NHTSA Complaint #10616771 — 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA

MY 2006 CHEVROLET IMPALA IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM, AS WELL AS THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM. BOTH SYSTEMS USE THE SAME ANTENNA IN THE VEHICLE, AND THE MODULE CONTROLLING EACH SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. MANY TIMES A DAY WHILE DRIVING, AN ALERT WILL APPEAR SAYING "SERVICE TIRE MONITORING SYSTEM" AND I WILL LOSE READINGS OF MY TIRE PRESSURES. MANDATED IN 2005, TPMS SYSTEMS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS AIR BAGS AND SEAT BELTS IN VEHICLES, SO THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. I RECENTLY HAD A FLAT TIRE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A BLOWOUT ON THE EXPRESSWAY HAD I NOT VISUALLY CHECKED THE TIRE BECAUSE THE TPMS SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. I HAVE FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THE ISSUE WITH A DOCUMENT ID OF 1990156. I HAVE CONTACTED GM ABOUT THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY THE ORIGINAL VEHICLE WARRANTY AND A SERVICE BULLETIN IS NOT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE EQUIPMENT WITHOUT CHARGING MYSELF, THE CONSUMER. THIS SAFETY ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE THESE SYSTEMS ARE IN PLACE TO INCREASE THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND THEY ARE NOT SERVING THAT PURPOSE DUE TO POOR DESIGN RIGHT OUT OF THE FACTORY. IN ADDITION TO THE FAILURE OF THE TPMS SYSTEM, THE DEFECT ALSO MAKES THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM USELESS DUE TO EXTREMELY POOR RANGE (~2 FEET). THIS IS MORE OF A CONVENIENCE ISSUE, BUT IT IS STILL CAUSED BY THE SAME DEFECT. *JS