2004 Chevrolet Impala Exterior Lighting
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR HEADLIGHTS FAILED INDEPENDENTLY WHILE BEING OPERATED AT NIGHT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 260,000.
I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AND TURNED ON MY BRIGHTS AND SHORTLY AFTER MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I HAD TO MESS WITH THE SWITCH BEFORE THEY WOULD COME BACK ON. THEY KEPT DOING THIS UNTIL I SWITCHED BACK TO DIMS. *TR
AFTER SITTING FOR A COUPLE MONTHS, UPON DRIVING THE CAR AGAIN THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS DON'T WORK. REPLACED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH, CHECKED ALL THE RELAYS AND FUSES. STILL NOT WORKING. HIGH BEAMS AND DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WORK. THIS BASICALLY RENDERS THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE, AS IT GETS DARK AT 4:30 IN THE WINTER, AND I AM NOT ABLE TO DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. *TR
MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH RANDOMLY FAILS TO TURN ON LOW BEAM IN MOTION AND STOPPED. TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITH SOME LIGHTS ON AT NIGHT, LEFT HAND HAS TO HOLD DOWN THE HIGH BEAM AS IT FAILS TO STAY ON. STEERING WHEEL MUST THEN BE OPERATED WITH ONLY WHEN HAND. REPLACING THE THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH FIXES THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT FAILS AGAIN. AVERAGING 6 MONTHS BETWEEN FAILURES AND HAVE REPLACED THE SWITCH 3 TIMES ALREADY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED AND POWERED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 240,000.
THE HEADLIGHTS NO LONGER WORK. HIGH BEAMS AND LOW BEAMS BOTH WORK, BUT THE REGULAR HEADLIGHTS ARE NO LONGER IN SERVICE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. NOW, THE LOW BEAMS GO ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS USED TO GO ON. WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT, I AM FORCED TO KEEP ON THE HIGH BEAMS. THIS HAS BEEN THE CASE FOR THE LAST 2 WEEKS. IT NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS BEFORE. IT STARTED RIGHT AROUND THE TIME THE VEHICLE REACHED 150,000 MILES DRIVEN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLCIKER AND SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ALSO WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD LAST NIGHT MY HEAD LIGHTS FLASHED 3 OR 4 TIMES AND THEN I LOST ALL HEADLIGHTS. AND NOW WHEN I TURN MY BRIGHTS I LOOSE ALL HEADLIGHT
SWITCH BECAME DIFFICULT TO CHANGE TO HIGH BEAMS, SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WOULD GO BLACK. NOW HIGH BEAMS ONLY STAY ON BY HOLD SWITCH BACK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHT DIMMER SWITCH FAILED TO ACTIVATE AND WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE ONLY ONE SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT TWO WEEKS LATER THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED INDEPENDENTLY AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISENGAGED IN ORDER TO SHUT OFF THE HIGH BEAMS HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE HIGH BEAMS SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
2004 CHEVY IMPALA LOSES LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH THE MULTIPURPOSE SWITCH LOCATED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. AFTER DOING A GOOGLE SEARCH FOUND HUNDREDS OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. AFTER LOSING LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS AFTER A FEW MONTHS HIGH BEAM LAMPS ARE ALSO NOT WORKING. *TR
HAD HIGH BEAMS ON, HEADING HOME, LIGHTS ALL OF A SUDDEN WENT OFF! PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. LOW BEAMS WORK FINE, HIGH BEAMS DO NOT. *TR
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE WITH MY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON AND SUDDENLY MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. I REACHED DOWN AND PULLED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THINKING IT WAS THE DAY TIME DRIVING LIGHTS, BUT THEY STILL DID NOT TURN ON. IN A PANIC I FLIPPED THE DIMMER SWITCH ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEY CAME ON. SINCE THEN I HAPPENED AGAIN WITH MY BRIGHTS ABOUT A MONTH AGO BUT HAPPENED 4 TIMES LAST NIGHT, WITH MY BRIGHTS AND DIMS, ON MY 6 MILE DRIVE HOME. I HAVE OWNED DOZENS OF CARS IN MY LIFE, MOST CHEVROLET, AND NEVER HAD A FAILURE OF THIS MAGNITUDE WHILE DRIVING. THIS SEEMS TO BE A SERIOUS FAILURE AND A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AS I HAVE TEENAGERS THAT DRIVE MY CAR AND MAY NOT HAVE BE ABLE TO SAFELY RESOLVE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS WITH OUT INJURY. *TR
HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT,HOLD DIM/BRIGHT SWITCH TO HAVE BRIGHTS ONLY,RELEASE SWITCH TO NORMAL POSITION,LIGHTS GO OUT,NORMAL CLICKING SOUND WHEN ENGAGING DIM/BRIGHTS NOT THERE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED WHEN THEY SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS HOWEVER, THEY ALSO FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 214,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
HEADLAMPS TURN OFF WHILE DRIVING.
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS SUDDENLY GO DARK. MANIPULATING THE HIGH/LOW BEAM SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN CAUSED THE LIGHTS TO TURN ON AGAIN. THIS CONDITION HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE MODULE IN THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ACTIVATED AND SUDDENLY WITHOUT WARNING THE HEADLIGHTS STOPPED ILLUMINATING FOR A FEW SECONDS. THE SAME MALFUNCTION RECURRED ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. UPDATED 03/14/12*LJ THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 495.78
IN MAY 2012 MY HEADLIGHTS ON MY CAR STARTED TO NOT COME ON WHEN NEEDED. THEN THEY WOULD COME ON 10-30 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS STARTED. THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED "FLASHING" WHILE THE CAR WAS DRIVING. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT AFTER ABOUT A MONTH. I HAVE HAD THE DIMMER SWITCH REPLACED, AND THE LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING AT ALL NOW. THE BRIGHT BARELY COME ON AND I HAVE TO HOLD THE STICK DOWN THE WHOLE TIME I WANT TO USE THEM. SOMETIMES IF I NEED TO DRIVE A NIGHT I USE THE FOG LIGHTS WHICH HAVE RECENTLY DECIDED NOT TO WORK AT ALL. THIS IS THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWED. I HAVE HAD PLENTY OF ISSUES WITH THIS CAR ON OTHER ISSUES. *TR
TURN SIGNALS COME BUT DO NOT BLINK. HAZARD SIGNAL COMES ON BUT DOES NOT BLINK. *TR
MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, WITH MY DIM HEADLAMPS ON. WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE HEADLAMPS WENT OUT, HE WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WAY TO AVOID ANY PROBLEMS. AFTER CHECKING HE DID HAVE HIGH BEAMS AND FOG LIGHTS YET. HE PROCEEDED HOME ON HIGH BEAMS. THE LOW BEAMS NEVER HAVE COME BACK ON. *TT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED SPORADICALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WERE REPLACED AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY BUT IT FAILED TO REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
ROUGHLY AROUND 2 1/2 TO 3 YEARS AGO, I WAS DRIVING ACROSS A LEVEE WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY WENT OUT-THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY. THEN AGAIN 2 DAYS LATER WENT COMPLETELY OUT, THEREFORE, I HAD THE DIMMER SWITCH REPLACED. 2 MONTHS AGO MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AGAIN. THIS TIME WHEN THEY CAME BACK ON, THEY ONLY WORKED ON BRIGHT. I CANNOT DIM MY LIGHTS AND HAVE BEEN PULLED OVER TWICE-ONCE BY A STATE TROOPER AND ANOTHER TIME BY THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. *TR
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2004 Chevrolet Impala has 70 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.