NHTSA Complaint #10233622 — 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS A DELAYED CRANK. THE VEHICLE TAKES SEVERAL HOURS TO START SOMETIMES. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AS IF THE BATTERY FAILED; HOWEVER, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING WAS STILL OPERATIVE. THE CONTACT ALSO HEARD A DULL HUMMING NOISE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY ANOTHER CONSUMER WHO WAS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR FAILURES THAT THE COMPUTER CHIP WAS NOT RECOGNIZING THE KEY. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT REPAIR. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THERE COULD BE SEVERAL DEFECTS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION MODULE; HOWEVER, THEY WERE AFRAID TO MAKE REPAIRS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW IF EITHER OF THE REMEDIES WOULD RESOLVE THE ISSUE. THE STARTER AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED, BUT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE REPAIR THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000.