2002 Chevrolet Impala Powertrain & Transmission Problems

Transmission hesitates to pull out in drive from a stop

SUPPOSEDLY THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS FIXED IN 2003 BUT IT STILL TELLS ME THAT MY COOLANT IS LOW AND IT LEAKS. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS CAR AND HAVE ONLY HAD IT SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2019. ALSO THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAYED SHIFT FROM 1ST TO SECOND.

TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT RESIDENTIAL STREET AFTER CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN ABOUT 10 MILES AND WAS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE, I HEARD A SHORT "CHIRP" SOUND FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AT WHICH TIME THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING. STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED SUBSTANTIAL FORCE TO STOP THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. THE ENGINE RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY WITH NO PROBLEM. I WAS NOT MOVING OR TOUCHING THE KEY AT THE TIME THAT THE ENGINE TURNED OFF. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW IN NOVEMBER 2001 AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 20 MILES SINCE THIS INCIDENT AND IT HAS NOT RECURRED AS OF YET. *TR

THE CAR WAS CONSTANTLY STALLING IN LOW SPEED OR STARTING FROM A STOP IN D DRIVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY. CAR HAD STALLED A FEW TIMES IN TRAFFIC, BECOMING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. CAR WAS OVERHEATING. CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED A WEEK AGO AT AAA REPAIR CENTER, EATONTOWN, NJ FOR OIL LEAK FROM GASKET OF THE MANIFOLD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE CONTACT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT OF UNKNOWN INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 171,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP TO PUMP GAS I LEFT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK. I TURNED AROUND TO PLACE THE PUMP INTO THE GAS GAUGE AND MY CAR WAS ROLLING DOWN THE HILL AND I HAD TO CHASE THE CAR OPEN THE DOOR AND STOP THE CAR. WHEN I GOT THE CAR TO A HALT POSITION. I TRIED TO TAKE THE KEY OUT THE IGNITION AND COULDN'T GET THE KEY OUT THE IGNITION. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO GET THE KEY, THE KEY SLOT WAS TURNED AT 3:00 POSITION AND NOT A 12:00 POSITION WHEN A KEY IS REMOVED FROM A IGNITION. AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL AGAIN AND I HAD TO PLACE THE "EMERGENCY BRAKE" ON TO KEEP THE CAR FROM ROLLING. ONCE I TRIED TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON AFTER PUMPING THE CAR STARTED UP AND I PLACED IT IN DRIVE PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND CAR STALLED, I PLACED THE CAR IN REVERSE AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR STALLED. MY CAR HAS NOT WORKED SINCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT DROVE TO A STOP LIGHT AND THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND THE AIR CONDITIONING FANS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

THE CAR WILL NOT CRANK IMMEDIATELY. ONCE STARTED IF YOUR FOOT IS NOT ON THE GAS THE CAR WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. CANNOT TAKE FOOT OFF THE GAS WHEN DRIVING OR SHIFTING GEARS OR IT STALLS. *TR

INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK, REPLACED THE ENGINE. INTERMEDIATE NO STARTS, VEHICLE CUTS OFF IN 5 MINS OF DRIVING, TURN SIGNALS WORKS SOMETIMES.. CAR IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND I HAVE ALMOST HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE ISSUES. *TR

AS OF YET THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS CLOSE CALLS AS THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SHIFTING INTO GEAR UNLESS YOU RACE THE MOTOR. NEARLY REARENDING OTHER VEHICLES, PROPERTY OR PEDESTRIANS. I CAN NOT SAFELY PULL OUT AT AN INTERSECTION BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION MAY SLIP. I'VE READ ON MESSAGE BOARDS WHERE HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND GM HAS NO GOOD FIX FOR IT. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATER IF THE CAR IS WARM OR COLD THE TRANSMISSION STILL ACTS UP. 89K MILES ON THE CAR WHEN THIS BEGAN AND I HAVEN'T FELT SAFE DRIVING THE CAR SINCE. THANK YOU *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH ONLY 47,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *CN

I PURCHASED MY '02 IMPALA THROUGH THE CORPORATE LEASING COMPANY OF MY FATHER'S EMPLOYER. HE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR OTHER THAN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID TURNING BLACK BY 85,000 MILES. WHEN I GOT THE CAR IN JUNE OF '05, IT WAS AT 121,000 MILES, I DROVE THE CAR AROUND ALL DAY, PARKED THE CAR FOR 5 MINUTES, AND WHEN I WENT TO START IT, NOTHING HAPPENED. THE DASH LIT UP, THE RADIO CAME ON, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T TURN OVER, NOT EVEN A CLICKING SOUND, INDICATIVE OF A DEAD BATTERY. I WAITED 10 MINUTES, TRIED AGAIN AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. I WENT FOR ANOTHER MONTH WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, HOWEVER IN LATE JULY, THE CAR FAILED TO START. AGAIN I WAITED 10-15 MINUTES, AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. THIS CONTINUED SPORADICALLY UNTIL OCTOBER 20, WHEN IT TOOK 30 MINUTES OF WAITING TO GET IT TO CRANK. I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL GM DEALER, WHO PUT IT ON THE MACHINE AND ADVISED ME THAT THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE) HAD FAILED AND WAS SENDING A SIGNAL TO THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM TELLING IT THAT MY KEYS WERE INCORRECT. THE SERVICE WRITER INFORMED ME THAT A NEW BCM INSTALLED WOULD RUN ABOUT $500.00, AND THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED THAT THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON FAILURE IN BOTH THE IMPALA AND THE MALIBU, WHICH GM HAS YET TO RECALL. THE TECHNICIAN DID SUGGEST THAT A MORE COST EFFECTIVE OPTION EXISTED WITH SEVERAL OF THE AFTER-MARKET SHOPS, IN WHICH A BYPASS-RELAY WAS INSTALLED UNDER THE DASH, TO BLOCK THE ERRONEOUS SIGNALS FROM THE BCM, WHICH WILL ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE COST FOR THIS BYPASS IS ABOUT $55.00 AND TAKES APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR TO INSTALL. THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS SOLUTION, IS IT BLOCKS THE KEY RECOGNITION FEATURE OF THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, WHICH WILL MAKE IT EASIER TO STEAL, IF SOMEONE CAN START IT WITHOUT DAMAGING THE KEY IGNITION. I THINK IT IS NECESSARY FOR GM TO UNDERSTAND THAT A VEHICLE'S FAILURE TO START DUE TO FAULTY COMPONENT IN THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN WHICH NEEDS TO ADDRESSED. *NM

I HAVE A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. IT HAS AROUND 53,000 MILES ON IT. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN SLOWLY. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO SHE TOLD ME THE CAR SHIFTED HARD AND I DROVE IT AND FOUND THAT PROBLEM ALSO. THAT WENT AWAY FOR 2 WEEKS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. WE WERE REFERRED TO A INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION IN THE IMPALA HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS AND WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. I THEN TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY IS SOME PROBLEMS BUT JUST WOULDNT GET SPECIFIC WITH ME. I THEN WENT TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING AS THE FIRST SHOP TOLD ME AND THAT WAS I NEEDED THIS REBUILT. THEY SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS A BAD DESIGN AND WANT $2400. TO $2600. TO FIX IT. THIS IS THE SAME PRICE AS THE FIRST PLACE GAVE ME. I THINK IF THIS IS SO COMMON OF A PROBLEM G.M. SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. I AM GOING BACK TO THE CHEVY DEALER AND AM GOING TO ASK THEM JUST WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR ME. I'M NOT A HAPPY PERSON, THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD AND INFACT IT'S BEEN TREATED NICELY. I CAN'T FIND A RECALL ON IT BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THERE SHOULD BE ONE IN EFFECT FOR IT. I ALSO THINK THIS PROBLEM COULD BE A SERIOUS ROAD HASSARD IF THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT WHILE BEING DRIVEN.

DT: CONSUMER STATES: BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE. WHEN TRYING TO START IT'S LIKE A DEAD BATTERY, NO NOISE LIKE SOMEONE TOOK THE STARTER OFF. HAVE SOME LIGHTS COME ON BUT NOT ALL.*AK

DT: ON 4/20/05 WHILE DRIVING,GRINDING NOISE WAS HEARD. VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN UNINTENTIONALLY ,AND UPON PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL, CAR WOULD NOT SPEED UP. THIS OCCURRED ON DRY PAVEMENT ON HIGHWAY. CAR WAS REGULARLY SERVICED WITH RECORDS AVAILABLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ABOUT EVERY 6 MONTHS. *AK

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS LOOSE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE AN ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED. JOHN WIGANT OF WALKER CHEVROLET TOLD ME, PRIOR TO A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THAT BOTH SIDES EXHIBIT A WORN OUT DIAGNOSIS, BUT THAT ONLY ONE SIDE SHOULD BE REPLACED NOW AND THAT THE OTHER MIGHT NEVER NEED TO BE REPLACED OR IT COULD GET WORSE. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM JOHN WIGANT OF WALKER CHEVROLET, I WAS INFORMED THAT ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE BEARING SHOULD BE REPLACED. I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS THAT LITERALLY SHOOK MY FRONT END AND STEERING COLUMN DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 36,000 MILES. AND THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPORTED ON NOVEMBER 18, '04 AND NOT REPAIRED UNTIL DECEMBER 30, '04 AT 53,267 MILES. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT REPLACING THESE HUB BEARINGS WILL COST ME ABOUT $1,000.00 TO REPAIR. I HAVE READ ANOTHER COMPLAINT IN NHTSA FILES THAT A SAME YEAR IMPALA FRONT WHEEL OR AXLE FELL OFF AND CAUSED A DRIVER TO VEER OFF THE ROAD. I FEEL THAT THE PAST ROTOR AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT PROBLEMS HAVE EXASPERATED THIS WEAR AND CAUSED IT TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SPEEDOMETER CABLE, RADIO, AND REAR WINDOW. ALL HAVE BEEN SERVICED, BUT CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT EXISTED BEFORE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. *JB

THE INTERMEDIATE DRIVE SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT STATED MAKING NOISES WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED. TOOK FOR SERVICE THE PART WAS ORDERED ON NOV 3 2004. PART STILL HAS NOT CAME IN. CALLED THE CHEVY DEALER. SEEMS LIKE ITS BEEN A COMMON PROBLEM. AND TAKES ABOUT 2 MONTHS TO GET THE PART. I WAS TOLD ONLY 6,000 ARE MADE A WEEK AND THEY STARTED IN THE HOLE 100,000 AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. IF THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, WHY ARE THEY NOT RECALLING THE PART. I ASKED THE MAN IF MY CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE HE SAID ISN'T IS UNDER WARRANTY. I SAID NO AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. IT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE AND I AM NOT AT ALL CONFIDENT ABOUT DRIVING AND I THINK CHEVY SHOULD ADMIT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. *JB

JUST PURCHASED A 2002 IMPALA WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIION WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE CAR ROLLS BACKWARDS AT AN INCLINE WHEN IN DRIVE. CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THAT ALL AUTOMATIC DO THIS TODAY. DEALER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. I CONSIDER THIS A HAZARD. HAVE BEEN DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS FOR YEARS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE.*AK

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 *JB

1. WITHIN THIS PAST MONTH, AM NOTICING TREMENDOUS POWER LOSS AND SHIFTING/TIMING ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSON WHEN ACCELERATING TO HIGHER GEAR.. POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE INSUFFICIENT POWER TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC.*AK 3. HAVE INVESTIGATED AND SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING A SHIFT SOLENOID THAT IS A VERY TROUBLESOME ISSUE WITH A LOT OF GM OWNERS. TYPICAL PARTS COST AND LABOR FOR THIS PROBLEM RUNS IN THE $400.00 BALLPARK.