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10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
7 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
70,132 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.

2004 Chevrolet Impala electrical problems

electrical problem

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2004 Chevrolet Impala Owner Comments (Page 19 of 21)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #44

Nov 242008

Impala

  • 103,950 miles

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

I have noticed that for the past few weeks, whenever the temperature is below 20 degrees, the speedometer acts funny. The speedometer reads anywhere from 25 to 80 miles faster than my actual speed; today, I wasn't going any more than 30mph at the most, and the speedometer needle was pointing directly down to the car floor. A few people on a couple of message boards suggested turning the ignition key to 'accessories' on and off rapidly several times, but all it did was bring the speedometer down from 85 to 70.

- Tobyhanna, PA, USA

problem #43

Nov 102008

Impala

  • 76,000 miles
2004 Chevy Impala speedometer erratic, may show 85mph when traveling 50-55mph, or 40mph when traveling 70mph. When problem occurs you can re-zero the speedometer by turning the ignition switch on and off a number of times to get the needle back to zero, because with power off the needle is usually from 35-40mph indication to below zero indication. Cold weather seems to make it not work at all until the vehicle warms up inside the car. I have a case file with Chevrolet for monetary help, but I also believe this is a safety issue. Thank you!

- Saint Charles, MO, USA

problem #42

Dec 022008

Impala

  • 30,000 miles
I have a 2004 Chevy Impala that has a malfunctioning speedometer. It will read I am going 140 mph when I am only going 20 mph. Sometimes it goes the other way and it will read 0 mph when I am going 55 mph. I have read of similar complaints with the same make and model. I think it is a defect that needs a recall. This could be a real safety issue with not knowing the correct speed in which you are traveling.

- Juneau, AK, USA

problem #41

Jun 072008

Impala

  • 68,000 miles

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

Speedometer reads intermittently. Sometimes it comes back on and reads for awhile, other times no reading at all and still other times reads low or high....car is 4 years old has 60-70 K miles. Speeding violation and distraction while driving.

- Arroyo, PR, USA

problem #40

Jul 012008

Impala

  • 45,000 miles
Speedometer and fuel gauge went out unexpectedly at around 45000 miles in July. Fuel gauge doesn't work at all (below E all the time) and speedometer reads incorrect readings or just stays below 0. I had it "diagnosed" at a Chevy dealer so I could call Chevy and complain. They said they wouldn't fix it, and the projected cost was $400. This is GM's fault and I should not have to pay out-of-pocket to fix their mistakes.

- San Marcos, TX, USA

problem #39

Nov 202008

Impala

  • 97,103 miles
Electrical system: Instrument panel I just purchased a 2004 Impala with 97K on it and while driving home at 65-70 mph it stated I was going 110-130. It created a very dangerous driving condition because their was light traffic and it is very distracting. I was unable to determine my speed the entire time. I believe this could be the cause of an accident because if this problem happens when you are going slower that it states what if it happens when you are going faster. Serious potential to cause accidents because it happens randomly and does not go away.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

problem #38

May 192008

Impala

  • 90,000 miles

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

This is an on-going problem that started in mid may, 2008. My security light comes on and then a while later, my car won't start for an extended period of time.... I have had this to the Chevrolet dealer 3 times and have replaced the ignition switch and the body control module. They are at a loss of what to do next. I have heard similar complaints with the Impala - and no remedies.

- Dansville, NY, USA

problem #37

Sep 012007

Impala

  • miles
The gauge that tells the speed does not work. Everytime I am using the car it gets stuck and the only way to correct the issue is by turning the car on and off. I am sorry, but this is an extreme safety issue. I have no clue how fast I am going or how slow I am going which could lead to a major car accident.

- Lombard, IL, USA

problem #36

Oct 182008

Impala

  • 46,000 miles
The speedometer on my car is very erratic. I can be driving at a consistent speed and the speedometer indicated that I am slowing down. After several minutes, my speedometer indicated I am going 0-20 mph when I know I am doing at least 50-60 mph. The speedometer failure typically occurs after I have driven 50 miles or so, but it occurring more frequently the longer I drive it. I have not had it repaired as the cost is approximately $500.

- Pontiac, IL, USA

problem #35

Nov 042007

Impala

  • 42,750 miles
Driving on a trip and all of a sudden my speedometer mph indicator jumper to 90 mph as I was sitting at a stop light. When I proceeded forward the indicator needle reset you 90 mph and this reset continued until it was pointing straight down. It did not reset after turning the ignition off and on. I had no idea how fast my vehicle was going after that. I went to a web site for auto troubles and found 72 reports of the same problem with GM speedometers. I strongly feel that this should have been a recall since a nonfunctional speedometer is a safety hazard. Ps - other GM models also have reports of this malfunctioning speedometers. GM want $500 to replace the entire speedometer, when a simple capacitor fix is all that is required. A temp fix works for a few weeks, they it happens again and GM said if you replace the speedometer and it happens again, then it costs another $500 to replace the replacement? GM wants to fleece us!

- Ephrata, PA, USA

problem #34

Nov 072008

Impala

  • miles

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

I have a 2004 Chevrolet Impala and the cluster has gone out on it, similar Chevy trucks and SUV's have had the exact same issue, but the dealer told me that the cars aren't covered under recall. This is not a problem that I have had go out on any car and it is very odd that the same manufacturer is having the same problems with other vehicles.

- Brunswick, GA, USA

problem #33

Nov 032008

Impala

  • 43,000 miles
2004 Impala with 43,000 miles. Speedometer failure. While driving, the speedometer slowly begins to read higher and higher values. While traveling approx. 55-60 mph, saw highest reading at 105 mph, read 73 mph standing still. Repeatedly turning car on and off eventually will "0" the speedometer, but problem recurred the next day.

- Forest, VA, USA

problem #32

Aug 102008

Impala

  • 116,900 miles
I bought a used 2004 Impala in Aug. 2008 and basically since the first day I got it I have had problems with the speedometer. The dealer promised to have it repaired, but has yet to do so. They keep giving me the run around, and now for the past month my stereo has stopped working. Yesterday my fuel gauge started going haywire. The interior lights only work sometimes. The low tire pressure warning light wont reset. This is a safety problem that needs to be recalled. Because of my speedometer not working I almost went off the side of a freeway on ramp from not being able to tell how fast I was going. I just had to pray that I had slowed down enough to make the curve. Is someone going to have to be seriously injured or die before there is a recall on this. I have been to several websites researching the 2004 Impala and there are hundreds of complaints all saying the same thing. Its time that GM takes responsibility and does something about it. I am not able to have my car repaired because of the cost. It's way to expensive. I will never buy another GM vehicle.

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #31

Oct 232008

Impala

  • 39,950 miles
Everything was working normally and all of the sudden my speedometer began going haywire. I've read that many other Impala have experienced similar problems. It's currently doing 90mph parked in my garage. It sporadically accelerates from wherever the needle is at the time but won't return to zero when it comes to a stop.

- Midvale, UT, USA

problem #30

Feb 012008

Impala

  • 55,000 miles
The speedometer doesn't work sometimes. When it moves it doesn't move smoothly, but it jerks up and down, often indicating an incorrect speed. The car has low miles on it and the tcc solenoid and another solenoid regulating line pressure in the transmission has failed, requiring replacement.

- Farmington, UT, USA

problem #29

Sep 042008

Impala

  • 31,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the speedometer works intermittently and displays inaccurate readings. He took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the speedometer module needed to be replaced at a cost exceeding $600. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer did not assist because the vehicle exceeded its warranty by thirty days. The VIN was unknown. The failure and current mileages were 31,000.

- Ocean Grove, MA, USA

problem #28

Jan 072008

Impala

  • 13,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Impala. While driving approximately 15 mph, all of the instrument panel gauges stopped working. Prior to the failure, the heater unit shut off without warning. In addition, after several attempts to start the vehicle, it finally started and drove roughly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and it was discovered that the failures were related to the security system in the control panel. The vehicle was repaired for the malfunctions. Recently, the driver message center and horn were not operating, and the transmission was not running properly. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was 13,000 and current mileage was 27,000.

- Cedar Rapids, IA, USA

problem #27

Apr 022008

Impala

  • miles
The electrical clusters suddenly stopped working. All the gauges on my panel do not work. This includes mph, fuel, RPM, etc. Has anyone else had this suddenly happen" should it be recalled"

- Fountain Hills, AZ, USA

problem #26

Aug 012008

Impala

  • 73,382 miles
2004 Chevy Impala, 3.4L -- speedometer stops working after driving the car for about an hour. The problem seems more prone to appear if you are on the freeway going a nearly constant speed for a sustained amount of time. Speedometer will work normally on short trips, or after the car has been sitting for a while. Eventually, at some point, the problem happens again. Specifically upon failure, when the vehicle is decelerating, the speedo needle drops, eventually to 0 (zero), but will not go back up again. This started happening after I purchased the car used (from a dealership), so there's no telling from my perspective how long it's really been happening. The car had approx. 71000 miles on it at the time of purchase.

- Eastlake, OH, USA

problem #25

Jan 102008

Impala

  • 54,000 miles
The contact owns a 2004 Chevrolet Impala. While driving 54 mph, the speedometer worked intermittently for two months until it finally failed. A friend of the contact, who owned the same year, make, and model vehicle, was experiencing the same failures. The speedometer has not been repaired. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 54,000 and current mileage was 55,000.

- Lowell, IN, USA

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