NHTSA Complaint #10422958 — 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA

MY WELL-MAINTAINED 2002 CHEVY IMPALA, 3.4L V6, BASE MODEL SHUT OFF A COUPLE DAYS AGO WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ACCELERATING, AS THE TRAFFIC WAS FINALLY PICKING UP. THAT'S WHEN I FELT THE CAR JERK AND SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. IT WAS HORRIFYING - THE BRAKE PEDAL & STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, SO I FORCIBLY TURNED THE WHEEL WITH ALL MY STRENGTH, COASTED TO THE SHOULDER, WITH TWO NEAR-COLLISIONS, PRESSED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, THEN SHIFTED TO PARK. THE RED BATTERY SYMBOL WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AS IF THE KEY WAS SET TO "ON", BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I NOTICED THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DASH LIGHTS WERE OFF, BUT I BELIEVE THAT'S BECAUSE THE CAR SHUT OFF (WHICH IS WHAT WOULD NORMALLY HAPPEN AFTER SHUTTING OFF A CAR WITH AUTO-OFF LIGHTS). SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START ONLY RESULTED IN SOUNDS OF A CAR STRUGGLING TO TURN OVER, BUT NEVER ACTUALLY TURNING. EVENTUALLY THE CAR STUTTERED, BUT STARTED. I WAS BACK IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC, AND AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING, IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. SAME DRILL - COASTED OFF THE ROAD, AND SEVERAL FAILED ATTEMPTS TO START BEFORE FINALLY STARTING. BACK ON THE ROAD, A FEW MINUTES LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER 2 MORE EPISODES OF THIS, INSTEAD OF STRUGGLING TO START, THE WASN'T EVEN COMING CLOSE. THE CAR RADIO AND HAZARD LIGHTS WERE STILL WORKING. WHICH LED ME TO BELIEVE THAT CONSTANT STARTING ATTEMPTS MAY HAVE EXHAUSTED THE BATTERY. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL START, I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT HOME, USING LOCAL ROADS FOR FEAR OF A HIGHWAY CRASH. 25 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING JUST FINE. IT DIDN'T SHUT OFF AGAIN UNTIL I WAS PARKED AT HOME AND IDLING FOR A FEW MINUTES. EVERYTIME IT SHUT OFF, I'D SEE *NO* CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, *NO* WARNINGS FROM THE MIL, THOUGH IT'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE NEXT DAY I MOVED THE CAR FOR ALTERNATE SIDE PARKING AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE, NO HESITATION. SEVERAL MORE STARTS SINCE MONDAY - NO HESITATION OR PROBLEM. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT LONG FOR NOW, FOR FEAR OF AN IMMINENT CRASH. THIS COULD BE FATAL. *TR