2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA Engine And Engine Coolingenginegasoline Problems

2000 CHEVROLET IMPALA LS, 3.8 ENGINE. AT 78,000 MILES THE "LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET" FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF COOLANT. REQUIRED $804 REPAIR. MY RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PATTERN FAILURE OF GM 3.8 LITER ENGINES OF THAT YEAR, DUE TO INSUFFICIENT TORQUE ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD BOLTS AND/OR A FAULTY GASKET. THIS AFFECTS OTHER GM BRANDS USING THE SAME ENGINE. A PROPERLY MAINTAINED ENGINE SHOULD NOT SUFFER THIS TYPE OF FAILURE AT 78K MILES. *NM

CAR HAS PROBLEMS WITH ROUGH START AND/OR ENGINE STALLING WITHIN THE FIRST MINUTE AFTER STARTING IT. SOMETIMES IT COUGHS/CHUGS/RPMS REV IMMEDIATELY WHEN YOU START IT. OTHER TIMES WHEN YOU PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WILL CHUG AND COMPLETELY STOP MOVING AS IF IT'S RUN OUT OF GAS. IT'S ONLY BEEN A MIRACLE THAT I HAVE NOT BE BROADSIDED YET. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE MARCH OF 2001 AND THIS HAS HAPPENED AROUND 4-5 TIMES A WEEK SINCE THEN. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE PROBABLY 6 TIMES TO TRY AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM AS IT IS A DANGEROUS ONE, AND EACH TIME HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. NOBODY CAN RECREATE THE PROBLEM IN ORDER TO FIX IT. I HAVE HAD MY COMPUTER SYSTEM UPDATED, AND MOST RECENTLY THEY PRESSURE WASHED MY FUEL INJECTORS IN HOPES THAT THAT WOULD CURE THE PROBLEM. IT...

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE BEGAN STALLING WHILE DRIVING, IT WOULD STOP WHEN TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT AND THEN IT BEGAN STALLING WHEN JUST DRIVING STRAIGHT, ALSO THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED.*JB

CONSUMER FEELS A POP/CLUNK IN STEERING WHEN MAKING TURNS IN EITHER DIRECTION. MECHANIC REPLACED CRADLE BECAUSE THE SHARP TURN WEB ON THE CRADLE WAS WEAK. *JG

WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY RATE OF SPEED VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TOM HESSER CHEVROLET KEPT TELLING ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I CONTACTED CHEV CUSTOMER ASSIST CENTER & TOLD THEM I WANTED THIS CAR CHECKED OUT AT ANOTHER CHEV DELAERSHIP IN MY AREA. THEY SET ME UP WITH SYLVESTER CHEVROLET IN PECKVILLE PA. SYLVESTER CHEVROLET FOUND THE PROBLEMS ON THIS VEHICLE AND DID WORK TO CORRECT THEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC THE CAR HESITATES. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS ON THE SECOND OR THIRD START. HAVE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY REROUTED SOME WIRES ON 10/9/01, IT HAPPENED AGAIN 10/12/01. HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TWO TIMES SINCE. THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID TO PUT MY KIDS IN THIS CAR. I CALLED CHEVY AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN AROUND. FINALLY THEY ADMITTED THAT THIS WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR AND THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON A FIX. AND THEN TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL THEY COULD SEE IT HAPPEN FOR THEMSELVES. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I DON'T TRUST THE CAR AND DO NOT WANT TO PUT MY KIDS IN IT.*AK

ENGINE WILL CUT OFF OR STALL WITHOUT WARNING WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAS BEEN UNABLE TO EFFECTIVELY REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK ARMREST CUP HOLDER BROKE. BLOWER MOTOR WHISTLING, BELT MAKING NOISE. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES CAR SHIMMIES, FRONT ROTORS ARE OUT OF ROUND. WHEN USING A/C VEHICLE FILLS UP WITH FUEL SMELL, FAN MOTOR BEARING WORN, DEALER REPLACED. DASHLIGHTS ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE EXPERIENCES HARD START CONDITION, DEALER REPLACED WIRING HARNESS. CONSUMER HAS TO GIVE GAS INORDER TO STAY RUNNING, FUEL PUMP PRESURE LOW, DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY. *TT

THE ENGINE STALLS WHILE DRIVING AND IS HARD TO RESTART, IT HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. NLM

AFTER CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN SEVERAL MILES, THEN SHUT OFF FOR 45 TO 60 MINUTES, UPON STARTING AND TRYING TO GET BACK ON HIGHWAY THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE AT ABOUT 5 MPH CAR SPEED, FOR 2 OR 3 SECONDS, WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL PUSHED TRYING TO SPEED UP, THE ENGINE WOULD FINALLY CATCH UP TO THE GAS PEDAL SETTING AND SPIN THE TIRES. THIS HAPPENED 4 TIMES ONE DAY. FOUR VISITS TO THE DEALER DIDN'T HELP. SINCE ONE CHEVY DEALER REPLACED A CONTROL ON THE TRANSMISSION, THE ENGINE HAS HESITATED GOING AROUND A CORNER AT 20 MPH. THREE OTHER TIMES IT HESITATED WHEN I TRIED TO LEAVE NY DRIVEWAY.*AK

MOST SERIOUS PROBLEMS ARE STALLING AND ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS. *AK

THE ENGINE IMTERMITTENTLY LOOSES ACCELERATION POWER ON THE HIGHWAY AND STALLS OUT WHEN MAKING TURNS, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASION BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NLM

UPON COLD STARTING, VEHICLE EXPERIENCES SEVERE HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION AND SURGING OF THE ENGINE'S RPM'S, ON ONE OCCASION VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING AND DESPITE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE PEDAL WOULD NOT MOVE, CONSUMER TURNED OFF THE KEY AND RESTARTED VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL WHILE BLOCKING TRAFFIC, DEALER UPDATED THE SOFTWARE CALIBRATION, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT HELP PROBLEM. NLM

DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF VEHICLE ENGINE WILL STALL, LEAVING CONSUMER STRANDED. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES, AND CANNOT DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING FOR 1 HOUR AND 10 MINUTES AND GOT OFF HIGHWAY WHEN VEHICLE STALLED OUT SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. BUT, DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE AT THIS TIME. *AK FOR THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE GM ADVISED, THE CAUSE WAS THE WIRE HARNESS WHICH DEALER INSTALLED. *YH

VEHICLE HAS ENOUGH GAS TO ACCELERATE. ONCE OUT IN THE OPEN IT HESITATES 5-8 SECONDS BEFORE MOVING AT ITS SPEED. DEALER PUT A BLACK BOX TO REGISTER PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING SHOWED UP. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT CONSUMER IS SCARED TO KEEP GOING THROUGH. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STILL HAVEN'T FOUND A REMEDY. PLEASE ADD VIN#.*AK

VEHICLE HESITATES AND HAS NO POWER TO CONTINUE INTO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AND WHEN GOING AROUND CORNERS, THE VEHICLE HESITATES ALMOST TO THE POINT OF STALLING, DEALER SAID A FACTORY REPAIR BULLETIN WAS BEING ISSUED SOON. NLM

DEALER HAS RUN CHECK TWICE AND CANNOT FIND SOURCE OF HESITATION - DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERYDAY AND IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY CERTAIN WEATHER CONDITIONS, LENGTH OF WARM-UP TIME, ETC. USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN FIRST 200 FEET AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE INTO DRIVE - WITH FOOT ON GAS PEDAL, CAR ACTS AS IF IT'S GOING TO STALL AND THEN KICKS BACK INTO GEAR - HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN OCT. 1999. THE CAR ALSO ROLLS BACKWARDS ON INCLINES UNLESS FOOT IS ON BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL - ROLLS BACK EVEN DURING THE TIME IT TAKES TO MOVE YOUR FOOT FROM THE BRAKE TO THE GAS (NEED TO DRIVE WITH TWO FEET ON HILLS THAT YOU STOP ON) - HAVE NOT NOTIFIED DEALER OF THIS PROBLEM YET - DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL I SAW THE OTHER COMPLAINTS - WILL NOTIFY DEALER ON NEXT VISIT.*AK

WHEN IN PARK THE VEHICLE SHAKES AND SMELLS OF OIL BURNING. THE DEALER SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 60 MPH VEHICLE DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. COMSUMER SAID SOMETIMES IT HAPPENED WHILE USING CRUISE CONTROL. UNIROYAL TIRES CAME WITH VEHICLE. CONSUMER SAID SIDEWALLS BLEWOUT ON ALL 4 OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES.*AK

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP, ENGINE TRYS TO STALL CAUSING THE CAR TO SUDDENLY LUNGE FORWARD WHEN THE ENGINE FINALLY DECIDES IT IS NOT GOING TO STALL. TAKEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES WITH NO IMPROVEMENT IN PROBLEM. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE HAS OCCURED YET!!!

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM FRONT HOOD AREA,THEN HUGE FIRE BALL FROM HOOD AREA,ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURNT.DEALER CONTACTED AND HAVE CAR,WAITING FOR THERE RESPONSE.

COMPLETE STALL ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TRUCK. CAR ROLLS BACK WHEN AT STOP. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHILE STOPPED. GAS SLOSHES WHILE IN TANK. *AK

COMPLETE STALL ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TRUCK. CAR ROLLS BACK WHEN AT COMPLETE STOP. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHILE STOPPED. CAS SLOSHES WHILE IN TANK.

DRIVING 35-40MPH VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING/ BRAKING, CAUSING A COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. *AK AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. *YH

ENGINE FAILURE - SPUTTERS, STALLS, BATTERY LIGHT / ENGINE CHECK LIGHT BLINKS, RPM REV, ETC. ON 9 SEPARATE INSTANCES - NO SOLUTION FROM DEALERSHIP. *AK

ENGINE HESITATES AFTER CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN AND SITS FOR 45MIN. TO 1 HR. ON RESTART, TOOK TO DEALER AND OF COURSE COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. HAVE HEARD OF OTHERS WITH THIS SAME TYPE OF ENGINE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER IS BOUND TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK

COMPLETE STALL ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TRUCK. CAR ROLLS BACK WHEN AT STOP. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHILE STOPPED. GAS SLOSHES WHILE IN TANK. *AK

COMPLETE STALL ON HIGHWAY AT 50MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TRUCK. CAR ROLLS BACK WHEN AT COMPLETE STOP. STEERING WHEEL VIBRATION WHILE STOPPED. CAS SLOSHES WHILE IN TANK.

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 50 MPH. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER SHOP, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT A BAG GOT CAUGHT UP INTO VEHICLE INDUCTION AND CAUSED THE AIR FILTER TO FLATTEN. ALSO, DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT REPAIRS WOULD BE AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE ENCOUNTERED SLIGHT VIBRATION IS COMMON HIGHWAY ROADS SURFACES, THE VEHICLE WILL JUMP, JERK AND WANDER FROM SIDE TO SIDE, FAVORING THE RIGHT SIDE. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING WILL BRAKE AWAY AND TRY AND BEGIN TO SPIN FIRST LEFT AND THEN RIGHT.. WHEN ROAD CONDITIONS ARE WET FROM MIST OR RAIN, THE VEHICLE WILL CONSTANTLY TRY TO BEGIN A RIGHT REAR SLIDING ACTION AS IF THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IS TRY TO COME TO COME AROUND AND GET IN FRONT OF YOU WHILE IN A FORWARD MOTION. SPEEDS AT WHICH THIS ACCURS IS 45 TO 70 MILES AN HOUR. LOSS OF FORWARD, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WILL ACCURE, VEHICLE WANDERS BACK AND FORTH. VEHICLE WILL FISHTAIL ON WET ROAD CONDITIONS. VERY SEVER CORNER TO CORNER TIRE WEAR. REAR TIRES CONPLETELY BALD. CONSTANT TIRE ROTATION PROVES WORTHLESS. VEHICLE WILL PULL TO RIGHT FRONT WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. FRONT TO...

AFTER DRIVING(FULL WARMUP),CAR PARKED. RESTART CAR 45MIN TO 1 HR. LATER.PUT IN DRIVE,ENGINE HAS FALTERING/HESITATION UPON LEAVING PARKING SPACE. "FALLS ON FACE. W/ 2 OR3 DULL PERCUSSION SOUNDS AS THROTTLE INCREASED." WON'T REPEAT. RUNS FINE AFTER. PARTICULARLY EVIDENT @ TEMP. ABOVE 75 DEG. & HIGH HUMIDITY. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE. NO COMPUTER CODES. DEALER CLAIMS NO ADJUSTMENTS."NEED NEW FACTORY DOWNLOADS FOR COMPUTER IF WIDESPREAD PROBLEM SUPPORTED BY CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. JLM ZIP14519 *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING COULD SEE THE BATTERY LIGHT COME ON, THEN ENGINE WILL STALL. CONSUMER WILL TURN IGNITION OFF FOR 10-15 MINUTES, THEN RESTART AGAIN. ON LAST VISIT TO DEALER, THEY FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE DUE TO IMPROPERLY CONNECTED WIRES. REPAIRS WERE MADE, NO PROBLEMS SINCE. *AK *ML

PE 00005; WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY, AND WOULD NOT START FOR 15 MINUTES, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING OIL EXCESSIVELY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *YH

THE VEHICLE STALLED ON HIGHWAY DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE. YH

ENGINE/TRANS PARTIAL FAILURE, ALMOST STALLING IN INTERSECTION. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER HAD SYSTEM MANAGMENT LIGHTING IN DASH FLASHING FOR NO REASON. REPLACMENT OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ACTUALLY WORSENED UNCOMMANDED LIGHT FLASHING. INITIAL REPAIR OF ENGINE PROBLEMS DIMINISHED SEVERITY OF STALLING, HOWEVER DID NOT COMPLETELY CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UNABLE TO DUPLICATE STALLING ON A CONSISTANT BASIS. *AK

THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN T AND ENGINE JUST CUT OFF. STARTED IT UP AND MOVED TO PARK. IT WAS FINE UNTIL 10-MAR-200O WHEN AGAIN AT A STOP LIGHT ENGINE CUT OFF. CONTACTED THE DEALER, WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CAR KEEPS ROLLING BACK AT IDLE SITTING WAITING FOR LIGHT TO CHANGE, TOOK CAR IN TO HAVE CHECKED ASST. SARVICE TOLD ME THERE HAVE BEEN COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS MATTER A GAVE ME A 1-800-222-1020# TO CALL THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT HEARD ANYTHING CONCERNING THIS MATTER,BUT TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH SERVICE MANAGER THERE HAS TO BE X AMOUNT OF COMPLAINTS BEFORE THIS WOULD BE LOOKED INTO ,I FEEL THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE IF I"M WAITING FOR A LIGHT CHANGE AND SOMEONE IS ON MY BUMPER AND I ROLL BACK THERE COULD BE A REAL PROBLEM.THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER. *AK