15 of the 1,077 complaints about the 2002 Chevrolet Impala are about the throttle and cruise control — 1% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 83,900 miles.
15
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ABS SYSTEM IS FAULTY RIGHT SIDE KEEPS COMING UP WITH CODES "C1233 AND C11226" THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE NOT APPLYING BREAKS.WE HAVE REPLACED THE HUB ASSEMBLY ON BOTH SIDES EVEN THOUGH THESE CODES ARE FOR THE RIGHT SIDE. STILL DIDN'T HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10839606 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN ON A DRY ROAD,WHEN I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR FELT LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF AND IT WOULD BARELY MOVE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON. AFTER THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ON THE CAR WENT FINE.THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. ALSO SOMETIMES WHEN YOU STEP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS NO PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS AND I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT AUTO MECHANICS. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES AT LEAST 4 TIMES IN 2 YEARS. EACH AUTO MECHANIC WILL TELL YOU A DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE SHOP. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ABOUT 10 TO 12 MONTHS AGO AND THEY SAY THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO TO RESOLVE THESE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR. IT IS STARTING TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN NOW, AND MY WIFE WILL NOT EVEN RIDE IN MY CAR ANYMORE BECAUSE SHE IS SCARED TO. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE AN INVESTIGATION STARTED INTO THIS MATTER. IF YOU GO TO SOME CHAT ROOMS ON THE WEB YOU WILL FIND MANY MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THEIR IMPALAS. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS COMPLAINT.
NHTSA complaint #10731070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS DRIVING STARAIGHT DOING 40 AND AND I SAW A VECHILE SPEND OUT OF CONTROL I TRIED TO DRIVE FASTER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY BUT DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING THE KEY FALLS OUT OF THE IGNITION CAUSING THE THE OTHER CAR TO HIT MINES IN THE REAR RIGHT NO ONE WAS HURT BUT MY CAR WAS SCATCH AND A DENT I NOTICE IT FREQUENTLY THAT WHEN DRIVING THE KEY COMES OUT BY ITSELF ITS REALLY SCARY AND DANGEROUS.
NHTSA complaint #10593834 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER CAUSED THE CAR ENGINE TO TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR WAS HAVING ACCELERATION PROBLEMS GETTING TO JUST 25-30 MPH AND WHILE DRIVING IT, THE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART IT. AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS, I FOUND ONLINE THAT LETTERS (SPECIAL POLICY NUMBER 05551) WERE SUPPOSEDLY SENT OUT TO IMPALA OWNERS FOR AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS FAULTY PART. I'M THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR SO I WASN'T AWARE OF THIS AND JUST GOT IT REPLACED IN OCTOBER. A CHEVY DISTRICT SPECIALIST SAID THE CAR WAS BOUGHT 18 DAYS BEFORE THIS WARRANTY COVERAGE AND I WAS 2 YEARS OUTSIDE OF IT BECAUSE I'M THE SECOND OWNER. THE CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND LESS THAN 84,000 MILES ON IT AS OF TODAY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT WARRANTS A RECALL, BUT SEVERAL SITES HAVE CUSTOMERS SAYING THEY'VE HAD TO REPLACE THIS PART MULTIPLE TIMES ON THEIR CARS BECAUSE GM SOLD A CAR WITH A FAULTY DESIGN.
NHTSA complaint #10483173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
MY ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON. WHEN I TURN MY STEERING WHEEL, THERE'S A FUNNY NOISE AND A FEELING LIKE MY BRAKES ARE SCRUBBING.
NHTSA complaint #10449762 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS HAVING A PROBLEM ON THE SECURITY FEATURE ON THE BCM. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS UP AND THE CAR WILL START, AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED BECAUSE SHE DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR IT. THE CAR IS STILL STARTING INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CALLED GM, AND THEY REFERRED HER TO NHTSA. GM MADE A FILE OF HER COMPLAINT. THE CONSUMER STATED SPECIFICALLY THAT SHE HAD BEEN STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS AND SHE CONSIDERED THAT A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE SHE HAS FIVE KIDS. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT SHE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE SECURITY FEATURE FOR THE PAST YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10136589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DT: WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD AT 2000 RPMS AND ABOUT 65 MPH, USING CRUISE CONTROL FOR ABOUT 50 MILES, THE ROAD STARTED CHANGED TO ONE LANE AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM STOPPED ELECTRICALLY, BUT THE MECHANICAL PORTION CONTINUED TO ENGAGE. BRAKES HAD TO BE DEPRESSED HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND PUT INTO NEUTRAL TACHOMETER JUMPED TO 4000 RPMS.
NHTSA complaint #10121893 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN THE CONSUMER ACCELERATED FROM A STOP HE HEARD A CLICKING NOISE. *NM THE TRANSMISSION HAD GONE OUT. THE BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD AND HAD A CRACK IN IT. ALSO, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, GOING 65 MPH IN CRUISE, THE MOTOR SUDDENLY SPED UP THEN SLOWED DOWN AND A GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. *SC
NHTSA complaint #10111055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL NOT RESPONDING. SUDDEN LUNGE/ACCELERATION CAUSED CAR TO SPEED OFF THE ROAD. DRIVER INJURED, CAR TOTALED. SUSPECT CRUISE CONTROL LATER KICKED IN, SOME 40 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, CAUSING SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10105879 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
WHEN USING MY CRUISE CONTROL, TURNING IT ON AND CANCELING, THERE IS A CLUNK. BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER UNDER WARRANTY AND SAID BASED ON ANOTHER CHEVY IMPALA IT WAS NORMAL.
NHTSA complaint #10064408 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO BE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10046709 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
CONSUMER STATES WHILE AT STOP THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SURGED FORWARD. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023661 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE OWNER IMMEDIATELY MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO APPLY THE BRAKES BEFORE BEING ABLE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TS
NHTSA complaint #8023371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN ON A DOWNWARD INCLINE OR IN REVERSE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE WILL STILL ACCELERATE, AND IT IS HARD TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE IS ALSO EXPERIENCING A THUMPING NOISE IN THE RER OF THE VEHICLE WHILE BRAKING. *AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint #8018807 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. CONSUMER THEN PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE, AND IT LURCHED FORWARD AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER AUTOMOBILE. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE ANY PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #8016468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.