2004 Chevrolet Impala Electrical System

I DROVE MY 2004 IMPALA TO THE STORE, WHEN I RETURNED TO MY CAR IT WOULD NOT START! SINCE I HAD JUST SIGNED THE PAPERS ON IT I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER ONCE IT STARTED. THEY PUT $500.00 WOULD OF REPAIR WORK INTO IT BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED AGAIN JUST AFTER MY 3 MONTH WARRANTY EXPIRED. IT USED TO IT EVERY SO OFTEN UNTIL RECENTLY IT HAS BEEN DOING IT A FEW TIMES A DAY. *TR

WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS AUTOMOBILE AND, UNTIL THIS DATE, WE HAVE HAD NO SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS. ON THE ABOVE DATE, THE TACHOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER CEASED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE TACHOMETER WENT TO ZERO BUT THE SPEEDOMETER WENT UP AND DOWN SPORADICALLY. THE ENTIRE REST OF OUR VACATION, OVER A TWO WEEK PERIOD, BOTH WOULD CEASE WORKING UNTIL AUTO WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND, AFTER SCANNING ON THEIR MACHINE, WAS INFORMED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED REPAIR OR TOTAL REPLACEMENT AND WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY AND THE ALMOST $500.00 COST WOULD BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY. WE FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, NO MATTER THE AGE OF THE CAR OR THE MILEAGE, AND SHOULD BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY PAID FOR BY GENERAL MOTORS. WE THEN FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED THEY WILL DO NOTHING TO ASSIST US WITH THE COST. WE CANNOT IMAGINE WHAT THE REACTION WOULD BE IF AN ELDERLY PERSON OR AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER WERE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND THEIR SPEEDOMETER SHOT UP TO 90-100 MPH WHAT THEIR REACTION WOULD BE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THIS WOULD NOT BE CLASSIFIED AS A SAFETY ISSUE. ANY ASSISTANCE WE RECEIVE IN ADDRESSING THIS PROBLEM WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

MY SPEEDOMETER HAS STOPPED WORKING WHICH IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO, I HAVE TO WAIT 10 MINUTES OR LONGER FOR MY CAR TO START BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM. I AM REQUESTING A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES AS THERE ARE MANY CONSUMERS WITH THESE SAME PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER WAS INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER CONSTANTLY DISPLAYED 30 MPH AND THE TACHOMETER CONSTANTLY DISPLAYED 1000 RPM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO STATED THEY NEEDED MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE BEFORE ISSUING A RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,500.

GAUGE CLUSTER. TEMP. GAUGE READS FROM O TO 260 DEGREES WEATHER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE ARE ERRATIC. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON STARTING THE IGNITION, THE FUEL GAUGE REGISTERED AN INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL READING. IN ADDITION, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE AFTER DRIVING IN REVERSE AND THEN IN DRIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD EMIT A GRINDING NOISE WHENEVER BEING TURNED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

I HAVE A 2004 CHEVY IMPALA AND SECURITY LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF. WHEN IT DOES THIS MY CAR WON'T START I READ ONLINE IF I LEAVE THE CARS KEY TURNED OVER FOR 10 MINUTES IT WILL START BUT HERE LATELY ITS GETTING WORSE. I HAVE READ ONLINE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME MAKE AND THE SAME MODEL THAT ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN HOOKED UP TO A COMPUTER IT SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. I HAVE TALKED TO 2 DIFFERENT CHEVY DEALERSHIPS AND THEY JUST BRING UP HOOKING IT UP TO A COMPUTER. I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALLED IF A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HERE'S OTHER COMPLIMENTS THAT I HAVE FOUND ONLINE. HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/CHEVROLET/IMPALA/2004/ELECTRICAL/WONT_START_SECURITY_LIGHT_COMES_ON.SHTML. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE TACHOMETER WOULD NOT PROVIDE A READING. AFTER TIME PROGRESSED, THE FUEL GAUGE AND THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN PROVIDED INACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

APPROXIMATELY A YEAR AGO MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND GAS GAUGE QUIT WORKING. I WAS NOT TOO CONCERNED BECAUSE I KNEW HOW MANY MILES I COULD GO ON A FULL TANK OF GAS SO I JUST JUDGED MY GAS BY MY MILEAGE COUNTER. NOW THIS EVENING MY SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED, WITH THE ENGINE TURNED OFF IT SAID THAT I WAS GOING 30 MPH. WHEN I WAS DRIVING, THE NEEDLE SEEMED TO "JERK" A LOT. ALSO RECENTLY MY CAR SEEMS TO BE SLUGGISH OR ACT LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL. I HAVE ALSO HAD SOME OCCASIONS WHEN MY CAR WON'T START AFTER JUST TURNING THE KEY OFF. IF I WAIT A LITTLE WHILE OR OVERNIGHT THEN IT WILL START LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. I AM VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE MY 17 YEAR OLD ALSO DRIVES THIS VEHICLE AND I HAVE TO DO A LOT OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,000.

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN STRANDED BECAUSE MY CAR WILL NOT START. IT APPARENTLY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE SECURITY PASSLOCK SYSTEM. WHEN YOU INSERT THE KEY NOTHING HAPPENS. IT IS AS THOUGH IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR KEY AS A VALID KEY. THE SYSTEM PREVENTS THE CAR FROM STARTING EVEN THOUGH ALL THE OTHER SYSTEMS, RADIO, LIGHTS, ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND DOORS ARE STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT IT IS AS THOUGH IT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THE CAR IS IN PARK OR NEUTRAL AND DOES NOT ALLOW IT TO START. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES IT USUALLY STARTS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND AFTER RUNNING THE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING ON IT TELL ME THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THEY SAY "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CUSTOMER CONCERN". SINCE THE PROBLEM HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY I AM SURE THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE. I HAVE FOUND ON LINE THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #40847003 DATED 9/1/04 ON THIS PROBLEM AND THAT THE SAME DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE CODES OF B2958 AND 2960 ARE REFLECTED ON THE BULLETIN. I ALSO REVIEWED THE FIRST 200 COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND SEE THAT 26 OF THOSE 200 WERE FOR THIS SAME MATTER. I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY MORE IN THE REMAINING 545 COMPLAINTS. IF CHEVROLET KNEW THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN THE YEAR THIS CAR WAS SOLD 2004 SHOULDN'T A RECALL HAVE BEEN DONE AT THAT TIME WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY? CAN A RECALL NOT BE DONE ON THIS CONTINUING PROBLEM? *TR

VEHICLES GAUGES DO NOT WORK@! SOME ARE STUCK AND WORK PERIODICALLY OR NOT AT ALL. FALSE READINGS FOR SPEED, FUEL AND TEMPERATURE. CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT RECALLS AND THERE ARE NONE ALTHOUGH I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING. THIS CAR DRIVES HIGHWAY EVERY DAY AND THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT IS WELL KNOW AN COST $600 TO FIX. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU GO TO START THE CAR IT WON'T DO ANYTHING. ALL THE LIGHTS, RADIO, EVERYTHING COMES ON AS NORMAL BUT WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY OVER TO START IT WON'T DO NOTHING, CLICK, OR ANYTHING. ONE TIME WE LEFT THE CAR OVER NIGHT, LOCKED UP, THE NEXT DAY IT STARTED LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. ANOTHER TIME I LET THE CAR SIT FOR 15 MINS AND IT STARTED FINE. THEN ANOTHER TIME, I KEPT TRYING EVERY 10 TO 15 MINS FOR AN HR BUT NOTHING. THEN LET IT SIT FOR 25 TO 30 MINS THEN NOTHING BUT I LEFT THE KEY IN ON POSITION FOR A COUPLE MINUTES WHILE ALL THE LIGHTS RAN AND THEN IT STARTED FINE. SOME PEOPLE SAY ITS THE STARTER, IGNITION OR EVEN THE SECURITY. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM THERE'S EVEN VIDEOS OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING. ID SAY THAT THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO SO EVERYONE W THESE VEHICLES KNOW WHAT'S WRONG. THANKS *TR

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE AND THE TEMP GAUGE WENT ALL THE WAY TO OVERHEAT, SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE GAS GAUGE STARTED TO WORK ONLY INTERMITTANTLY, AND THE SPEEDOMETER HAS SOME ISSUES WITH REGISTERING THE PROPER SPEED. *TR

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT DISPLAY ACCURATE MILES PER HOUR. WHILE DRIVING, THE ODOMETER WENT TO ABOUT 60 MPH, WHEN I WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH AND I TRIED TO DECREASE THE SPEED BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT IT REMAINED AT 60 MPH. I CAME TO A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND STOPPED, THEN I NOTICED THAT THE SPEED WAS AT 10 MPH WHILE SETTING STILL. I ASKED ANOTHER PERSON TO DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE IF THE SAME TYPE OF THING WAS HAPPENING WITH THE SPEED ODOMETER, AND IT WAS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC SAID HE RESET THE ODOMETER AND SAID IF THAT DID NOT WORK, A PART WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED. THAT WORKED ABOUT TWO WEEKS, AND THE SAME THING STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I CAN NOT TELL HOW FAST I AM DRIVING. WHICH POSES A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE KEY. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO WAIT APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE IGNITION WOULD RECOGNIZE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 183,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGES BOTH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CLUSTER INSIDE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,186.

SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING PROPERLY. SAME PROBLEM AS MOST OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE TO BEGIN OUR VACATION, THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN SHOWING INCREASED SPEED WHILE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET. WE WERE GOING 65, BUT THE SPEEDOMETER EVENTUALLY REGISTERED 120 MPH. AFTER CRUISE WAS TURNED OFF, IT CONTINUED TO READ 120 MPH, REGARDLESS OF ACTUAL SPEED. WE HAD TO USE OUR GPS TO MONITOR SPEED FOR THE ENTIRE 1300 MILE ROUND TRIP! GM HAS RECALLED OTHER MODELS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED FOR THE IMPALA? *TR

WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE DASH CONTROLS {SPEEDOMETER AND TEMP GAUGE] STOP WORKING .. I COULD BE DRIVING AT 40 BUT THE SPEED ODOMETER READS 120 AND WHEN STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT IT COULD READ 80 {SITTING STILL} ALSO HAVE HEARD OF MANY OF THE IMPALA AND CHEVROLET CARS AND TRUCK HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. I ONLY DROVE MY CAR 62000 MILES SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN 2004. MY FRIENDS WENT OUT AT 43000 AND I WAS LUCKY AND GOT 53000 MILES. THEY WANT TO CHARGE 900.00 TO FIX THEIR MESS. I HAD A FORD THAT WAS A 1969 AND THE SPEED ODOMETER AND TEMP GAUGES WORKED TIL I SOLD IT AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. I WANT JBA TO FIX IT AT THEIR EXPENSE CAUSE MY CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED AND IT IS THE FIRST BRAND NEW CAR I EVER OWNED. I THINK THEY SHOULD HAVE A MAJOR RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES CAUSE THEY ARE CHARGING AN ARM AND LEG FOR THEM ONLY TO HAVE TO FIX THEM AFTER A FEW THOUSAND MILES. I HAVE NO CLUE HOW FAST I AM DRIVING I JUST FIND A CAR OR TRUCK THAT LOOKS LIKE IT IS DOING THE SPEED LIMIT AND FOLLOW IT. I AM NOT RICH AND CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE IT FIXED RIGHT NOW. I AM LAID OFF FOR THE SUMMER. I DRIVE A SCHOOL BUS AND DO NOT GET PAID WHILE I AM OFF FOR THE SUMMER. SO PLEASE CONSIDER A RECALL ON ALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS A MAJOR TICKET BECAUSE OF A DEFECT. ## VIN FAILED ## 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA ## *TR

I HAVE BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY SPEEDOMETER STICKING THE PAST FEW MONTHS. MY HUSBAND TOOK MY CAR IN TO OUR LOCAL CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD WE NEED TO REPLACE THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL WHICH WOULD COST AROUND $600. NOT HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT WE WILL HAVE TO SHELL OUT THIS KIND OF MONEY FOR A FAULTY FACTORY PART, I CONTACTED THE CHEVROLET CUSTOMER COMPLAINT LINE. I WAS TOLD BY THE COMPLAINT LINE THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR US AT THIS TIME. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS IN REGARDS TO THE SAME ISSUES FROM THE FOLLOWING LINK: HTTP://WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM/T752665-DISCUSS2004_IMPALA_SPEEDOMETER_PROBLEMS.HTML IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A FACTORY RECALL ON THIS ISSUE A LONG TIME AGO. APPARENTLY IT IS GOING TO TAKE AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH IN ORDER FOR CHEVROLET TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. THE GOVERNMENT JUST BAILED OUT GMC NOT TO LONG AGO; HOWEVER, GMC CAN'T STEP UP AND FIX THIS. WHAT KIND OF BUSINESS DOES THIS TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. I INFORMED CHEVROLET THAT I WILL NO LONGER BUY THEIR VEHICLES. NO WONDER EVERYONE IS BUYING FOREIGN THESE DAYS. *TR

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DOES NOT WORK. SOMETIMES THE GAUGES STICK AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST IM GOING OR HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE CAR. *JS

MY 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS HAS A BAD SECURITY LOCK SYSTEM. I GO TO START CAR AND IT WON'T START I HAVE TO WAIT 15-20 MIN. FOR IT TO START AND ITS BECOMING MORE FREQUENT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND SAW THAT MY SPEEDOMETER SAYS ABOUT GOING 110 MILES AN HOUR WHEN I KNEW THAT I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 25 I WAS IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE ISSUE STARTED SLOWLY I WOULD ONLY HAPPENED ONCE IN A WHILE BUT HERE WE ARE 2 YEARS LATER AND MY ACTUAL SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE FACES DOWN TOWARDS THE STEERING WHEEL .NO MY SERVICE TAG AGENT GOING ON THE FRAYED OF MY GAS GAUGE IS GONNA STOP WORKING ALSO THE BLINKERS ONLY WORK WHEN I WANT TO . . *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. IT WENT TO 120 WHILE ON INTERSTATE WHILE I WAS ONLY GOING 70 MPH USING MY GPS. I HAVE BEEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AND IT SHOWED ANYWHERE FROM 30 TO 70 MPH. *TR