT DISENGAGED, AND HIT THE PASSENGER IN THE EYE, RESULTING IN A BLACK EYE AND A CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED BACK INJURIES. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE REASON THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY OR WHY THE REAR SEAT BELT DISENGAGED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 36,000. *AK

ON OCT 6TH 2005, WHILE DRIVING THE DEPARTMENT ISSUED 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA, POLICE PATROL SQUAD CAR, I NOTICED A UNFAMILUAR VERY STRONG FOUL ODOR WHEN I WOULD TURN ON THE HEATER. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME, BUT AFTER I SUFFERRED INITIALLY AN INHALATION INJURY WHICH NEARLY KILLED ME BY SUFFICATING ME CAUSING MY BLOOD PRESSURE TO ESCALATE THEREBY CAUSING ME TO SUFFER DUEL ANYURSM' OF THE UPPER THORACIC VEIN AND THE ABDOMINAL VEIN. I WAS FLOWN VIA FLIGHT-FOR-LIFE HELICOPTER TO A TRAUMA CENTER, HOSPITALIZED IN INTENSIVE CARE, LEFT INCAPACITED ME FOR FOUR MONTHS AND WITHOUT AN INCOME. I AM NOW LEFT WITH INTERNAL SCAR TISSUE ON MY AORTA VEIN. MY POLICE SUPERVISOR VISITED ME IN INTENSIVE CARE IN THE HOSPITAL AND INFORMED ME THAT THE MECHANIC FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHICH SERVICES OUR FLEET OF LEASED VEHICLE, INSPECTION RESULTS INDICATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS OVERCHARGING THE BATTERY AND AS A RESULT THE BATTERY BEGAN TO OVERHEAT GIVING OFF BATTERY ACID FUMES WHICH EXPLAINED THE FOUL ODOR. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH FAILURE MILEAGE 28,000 HE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL HE HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER INITIALLY BECAUSE HE THOUGHT IT WAS A STEERING PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN TOLD HIM THAT IT HAD TO DO WITH THE STRUCTURE FRAME AND MEMBERS OF THE WHEELS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED A ROD ON THE TIRE, BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN TOLD HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF ALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT ALREADY PAID $150.00 IN REPAIR COSTS, AND THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 30,000 MILES. *AK

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AGAINST WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. THE GASOLINE STATION THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE WAS USING ETHANOL. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATED THAT THE ETHANOL WILL DAMAGE PARTS IN THE CARBURETOR, AND IN THE ENGINE, AND PARTS MADE OF RUBBER. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,000. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE.*AK UPDATED 04/30/07. *JB THE CONSUMER PROVIDED 2 ARTICLES PERTAINING TO THE ETHANOL SITUATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SAME ETHANOL THAT DAMAGES DISPENSING FUEL PUMPS WILL ALSO DO DAMAGE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE FIRES IN AUTOMOBILES. UPDATED *TR

TL* -THE CONTACT COMPLAINED ABOUT THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLER. GMC HAS KNOWN FOR YEARS THAT THIS PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED, BUT FAILED TO COVER MAINTENANCE/REPLACEMENT ON IT. THE SOLUTION WAS TO CHARGE $165 + TO GREASE THE COUPLER AT THE CONTACT''S EXPENSE. GM C WAS FULLY AWARE OF A PROBLEM, AND DID NOT BRING IT TO THE CONTACT'S ATTENTION, AND THEN CHARGED THE CONTACT TO FIX IT TEMPORARILY. *AK