NHTSA Complaint #10107635 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

SINCE SHORTLY AFTER CAR WAS PURCHASED THERE IS A NOTICEABLE CLUNKING/POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE CAR. THIS IS ESPECIALLY HEARD WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. ORIGINAL THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WAS EITHER AN ARM OR A JOINT. DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM AND SUBSEQUENT COMPLAINTS HAVE RESULTED IN MY BEING TOLD IT WAS EITHER "IN MY STEERING COLUMN" (WHICH I FIND ODD SINCE THAT IS ON THE LEFT), OR A "NOISE THAT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING", OR "SOMETHING TYPICAL TO ALUMINUM ROCKERS", OR EVEN THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT BUT IT WASN'T HURTING ANYTHING. I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE IT WAS NEW IN NOVEMBER 2000 SO APPARENTLY THE NOISE IS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD, OR AT LEAST NOT TO ME, AND NOT YET. I REMAIN CONCERNED AND COMPLAIN ABOUT IT ALMOST EACH TIME I TAKE IT IN TO THE MECHANIC FOR ANY OTHER WORK. TODAY THE LOCAL CHEVROLET REP OFFERED TO PAY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST TO DO SOMETHING TO THE STEERING WHICH THEY THINK IS THE CAUSE, BUT WHY SHOULD I PAY FOR SOMETHING THEIR CAR DOES THAT IT SHOULD NOT? BESIDES, I DON'T THINK A RIGHT FRONT TIRE AREA NOISE IS MUCH RELATED TO THE STEERING. INCIDENT DATE IS SINCE SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR. *JB