1994 Chevrolet Impala Problems & Complaints

INSTRUMENT PANEL KEEPS GOING OUT (SPEEDOMETER,TACH,GAS,HEAT) READS 150 MPH WHILE I AM AT A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND TURN THE KEY ON AND OFF TILL IT COMES BACK DOWN. AND EVEN THIS DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. NOW THE GAUGE FOR THE TEMP. OF THE CAR IS READING THAT IT IS OVERHEATING AS SOON AS I START DRIVING. I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN TO GET IT CHECKED FOR SEVERAL THINGS. THE CAR HAS ONLY 42,000 MILES ON IT. THIS HAS BE GOING ON FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND IS GETTING WORSE!! *TR

SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER ACT ERRATICALLY AT TIMES WITH NO WARNING NOR SYMPTOMS. *TR

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT THE CONNECTOR FOR THE FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A HARNESS TO THE FUEL PUMP WHICH BURNT. THE WIRES BECAME HOT AND MELTED THE PLASTIC INSULATION, CAUSING THE PUMP NOT TO WORK. *AK

VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY, CAUSING A COLLISION. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WINDSHIELD WIRES INSIDE FUEL TANK THAT MAKES PUMP WORK, HAS SOME WIRES IN IT THAT BURN OUT WHILE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. CHEVROLET HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

DRIVERS SIDE SEATBACK FAILURE ON ACCELERATION FROM STOP NEARLY CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. PARTS THAT FAILED WERE TWO SMALL VERY INADEQUATE BOLTS USED TO ATTACH SEATBACK TO SEAT BASE.

COMPONENT 1 - EXHAUST MANIFOLD THE BOLTS THAT SECURE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BREAK FROM THE HEAT CYCLING ONF THE MANIFOLD. THE SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THEM WITH STRONGER BOLTS THAT WERE SUPPLIED BY GM. THE ISSUE HERE IS THAT THERE IS AN EXTREME DANGER OF EXHAUST GASES LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF POOR FITTING MANIFOLDS. A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND PRESENTLY NOT COVERED BY GM WARRANTIES. COMPONENT 2 - STEERING WHEEL HORN. THIS HORN HAS A NICKNAME OF THE "SLEDGEHAMMER HORN" SINCE IT TAKES CONSIDERABLE FORCE TO SOUND THE HORN. ONCE AGAIN, GM RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AND HAS A NEW HORN ASSEMBLY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM FOR CURRENT OWNERS, UNLESS AT CONSIDERABLE EXPENSE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING WHEEL ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION SINCE DEPRESSING THE HORN SWITCH MAY NOT SOUND THE HORN QUICK ENOUGH, IF AT ALL, IN CAS OF AN EMERGENCY. IT SIMPLY TAKES TOO LONG TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE HORN IS NOT SOUNDED UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE. COMPONENT 3 - AUXILLIARY POWER STUD. THERE IS A POWER STUD UNDER THE HOOD THAT ACTS AS A DISTRIBUTION POINT FOR MUCH OF THE POWER REQUIREMENTS. THE COMPOSITION OF THE THIS STUD WAS AN ALLOY THAT DID NOT STAND UP WELL UNDER USAGE, AND AS IT HEATED UP, THE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY BECOMES DEFORMED. IN THE PROCESS, ALL POWER IS LOST, AND IN SOME DOCUMENTED CASES, FIRES HAVE STARTED. IN MY PARTICULAR CASE, I LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE SURVIVED WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS INJURY. ONCE AGAIN, GM HAS A SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY NOW USE A STUD WHOSE MATERIAL CONTENT IS BRASS. IT IS QUITE SECURE AND CAUSES NOT FURTHER PROBLEMS. ONCE AGAIN --- A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONDITION RECOGNIZED BY GM. IN ALL OF THESE CASES GM RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM AS SERIOUS, DEVELOPED A SOLUTION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC, BUT FAILED TO MOVE TO A RECALL LEVEL. THIS IS IN SPITE OF THE OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD.

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT INDICATION. GAS CAP WAS REPLACED. THEN FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACE. ALSO, NOTICED WIRES WERE BURNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATON. *AK

MY HUSBAND DISASSEMBLED THE GAS TANK TO GET TO THE FUEL PUMP SO HE COULD REPLACE IT. THE FUEL PUMP IS LOCATED INSIDE THE TANK AND WHEN HE LOOKED AND THE WIRING HARNESS THE WIRES HAD MELTED THE EXTERIOR COATING AND THE PLASTIC FITTING THAT ALSO SIT IN THE GAS TANK. WE FEEL THAT THIS COULD HAVE ENDED VERY TRAGIC WITH THE GAS TANK CATCHING ON FIRE. I AM 5 MONTHS PREGNANT AND WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN THE PAST AND IF THERE IS SOME SORT OF ACTION WE CAN TAKE TO KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

THIS PART COVERED UNDER GM RECALL 94-C-59 BUT ONLY IF IT WAS INSTALLED ON A VEH INTENTED TO BE USED AS A POLICE CAR OR TAXI CAB PER DEALER. IMPALA SS IS 9C1 OPTION CODE. SAME MECHANICALY AS POLICE CAR. SEEMS LIKE GM SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED IT IN THE RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE! NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHEELS LEAK AT COLD TEMPERATURE CAUSING THE TIRES TO GO FLAT.

AIR BAG INDICATION LIGHT STAYS ON WHICH MEANS A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, TRYING TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. AIR BAGS HAVE NOT YET DEPLOYED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

LOOSENED NUT ON BATTERY CABLE INTERFERED WITH HIGH AMPERAGE EQUIPMENT OF VEHICLE. ALLOWING ENGINE TO STALL.

WHEN AT A STOP THE CAR IDLES, STARTS/ SURGES UP AND DOWN.*AK

WHEN SETTING THE CRUISE CONTROL, WILL NOT COME ON PROPERLY, HAVE TO TURN ENGINE OFF AND ON. *AK