2005 Chevrolet Impala

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,456.

THIS REPORT IS ABOUT SUDDEN AND REPEATED HEADLIGHT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE IN A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA SEDAN, AND A REQUEST FOR A NATIONWIDE SAFETY RECALL AND REPAIR AT GM EXPENSE FOR THIS ISSUE. AFTER GETTING IN MY 2005 IMPALA SEDAN AT APPROXIMATELY 4:55 PM ON 16 FEBRUARY 2012, I STARTED UP AND DROVE OUT ON THE ROAD THEN I SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC AND NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) WERE OUT. I TRIED THE HIGH BEAMS AND THEY WORKED AS DID THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROLS AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FUNCTIONED. AS DARKNESS INCREASED I HAD TO HOLD THE SWITCH IN THE HIGH BEAM POSITION SO I COULD SEE TO DRIVE SO I COULD GET HOME. FROM WHAT I COULD DETERMINE THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE IN THE WIRING TO/FROM THE MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT CONTROL SWITCH OR MAYBE IT IS THE SWITCH ITSELF ON THE STEERING COLUMN. THE FUSES AND RELAYS AND THE ALL SEEMED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER BUT THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS STILL DID NOT WORK. THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME NOW. WITH DEALER PARTS COST FOR A REPLACEMENT MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT SWITCH AT $350.00 ALONE, NOT TO MENTION LABOR COSTS AND THE CRITICALITY OF LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING MEANS THIS SHOULD BE A REQUIRED SAFETY RECALL ITEM. I HAVE SEARCHED MECHANICAL FORUMS ON THIS SUBJECT AND THERE ARE MANY SUCH OCCURRENCES DOCUMENTED, BUT GM DOES NOT SEEM TO THINK THERE IS A COMMON PROBLEM OR A REASON TO INVESTIGATE AND FIX THE MALFUNCTION. THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE AT GM DEALERSHIPS NATIONWIDE. SMELLING BURNING PLASTIC IS AN INDICATION OF A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ONBOARD FIRE IN THE CAR IN ADDITION TO CAUSING INJURY AND OR DEATH FROM A SUDDEN LIGHT OUTAGE AT NIGHT. AGAIN, I REQUEST A NATIONWIDE SAFETY RECALL AND REPAIR BE INITIATED AS IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TONIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. I EVENTUALLY FLICKED THE LOW/HIGH BEAM SWITCH AND THEY CAME ON. ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO, I WAS DRIVING HOME AT ABOUT 55 MPH IN THE DARK ON A SINGLE LANE COUNTRY ROAD. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, THEY CAME BACK ON FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN THEY WENT COMPLETELY OUT. I DROVE HOME SLOWLY WITH THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS ON. IF I HAD NOT BEEN ALERT, I COULD HAVE EASILY CRASHED. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR

SEVERAL TYPES OF GM VEHICLES (APPROX 2000-2008) HAVE SEVERE LEAKING AND DECAY PROBLEMS LIKE MY CHEVY IMPALA SHOWS CURRENTLY. I NOTICED EARLY FEBRUARY 2012 WHEN MY FACTORY SPEAKERS STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. THE RADIO SOUND DIDN'T GET THROUGH, DOOR CHIMES DIDN'T WORK, SAFETY AND WARNING CHIMES DIDN'T MAKE NOISE, ETC. A WARNING CHIME DIDN'T SIGNAL FOR ME TO TURN OFF MY LIGHTS ON A RAINY DAY AT A GROCERY STORE SO THAT WHEN I CAME BACK, I WAS STRANDED! THIS HOWEVER ISN'T THE BIG PROBLEM. THIS LEAK UNDER THE COWL SEEMS TO BE PROMINENT IN MANY OTHER VEHICLES AND ALLOWED GALLONS TO ENTER IN UNDER MY RUGS, FLOOR MATS ETC., AND TRAVEL ALL OVER THE PASSENGER CABIN SO THAT WIRES WERE SUBMERGED, CORRODED, MOLD GREW, AND AIRBAG SENSOR HUBS BECAME ISLANDS. YES MY AIRBAG SENSORS AND WIRING ARE SUBMERGED WITH WATER! PLEASE HAVE GM RECALL THIS COMMON PROBLEM TO FIX THIS! MY CAR SMELLS TERRIBLE INSIDE FROM THIS (ESPECIALLY IN THE SUMMER) AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I AM WORRIED THAT MY AIRBAGS WILL MALFUNCTION. THANK YOU. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE, FUEL GAUGE, AND SPEEDOMETER HAVE GONE COMPLETELY HAYWIRE! THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES TO HOT AND BUZZES BUT MY CAR IS NO WHERE NEAR HOT. I DON'T KNOW IF MY TANK IS FULL OR EMPTY BECAUSE THE GAUGE IS ALWAYS ON THE BOTTOM. I DON'T KNOW HOW FAST I'M GOING BECAUSE MY SPEEDOMETER IS STUCK ON 120. THE DEALERSHIP KNOWS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT THEY INSIST ON CHARGING $500 OR MORE TO FIX IT...JUST OWN UP AND DO THE RECALL!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER READING WOULD NOT DECREASE WHEN DECELERATING. THE SPEEDOMETER READING FLUCTUATED ERRATICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000.