NHTSA Complaint #10625767 — 2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA

UPON ATTEMPTING TO START THE CAR, NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN TURNING THE KEY. EVENTUALLY THE CAR WILL START AFTER A LONG DELAY. THIS OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY OVER TIME, ALWAYS REQUIRING A LONG WAIT (AND NOTHING ELSE) BEFORE THE CAR WOULD START - RESULTING ME BEING LATE FOR WORK OR MISSING IMPORTANT MEETINGS. ON READING EXTENSIVE REPORTS OF THE VERY PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET (ON MANY GM YEARS/MODELS), I LEARNED THAT IT IS A "SAFETY" FEATURE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM BEING STOLEN A NECESSARY COMPUTER READING OF A CHIP IN THE KEY! FURTHER READING INDICATED THAT (1) THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM (2) GM CHARGES OVER $1000 TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM (VERIFIED BY MY GM DEALER), AND (3) THE "FIX" DOESN'T WORK (THE PROBLEM CONTINUES)! EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM DISAPPEARED, BUT HAS JUST RECENTLY REAPPEARED WITH A VENGEANCE! I HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT A COMPANY MAKES A WIRING HARNESS PASSCODE BYPASS (AT $250) THAT WILL STOP THIS SITUATION OF THE CAR NOT STARTING WHEN THE KEY IS PROPERLY ENGAGED. I CAN THINK OF FEW DESIGN FLAWS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY MORE DANGEROUS (NOT TO MENTION INCONVENIENT) THAN HAVING YOUR CAR RANDOMLY REFUSING TO START - FOR INSTANCE LATE AT NIGHT IN A PARKING LOT OR GARAGE WHEN STORES ARE CLOSING OR CLOSED - OR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ESCAPE FROM A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCE FAR EXCEEDS ANY BENEFIT FROM PROTECTING YOUR CAR FROM BEING STOLEN BY USING A FAULTY PASSCODE SYSTEM. THE REMEDY WOULD BE SIMPLE AND INEXPENSIVE FOR GM TO FIX BY EITHER SUPPLYING NEW FIRMWARE TO BYPASS THE COMPUTER PASSCODE SYSTEM OR EVEN CHEAPER - THE WIRING HARNESS PASSCODE BYPASS CURRENTLY FOR SALE BY AN INDEPENDENT VENDOR. *TR