This is THE biggest problem with these Impalas in my opinion. We repacked the steering box and that solution doesn't last long. It's felt like my steering is going to fall apart for the last 100,000 miles, but I keep trying to ignore it. GM has been totally ineffectual in creating a cost effective solution for the owner's of its cars. They came up with a decent solution on their pickups but have dropped the ball on their cars.
This started as a minor (hardly perceptible) dull knock or pop sound during low speed turns such as parking lot operation. I'm pretty sure it started with coil decompression during strut replacement (If you decide to change out your struts, go for complete new assemblies [strut/coil spring] if you possibly can). Truth be told; I spent about $2,500 by the time all was said and done. On the bright side...hey, a mechanic needs to work right?...and I've got some nifty new front end components such as: C.V. joints, upper strut mounts (a wrong diagnosis by my local Chevrolet dealer), stabilizer (anti sway) bar bushings, driver side outer tie rod end (it was going), driver side front wheel bearing (it was just beginning to go), both lower ball joints (the shop said they found 'some' movement, intermediate steering shaft (I.S.S.), and finally the strut coil springs (plus related components) fixed my problem. You may think I'm foolish and you may be right. The Blue Book value of this car is $2,500. But I take care of my 'crap' and figure I can get untold mileage if I keep it up. One final note; the sound was making me nuts and neither the dealership or my local shop would give me a price to diagnose before repairing; it quickly became a 'process of elimination', but ouch!!! I've never been a gambler but for the first time in my life I really felt like one. Hats off to all those sorry gamblers still suffering out there. Hope I save someone some bucks-peace out y'all.
Dealer tells me he heard a clunk in the steering column when we brought the car in because of a failing passlock security sensor that prevents us from starting the car. The clunk involves the lower steering shaft where it connects to the upper steering shaft. He said there is a redesigned shaft to prevent the problem, and that the fix will cost over $300. I asked why that wouldn't be covered by Chevrolet because it sounds like a safety defect, but he said it's not, period. So we are not getting it fixed at this point because we can't afford it.
This problem began while the car was fairly new, and I have heard and read that it is a common problem with this make and model. While driving and turning the wheel, you will feel a "clunking" noise and feel it in the wheel. It is definitely very annoying, and worries me a little. I can say that I have driven with it with no more than annoyance - I have not noticed a difference in performance. I read somewhere that gm suggested to get it greased. It just confuses me that a newer car can have something like this happen.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
This is THE biggest problem with these Impalas in my opinion. We repacked the steering box and that solution doesn't last long. It's felt like my steering is going to fall apart for the last 100,000 miles, but I keep trying to ignore it. GM has been totally ineffectual in creating a cost effective solution for the owner's of its cars. They came up with a decent solution on their pickups but have dropped the ball on their cars.
- Aron E., Fargo, ND, US