2005 Chevrolet Impala

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 30000. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 45 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIVE WEIRD,VEERING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS AMOUNTS OF TIMES AND THEY CONTINUED TO TELL HER THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. A DIFFERENT MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A WHEEL ALIGNMENT, NEW BRAKES, AND NEW ROTORS. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN A CRASH PREVIOUSLY. AK UPDATED 06/08/07. *JB

WE PURCHASED A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA FROM A DEALER ON MARCH 16, 2006. ON MARCH 21, 2006, WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN A 2 LANE HIGHWAY AT 45 MPH. THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF US STOPPED SUDDENLY. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND HEARD A LOUD POP. THE BRAKE PEDDLE THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I HIT THE VAN IN FRONT OF ME TWICE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO TURN DOWN A SIDE STREET AND LET THE CAR COAST TO A STOP. OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTER CAME OUT THE NEXT MORNING AND TOOK PICTURES. THE CAR WAS SENT TO A BODY SHOP TO BE TORN DOWN. GM WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THE BODY SHOP WAS TOLD NOT TO TOUCH THE CAR UNTIL GM COULD SEND AN INSPECTOR TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THE INSPECTOR FINALLY CAME OUT AND RETRIEVED THE INFORMATION FROM THE BLACK BOX AND TOOK PICTURES OF THE BRAKE LINKAGE SYSTEM. HE ASKED IF WE HAD FOUND ANY PARTS IN THE FLOOR UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN AFTER THE ACCIDENT. WE TOLD HIM NO. GM THEN TOOK 5 MONTHS TO FINISH THEIR INVESTIGATION. WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO ALLOW ANYONE TO TOUCH THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY WERE DONE. THEY CAME BACK TO US AND TOLD US THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THAT THE BRAKES HAD BEEN TAMPERED WITH. WE WERE ALL SET TO GO AFTER THE DEALER WHEN MY HUSBAND DECIDED TO LOOK AT THE BRAKES HIMSELF. WHEN HE DID, HE FOUND THE "MISSING" PART THE INSPECTOR HAD ASKED ABOUT. THE PART WAS VISIBLY BROKEN. GM HAS LAUGHINGLY OFFERED US $2,000.00 FOR THIS INCIDENT. MY HUSBAND AND I SUSTAINED MORE THAN $2,000.00 IN MEDICAL BILLS. THIS IS A COMPLETE JOKE. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE FAILURE, NEITHER ONE OF OUR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED EVEN THOUGH WE HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON TWICE. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ON THIS BRAKE PART OR AIR BAGS. *NM

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED ON MY VEHICLE. THE FAILURE TURNED OFF MY ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM AND MY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM AT TWO INOPPORTUNE TIMES. THIS FAILURE HAS TWICE IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. IT FIRST OCCURRED AT THE END OF DECEMBER DURING A SNOW STORM. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED A FEW WEEKS AGO WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A RAIN AND HAIL STORM. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE FIXED. THE DEALER REPLACED A FAULTY SPEED SENSOR. MY CAR IS ABOUT A YEAR OLD AND TWO SPEED SENSOR HAVE ALREADY FAILED. I'M UPSET AT THE FACT THAT WE PURCHASED THE CAR BASED ON ITS SAFETY FEATURES AND TWICE NOW THEY HAVE FAILED, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, AT THE MOST INOPPORTUNE MOMENTS, WHERE WE WERE RELYING HEAVILY ON SAID SAFETY FEATURES. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE AT ANY TIME DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE PASSENGER SEAT DIDN'T RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER DURING IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE ONSTAR SERVICE DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE INSURANCE AGENCY WAS INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

1. UNDER CHASSIS CORROSION PROTECTION FAILURE- KEY SUSPENSION AND POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS AFFECTING SAFE OPERATION. 2. FACTORY DID NOT APPLY STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ANTI CORROSION COATINGS PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. DAMAGE OCCURRED PRIOR TO DEALER RECEIPT. #. FACTORY REP HAS NOT PROVIDED OR APPROVED ANY POSSIBLE REMEDY AT THIS TIME. PROBLEM WAS OBSERVED AT FIRST OIL CHANGE-25 JULY 05 -FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS ON LIFT AFTER DELIVERY TO CUSTOMER. *JB