My wife was bringing our 14 year old grandson home after a wrestling match at his High School at about 10:00 PM when the headlights suddenly stopped working. They came back on after 2-3 seconds and about a minute later the same thing happened. We live in a rural area with limited road lighting so the potential was for a deadly accident. I saw that this is not an isolated incident and I believe it should be referred to the NHTSB to initiate a recall.
This car has 155k on it but we have another 2004 Impala with 62K on it and we will be driving these cars for some time to come.
I was driving last night with my 5yr old daughter in the car and next thing I know my lights flashed and then lost all head lights. This is not safe at all. Think god I did not get in wreck but now every time I turn on my brights I loose everything. GM needs to fix this it is going to cause a bad wreck. Thank god i did not get in one with my daughter with me. I wish I new how to bring this to GM att. because I would. This to me is a huge safty issue and needs fixed ASAP. Now I hope I can figure out for sure what it is.
While the headlights are on the auto position, they will flicker off while driving down the road. As you can imagine this is terrifying. And it has the potential to cause accidents especially on country roads where there is no other source of lighting.
Headlights suddenly went off and would not come back on, driving just after sunset. I had just flashed my bright lights at somebody. I think that might have started the problem. I have a used replacement multifunction switch that I have not yet installed. Only happened once. When I came out of restaurant to go home the lights did not work. On the way home they came on suddenly and have worked fine since.
Driving lights go off while driving making the vehicle unsafe to drive at night, and it is horribly costly to repair so this is a terrible design. I have had 25 cars in my life and never have I had the electrical problems like this 04 Impala. GM should have done a recall covering the electrical system problems on this car.
- kerobinson,
Caldwell, ID, US
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I find this really awful because we bought this car for our daughter's first car and this has happened several times when she has drove it! Thank goodness there hasn't been an accident, but every time my husband has looked at it, he is unable to find any obvious problems and not sure what to do. When he drives it, he has no problems, so I started driving it and it has done it a couple of times to me. My husband again looked at it with a couple of his buddies and could not find anything wrong with it. She just drove it again this week and it happened to her again.
This needs to be recalled and fixed!!!!! Completely dangerous!!!
During the day my lights works fine but when the sun sets only my right headlight will work and occassionally they will just suddenly shut off. This is very dangerous and GM should recall and fix that problem
I would be driving down our highway, going to work at the wee hours of the morning when it was still dark out and my car lights would magically just shut off. I could hit the dimmer switch to bring them back on, but come on, when will they not turn back on. The part was expensive. The labor was expensive. It's an extreme safety hazard, yet GM does not feel they need to recall it.
I have already had the multifunction switch on my car replaced once in 2009. Now my headlights just decide if they want to work or not when I turn on my car. My light switch will not override anything. Sometimes they will come on, sometimes they won't. I could also bang on the dash and they would come on for me. This worked for about a month because I refuse to pay another $600 for a multifunction switch. Now, they will not come on at all. I've been waiting for a safety recall but to no avail. This is ridiculous! I leave in the morning and it's still dark and I have no idea if my car lights are going to come on or not. I can hold in my brights while driving down the road and bright every car, but release the lever, and I see nothing. Wonderful GM!
Multifunction switch went out for the 2nd time. Had small fits that would last a day or so and was ongoing for a couple of months but never long enough to make it to the mechanic until it went out for good at the end of March. Had it replaced, part has a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer so only had to pay for labor. Major inconvenience and safety hazard.
It only lasted about 2 weeks, its been out for a few days, but haven't made it back to the mechanic yet.
My neighbor also has a 2004 Impala and has had to drive home in the middle of the night HOLDING the switch in the high beam position just to get home.
I called the NTSB and filed a complaint a few days ago, this is ridiculous!!!
Headlights went out in the middle of the night on a dark country road. Managed to stop the car and noticed high beams worked but not the dims. Drove it like that until shop fixed it, replaced the multifunction switch, cost about $500. This is a serious safety hazard!
CAN NOT REALLY SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THE CAR EXCEPT FOR THE LIGHTS GOING OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHILE GOING HOME FROM WORK. HAD TO HOLD THE SWITCH SO AT LEAST I COULD USE THE BRIGHTS
Light problem first began with the headlights turning off completely when turning on/off brights every once in awhile.
My dim's stopped working in August but JUST at night. The first time I noticed it is when I was taking off on a 5 hour drive and I had to leave at 9pm. I had to hold the high beams on the whole drive to where I was going. I never had time to fix the lights but now(oct. 6th) the high beams stopped working (unless I pull them to the point where it feels like I'm going to break it) and my dims are working in the DAY but not at NIGHT
was driving on a very dark night down a back road and the lights are gone. the only way i have any lights is if i hold the bright light switch. so one hand for steering and the other for lights. ONLY BRIGHT ONES. not to mention the on coming traffic what am i suppose to do for them bright lights or no lights is my only option... what do you say when you get pulled over for driving with NO head lights and only BRIGHTS??? sorry officer my lights went out what kind of ticket to you get.. This should be recalled and fixed especially if you see that this has happen to more than one person. I have not had the time or help to get mine fixed. WISH that this had never happened, but im thankfull that i didnt have my 3 small children with me and that there wasnt a accident. NOW i wonder how am i to get to work... Thanks for your time and if you have this problem i feel your pain. PLEASE FIX THIS PROBLEM BEFORE ITS TOO LATE FOR SOMEONE!!!!!!!!
High beams quit completely on a moonless night on the freeway. Scared the heck out of me. This is definitely a safety issue and should result in a recall.
It is very unsafe when I am driving down the road and my lights repeatedly shut off. There is no reason this should not be a safety recall. The first time it happened I almost went into the ditch myself. Luckily, when I pulled the dimmer switch again, they came back on, but you never know when they will go off or when the day will be when they won't come back on.
I took my 2004 chevy impala to a garage because my left light repeatedly went out. Once I lifted the hood and wiggled the wires, it works, until the car is shut off. The mechanic advised that it has to be electrical and recommended I take it to a dealer. The next night I'm leaving the theater and my lights will not come on. I switched to my high beams and they came on for all of 2 mins and completely no lights.....so I have to sit around for a friend to pick me up
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
My wife was bringing our 14 year old grandson home after a wrestling match at his High School at about 10:00 PM when the headlights suddenly stopped working. They came back on after 2-3 seconds and about a minute later the same thing happened. We live in a rural area with limited road lighting so the potential was for a deadly accident. I saw that this is not an isolated incident and I believe it should be referred to the NHTSB to initiate a recall.
This car has 155k on it but we have another 2004 Impala with 62K on it and we will be driving these cars for some time to come.
- jdbuck, Waunakee, WI, US