Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||||
| 3170E | 10019186 | Ipc, interior lights and/or headlamps flicker. *ak fb2 | 02/16/2006 | ||
| 01908 | 01/01/2004 | 10006430 | Headlamp condensation may be normal- check access plugs. *mr | 05/03/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | ||||||
| PE06017 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/15/2006 | 10/25/2006 | ALLEGED HEADLIGHT FAILURE | ||
| A total of 646,038 subject vehicles were sold during my 2001-2003, and the complaint and warranty data tabulated above apply to the total vehicle population.complaint reports alleging headlight outage represent slightly more that one-half of the total number of complaints and the balance are allegations of flickering and dimming.investigation disclosed the root cause of the malfunction to be wear of a contact plunger in the multifunction switch that may result in a temporary open circuit, with the plunger in a neutral position between high- and low-beam contact points.consumers consistently reported that manipulation of the switch handle on the steering column restores either high or low beam headlight function.no other potential safety related issues, e.g., fires or windshield wiper failure, were found to be related to this issue.the manufacturer recognized the subject headlight issues from failure and warranty reports, and issued a redesigned plunger in 2003. the manufacturer did not identify a defect requiring recall and remedy.odi has determined that the rates of occurrence, the failure mode and the real-world consequence of the alleged defect as compared to other similar investigations fail to identify a safety-related defect trend.this preliminary evaluation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency may take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | ||||||
| PE06017 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/15/2006 | 10/25/2006 | ALLEGED HEADLIGHT FAILURE | ||
| A total of 646,038 subject vehicles were sold during my 2001-2003, and the complaint and warranty data tabulated above apply to the total vehicle population.complaint reports alleging headlight outage represent slightly more that one-half of the total number of complaints and the balance are allegations of flickering and dimming.investigation disclosed the root cause of the malfunction to be wear of a contact plunger in the multifunction switch that may result in a temporary open circuit, with the plunger in a neutral position between high- and low-beam contact points.consumers consistently reported that manipulation of the switch handle on the steering column restores either high or low beam headlight function.no other potential safety related issues, e.g., fires or windshield wiper failure, were found to be related to this issue.the manufacturer recognized the subject headlight issues from failure and warranty reports, and issued a redesigned plunger in 2003. the manufacturer did not identify a defect requiring recall and remedy.odi has determined that the rates of occurrence, the failure mode and the real-world consequence of the alleged defect as compared to other similar investigations fail to identify a safety-related defect trend.this preliminary evaluation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency may take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - SWITCH | ||||||
| PE06017 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 05/15/2006 | 10/25/2006 | ALLEGED HEADLIGHT FAILURE | ||
| A total of 646,038 subject vehicles were sold during my 2001-2003, and the complaint and warranty data tabulated above apply to the total vehicle population.complaint reports alleging headlight outage represent slightly more that one-half of the total number of complaints and the balance are allegations of flickering and dimming.investigation disclosed the root cause of the malfunction to be wear of a contact plunger in the multifunction switch that may result in a temporary open circuit, with the plunger in a neutral position between high- and low-beam contact points.consumers consistently reported that manipulation of the switch handle on the steering column restores either high or low beam headlight function.no other potential safety related issues, e.g., fires or windshield wiper failure, were found to be related to this issue.the manufacturer recognized the subject headlight issues from failure and warranty reports, and issued a redesigned plunger in 2003. the manufacturer did not identify a defect requiring recall and remedy.odi has determined that the rates of occurrence, the failure mode and the real-world consequence of the alleged defect as compared to other similar investigations fail to identify a safety-related defect trend.this preliminary evaluation has been closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency may take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 10/15/2012 | 194511 | 1 | |
| My turn signals went out. will not work and idk what's going on but i have read many same complaints the net. *tr | |||
| 10/15/2012 | 194511 | ||
| My turn signals went out. will not work and idk whats going on but i have read many same complaintson the net. | |||
| 04/05/2011 | 98200 | 1 | |
| Headlights keep going out, have installed 2 parts will last a couple months than will go out again. will go dim than go off. *tr | |||
| 04/05/2011 | 98200 | ||
| Headlights keep going out, have installed 2 parts will last a couple months than will go out again. will go dim than go off. | |||
| 08/11/2012 | 148086 | 1 | |
| Low-beam headlights have failed to come on and will no longer function. high-beams and daytime running lights still function, but at dusk the low-beams will fail to light; however high-beams can be used instead creating a traffic hazard. i replaced the multi-function switch with a new switch, and replaced the relay with a known good working relay. the relay will still work and actuate indicating that the relay is not the problem. i checked the bulbs and they are still good, fuses are fine, 12v positive power is present at the bulb, but the ground is not activated on either side at any time. all problems point to a bad body control module (bcm). i have checked online and there are many many complaints about this vehicle with the same problem. if the low-beam headlights fail on somebody while they are driving, it could cause a crash and with that comes the possibility of the fatality of the driver and passengers. the bcm computer is known to cause many problems with starting the vehicle, flashing the lights both interior and exterior and these will cause safety issues with the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 08/11/2012 | 148086 | ||
| Low-beam headlights have failed to come on and will no longer function. high-beams and daytime running lights still function, but at dusk the low-beams will fail to light; however high-beams can be used instead creating a traffic hazard. i replaced the mult-function switch with a new switch, and replaced the relay with a known good working relay. the relay will still work and actuate indicating that the relay is not the problem. i checked the bulbs and they are still good, fuses are fine, 12v positive power is present at the bulb, but the ground is not activated on either side at any time. all problems point to a bad body control module (bcm). i have checked online and there are many many complaints about this vehicle with the same problem. if the low-beam headlights fail on somebody while they are driving, it could cause a crash and with that comes the possibility of the fatality of the driver and passengers. the bcm computer is known to cause many problems with starting the vehicle, flashing the lights both interior and exterior and these will cause safety issues with the vehicle. | |||
| 11/05/2003 | |||
| Got this car new 2003,at 376 miles had brake problems,had it back to dealer 10 or 11 times for same problem,so about every 3-4 months i have to turn rotors or get new one;s+brake pads,also dash lights are out,as the car is out of warranty now,this is the worst car i ever owned ,as i am a retired otr truck driver ,so i dont misuse brakes | |||
| 10/24/2011 | 80139 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the headlights failed to illuminate. the headlights continued to fail until the vehicle was restarted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing nor was the manufacturer notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 80,139. | |||
| 11/05/2003 | |||
| Got this car new 2003,at 376 miles had brake problems,had it back to dealer 10 or 11 times for same problem,so about every 3-4 months i have to turn rotors or get new one;s+brake pads,also dash lights are out,as the car is out of warranty now,this is the worst car i ever owned ,as i am a retired otr truck driver ,so i dont misuse brakes | |||
| 10/24/2011 | 80139 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the headlights failed to illuminate. the headlights continued to fail until the vehicle was restarted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing nor was the manufacturer notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 80,139. | |||
| 10/24/2011 | 80139 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the headlights failed to illuminate. the headlights continued to fail until the vehicle was restarted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing nor was the manufacturer notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 80,139. rvk | |||
| 10/24/2011 | 80139 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the head lights failed to illuminate. the contact stated the head lights continued to fail until the engine was restarted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage were 80,139. rds | |||
| 05/18/2011 | 135000 | ||
| I have a 2003 chevy impala with the day time running lights on car from factory. while my daughter was driving on evening she lost all her headlights and they couldn't even be turned on manually. had it not been for some street lights in her location she might have lost control of car. the problem was diagnosed as being in the multifunction switch in the steering column. a gm replacement part was quoted to me at $500 plus installation. this should have been a recall item as i understand from my mechanic that it is common. it is very unsafe and costly to fix. the average person cannot fix this switch because it involves removing the air bag first. should look into this before someone gets seriously injured. | |||
| 02/28/2011 | 20000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the hazard warning lights had become inoperable and the failure would occur intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000. the vin was not available. | |||
| 02/28/2011 | 20000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while parked the contact noticed the hazard warning lights were not working. the failure occurs intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics or repairs. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000. ds | |||
| 12/15/2010 | 64000 | ||
| When switch is pulled to put on bright lights all lights go off, leaving me driving at night with absolutely no lights. wiggling, jiggling, or moving the switch eventually puts the low beam lights back on. had this fixed at a cost to me of more than $600. i purchased this car new and have every service record on it, can prove it was well maintained and not abused. even have saved failed part from this service. have seen a vast number of complaints with this same problem listed on web. i was lucky, the next person might not be so lucky. at the very least people who own this make/model need to be made aware of the potential for this to happen. i would not like to see this happen to my grandmother or other loved one. | |||
| 06/26/2010 | 107000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the switch that dims the headlights has failed. each time the switch was turned on the headlights goes out. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed her there is no warranty or recalls for this failure and there would be a cost of $500 to her. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage were 107,000...mw | |||
| 02/06/2008 | |||
| Headlights randomly turn off at night while driving my 2003 impala. nothing i do seems to help them come back on. i have pulled over and tried to manually turn them on, i have turned off my car and restarted, i have hit the switch to go from bright to dim. nothing has helped. they eventually come back on. this has happened maybe three times so far. i have no clue as to when this started but since you are making me pick a date i did. it would probably happen more but i quit driving my car at night for the fear of it happening again! have never taken it to the shop to have fixed since i am married to a mechanic. however he has yet to brother trying to fix it or see what could be wrong either | |||
| 11/06/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Headlights would not come back on after high beams were used on a back road in the middle of the night. checked connections and spark plugs and they were not the issue. believe it is a faulty switch after doing some research. | |||
| 11/11/2010 | 57000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving at night approximately 25 mph with the headlights in activation. suddenly, the headlights became inoperative. the speed rate was reduced and the hi-beams were activated. the vehicle was able to continue in operation. the contact had concern of the potential safety hazard. the failure mileage was approximately 57,000. js | |||
| 11/06/2010 | 90000 | ||
| Headlights would not come back on after high beams were used on a back road in the middle of the night. checked connections and spark plugs and they were not the issue. believe it is a faulty switch after doing some research. | |||
| 11/11/2010 | 57000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving at night approximately 25 mph with the headlights in activation. suddenly, the headlights became inoperative. the speed rate was reduced and the hi-beams were activated. the vehicle was able to continue in operation. the contact had concern of the potential safety hazard. the failure mileage was approximately 57,000. js | |||
| 10/23/2010 | 60000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala . the contact stated that while driving 5 mph making a left turn when the head lights went completely out was very difficult to see the road ahead of her. the headlights then apparently came back on when driving up a hill and then once again make a left turn the headlights malfunctioned. the dealer was informed about the failure and they stated that there was no recall for her vehicle and they also stated that they cant diagnose the problem. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available . the failure mileage was 60000 and the current mileage was 82000.cv | |||
| 07/05/2010 | 137000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 40 mph he attempted to roll down the rear passenger side window but the window would not roll down. this failure has become intermittent. he also mentioned that the headlights would intermittently flicker while driving at any speed and the door locks would intermittently not function. during the door lock failures he had to manually unlock or lock the doors. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failures. he replaced the alternator himself but the failures continued to recur. the vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where he was informed the vcm needed to be replaced, but it was not repaired. the failure mileage was 137,000 and the current mileage was 157,000. sm. | |||
| 06/04/2010 | 105692 | ||
| I just bought a 2003 chevy impala ls. on my way home i turn on my brights and when i went to shut them off it turned all my lights off and they wont come back on. my lights will only come on when in the brights position and will still shut off occasionally. i have read countless comment by people with the exact same problem in the 15 min i've been online searching this before i stumbled onto this website. there should be a recall on this seeing as driving at night and your lights just randomly shut off that could be very dangerous and potentially deadly if not already! | |||
| 12/28/2009 | 55000 | 1 | |
| Recurring problem: when clicking from low beam to high beam or high/low using the turn signal arm the headlights go out unexpectedly. i've been forced to travel with the fog lights on to insure that i have some vision when switching high/low. extremely dangerous to be traveling at highway speed and losing your headlights! i have found over 30 similar complaints on-line without to much searching effort. many of the respondents have said that repair/replacement of the turn signal arm runs about $700. in visiting with my dealer he has indicated he has not heard of this problem--but my research indicates it occurs often? the most recent incident occurred in late dec. 2009. we are hesitant to use this vehicle after dark due to the problem. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2009 | 71000 | 1 | |
| Lights just turn off for no reason. *tr | |||
| 11/20/2008 | 95200 | 1 | |
| I am filing a safety complaint concerning the 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving at night, switching lights from dim to bright, headlights go out. i have had to pull over, turn of car, and restart to get dim lights on. what can this problem be and what might the cure be. i have checked for recalls on lighting and found none. please address this problem. *tr | |||
| 10/17/2009 | 62000 | 1 | |
| Loss of both headlights when i switched from high beams to low beams. i was able to restore headlight function by jiggling the hi beam low beam switch . i went to local chevrolet dealer and was told i probably need a new multifunction switch,appears to me this is a common problem. *tr | |||
| 09/30/2009 | 1 | ||
| After changing my battery on my car i notice now that my lights flicker on and off. there is also a clicking sound coming from underneath the dash and sometime my car will not start. *tr | |||
| 09/06/2009 | 156000 | 1 | |
| Driving my 2003 impala at night. rear seat passenger rolled down window causing the head lights to shut off. was able to activate bright lights before slowing car. able to re-created the problems by rolling down the window and having the head lights turn off. *tr | |||
| 01/19/2009 | 87000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving various speeds at night, the headlights shut off and do not illuminate again. as a result, the contact must activate the hazard lights. for the past three months, she has not driven at night due to the failure. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 87,000. | |||
| 05/14/2008 | 1 | ||
| 2003 impala highbeams when in use do totally go out blinkers just stop blinking after internet research common problem with impalas which gm won't take responsibility for. they recalled the malibu how many people need to get killed before they take responsibility. no bailout for them. i cannot afford to fix their mistakes. i'm still paying for the car. *tr | |||
| 12/10/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| 2003 chevrolet impala, headlights turn off without warning while driving at night. this problem has happened on several occasions. *tr | |||
| 11/26/2008 | 83300 | 1 | |
| Headlights fail without warning. occurs intermittently when high beams are engaged. headlight dimmer switch was replaced. old part is available. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2008 | 50200 | 1 | |
| My 03 chevy impala lights flash on and off all day long whether the car is on, off, or driving down the road i have gone to the dealer and they don't know what's wrong with it but they are willing to charge me $800 to try to fix it. also the car does not start after it has rained. *tr | |||
| 12/06/2008 | 92500 | 1 | |
| While driving at night and changing to high beams, the headlights went out. continual moving of the lever got them to come back on. less than a quarter mile later, the same thing happened, this time i was not trying to change to bright lights. *tr | |||
| 07/18/2008 | 72000 | 1 | |
| The headlights go out while driving at night on high beam, almost went off road, in july of 2008. do not drive the car at night much. the lights still go out at night on highbeam, do not come back on for up to 40 seconds. have started to leave the lowbeams on all the time, has not yet gone out on lowbeam. *tr | |||
| 09/04/2008 | 93000 | 1 | |
| I own a 2003 chevy impala and while driving at night and when i switch from high beams to low beams my lights go out....just recently while driving on the expressway, my light just went dark...after working the dimmer switch they came by on, this is scary and should be a safety recall .*tr | |||
| 09/14/2007 | 150000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. in august of 2007, while driving approximately 25 mph, the turn signals failed. immediately following this incident, while driving approximately 35 mph, the vehicle overheated. the contact pulled to the side of the road, lifted the hood, and noticed smoke rising from the engine. she took the vehicle to a local repair shop and the mechanic informed her that the radiator was cracked and needed to be repaired. the repairs were made, but the vehicle overheated again months later. in august of 2008, body work was performed on the vehicle and afterwards the exterior lighting began to illuminate on and off automatically. she took the vehicle back to the body shop and was informed that the failure was due to a defective combination switch. the combination switch was replaced and the mechanic stated that the repair was unsuccessful; therefore, the original part was reinstalled. after the failed attempt to repair the failure, the mechanic performed a diagnostic test and stated that the failure was due to the combination switch. the manufacturer and dealer have not been notified. the current mileage was 171,920 and failure mileage was 150,000. | |||
| 06/04/2008 | 102000 | 1 | |
| While driving on a busy two lane highway at 4:00 am my headlight suddenly went out. i could not get them to turn back on, and could not see where i was at on the road. i did manage to safely pull to the edge of the road, and after trying several things to restore lights, i was able to hold the dimmer switch back and get high beam lights. i was able to complete my trim to work, using only high beams. every time i tried to use low beams the lights would completely go out. *tr | |||
| 04/14/2008 | 74000 | 1 | |
| Driving at night using the auto headlight function, the headlight fail (quit) on highbeam. at 75 mph this can be a life threatening experience, i was luckily on a straight road at the time. when it happened i tried turning the lights on with the switch, pushed and pulled it and that did not work. i came to a stop and was going to get out of the car and the lights came back on. this has happened about 9 times. it only does it on high beam setting, it has not done it when the switch is pulled to the on position as of yet. *tr | |||
| 12/26/2007 | 45000 | 60 | 12/13/2002 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving various speeds at night, the exterior lighting failed sporadically and the contact would have to manually turn them back on. the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. the contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the vin, engine size, and number of cylinders were unknown. the failure and current mileages were 45,000. | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BACK UP LIGHTS | |||
| 08/20/2007 | 5 | ||
| Purchased a second chevrolet impala with same defect with tail light compartment. holds water indefinitely, not just condensation. i now have a 2003 and used to have a 2002 with same problem. causes light bulbs to go out frequently and also alarm will go off when opening trunk which i suspect maybe a short in wiring due to water. i have contacted a local chevrolet dealer's service dept as well as gm corporate and they are familiar with problem but no with no recalls yet to provide resolution of what i believe is a safey hazard when light bulbs continue to go out. of course they want me to pay to replace defective taillight assembly that may still have some condensation problems. | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||
| 1 | |||
| Consumer called complaining about having problems with rear brake lights. also, the way brake lights were designed was bad. manufacturer was contacted, and stated that they have not broken any laws, and that their care was safe. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - FOG LIGHTS | |||
| 07/04/2004 | 28000 | 05/07/2004 | |
| When it rains moisture clouds lens in head light and fog light. | |||
| 03/18/2004 | 1 | 03/08/2004 | |
| Radio has very bad reception. have taken care to dealership and they have replaced new radio with reconditioned radios twice. first replacement radio, display did not work properly. second replacement radio was not calibrated properly when installed and when taken back to the dealership and re-calibrated, had the same problem with the display as replacement radio number one. i now supposedly need a new dimmer switch. (am taking to another dealership in the hopes that they can repair the problem) the fog lights constantly have excessive condensation. am told by the dealership and gm that this is normal however i have had several people tell me this is not normal. have not observed this type of condensation on any other vehicle's fog lights. gm will not repair or replace unless there is standing water. gm refused claim. there is an extremely loud popping and cracking noise from the dash. temp outside does not seem to matter. am told by the dealership that they are aware of the problem but have no fix. the cracking noise is very distracting when driving. it comes suddenly and with no warning and sounds like something hard striking the windshield. *la | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS | |||
| 05/03/2004 | 13000 | 1 | 06/30/2003 |
| While driving on the highway hazard warning light and turn signal light malfunctioned. the lights came on, but wouldn't flash. *ak dealer replaced hazard light switch. *la | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 02/03/2007 | 75047 | 5 | 07/02/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the turn signals failed and would not engage. the dealer replaced the module and there had been no further occurences. in addition, the contact stated that the headlights worked intermittently. the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. the current mileage was 75,100 and failure mileage was 75,047. updated 05/21/08 *bf the consumer stated the dealership reapired the problem. updated 05/20/08. *jb | |||
| 04/09/2007 | 1 | ||
| Turning signals stopped working i had to manually move my signal up and down to turn corners, get over two lanes of traffic on the interstate. very dangerous had to have hazard switch/flasher unit replaced. *jb | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 09/28/2007 | 53500 | 2 | 07/03/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving at various speeds, the headlights and instrument panel lights shut off. the first failure, the lights illuminated again and the second time, the contact could only use the high beams. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 73,500 and failure mileage was 53,500. | |||
| 02/03/2007 | 75047 | 5 | 07/02/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the turn signals failed and would not engage. the dealer replaced the module and there had been no further occurences. in addition, the contact stated that the headlights worked intermittently. the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. the current mileage was 75,100 and failure mileage was 75,047. updated 05/21/08 *bf the consumer stated the dealership reapired the problem. updated 05/20/08. *jb | |||
| 02/22/2008 | 66000 | 2 | 08/14/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 25 mph in the snow, the headlights failed. the contact played with the headlight switch until the lights illuminated again. the lights dimmed again shortly afterwards. the dealer stated that the dimmer switch may be the cause of the failure. no repairs were made. the current and failure mileages were 66,000. updated 3/25/08 *cn the consumer stated this is the 2nd incident and very dangerous. updated 03/25/08 *tr | |||
| 01/29/2008 | 29250 | 1 | 02/08/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while decelerating to 10 mph and activating the turn signal, the headlights completely dimmed. two or three seconds later, the headlights illuminated again. while the vehicle was parked, the contact conducted his own test; each time he activated the turn signal, the headlights dimmed and then illuminated. the contact spoke with the dealer, but he has not taken his vehicle there at this time. the current mileage was 29,299 and failure mileage was 29,250. updated 4/8/08 *cn the consumer stated lights would go out completely with no warning until repaired on 02/19/08. updated 04/08/08 *tr | |||
| 12/01/2007 | 75000 | 5 | 03/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving various speeds at night, the headlights would be on high beams, but the lights would shut off automatically. when the lights shut off, it would take 10-15 minutes for them to illuminate again. the failure would occur every twelve to fifteen miles. the mechanic stated that the defect was very frequent for his type of vehicle. the estimated cost to repair the vehicle is $500. the purchase date was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 75,000. updated 02-14-08 *bf updated 02/14/08 *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 87000 | 8 | 02/14/2003 |
| High-beam headlights sometimes go out, no pattern detected. relay is suspected. *tr | |||
| 12/27/2007 | 64000 | 2 | 02/12/2005 |
| Headlights went out during vehicle operation and would not turn back on. headlights came back on next time the vehicle was operated, but went out again during operation a few nights later. *tr | |||
| 12/20/2007 | 80000 | 2 | 01/09/2003 |
| My wife stated that her 2003 impala the headlights did not come on one night auto mode so she turned on manually. 2 weeks later, she is driving in the dark and the fog, and headlights go out. stopped along road and tried high, low, and pull light switch with no luck. very dangerous if would have been in busy area. abandoned car and had mother pick her up. moved home when daylight came out. now waiting to solve the problem in the shop. *tr | |||
| 12/02/2007 | 1 | 07/01/2003 | |
| Headlights would unexpectedly turn off while driving on the highway. *tr | |||
| 10/31/2007 | 82872 | 4 | 02/10/2005 |
| Headlights shutoff automatically while driving. *tr | |||
| 04/01/2007 | 101000 | 1 | 06/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving 60 mph, the headlamps failed without warning. the contact took her vehicle to the dealer and they charged her $669 to repair and replace the unit. the dealer stated that she had a faulty multifunction switch. the current mileage is 102,000 and failure mileage was 101,000. | |||
| 05/01/2007 | 20000 | 4 | 03/06/2004 |
| The car was bought new from dealership, with occasional grinding noises noted in reverse and headlights surging at night while driving. dealership unable to replicate with the exception of grinding. i was told a loose wire was causing noise in reverse. on 09/26/05, after noticing hard stalls while attempting to start, the fuel pump went out $281.60 for new one. 12/09/05, to dealership for starting concerns and maintenance. 04/13/06-car would not start to leave work. ward's chevrolet came to my work site. left me a rental and kept my car until 04/20/06. i paid $674.56 for a 2nd fuel pump and fuel module. 06/21/06- to local garage with same complaints. $100 paid for short in electrical that caused no start and towing. 08/04/06-cooper buick in monroe,la- $281.00 for another fuel pump and recall on 2003 impala headgaskets that i was unaware of. 11/22/06-no start, turn over-went outside 3 hours later-starts with hard start. 12/06/06-brakes went from quiet to grinding-slow hard starts continue. ward's kept the car for a month-never told me what was wrong with car except brakes. did not charge. at this time i had requested a gm investi.-no results-statesthe dealership was unable to replicate concern. the car continues to have slow, hard starts with very noticeable gas smells. the smell of gas has been occurring since 04/20/06 repairs. now service, abs, security lights come on and off intermittently with the smell of gas and slow, hard starts. i have been calling ward's since the first week of march 2007 requesting factory rep. to meet and drive car after their having a month with no improvements in cars functioning. i called this a.m. to be informed that new service dept. manager was not aware of problem. this is the 4th time since march i have requested the factory rep. with no response from ward's. *tr | |||
| 03/04/2007 | 38000 | 1 | 02/01/2005 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving 35 mph the headlights failed to illuminate automatically, and the contact was unable to turn them on manually. the following day the contact was able to turn on the headlights. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. no other failures have occurred. the current and failure mileage were 38,000.*ak | |||
| 12/28/2006 | 10 | 11/08/2004 | |
| Frequently at night, when switching from low beam to high beam all the headlights go out.....found by flickering back to low beam they will come back on. sometimes they go out w/o switching to high beam. seems to be a serious safety risk! *nm | |||
| 09/25/2006 | 70000 | 3 | 05/26/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while traveling various speeds, the high beam headlights would shut down within the first 5 minutes of turning on. the dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. | |||
| 11/27/2006 | 10000 | 5 | 08/25/2003 |
| When high beams are on, the headlights will occasionally go out entirely with absolutely no warning. this problem has caused us to quit using the high beams due to the safety risk. *nm | |||
| 11/13/2006 | 35000 | 1 | 04/28/2005 |
| About 9:00 pm i was driving about two km. from home when my headlights went out. i had hazard lights, parking lights and rear lights. i tried high and low beams turning lights on and off but they would not turn on. i took it to the shop the next morning and still no lights. when they flipp the hi-low beams the lights came back on-they do not know why this happened. *nm | |||
| 04/14/2006 | 44800 | 30 | 04/01/2006 |
| 2003 impala ls - headlights go off while driving. just shut off. doesn't matter if manual headlight switch is engaged or not. intermittent failure, sometimes not for two hours, sometime every few seconds, sometimes when switching low to high beams, no specific speed or driving conditions. all interior lights and parking lights appear to remain on when the headlights fail. sometimes can get headlights back on by switching off and on again, sometimes by flashing low to high, but they don't always come back on regardless of action. sometimes just have to park the car until daylight. car had just over 44,000 miles on it when i bought it. drove for two weeks, but never at night, so not exactly sure of mileage of first incident. happened second time i drove the car at night. unable to repeat incident at dealer, but car was in park when they looked at it, and it was daytime. it could be happening while daytime, too, but i can't tell from inside the car. i could get a ticket in maryland for driving with no headlights while using windshield wipers. *nm | |||
| 03/30/2003 | 250 | 20 | 03/01/2003 |
| I purchased my chevy impala 2003 brand new in march of 2003. every since then when i turn on my headlamps, they turn off at random, which is very dangerous on a darkened road at night. everything goes off (interior, tail lights, ect). *nm | |||
| 08/11/2005 | 35000 | 20 | 09/11/2002 |
| When the vehicle is under stress (i.e. on steep inclines), the lights intermittently shut off. it occurs more frequently when the driver switches between dim and bright. on once occasion, when traveling at night up a curvy mountain road with a carload of teenagers, the lights went off for at least an entire minute in an area without an emergency lane. the vehicle has been attempted to be repaired four times at wriker in winchester, tn without success. *nm | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 25 | 03/25/2003 | |
| During night driving, the headlights are very dim, even when using the high beams. the consumer contacted the dealer. the service dealer told the consumer what did she expect since she bought a cheap car. the consumer contacted the manufacturer several times regarding the problem with the headlights. *ak the consumer could only see approximately 2-2 1/2 car lengths in front, with dim lights. *sc *jb | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 3 | ||
| At times while driving headlights inadvertently cut off. the cause was undetermined.*ak | |||
| 07/04/2004 | 28000 | 05/07/2004 | |
| When it rains moisture clouds lens in head light and fog light. | |||
| 10/07/2003 | 12000 | 1 | |
| The driver's side headlight has a considerable amount of condensation inside the lens. the dealer and the manufacturer have been informed of the problem, but failed to correct the problem.*ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 87000 | 8 | 02/14/2003 |
| High-beam headlights sometimes go out, no pattern detected. relay is suspected. *tr | |||
| 03/25/2007 | 75000 | 1 | 02/06/2004 |
| My headlights stopped working when i was out of town. only had hi beams if i held the dimmer switch towards me. once i released the switch, i had no lights. took the car to my mechanic who replaced the dimmer switch with one from a wrecked car like mine because a new one from gm was $500. *tr also had heat/ac fan stop working. now car is making a strange humming noise from the front end that is not coming from the motor. my husband believes the wheel bearings might be bad because our mechanic asked us if we had any problems with them. he has seen several cars like mine with wheel bearing issues. | |||
| 04/05/2007 | 34155 | 1 | 01/30/2007 |
| Lights went off while driving at night. this happened soon,though not immediately, after flipping on the high beams. fortunately, i was near home and not going fast,so was able to stop without incident. somehow while playing around with the light switches, they came back on. i haven't tried to get it repaired as i can't get it to repeat the failure. this could have had serious consequences, and i suppose it may happen again.*ak | |||
| 03/23/2007 | 58524 | 2 | 01/17/2005 |
| Tl*- the contact took the 2003 chevrolet impala for an oil change, while she was at the service location, the technician told her that the intake manifold was leaking. also, the high beam switch did not working properly. the high beam switch turned on, but did not stay on. the technician stated that the two failures were common. failure mileage was at 58,524. *ak | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 4 | 03/06/2003 | |
| Recently, i have had 3 or 4 instances where the lights on my 2003 impala went completely out while i was driving. i had switched the lights between high and low beam. this is rather concerting. my friend reported that her 2002 impala has also recently began doing the same thing. my limited research led me to this site. *nm | |||
| 09/17/2006 | 15000 | 10 | 08/08/2003 |
| Headlights go off when switching between high beam and low beam. *nm | |||
| 10/30/2005 | 50000 | 1 | 03/29/2003 |
| Brights cannot be turned off without numerous attempts to make the switch work, resulting in a safety hazard to other drivers, and self due to distraction. *jb | |||
| 12/27/2005 | 62000 | 2 | 06/01/2003 |
| Dt: the contact stated headlights stopped working when the high beam was engaged. the first time, the headlights went out and would not come back on. he drove the vehicle home with the emergency flashing lights engaged. the second time, the headlights went out, but came back on after the dimmer switch was pressed. he took the vehicle to a dealer. the dealer replaced the dimmer switch. there have been no further problems with the headlights. *ak updated 3/3/2006 - *nm | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 35000 | 1 | 05/16/2003 |
| The headlights would come back on by jiggling the dimmer lever arm. several malfunctions were noticed between the first malfunction and the visit to the dealer for repair. ak *sc | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 01/25/2008 | 74000 | 3 | 12/05/2007 |
| My head lights failed on my 03 impala. this is the third time that it has happened. its something that doesn't happen everyday. but this last time really made me fear for my life. i was coming home at night about to some to a curve going 40 mph when all of a sudden the headlights went off. i almost went into the ditch and there was a pole right there i could of hit. i came online to try to find out if anyone else had this problem and that lead me to this website. im really afraid if i didn't go ahead and do this that i would regret it. you people need to know that more people are having this problem and that its not a safe. i'd feel really guilty if this might have killed someone if it already hasn't. this is a problem that needs to be address! *tr | |||
| 11/13/2007 | 3 | 11/09/2007 | |
| The headlights are difficult to switch from high to low beam on my 2003 chevy impala. the headlights have turned completely off during evening driving three different times. we have yet to correct the failure, although intend to replace the switch. these incidents appear to correlate directly with nhtsa action number : pe06017. *tr | |||
| 10/23/2006 | 85000 | 1 | 07/02/2005 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds at night with the low beam headlights engaged, the headlights intermittently failed to illuminate. the vehicle was driven to the dealer who replaced the headlight switch. updated 12/12/2006 - on three separate occasions while the consumer was driving at night the headlight went out when switched from high beam to low beam. the lights did not come back on until the consumer begun to jiggle the multifunction switch. the power windows would not go down. the dealer replaced the master window switch. *nm | |||
| 03/30/2006 | 52193 | 3 | 04/05/2004 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds at night there was a complete loss of the headlights without warning. the vehicle was seen by a dealer and a diagnostic test was performed. a code indicated there was a failure of the multi function headlight switch. this happened 3 times over a month span. dealer replaced multi function headlihts. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | |||
| 08/20/2007 | 5 | ||
| Purchased a second chevrolet impala with same defect with tail light compartment. holds water indefinitely, not just condensation. i now have a 2003 and used to have a 2002 with same problem. causes light bulbs to go out frequently and also alarm will go off when opening trunk which i suspect maybe a short in wiring due to water. i have contacted a local chevrolet dealer's service dept as well as gm corporate and they are familiar with problem but no with no recalls yet to provide resolution of what i believe is a safey hazard when light bulbs continue to go out. of course they want me to pay to replace defective taillight assembly that may still have some condensation problems. | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL | |||
| 02/03/2007 | 75047 | 5 | 07/02/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the turn signals failed and would not engage. the dealer replaced the module and there had been no further occurences. in addition, the contact stated that the headlights worked intermittently. the dealer was unable to diagnose the failure. the current mileage was 75,100 and failure mileage was 75,047. updated 05/21/08 *bf the consumer stated the dealership reapired the problem. updated 05/20/08. *jb | |||
| 05/03/2004 | 13000 | 1 | 06/30/2003 |
| While driving on the highway hazard warning light and turn signal light malfunctioned. the lights came on, but wouldn't flash. *ak dealer replaced hazard light switch. *la | |||