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Chevrolet Impala General Care & Maintenance



  • nosirrahgnosirrahg Posts: 870
    I can't answer your questions about your cooling problem, but here's another one for you...on the gaskets they replaced, was one of them the upper intake manifold gasket? I ask because there was a recall for some 2000 & 2001 models a few years ago; I'd already had mine repaired (@ $800), but was reinbursed by GM when the recall came out. If this was one of the gaskets replaced (and it hadn't been done before) I think you should be able to get reinbursed.
  • enealkenealk Posts: 2
    I've changed the oil on my 04 impala, now how do I reset the "time for oil change" indicator in the message window?
  • quietproquietpro Posts: 702
    There are two methods, one through the stereo and the other involves a routine with the gas pedal. Your owner's manual will describe either procedure. I have an '06 now and can't remember the steps. Hope that helps.
  • essilemessilem Posts: 5
    I've read through ALL the forums searching for a possible solution to my problem and I haven't exactly found what I was looking for...

    My car starts up fine, but many times when I start it non of the guages, radio, A/C, OnStar, Cruise, etc. will work. Turn signals and hazards work fine.

    Took it to the dealership one day when it was actually acting up, and the guy said he wasn't getting any error codes on it at all...which I believe, I was standing right next to him in the parking lot. Checked all the fuses, no issues there. He says it could be an ignition switch, but not sure. I'm reading that it's possible it the bcm.

    By the way, this usually only happens when it's warm outside. I'm from NE OH, so yesterday when it was 80, they didn't work at all. Today it was 35, and everything worked fine.

    Any ideas?????
  • tomc1965tomc1965 Posts: 7
    Make sure that there aren't any missing grommets in the fire wall. Sounds like a short to me or a break in a wire.
    Make sure all the relays are working just tap them the next time this happens and see if it magically comes on.
  • My 2000 Chevy Impala had its timing chip go out after the warranty on it expired. Just to replace the timing chip (controls seatbelt warning, airbag warning, and other instrument panel warnings) cost +$400.00 (parts & labor). The computer module item lists for more. Are they charging your friend $800 for the part in addition to labor? If so, they are ripping her off. Negotiate or seek other service shops. Good luck.
  • My wife's 2000 Chevy Impala (V6 eng) has rolled over 135K miles in 7 years and is still going strong. Except for brakes, struts, tires, and the usual wear on it, the original paint is intact w/o blemishes. The car still flies down the road, has a great suspension, and performs well in all things we demand of it. The seals on some of the engine parts are showing small leaks but are repairable. The interior has maintained itself well despite 4 kids and the excesive mileage on the highways. If the 2007/2008 model can hold up to the same high demands, we'll trade the old one in for a newer version. :shades:
  • mavericksmavericks Posts: 2
    oh my! I have the exact same problem as you do! I have a 2001 impala ls. one day I was driving and everything was working fine. all of a sudden my radio stops working for no apparent reason... as of today the radio still doesn't work even though the display shows the radio being on. nor does the door chime when you insert the key. A few days after the first incident; after work, I turned the car on and none of the gauges were working I also noticed that the onstar system lights on the rearview mirror were red. that was about two months ago and I still can't figure out what is wrong, they just don't work. At first i didn't know what to do. when you mentioned that it happens only in warm days i realized it's true. i leave home to work at 5 am and most of the time it works on my way to work, but the gauges stop working after work when it's sunny and warm. another problem that i have is the 'service traction system' light come on and sometimes i hear a grinding noise in the front driver axle when i make short turns slowly. anyways i took my car to have it repaired and they had no clue what was wrong with it. they replaced the ignition switch for about $450 but still no luck. myself i tried disconnecting the battery for a few minutes and cleaning the battery's positive terminal as well as the wires and sometimes fixes the problem but after a few trips it re occurs again. on at least two occassions, while the gauges don't work it seems that the cooling fans fail to start which causes the cooling fluid to boil out of it's reservoir, fortunately that happened on quite short trips so there was no damage to the engine. i'm desperate and i know how frustating this must be. at the shop where they replaced the ignition they also ran it through the computer trouble codes scanner and they said that it might be something wrong with the "egr valve" which is the exaust gas recirculation valve being stuck open or closed. i'm not sure if that's truly the problem, i'll get that fixed. in the meantime i hope i was able to help you somehow, if you get yours fixed let me know what the problem was.
  • I would very interested in knowing what if anything was found out about this; I have the same problem with my 01 Impala with 140,000 miles on it. I need to get it fixed.
  • hello, well I haven't been able to get if fixed completely but here's what i've found. the radio not working was because a bad factory-installed amplifier. I bought a new amp on ebay from a 2003 Impala and guess what? it didn't fit. fortunately I found a solution; I was able to get an after-market wire harness online from a car sound site to bypass the amp entirely for about $25 and I think it sounds better this way. now as far the gauges not working, this is what I do; remove the fuse box cover located inside the car on the driver side and find a red fuse labeled "CLSTR/BCM" (your manual also shows where it is), if you don't have a manual it's the closest red fuse to the big gray circuit relay. Start the car and while the car is idling pull out such fuse and put it back in. (you may have to do this two or three times) when you remove it, it resets all instrument gauges and they should all come on. Also if your AC was not blowing cold air while the gauges are dead, this will get it fixed. The problem is, this fix may only last for a few driving cycles so it gets annoying after a while; myself i keep the cover removed for easy access and i keep a pair of pliers in the door compartment. you may also want to leave the the fuse a bit loose (it doesn't really matter how far you push it in) that way you can pull it out and push it in with your fingers. Now, if only the temperature gauge is not working but the rest of them are (speedometer, rpm, and fuel) then just unplugging the positive battery terminal for a few minutes should solve the problem, also solving the related issue of fans staying on a while after you turn the car off even when the engine is still cold. And lastly my traction system would go on for no reason while making slow, tight turns. (for example while parking in a parking lot) the message "SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM" would stay on for a while and also the ABS light would go on. To prevent this i always hit the traction button and turn the traction system off before I start driving. It will disable traction but your ABS will still work. Hope this helps. let me know if this works for you.
  • mrwaynemrwayne Posts: 20
    The gauge clusters are known to go bad after a while. You'll need a new one. The gauge cluster is a computer in and of itself, and a failure in it can cause other malfunctions elsewhere in the car.

    If your fans are still running after the car is shut off, have your thermostat changed. This usually corrects the problem. Also, check the ground wire under the hood on the left side, above the headlight. Make sure it's a secure connection.

    The traction control problem is most likely a broken or corroded connection in the ABS "wires" leading to the front hubs. Many have had the hubs replaced, only to have the problem return. The wires the car came with are too thin, and their connections break easily over time. Dealers charge around $250 to replace the wires. You can buy the wires and do the job yourself for a lot cheaper. The part numbers are:

    Right Side: 10340313
    Left Side: 10340314

    Instructions are included with the wires.
  • '05 should be under warrenty.
  • jjp3jjp3 Posts: 1
    My 2002 3.4 liter 6 cycl. automatic Impala with 45,000 miles has a green liquid leak. It has occurred 3-4 times. the leak is on the drivers side front corner of compartment. The cooling system was flushed twice and refilled in April 07 with red colored dexcool. The low engine coolant light is always on but everything is filled to proper operating levels. The puddle that appears is coming from the car and not another source. It usually is about 6 inches accross in diameter. How can I find out what this liquid is and how can I make the low coolant light go off. The sensor may be bad but I am confused as to its location. Is the sensor in the radiator neck or by the intake hose on the engine? I've had this vehicle checked by a mechanic and he did a radiator pressure test that turned out ok. He doesn't know what the problem is.
  • linwlinw Posts: 4
    I just got 2001 Impala LS 3.8L 144K,2 weeks ago. When I took the test drive, I felt a noise when I push the brake all the way down. However, when I double checked the noise was gone, so I just thought I felt something that did not exsit. Three days before, when I drove in the snow, the noise came up again when I push brake quickly with a very slight trembling. It seems that I can feel the break pad touch the disc. Is there anyone have the same problem? and how do you fix it. Thank you!
  • quietproquietpro Posts: 702
    This was answered in the Impala Brakes forum.
  • so my engine fans run too long after i shut my engine off. sometimes up to 10-15 even if engine is cold (ex. walked outside this morning its -12* out. started and shut off my car.. fans ran for 5 min. defrost was off.) i have already replaced the engine fans for different reasons and i also replaced the coolant temp sensor.. still does the same thing. tried a new engine fan relay.. same thing. also my engine temp guage inside the car doest move even after driving 75+ miles.. the only other temp related change that i have made was the part by the blower motor where the wires from the fan speed control come in and switch to the +/- wire to blower motor.. i dont think this could have anything to do with it, im just throwing it out there.. any help is appreciated
  • You may want to replace your thermostat. It sounds like it's stuck open. It happen to my 01 Impala. The engines, at least the 3.4liter, is sourced from China. the thermostats must be made there to! Go figure! It will cost <$300 to have the dealer fix it. I was going to try it myself but it's situated in such a way that it too much work for me. Replacing it should fix your problem.
  • petshotpetshot Posts: 2
    did u find out the problem? i have an 02 also and i am having the exact same problem with the traction system light and the grinding noise.
  • jessicajjessicaj Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 Impala ls, and I am having trouble with my engine over heating. When I went to see if I had any coolant, I decided to take the radiator cap off. When i did i had seen that the cap had this orange clay like stuff on it and the hose was clogged with it. Do i need to get a coolant flush or could it be something else?
  • I was having the exact same problem; no A/C. no register of engine temp and the fans would run after turning the motor off. Someone suggested that I remove the positive wire from the battery terminal for about 10 to 15 minutes. This corrected my problem. and it has been running fine for the past month.
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