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8.8

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$420
Average Mileage:
106,800 miles
Total Complaints:
15 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (11 reports)
  2. replace the mass airflow sensor (3 reports)
  3. bad computer board ground (1 reports)
2000 Chevrolet Impala engine problems

engine problem

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2000 Chevrolet Impala Owner Comments

problem #15

Mar 152017

Impala LX 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 200,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

First there was a recall on ignition switch, then plastic shroud and valve cover gasket, while Chevy dealership was replacing valve cover gasket they broke off the oil checking dip stick and didn't tell me. I caught it on my own, mechanic confessed and they dug out as many of the plastic pieces as they could, (they claimed all pieces, liars),. Now while driving down the road it started jerking as if a short stall, until today my nephew was driving on the highway and it completely shut off. Very near collision with local Police car and another. No tickets issued, cop was tailgating! Other than that a wonderfully delightful car, don't take much to make me happy!!! Just don't want to kill someone else or myself. Chevy should just own up to this now, before a wrongful death lawsuit is filed!

- Ricky S., Lewiston, US

problem #14

Jan 282015

Impala

  • Automatic transmission
  • 93,000 miles

I bought the car five months ago and the lady said it had a little problem. I took it to three mechanics and the dealership and the problem continues. It cuts off while driving. Nobody can tell me why. Please help me

- carmenl, Patillas, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico

problem #13

Jun 092014

Impala LS 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 260,000 miles

Bought this car used for my daughter and her family, a new addition on the way and they needed a safe reliable car!!! What a joke!!! Bought if from our neighbor who had it since new and kept it up and records of everything. They drove it 150 miles and we've been working on stalling- now not starting- for over 4 weeks!!! Started out as hesitation, then moved to stalling out when at normal temps, and now won't start at all-- OR GET THIS-- TRIES TO START ITSELF WITHOUT THE KEY EVEN IN THE CAR!!!!! And another one of the issues of no code!!! We've replaced catalytic converter, spark plugs, spark plug wires, MAP sensor, and a bunch of other acronym-ed sensors and valves. I researched it on the web and have followed all the other suggestions and "cures" everyone else out there has tried. This thing is $50-$75 us to death and not one bit better with anything we've tried. Tested the TPS this morning and that seemed to check out but checking the connector to ground showed 21 volts, not 11-12 as I told it would show. Turned off from ON ( engine not started ) and the darn thing went wonky with flashing lights and rapid beep and then promptly drained the battery. Anyone with any ideas or voodoo magic for this possessed thing???

- Jacquie R., Saint Paul, MN, US

problem #12

Nov 072012

Impala LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,137 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This is actually my parents' car which I -- feel really guilty about this -- helped them select back in 2000. I have not stated when the problem occurred because, while the most frightening situation the problem created was today, the problem may have existed several years ago, when the car was still relatively new. Also, there was no cost to fix, because the service department at the dealership realized they had made a horrible mistake by not finding the logged system error during the previous service. The technician, btw, was seriously disturbed today when he saw this, because the issue is unbelievably dangerous. So, here is the issue:

There was a problem with either the airflow or the airflow sensor -- which was resulting in a system error. As a result the car would just shut down -- jerk and buck and then stop dead. Today this happened to my mother on a busy street in our neighborhood and I just -- luckily -- happened to be driving by. I got the car restarted, and we drove back to my parents' house, and then got it to the dealership.

I do not understand exactly what the real source of the problem here. It SEEMS to be that the sensor chip was actually failing, that there was nothing wrong with the airflow -- because the chip was replaced, and that was all. But this means that the faulty sensor chip was shutting down the car. When is it every preferable for the car to shut off wherever it is than to have it just overheat or even catch fire? If you are driving down a highway, and the motor overheats, at least you can coast to the side of the road. If it just dies, there is a good chance you are dead, along with maybe several other people driving that highway. This is seriously dangerous. DEADLY.

Also, one last thing to note. As I said, this problem has been occurring on and off over the last several years. It usually happened when my mother -- who knows zero about cars and is very nervous -- drove. It has happened only once with my father, who is your typical guy with a feel for motors and cars. So, I have to wonder if there was something about my mother's driving style that aggravated or prompted an airflow sensor error.

I am really disgusted by the problems with this car -- the airflow sensor problem is just the worst of them -- and the terrible service. My parents have spent thousands of dollars this year along, and were still left with an unreliable car. Also, they never seemed to be treated all that great. I have a fully loaded 2005 Honda CR-V, and when I go for a service, I get a full report, and a courtesy car if the work to be done is half a day or more. And my car was about $10K less than my parents'.

I have never owned an American car, and this one was my parents' first in about twenty years. This, the horror stories we hear from other people, and the ridiculous features American auto makers keep adding to unreliable and ridiculously styled models has all of us swearing, No America cars from now on.

- sebastiancanada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

problem #11

Jul 062010

Impala LS 3.8

  • Automatic transmission
  • 168,000 miles

great car,but this problem of it dieing out of the blue,is really p-------- me off! does anybody have a real fix with out replacing needless parts,, please help robco..thanks

- robco, Clifton, CO, US

problem #10

Jun 262010

Impala

  • Automatic transmission
  • 116,000 miles

I just bought the car used yesterday and I drove it for about a half hour before it decided to just randomly shut off on me in the middle of a highway. It was fine and then all of a sudden the check engine oil light came on and then the battery light flashed and then it just stopped.

- Melissa D., Gainesville, FL, US

problem #9

Nov 022009

Impala LS 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My car started to drive horribly....very rough,loss of power to the point of not pulling out til the coast was clear! Not to mention drinking the gas! It was almost stalling out on me. I have had an ignition coil replaced and the mass ait flow sensor...and it now drives like its suppose to!

- Donna Y., Coral Springs, FL, US

problem #8

May 082007

Impala

  • Automatic transmission
  • 77,000 miles

Car continues to fall dead or not start. After taking it back to dealership, mechanic said he would need to keep it for a certain length of time to find out the problem. I told him to keep it as long as he needed to. After a week he called to say he could not find the problem. He stated that the car was driven over 60 miles and it never went dead and it started every time. However, as I was driving home from the dealership, it died. I never took it back. During the previous "visits" to the dealership I was charged $60. an hour just for them to look at it.

- Carrie R., Idabel, OK, US

problem #7

Sep 042007

Impala LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles

Ok, similar to other complains on not starting or stalling out (Usually around 45 miles per hour). The car has stopped running 3 times over the last 9 months and had to wait ten minutes or so to restart. Then recently we came out from a store and the car would not start. Tried several different maneuvers and finally when I opened the door it started. I have read in the post that it seems to be a problem with the security system of the car. When I open the door it could have disarmed the security system. I am waiting for this to happen again to see if this same maneuver works or if it was just a coincidence. My wife is very uncomfortable driving the car and having to stop on her. So far we have been in areas where we could pull over. But it could be a problem if we did not have this choice. Chevrolet, can we get some help here?

- Mike S., Loveland, OH, US

problem #6

Jul 272006

(reported on)

Impala

  • 30,000 miles

So, I first notice this problem every once in awhile. There would be no notice. Usually when I had to leave to do something really important. I would try to start the car. It sounds like it wants to start, but won't turn over. Like it isn't getting a spark or won't connect. I would wait about 20 min to an hour. Try again and the car is fine. No weird noise, smell or anything else. Then about 2 days ago while driving home in rush hour in 90 degree traffic.. the car just stalled with no warning. Waited about 20 min. started back up.. drove about 2 blocks and stalled again. Then yesterday I was again driving home after work again in 90 degree weather. Again out of no where the car stalled. Finally got it turned back over long enough to drive about 2 more blocks and it stalled. Luckily enough I was able to roll the car and turn down the street into a neighborhood. I left the car for the night. Came back this AM, the car start right up. Was able to drive for about 1/2 a mile and stalled again. So now the car is in the shop, being looked at. I will keep you updated!

- jhclayton, Beaverton, OR, US

problem #5

Mar 042008

Impala LS 3.8L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was picking my newborn daughter and wife from the hospital. While parking my Impala the car shut off. It did not make a sound it just shut off. After one hour the car still wont start. About an hour and half later the car started up as if nothing happened. Driving home from the hospital i'm nervous as hell hoping it will make it home. It did but the it keeps on shutting off. does anyone out there have a solution?

- Ravi K., Queens, NY, US

problem #4

Dec 202007

Impala LS 3.8L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 102,526 miles

CAR WAS GOOD UP TOO 160,000KMS. THEN THE ROOF FELL IN.

NEW OIL PAN,SHOCKS(FR,BK)MAF SENSOR,TIE-RODS AND EXPECTING

MORE THINS TO BREAK.

- Jim D., Lorraine, Quebec, Canada

problem #3

Aug 222006

(reported on)

Impala

  • 110,000 miles

I HAVE A 2000 MPALA I'VE HEARD THAT THEIRS A BAD GROUND WIRE SOMEWERE, LOOKING TOO FIND THAT GROUND WIRE? CAN YOU HELP ME OUT? CAR CUTS OFF MANY MANY TIMES.

- walkwd1, Spotsylvania, VA, US

problem #2

Jul 042006

(reported on)

Impala

  • 93,000 miles

check engine light goes on - sometimes steady and sometimes flashes. When flashing the engine misses and cuts out. Attempts to repair include new spark plugs, spark plug wires,, fuel filter, change fuels. When we first purchased the car the computer acted up and was replaced. This problem is intermittent - lately more frequent.. Mechanics are unable to find solution.

- Jeanette W., Santa Barbara, CA, US

problem #1

Sep 092004

(reported on)

Impala LS

  • 42,100 miles

This problem was fixed very quickly and easily by an AAMCO mechanic. Since we had just replaced the tranmission in our P.O.S. we took it back to them to put on the computer. The problem was found and corrected right away. This had happened before and been into the chevy dealership where we bought the car, brand new, and they were never able to duplicate the problem. The stumbling/missing had recently gotten worse. AAMCO said it was a loose or corroded computer ground wire which was NEVER suggested at the Chevy dealership. So far, so good. This little ground wire being fixed made an immediate difference today!!!

- bjaye42, Klamath Falls, OR, US

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