NHTSA Complaint #10214367 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

RECEIVED 2000 CHEVY IMPALA AS AN INHERITANCE. WITHIN 2 WEEKS CAR AT TIMES WOULD NOT START. ALL LIGHTS ON DASH WOULD ILLUMINATE FOLLOWED BY THE YELLOW/ORANGE SECURITY LIGHT. THIS IS DUE TO A PASSLOCK PROBLEM WHERE THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM THINKS THAT SOMETHING OTHER THAN A LEGITIMATE KEY IS BEING USED TO TRY AND START THE CAR. MY SISTER HAD THIS PROBLEM AND AT TIMES WOULD HAVE TO TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION TO "ON POSITION" AND WAIT 10 MINUTES. AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF RESEARCH I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT TO RESET THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM THE KEY NEEDED TO BE LEFT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH IN THE "ON POSITION" THEN REMOVED AND REPEATED TWO MORE TIMES (3 TIMES, 30 MINUTES TOTAL). AFTER DOING THIS I HAD NO MORE PROBLEMS. MY ONLY PROBLEM IS THERE ARE LOTS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE NOT MECHANICALLY INCLINED, AND PLENTY OF PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO HAD THEIR VEHICLES TOWED AND FACE A DIAGNOSIS FEE (AND PLENTY OF TIMES MISDIAGNOSIS). ACCORDING TO ALL THE INFORMATION READILY AVAILABLE CHEVY/GM HAS TO KNOW ABOUT THIS AND I CONSIDER IT SHAMEFUL THAT THEY DO NOT ALLOW SOME KIND OF CONCESSION OR MODIFICATION SO THAT A CUSTOMER OF THEIRS WITH A LEGITIMATE KEY CANNOT START THE VEHICLE. *TR