2003 Chevrolet IMPALA: complaints, problems and recalls

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ANF AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN THE CAR BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING ROUGH. AS I INCREASED SPEED OUT OF THE EXIT THE CAR WAS "JERKING" AND SHIFTING VERY ROUGH. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY, WIRING HARNESS, AND SOLENOIDS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR ONLY HAD 400 MILES ON IT

Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000028 at NHTSA ↗

$688 TO REPLACE THE UPPER ENGINE PLENUM DUE TO ANTI-FREEZE LEAK FROM ENGINE.

Owner-reported narrative. 43,030 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003549 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED EXTREME STATIC ELECTRICITY WHEN ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS COMMON DURING COOL DRY CONDITIONS. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004526 at NHTSA ↗

INFERIOR LOW GRADE "DESIGNED TO FAIL" ELECTRICAL SWITCHES IN CHEVROLET IMPALA'S YR 2000. SPECIFICALLY: HAZARD "FLASHER" SWITCH COMPROMISES "TURN SIGNALS" FORCING CONSUMER INTO DEALERSHIPS TO PAY EXORBIANT PREDATORY COSTS FOR REPAIR. $5 PART FOR A $190 COST TO REPAIR. ALL ELECTRICAL SWITCHES ARE INFERIOR FROM MFG. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 36,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018735 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP ON A SMALL OR LARGE INCLINE THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS EXCESSIVELY AND ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION. *NLM RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 05/21/03 FAILED. *LJ

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020268 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE AT A COMPLETE STOP, WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021692 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT NEW YORK FREEWAY AT NORMAL SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE GOT SHUT OFF. CAUSING CONSUMER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022794 at NHTSA ↗

THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN FAILING WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF PURCHASE. TRANSMISSION WOULD SLAM AND JERK IN GEARS AND FINALLY BEGAN NOT SHIFTING OUT OF 1ST GEAR UNTIL 50 MPH. WAS FIXED AND THEN ONE WEEK LATER BEGAN FAILING AGAIN. THIS TIME CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR BUT INSTEAD JUST SLIP GEAR AND REV ENGINE. TRANSMISSION FINALLY LOCKED INTO 3RD GEAR AND WOULD NOT DRIVE IN ANY OTHER GEAR. THIS ALL OCCURS WITHIN THE FIRST 2400 MILES AND 1 1/2 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 2,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028861 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-08-09 (August 9, 2002)

CERTAIN PASSENGER, MINI VANS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES HAVE AN AIR BAG INFLATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE THAT COULD FRACTURE AT A WELD DURING A DEPLOYMENT.

Consequence: PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND REPLACE, IF NECESSARY, THE AIR BAG MODULE ASSEMBLY ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 15, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.

Reported: 2003-02-14 (February 14, 2003)

ON CERTAIN MINI VANS, PASSENGER AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG THAT MAY NOT DEPLOY AS DESIGNED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG INFLATOR COULD RUPTURE.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN REDUCED CAPABILITY OF THE AIR BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER. ALSO IF THE AIR BAG INFLATOR RUPTURED, PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE THE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT, AND IF NECESSARY, INSTALL A NEW DRIVER'S AIR BAG. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 11, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, CADILLAC AT 1-800-458-8006, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737.

Reported: 2009-04-08 (April 8, 2009)

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.

Consequence: IF THE MANIFOLD IS HOT ENOUGH AND THE OIL RUNS BELOW THE HEAT SHIELD, IT MAY IGNITE INTO A SMALL FLAME AND MAY SPREAD TO THE PLASTIC SPARK PLUG WIRE CHANNEL AND BEYOND INCREASING THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ENGINE’S FRONT VALVE COVER AND FRONT-VALVE-COVER GASKET WITH NEW PARTS OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN AND REMOVE THE ENGINE’S PLASTIC COVER AND PLASTIC OIL-FILL-TUBE EXTENSION, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2016. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668 OR HTTP://WWW.PONTIAC.COM OR HTTP:WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

Reported: 2014-07-03 (July 3, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

Reported: 2015-10-26 (October 26, 2015)

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.