NHTSA Complaint #10285603 — 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA

SEVERAL CHEVROLET VEHICLES IN THE 2002 RANGE (INCLUDING MY 2002 IMPALA) HAVE A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE BODY CONTROL MODULE THAT CAUSES A FAILURE IN THE PASSLOCK SECURITY SYSTEM. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE, BUT CAUSES THE CAR TO EITHER NOT START, OR STOP RUNNING. ONCE THE BCM FAILS, THE COMPUTER MUST BE RESTARTED TO START THE CAR- THIS MEANS SITTING IN THE CAR FOR 8-11 MINUTES WAITING FOR THE SECURITY LIGHT TO GO OFF; REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT'S 110 DEGREES OUT, OR 10 BELOW. THE PROBLEM IS WIDELY REPORTED ON AUTO FORUMS, SO THERE IS NO WAY CHEVY DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. THERE ARE EVEN COMPANIES WILLING TO BYPASS THE SECURITY SYSTEM (BY CUTTING A WIRE FROM THE BCM, AND ROUTING A WIRE FROM ANOTHER SOURCE WITH AN APPROPRIATE RESISTOR) TO ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. A DEALER WILL REPLACE THE BCM, BUT THE REPLACEMENT IS THE SAME DESIGN AS THE ORIGINAL, AND IS JUST AS LIKELY TO FAIL (NOT TO MENTION RUNNING $500-$800). *TR