NHTSA Complaint #10311659 — 2007 CHEVROLET IMPALA

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN MARCH 2007 AND IS USED AS A COMMUTER CAR FROM NEW OXFORD, PA TO WASHINGTON, DC DAILY. I AVERAGE 750 MILES PER WEEK. LAST FALL WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD JUST OVER 90,000 MILES, I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS FIRST WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL DROPPING OFF SPEED AND NOT RESETTING. THIS QUICKLY ADVANCED TO A SHUTTERING FEEL WHEN ACCELERATING AND OCCASIONALLY PICKING UP SPEED AND WITHIN 50 MILES THE CAR REFUSED TO MOVE AFTER A STOP LIGHT. I TURNED IT OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND AFTER PUTTING IT INTO DRIVE, MANAGED TO GET IT TO A NEARBY FORMER CHEVY DEALER. THEY DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS TOTALLY SLIPPING AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. CHEVY STOOD BY THE 100K POWER-TRAIN WARRANTY WITH A NO-COST REPLACEMENT AND INSTALLED A NEW TRANSMISSION, ISSUING A 12,000 MI WARRANTY. TODAY, AT 111,000 MILES, LESS THAN 20,000 INTO THE NEW TRANSMISSION, THE PROBLEM RETURNED. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS ON FLAT GROUND AND I WAS SIMPLY A STALLED NUISANCE IN TRAFFIC. THIS TIME, I WAS GOING UP A HILL AND HAD STOPPED FOR A LIGHT. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACK DOWN THE HILL, I HAD DIFFICULTY BRAKING AND NEARLY GOT STRUCK BY A LARGE TRUCK. IT WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND THEN WITH A THUDS AND JERKS I WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT TO A SAFE PARKING SPOT. THIS TIME I DID NOT HAVE THE DIFFICULTY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT DID HAVE A BIT OF WHAT I NOW RECOGNIZE WAS TRANSMISSION SLIP BUT I ATTRIBUTED TO THE ANTI-SLIP BRAKES ON ICE. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF TIMES. FROM THE EARLY SHUDDERS, LESS THAN 400 MILES ELAPSED. I WAS FORTUNATE BOTH TIMES. *TR