This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
2002 Chevrolet Impala with bad intake manifold gasket and brakes. Consumer was informed that the intake manifold gasket leak is a common problem in these vehicles. Brakes have been replaced three times. He states that this is also a common problem. The consumer stated the rotors were warped. The engine and radiator were replaced due to a leak.
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle vibrated excessively. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and a technician resurfaced the brake rotors. Two years later, the failure recurred. The vehicle has not been repaired because he was not provided with a sufficient explanation as to why the rotors intermittently failed. The manufacturer did not provide any assistance. The failure mileage was 24,009 and current mileage is 42,363. Updated 06/09/08 the rotors were warped. Updated
: the contact stated that the vehicle's brake rotors pulsated at 11,000 miles. The dealership refaced the rotors and the problem reoccurred at 33,000 miles. The dealership refused to install new rotors but refaced the rotors a second time. The rotors began pulsating a third time. The dealership informed the contact that the 2005 model of the same vehicle had experienced similar brake problems.
: the contact stated while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle pulsates until stopped. The dealer replaced the pads and rotors twice but this has not remedied the problem.
- Prattsburgh, NY, USA
Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...
Our 2002 chev Impala is a vacation and long trip vehicle, very little city driving. At first we drove it very little, then the first winter we drove it and parked it in the garage till spring. The vehicle then gave us problems with shimmy and shaking along with noisy grinding when stopping. I took it to a dealer under warranty and they said it had warped rotors and then turned all 4 rotors down at 19755 miles. Then in June of 2005 I took it back in because of a constant grinding sound when backing up and the shimmy when braking was returning more everyday. The dealer then tells me that it is out of warranty and that it needs 4 new rotors because they are warped and pitted. This is a pep car from the company and I mistakenly thought that it was still under warranty till end of July. I was informed this is not true and that the repair will be $732. This vehicle has 30,335 miles on it and has had bad rotors and stopping since we started to drive it in 2002/03 winter and then parked it till spring of 2004. This I believe is a definite saftey hazard and according to the service advisor they see this problem on the Impala and the Malibu alot. According to the advisor GM will not let them replace the rotors only turn them to specs. This I equate to getting open heart surgery and only using bandaids and tape to close the arteries and incisions. I am totally disgusted with the quality and service work done by General Motors. Inferior parts and substandard materials seem to be the way to go at GM to get their required profits at customer expense. The advisor says that the rotors they found were the cheapest and manufactured in china. I don't think the chinese care much about providing americans consumers with a quality product. GM is selling us out for their bottom line and we suffer as the end user who will be the injured party if the parts fail on the roads of America.
Experienced a pulsing in the braking of the car. Contacted the dealership, they inspected the brakes and rotors, said it would not be covered under warrantee. I returned to my shop (where I work) and they turned the rotors for me. This was last year. Now the pulsing is back. I am going to contact the dealership and inform them of the returning pulsation. See what they say, has anyone gotten the dealership to fix the problem"?"
2002 Impala ls has a disc brake problem. Discs required resurfacing after 15000 miles. The problem returned after 5000 miles. The first resurfacing was done under new car warranty. Upon returning the second time I asked that the discs be replaced. Dealer refused, and said that the problem was now mine since even though he failed to fix the problem the warranty period was over. Since the problem occurred under warranty, and he failed to fix it, I refused to have the disc resurfaced again. This is a problem under NHTSA 10012633 called brake rotor allowable thickness after resurfacing. Dealer doesn't know or doesn't care. I complained to Chevrolet, they sided with the dealer, and gave me a number 1-328237740, but no satisfaction. I believe this is a safety defect which Chevrolet is ignoring.
I have had brake rotor problems early, starting at about 8,000 miles, with my vehicle. We live out in the country (very little city driving) so this is a very premature failure of the rotors. I have replaced the brake pads and turned the rotors but have discovered(too late) that the brake rotors are made of an inexpensive metal that overheats and warps easily. The overheating then causes the brake pads to glaze and thus reduces braking ability. This appears to be common as two other Impala owners I've spoke with also suffer with this problem. It is even noted by many other owners at www.impalahq.com. currently my car is out of warranty and I am planning on replacing the brakes (again). This time I will purchase rotors on my own since the factory and dealer issued rotors are no good. I am not happy with GM products because brakes are the last place a manufacturer needs to cut costs.
While driving over a bump in the road a noise was heard. Dealer found that the rear brake rotors were corroded and rusted. The rear rotors were resurfaced and the rear brake shoes were replaced.
Consumer states that when applying brakes steering wheel shimmies excessively, and hears a grinding noise. Dealer advised consumer that new brake pads and rotors were needed. Vehicle only has 26000 miles.
The brakes on a 2002 GM Impala caused rotor failure due to the inboard pad wearing to the rotor while the outboard wear indicators still had a dime's width before it would touch the rotor. The car had just 33,000 miles on those brakes. The dealership reported that 18,000 to 30,000 is normal. That is too soon for highway miles. The other issue is a GM tech reported that the inboard pads are thinner than the outboard pads on the performance models. I have sent a complaint to GM and have not gotten a response.
Consumer state that the vehicle would vibrate when applied the brakes. Dealer was notified and replaces the front rotors and the pads on two separate occasions and the problem still reoccurring.
When braking and (rotors)wheels are hot, causes the rotors to become out of round. When braking wheels pulsate, and steering wheel shakes while brakes are applied.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Rochester, NY, USA