NHTSA Complaint #10109966 — 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA

BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT HUB BEARING ASSEMBLY HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED AS LOOSE. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ADVISED THAT BOTH NEED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE AN ALIGNMENT COULD BE PERFORMED. JOHN WIGANT OF WALKER CHEVROLET TOLD ME, PRIOR TO A WRITTEN STATEMENT, THAT BOTH SIDES EXHIBIT A WORN OUT DIAGNOSIS, BUT THAT ONLY ONE SIDE SHOULD BE REPLACED NOW AND THAT THE OTHER MIGHT NEVER NEED TO BE REPLACED OR IT COULD GET WORSE. IN A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM JOHN WIGANT OF WALKER CHEVROLET, I WAS INFORMED THAT ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE BEARING SHOULD BE REPLACED. I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH ROTORS THAT LITERALLY SHOOK MY FRONT END AND STEERING COLUMN DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD OF 36,000 MILES. AND THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT HAS BEEN REPAIRED AND REPLACED 3 TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT WAS REPORTED ON NOVEMBER 18, '04 AND NOT REPAIRED UNTIL DECEMBER 30, '04 AT 53,267 MILES. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT REPLACING THESE HUB BEARINGS WILL COST ME ABOUT $1,000.00 TO REPAIR. I HAVE READ ANOTHER COMPLAINT IN NHTSA FILES THAT A SAME YEAR IMPALA FRONT WHEEL OR AXLE FELL OFF AND CAUSED A DRIVER TO VEER OFF THE ROAD. I FEEL THAT THE PAST ROTOR AND INTERMEDIATE SHAFT PROBLEMS HAVE EXASPERATED THIS WEAR AND CAUSED IT TO BE A BIGGER PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SPEEDOMETER CABLE, RADIO, AND REAR WINDOW. ALL HAVE BEEN SERVICED, BUT CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT EXISTED BEFORE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. *JB