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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 6
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
87,785 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2003 Chevrolet Impala electrical problems

electrical problem

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2003 Chevrolet Impala Owner Comments (Page 4 of 12)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #170

Feb 022015

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles

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

2003 Chevrolet Impala. Consumer disappointed of an ignition recall fix. The dealer made the hole in the key fob smaller, so no keys could be placed on the ring.

- Southington, CT, USA

problem #169

Oct 202014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 57,316 miles
This vehicle was part of the GM ignition recall campaign. The "fix" at the dealership was simply adding two small key rings to my ignition key and putting an insert blank into key to make the hole smaller. I was told not to add any other keys to this ring. Is this the fix that is supposed to save my life" why aren't the faulty ignitions being replaced? is the government going to allow this to be the solution to the ignition problem" it seems like we vehicle owners are the losers in this recall campaign.

- Howell, MI, USA

problem #168

Jun 012013

Impala 6-cyl

  • 108,000 miles
My 2003 Impala has a security passlock feature which either does not allow vehicle to start or shut vehicle off when it thinks it's being stolen. My vehicle randomly shuts off while driving when this security light comes on, at this point I lose all control of vehicle functions. This is an apparent problem with thousands os GM vehicles that they know about but give no solution or recall to. Instead, consumers are being stuck footing the bill to try and find a solution to a problem no one seems to know how to solve. Please help hold GM responsible and repair our vehicles before fatalities occur. There are pages of posts in several forums online with people having the same issue with no help.

- Belvidere, IL, USA

problem #167

Dec 012014

Impala

  • 200,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start intermittently. In addition, the contact stated that multiple unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the instrument cluster panel needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number:14V400000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,000.

- Croswell, MI, USA

problem #166

Jan 122015

Impala

  • 187,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 35 mph, the steering wheel seized and all the instrument panel warning lights illuminated. The vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact was made aware of NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The VIN was included but the dealer refused to repair the vehicle since it was previously repaired by an independent mechanic. The failure mileage was 187,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #165

Jan 012009

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
2003 Chevrolet Impala recurring problems with the ignition over the last five years. The consumer stated the vehicle would not start. It would take multiple attempts to get the vehicle started, then at times, the vehicle would stop running suddenly. The only explanation seemed to be the key was hit inadvertently going over a bump, knocking it out of the drive position. In January 2009, the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed to the repair shop, where the ignition tumbler was bad. A new ignition lock cylinder was installed. February 2009, the engine raced uncontrollably, which required constant braking and placing the vehicle in neutral to stop. In October 2011, the ignition cylinder was replaced again. March 2012, while driving on the highway, there was a major electrical lighting system failure. All of the lights went out. The multi-function switch was replaced. July 2013, the vehicle would start and then stall. September 2014, the consumer received a recall notice, regarding the ignition lock cylinder.

- Old Saybrook, CT, USA

problem #164

Jun 162014

Impala

  • 141,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala.the contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The recall remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The failure specifics were not available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 141,000.

- South Bend, IL, USA

problem #163

Apr 242014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
2003 Chevrolet Impala. Customer requesting reimbursement for ignition switch replacement.

- Lombard, IL, USA

problem #162

Dec 062011

Impala

  • miles
Key in ignition cylinder is able to be pulled out when engine is running. Engine stays running without a key in the cylinder. Vehicle was recalled for plastic inserts on keys but not for key cylinder.

- Taylor, MI, USA

problem #161

Dec 032014

Impala

  • 189,000 miles
I took my 2003 Chevy Impala to have the repair preformed for the ignition recall. I dropped my car off the night before (Tuesday) and got a phone call Wednesday to pick it up. When I picked it up the car was driven around the lot to me and left running. I went straight home and turned off the car until morning. When I went to get into the car in the morning I could not turn the key. At 8 am I called the service department and he stated that I should bring it back and they would try to figure out what went wrong. I brought it in Wednesday evening after work, Thursday morning I received a call from the service manager telling me that the recall had no effect on my car that I needed a new tumbler now. I picked the car up Thursday night and the sales lady that drove it around said that was impossible to start that she had to get a mechnic to start it. I found the general manager and asked him to reverse the recall by popping the cover off the key. He did and the car started with only a small grib trouble from the tumbler which is thought to be caused by the number of forced starts after the key cover was placed on the key. After inspection it was found that the cover from the recall was preventing my key from going in all that way to the tumbler to start the car. I am asking that the tumbler be replaced and a new set of keys because of the damage done to my key and the recall not being effective without damage to my tumbler. I am aware that my tumbler is directly linked to my security trigger for the car and now live in fear that I will have trouble with the car shutting down or the key no longer being effect to start the car at any given moment. It sits very loose in the tumbler now.

- Racine, WI, USA

problem #160

Oct 272014

Impala

  • miles

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

The car randomly shuts off at times when U push the gas to hard while the car trying pick up speed.then I have to come to a complete stop put the car in park (all this while im in middle of traffic) an then start it back up. Im not the only one having this problem my cousin having the same exactly problem but hers start right back up like mine or some times take a little while for this to happen. She also said she seen something come on tv saying some about if you have this problem contact somebody but she didn't get the number an never saw the ad on tv again.

- Fredericksburg, VA, USA

problem #159

Nov 172014

Impala

  • 73,000 miles
This is in regards to the safety recall letter I received in Sept. 2014 regarding the ignition in my car. I called the local Chevy dealership to schedule an appointment to have the problem fixed on 9/29/14. They called me back on 11/10/14 and said they'd received the parts for my car. I took it in on 11/17/14 and left it all day. Back on 9/29 I was told they were going to put a locking guard on the ignition and a lock on each key so that the key wouldn't slip out. Do you know what they did? they put a small round metal key chain on each of my keys and glued it so that nothing else could be hung on it. That's how they fixed the ignition problem. What a joke! I've had no problems with my car, luckily. However, I doubt that this so called fix would do any good if there was a problem. This is the last time I have any dealings with sunfair Chevrolet in yakima.

- Yakima, WA, USA

problem #158

Sep 162014

Impala 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 186,000 miles
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. The contact received NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the vehicle stalled and the steering wheel seized causing the contact to crash. A police report was not filed and no injuries were sustained. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician was unable to find the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 186,000. Updated 12/19/14 updated 05/26/2015

- Pippa Passes, KY, USA

problem #157

Nov 062014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
I called GM Chevrolet dealership, and was told not one death has been attributed to this problem. I asked if I did not come in would I have to worry" the agent said "I would be accepting that risk". yet, I can't figure out what the risk is if he said not one death was attributed to this problem. I asked to schedule a maintenance for this problem. He said I would have to call back tomorrow and see if they had the part in. I asked him to make an appointment and he refused. He said to call back and see if they had the part...I don't understand, if there is a recall why can't I make an appointment" I assume if I call back tomorrow I will continue getting the "run around". this appears to be discouraging the recall.

- Elberton, GA, USA

problem #156

Oct 202014

Impala

  • miles
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. The contact received a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). However, the parts needed were not available. The dealer was unable to provide a specific date when the parts would become available. The manufacturer was contacted and could not provide an estimated date for when the vehicle would receive the recall repairs. The contact was not experiencing a failure.

- Accoma, VA, USA

problem #155

Jan 022014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
Security light will stay on for a period of time. Within a few days car will not start. When turning the key it will not turn over, but the security light is blinking. In 10 minutes, once the light stops blinking, the car will start. This poses a potential safety hazard for the occupants of the car.

- East Haven, CT, USA

problem #154

Mar 242014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
My car will not start properly. The security light will flash several times but the engine will not turn over. Sometimes the security light will just stay on and it will turn over. This has caused a lot of problems for me. I have two children and we end up stuck places for 10, 20, or 30 minutes, up to an hour. I have taken it to the dealership and they wanted $400. To fix the security chip and the key shaft because that is what is making the security system mess up. Well now there is a recall on my car with the key, but they will not fix the chip for free and I do not have money to spend on it!

- Coatesville, IN, USA

problem #153

Aug 192014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
2003 Chevrolet Impala. Consumer writes in regards to trac unit repair and reimbursement. * ld the consumer stated when the traction light illuminated, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. They discovered the lower intake gasket was leaking, and replaced it. The consumer drove five miles, after leaving the dealer, and the traction light illuminated again, and the vehicle stalled. Also, the ignition switch and catalytic converter were replaced.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #152

Oct 012014

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
2003 Chevrolet Impala. Consumer writes in regards to recall # 14350. * ld the consumer was unhappy with GM's cover-up, regarding the ignition switch problem.

- Columbia, MO, USA

problem #151

Sep 152014

Impala

  • miles
The contact owns a 2003 Chevrolet Impala. The contact received a notification for NHTSA campaign number: 14V400000 (electrical system). The contact attempted to schedule an appointment with dealer in order to have the recall repaired performed but the dealer explained that they could not remedy the recall since the original vehicle ignition key was needed. The contact believed the recall was a safety issue and stated that he was not provided with the original ignition key at time of purchase. The manufacture was not aware of the issue. The contact had not experience a failure.

- Suitland, MD, USA

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