2005 Chevrolet Impala

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES WERE INOPERATIVE AND DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. IN ADDITION, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED SPORADICALLY, THE REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT WAS POORLY ILLUMINATED, AND THE BATTERY FAILED SPONTANEOUSLY. WHEN THE FAILURES OCCURED, SHE SMELLED A BURNING ODOR AS IF THE WIRES WERE BURNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TUESDAY, 1/27/09, WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL COUNTRY ROAD TO WORK AT 6:15 AM, VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT DARK. DASHBOARD LIGHTS STAYED ON, BUT OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT DARK FOR 8 TO 10 SECONDS. SAME THING OCCURRED AGAIN MONDAY MORNING, 02/02/09. NO DIMMING OR WARNING, LIGHTS JUST WENT OFF AND I WAS DRIVING IN DARKNESS. 02/03/09 TOOK IMPALA TO GM DEALER TO RUN DIAGNOSTIC. THEY DETERMINED PROBLEM WITH THE MULTIFUNCTIONAL HIGH/LOW BEAM LEVER SWITCH (THIS UNIT ALSO HOUSES THE CRUISE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND DIRECTIONAL LIGHT CONTROLS). EST FOR REPAIRS $735.00. 02/07/09 HAD THE UNIT REPLACED AT ANOTHER GARAGE FOR $435.00. I KEPT THE DEFECTIVE UNIT. HAVE SINCE DONE RESEARCH TO FIND OTHER PEOPLE REPORTING THIS SAME PROBLEM OCCURRING ON OTHER IMPALAS RANGING AT LEAST FROM MODEL YEARS 2001 THRU 2005. IN SOME CASES THE HEADLIGHTS STAYED ON, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO SWITCH THE HEADLIGHTS BETWEEN HIGH AND LOW BEAM. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. I CONTACTED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE TO RELATE WHAT HAPPENED AS I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT DUE TO THE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING INJURY OR EVEN DEATH, THIS MULTIFUNCTIONAL LEVER SWITCH SHOULD BE "RECALLED". *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED 4-5 INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER THREE MONTHS. WHEN THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WERE USED, THE LOW BEAMS FAILED. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE BEFORE THE LIGHTS FAILED. THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE AGAIN WHEN HE TURNED THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,961. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CONSUMERS CONERN. UPDATED 03/25/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AT NIGHT ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE HEADLIGHTS UNEXPECTEDLY LOST POWER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

LOW BEAM MALFUNCTION. LOW BEAM CONNECTOR COMPLETELY FRIED. CONNECTOR MELTED ON TO THE BULB. 3-5 BULBS NEED TO BE REPLACED EACH MONTH AND MUST TAKE IT TO THE AUTO SHOP TO HAVE A NEW CONNECTOR PLACED ON AS WELL. CHEVY WOULD NOT HELP, SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALER SAID THAT MY WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD HAVE TO BE RE-DONE BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MUCH POWER RUNNING TO THE BULBS. PRICE ESTIMATE $3500. *TR

DRIVING DOWN PAVED ROAD HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT SOMETIMES THEY WILL COME BACK ON AND SOMETIMES THEY WON'T. I ALSO HAVE REPORTED MY SPEEDOMETER SHOWING 80 OR 90 MPH WHEN I AM DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS AND 40 OR 50 MPH WHEN COMPLETELY STOPPED - SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT WORK AT ALL. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST INVOLVED. ALSO HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY POWER STEERING PUMP AND A WHEEL HUB. HUB REPLACED AND PAID OUT OF POCKET AND IT DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PAID $600 TO REPLACE THE HUB. HAD TO REPLACE THE TIRES BECAUSE OF THAT DEFECT. *TR

I HAVE AN 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 45,000 MILES AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING IS VERY DIFFICULT AND SCARY AS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY HAVE REPLACED PARTS AND STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER HAS QUIT WORKING AND IS STUCK ON 140 MILES AN HOUR. *TR

I OWN A 2005 CHEVY IMPALA. THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS STARTED GOING OUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO AROUND JULY OR AUG. 2006. AROUND 75,000 MILES WAS WHEN THE PROBLEM STARTED AND I NOW HAVE 96,000 MILES. AT FIRST I WAS ABLE TO FIX IT BY SWITCHING BACK TO LOW BEAM AND THEN COULD SWITCH BACK TO HIGH BEAM AND THEY WOULD WORK. IN FEB. 2007 I HAD THE CAR INTO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE BLOWER FAN AND TOLD THEM WHAT WAS HAPPENING. I EXPLAINED THAT WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE ABOUT TO GO OUT I COULD HEAR A BUZZING IN THE SATELLITE RADIO, LIKE A SHORTING NOISE. FIRST I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD TO BRING IT IN WHEN IT HAPPENED SO THEY COULD CHECK THE PROBLEM. THE ONLY ISSUE WAS THAT I DRIVE 40 MILES EACH WAY TO WORK AND IT WOULD HAPPEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIP. WHEN I WENT BACK TO PICK UP THE CAR I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH AND IT WAS ABOUT A $500 PART. I DECIDED I COULD DEAL WITH THE SITUATION AND HAVE HELD OFF ON GETTING IT REPAIRED. LAST WEEK I GOT IN MY CAR TO GO HOME FROM WORK AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS AT ALL. YOU CAN MAKE THEM WORK IF YOU HOLD THE LEVER BACK. *CN