NHTSA Complaint #10134113 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

ENGINE SHUTS DOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON. ALMOST LIKE SOMEONE TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF. I PURCHASED THIS 2000 CHEV. IMPALA LS IN MAY 2005. ON MAY 30, THE ENGINE COUGHED ONCE BUT CONTINUED RUNNING SMOOTHLY, SO I DIDN'T CONSIDER IT A PROBLEM. THEN JUNE 29 IT COUGHED AGAIN BUT CONTINUED RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THAT EVENING ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK WITH NO WARNING, THE ENGINE JUST QUIT RUNNING. AFTER IT SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FOR A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND CONTINUE ON MY DRIVE HOME. SINCE THEN, BETWEEN JULY 5 AND AUGUST 10, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN 7 TIMES. 3 OF THOSE WERE ON AUGUST 10. EACH TIME, AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. I TOOK IT TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR(POWER CHEVROLET, IRVINE, CA),ON AUGUST 12, AFTER A SHORT DIAGNOSIS, THE COMPLAINT WAS SIGNED OFF AS" ROAD TEST 5 MILES UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CUSTOMER CONCERN. THROTTLE BODY DIRTY, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY" SINCE THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON A FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR THE SERVICE REP. HAD IT REPLACED. I DIDN'T RECEIVE THE OLD REGULATOR, BUT IT DIDN'T CURE THE PROBLEM OF THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN FOR NO APPARENT REASON, BECAUSE ON AUGUST 22 IT DID IT AGAIN (TWICE). SOMEONE AT GM NEEDS TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND INFORM THE SERVICE PERSONNEL OF THE FIX. AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER COULD BE IN REAL TROUBLE IF THIS HAPPENED.