NHTSA Complaint #11093391 — 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO THE CORRECT GEAR AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CHEVROLET IMPALA'S TRANSMISSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ADJUSTED HIS DRIVING HABITS OVER THE YEARS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. RECENTLY, WHILE PARKING IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE AS IT WAS PLACED IN NEUTRAL, LOW 1, AND THEN REVERSE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, WHILE IN REVERSE AND WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE RPMS INCREASED, THE FRONT END JERKED, AND THE VEHICLE FINALLY REVERSED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WAS PARKED. THE CONTACT PURCHASED TRANSMISSION FLUID, A GASKET, AND A FILTER AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. DURING THE REPAIR, PROCESS METAL SHAVINGS AND CHUNKS WERE FOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED NON-DRIVABLE AND WAS PARKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 8-4151643491. THE LOCAL DEALER (FOX AUTO GROUP, 150 ROBERT DANN DR, PAINTED POST, NY 14870, (607) 937-5431) WAS CALLED TO SCHEDULE A DIAGNOSTIC APPOINTMENT. THE CONTACT ASKED THE DEALER IF HE COULD STAY WITH THE VEHICLE DURING THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE COULD NOT; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT CANCELLED THE APPOINTMENT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.