Problems with 2002 Chevrolet Impala ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Went to turn on the car; all lights locks radio windows worked. when i turned key to on position car would not turn on. security light and check engine lights would come on. car wouldn't turn on for ten minutes then it turned on. also, while driving security light will come on and stay on until car is turn off and back on. sometimes security light will stay on. in addition, to security light and car not wanting to turn on, turn signals will randomly stop working and i have to turn hazard lights on and off to get turn signals to work again. *tr

Hazard flasher switch is bad. the turn signals will go out intermittently. if you press the hazard buttons over again the turn signals work again. this has been happening since 2012 when my vehicle had 70,000 miles. *tr

Tl* the contact owned a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact's daughter was driving approximately 25 mph, when the vehicle stalled without warning. she lost control of the vehicle and crashed it into a tree. the vehicle landed on its roof. a police report was filed and there were no injuries. the vehicle was destroyed. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 14v400000 (electrical system). the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000. updated 11/04/14

Car cranks when it wants too it cranks up and sometime is does not. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the ignition switch was not working. the security indicator illuminated and the vehicle failed to start. the failure began five years ago. the dealer diagnosed that the ignition switch was faulty. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 200,000.

My turn signals work intermittently. sometimes not at all and sometimes have to activate flashers on and off. sometimes lites won't turn all the way off when i park they will make a chiming sound and i will turn them on and off til it stops. *tr

Gm vehicles equipped with the passkey system may, and thousands do, experience a passlock system lockout, where the security system prevents starting of the vehicle, even when using the mfr's supplied key. the passkey sensor problem is recurring even after some consumers had dealers replace it. this defect in the passkey ii and iii as well as the passlock systems on gm vehicles has plagued my vehicle since 3 weeks after purchase. the dealer said i have to replace the passkey sensor, ignition control module, ignition switch, bcm and even possibly the ecm. i have checked with other shops and consumers via online forums and personal interactions, and have come to learn of 1000's if not 10,000's of consumers have this problem, and the dealer recommended repairs/replacements only cover up the problem for about a year. this problem prevents the owner from starting the car, as well as cause it to stall regardless of location or driving condition. this can result in loss of control and possibly leaving a consumer stranded in unsurvivable situations. this is a public safety and a health risk. even when under warranty, the dealer refused to replace the 'recommended' parts as they were not covered under powertrain warranty, however they cause the vehicle's powertrain to not function or cease function when running just fine seconds prior. gm has been notified of this issue by myself and to no avail, a resolution is unavailable. i had a friend of mine replace over 8 components of the ignition/security system at the dealer for a cost over $2500. the vehicle was 4 months old. my vehicle, at 9 years has had this problem for the past 4. gm needs to recall all vehicles equipped with a passlock/passkey 2-3 system for replacement with a more reliable one. a google search turns up over 138,000 results for gm passkey problems. gm passlock problems turns up over 85,100 results. that is 223,100 results. if i do vehicle specific, that number triples. chevy passkey problems returns 1,340,000. *tr

Electronic - first problem was airbag light staying on - after at least 4 trips to dealer - problem fixed - now radio is locked and somehow connected to door locks and security system - apparently this is an issue for this model and needs recall. *tr

Passlock system on 2002 chevrolet impala is defectively designed. failure leaves owner unable to start otherwise 100% operable vehicle. passlock device replaced in 2008 after complete failure. passlock device failure again in 2011. gm claims nothing wrong. issue very widespread and well known to dealers and mechanics. *tr

On numerous times, anti theft system prevents me from starting my car. i have been stuck trying to come home from work, trying to go to work and at many other times. there are numerous complaints on the internet from many consumers about this issue. it is dangerous if you are out late at night and you cant even start your own car. chevrolet has refused to pay to correct the problem and has offered no help at all. *tr

After starting the car blower motor wont work cruise light stays on mirror cluster don't work until 15 min then everything will work but when using the cruise it will stop working but light stays on after time gauges cut out and then come back on and all problems slowly become worse with time. have reason to believe its the ignition switch. *kb

On the ip the ignition key is not functional every once a while and it does require a 10 minutes wait in the vehicle with the key in the ignition before you can fire the engine. this issue been persisting for the last 2 years. i do wonder if this problem been experience with chevy? *tr

Car would not start. tried about 10 - 100 times and it would usually turn over. happening over the last year, but getting worse (car will not start right away for last three days!). everything inside car (lights, radio, etc.) is on but engine will not turn over. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the headlights malfunctioned when switching from low beams to high beams. the manufacturer was notified, but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact was now experiencing another new safety concern in regards to the pass lock, where the components were wearing out. the security system would not recognize the key when it was inserted into the ignition. this locked the contact in the vehicle and prevented it from starting. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle had not been driven since this pass lock failure. the vin was not available. the failure and current mileages were 102,000.

Security system failure. vehicle would not start. luckily i was in my driveway when it refused to start. had to replace body control module, lock cylinder with passlock sensor before car would start. this may not seem like a safety problem, but, when you think about all the places your car could leave you stranded, it's scary. i am not the only one who has had this problem. there are thousands of complaints with this problem on several web sites.this is a fault of general motors, they know about the problem and have not done anything to help their customers with this problem. they need to come up with a permanent fix for the passlock system and have a recall and fix it once and for all. average cost for this repair is about $1,000.00 dollars. the customers who have paid it deserves their money back. *tr

I got my car on 03/09/2011. i have been complaining to the dealership about the issues i am having with my car. it hesitates to crank, when turning i can feel a popping feeling in the steering. very often my signal lights doesn't come on. i do a lot of highway driving back and forth to work and this is very dangerous. when hitting my breaks the car sometimes speeds up before slowing down, which can be very dangerous. there is a shortage in the wiring. the low coolant level light stays on, even though they claim they fixed some sensor switch. they also said they fixed my car from leaking brake fluid, but the brakes are sounding worst everyday. i asked them if the brakes needed changing and they said it was fine. the car hesitates when taking off. i just got home from work and not even 30 minutes went by before i tried to leave out and my car would not crank. i have been complaining to the dealership since i got the car and they have procrastinated until the 30 day warranty expired. when calling today the dealership said that i would have to pay for any repairs because the warranty expired. when asking why should i have to pay for repairs, when i have been complaining about these issues since i first got the vehicle, the reply was they are not going to pay that any mind and i would still have to pay for the repairs. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the failure recurred numerous times. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who informed the contact that the ignition switch lock and body control module would need to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the air bag and security warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. the dealer was notified and stated that the failure could have been that the bcm module needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 162,000.

Passlock 2 system failed causing the vehicle to stall while driving. vehicle would not start. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start intermittently after driving a short distance. when the failure occurred, the security warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. the dealer informed the contact that the pass lock 2 function had a failed pass lock sensor. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure but did not offer any assistance. no repairs were performed. the current mileage was 127,000 and the failure mileage was 115,000.

Headlights suddenly went out while in operation. *tr

2002 impala "passkey" system fails... no start condition, leaves driver and passengers stranded.

I have a 2002 chevy impala,door locks,lock an unlock by there self draining the battery,dome light stays on blinkers don't work there's a clicking sound coming out of fuse box dash lights and head lights blink car starts but runs erratically,replaced turn signal switch did not help,wipers stay in the up rite position also,i've tried contacting gm no luck,do not trust dealership been ripped off more than once. *tr

At times the cab of the 2002 chevy impala seems to overheat and when you try to start it all of the warning lights flash, including headlights, then it won't start. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated when the security warning light was illuminated, the vehicle would not start. the contact stated that if the vehicle was being driven while the warning light was illuminated, the vehicle would continue to drive but if turned off, the contact would have to have to wait thirty minutes before being able to restart the vehicle. the dealer replaced the starter to no avail and advised the contact that he was unable to determine what was causing the failure. the vehicle was not further repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 106,000 and the current mileage was 107,000. updated 03/22/11*lj the consumer also stated the brakes needed to be replaced every other year. the consumer has since traded the vehicle. updated 05/06/11

2002 impala in the check engine light box the low coolant light and the security lights also shows and the battery light then the engine dies in the middle of traffic i have seen so many and more people with impalas in dangerous moments talking of it online could you please have chevy correct this deadly mess got the problem fixed then it started back i do have kids active in school sports needing transportation i can not describe how being stranded in traffic makes me feel. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the security warning light was illuminated and the starter failed. the dealer inspected the charging system and determined that the starter had a defective solenoid. the dealer replaced the starter and cleaned the cables. the contact stated that shortly after repairs, the security warning light was illuminated again and the vehicle would not start. the contact believed there was a connection between the security warning light and the vehicle failure and stated that the failure was a risk to safety. the failure mileage was 72,013 and the current mileage was 72,030.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle had no power when he attempted to start it. the contact replaced the battery the first time but the remedy did not correct the problem. the vehicle was inspected by a mechanic who advised that the vehicle would need a new body control module. the mechanic advised that the failure was caused by the module being burned out by the ignition switch. the vehicle was not inspected by an authorized dealer nor repaired. the failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 57,000. updated 02/03/11*lj the consumer was told to wait 15 minutes and then start the vehicle. the consumer stated he should no have to wait to start the vehicle. updated 03/22/11

Blinkers were intermittently working and now not working at all. brake lights and hazards working. fuses replaced. see online that many people report this same problem. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. upon starting the vehicle and shifting it into drive she could hear a clicking noise coming from the steering column and fuse box under the engine. she also stated that whenever she shuts the vehicle off the high beams will continue to flicker on and off. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where she was informed the vehicle was built with a faulty body control module. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 147,050 and the current mileage was 147,432. updated 11/05/10. *lj

Went to work and when i went to leave the car wouldn't start- thought it was the battery and got a jump, wouldn't start. had the car towed to auto place, and they couldn't find anything wrong, then after that the car has left me stranded and unable to get to work its shut off while driving- the security light was on, after the many complaints to chevy- they wont assist with the repair of the pass lock security system for the simple reason its out of warranty. its not a maintenance issue its a mechanical issue. its also a safety issue. the car just shuts off as if someone is stealing it. how dangerous- on route 80 highway or any road for that matter, your car shuts off and your smashed from behind with cars piled up- someone will be dead andmany will be serious hurt. or being stranded on a dark country road with no cell reception. this is a safety issue and after alot of research on this problem- gm"s response' sorry we cant help you- today toyota recalled 412k cars, because of steering issue and was a safety issue. nissan, toyota, and honda didn't need bailouts why because they stand behind their cars unlike gm- this is a big issue with hundreds of thousands of people complaining and gm as usual does nothing to stand behind their products. i will never again purchase a gm product as its a complete piece of garbage and the ones working for gm aren't any better. let gm sink and go under, that way americans will have more reliable transportation and companies that actually stand behind safety issues with their cars. it amazes me how gm can take bailouts- to keepthem afloat but wont do anything to back their vehicles, sooner or later they will sink and they will all be sitting there dumbfounded scratching their heads wondering oh gee what happened, you didn't stand behind your cars moron that's what happened, and people went to more reliable companies. 13k for a 2002 impala ls, guess its time to take it to the junk yard very unsafe and no peace of mind to drive the garbage. *tr

Have 2002 chevy impala and the security passlock won't let car start, i have been stranded in many places. had it checked out at 2 places and it all comes back to computer, or keys, we tried to have keys recoded but it still happens often. by researching on computer i see i'm not alone out there. what do people have to do to get gm recall this problem. it is a safety problem because it always happens when it either 5 below or 90 outside and have sit in car and hope you don't get mugged or robbed waiting for car to start or did of heat stroke or freeze to death. is there anything we can do . help please my car does this 4-5 times a day and no one knows how to fix it. gm need to step in and fix this defect. *tr

The starter will not get a signal from the ignition switch. i have changed relays, ignition switch, starter, key core and passlock, all to no gain. gave vehicle to they local chevy dealership who changed to bcm and reprogrammed the security feature and when i went to pick it up from the dealership, it wouldn't start. the starter gets no signal about 90% of the times i turn the key. for the 10% it does work, there seems to have had no issue what so ever. it turns on smooth and runs like a dream. yet it can be the first attempt or the 50th before the starter catches a jolt and starts the car, there seems to be no pattern. the security system works fine b/c we installed a simple push button switch to the starter and it worked every time with no trouble for a few moments till the gas was taken away and the car turned off. bypassing the security feature and allowing a secondary ignition methos would seem to resolve the issue. i find this to be a safety issue due to the potential of being stuck out in the middle of an intersection if the cars happens to stall. or if an infant was loaded into the vehicle and it would not start for 15 to 30 minutes, leaving the child with the risk of heat issues. the problem itself came suddenly without warning. *tr

I have a 2002 chevy impala. the car behaves as though there is an electrical problem. my own research seemed to indicate a faulty bcm module. i took the car to a dealer and explained my suspicion and the odd intermittent problems, and they replaced the ignition switch and spent a lot of time trying to find a wiring problem. after 2 weeks they said they found the electrical problem and charged me $700. now, a few weeks later all symptoms are back. when the key is turned on, the lights flash, truck latch opens and closes, and security light flashes. this is just 1 set of symptoms. this problem is very dangerous. i found this site while looking for help here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr-o5r1upfy&feature=related . please help! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated when the security light would illuminate, the vehicle would not start. the dealer advised the contact to wait ten minutes before re-starting the vehicle, but the vehicle could only be diagnosed while the failure occurred. the dealer advised that the computer chip potentially would need to be replaced but could not confirm if it would correct the failure. the failure mileage was 60,000 and the current mileage is 62,576. updated 10/04/10. *lj the dealer replaced the ignition cylinder. updated 10/05/10

My car, a 2002 chevy impala, has an intermittent starting problem since i purchased it at 2006. for every 2-3 weeks, it simply does not crank by turning the key. but after 10 mins, it starts again. i have spent a lot of money to try to fix this issue but it is unsuccessful. after searching on website, i understand this is a very common issue for gm cars and may be related to some electric security issue. therefore, here i am filing the complaint. *tr

My 2002 impala will randomly not start. the message center flashes security, battery and service engine soon. i have to unhook and reconnect the battery to get the car to start. i do not want to drive it alone, as i live in a big city and do not want to be driving and the car malfunction. i have read numerous accounts of this happening to people with 2002 impalas. i have asthma and one day i started to have an attack. husband was going to drive me to hospital and my car decides not to start. i could have died waiting for him to reconnect the battery. i paid gm for a reliable car but got a car that will start only when it wants to. this is unacceptable. it's messed up that i can't drive my car for fear of it not starting and being mugged or raped while trying to unhook/rehook the battery. gm should be held responsible for this. they don't want to though because they make too much money fixing something that they screwed up. i will never buy a gm again. toyota and honda from here on out!!! *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala ls. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start on numerous occasions while they key was in the ignition. the contact stated that a red security failure light illuminated during the failure. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was contacted who advised that the failure might be caused by the security pass lock system. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 184,000 and the current mileage was 191,000.

Pass key sensor, i had to pay 500 dollars to fix an ignition switch that was perfectly fine but a bad sensor was the problem, many complaints but still no recall. *tr

Abs light abs/traction control lamp. *tr

Unknown reason as to why the directionals on my 02 impala work intermittently. this first occurred approximately 4 months ago with average occurrence of once a week. now it occurs approximately once a day. mechanic cannot find a solid reason as to why this is occurring and cannot replicate it at the time the vehicle is in the shop. *tr

We have experienced electrical problems with this vehicle for the past couple of years. we have replaced numerous parts dealing with the ignition/starter, pass/lock, power lock, and security system. we recently have been dealing with the car starting or not starting for that matter. at first, it was once in awhile and now it doesn't start 7-8x per week. it is extremely frustrating to have to constantly throw money at this problem. once again it is going into the shop for diagnostic and more parts. this is a big problem and needs to be resolved. it is obviously a defect of some sort and needs to be handle accordingly. *tr

I purchased the vehicle used from another dealer in 2003. i started experiencing problems with the security system in november 2005, it would not start sometimes light would flash and after 20 minutes it starts. the problem went away until last november, and then it would do it about 2-3x a week. in february 2009 i had to replace my lower intake manifold gasket, water pump and battery. the summer 09 i had to replace the radiator due to a hairline crack in it. the security system starts to intermittently not start the vehicle again in late sep. 09 about 2-3x per week. in jan.2010 the vehicle doesn't start for me one day after coming out of the grocery store for 25 minutes. since then it does it every morning when i go to take my child to school and i have to wait 10-20 minutes. i took the vehicle to the gm dealer and was told they weren't familiar with this problem and i needed $950 for parts and labor to replace the ignition switch and the bcm. i had the ignition switch replaced by another mechanic and that was not the problem and the vehicle is still doing the same thing. it's frustrating for me and my child. it's scary and dangerous. i'm so afraid that one day or night it may not start and i'm stranded in the streets and may be subjected to a crime or death. i don't drive it at night unless it's an extreme emergency now and this is such an inconvenience. i have to pay for rides at times to get my child to and from school when this car decides not to start so my child won't be late for school or getting picked up from school. i've also had to replace my windshield wiper motor and my driver's side door window regulator. *tr

Lights went out after dark. in a panic, i moved the dimmer switch back and forth until they came back on. it lasted just a couple of seconds, but i was going 60 mph and it was pitch black. this is a 2002 chevrolet impala, 4 door sedan with 68, 000 miles. i have spent several thousand dollars on repairs for this vehicle. seal leaks (oil leaking on manifold) heater went out during zero weather, replaced body control module, pass lock system, traction system parts ( two separate times). these are a few. i bought this car new and put only 68 thousand miles on it in the last 9 years. i believe the lights are a safety issue and should not cost $695.00 to repair. *tr

02 impala 3.8 engine would not start. it has done this countless times and i will have to wait 20 or 30 minutes for it to start. my battery is like new, and nothing is wrong with the starter, i've had it all tested. i've read it could be the passlock system or something called the tumbler. my security light comes on randomly even when driving on the highway. i've read that many impala owners cars have cut off while driving on the highway and i'm hoping mine doesn't do the same. my car was a former police car. it now has about 112,000 miles on it. i hope i never had to go somewhere in an emergency or get stuck in the middle of no where at night. i've read several forums explaining how chevy knows about the defect but will not fix it unless you pay about 600 to almost 1,000 dollars. but then when they claim it's fixed, the problem happens all over again. i read from a mechanic that worked for chevy in the past, that they politely ignore complaints regarding this passlock and security problem. i guess no one will take it seriously until people start to get injured or even killed like toyota drivers. must we wait for the death toll to rise before the government steps in to act??? policemen drive these cars although there slowly being phased out with the newer models. a policeman that cannot get to the scene of a crime on time because his car wouldn't start. i guess that's the headline were waiting for before chevy or the government decides to do something about the passlock problem that countless americans are having and gm doesn't want to fix. this is why i will never buy another american car because the parts are cheap and gm could care less. the time to act is before major incidents happen, before people lose their lives, before 5 car pile ups on the highway, before an emergency that gm drivers cannot get to because there car will not start. not after!!! that's toyota's problem now. advice for gm and the u.s. government - get it together!!! *tr

Security light comes on, doors lock and will not open manually or electrically. car will not start. service engine soon, brakes, door ajar, lights also come on. red light on stereo flashes, headlamps flash. after waiting 20-30 minutes car will restart. happens often and intermittently. replaced battery. *tr

My car leaves me stranded for hours before it starts. passlock/passkey ii is the worst thing chevy ever created. while driving the gauges go off and on; and the car shuts the fuel off. being said my sister used my car one day and the fuel shut off, the car died, and she was rear ended. thankfully it was a bump and she wasn't seriously injured. i'm always late for work and i have replaced the bcm, ignition switch, and tumbler. nothing is resolved. i've been home stranded for a week, which has caused me to miss school. due to the lack of money i am forced to withdraw from college and this is my senior year which throws my out of my internship. chevy needs to recall this "passlock" feature and reimburse all of the people they have swindled. this is there fault and we, the consumers, should not have to pay for it. this feature allows owners to not be able to use their vehicles, and a professional thief can steal the car. research shows that thousands of consumers are having this problem and still nothing has been done, and frankly, i do not think anything ever will be. i for one will never purchase a chevy again. *tr

2002 chevy impala. the turn signals often fail to activate, creating a road hazard. apparently a common problem on that time period impalas. suspected a faulty multi-function switch. *tr

You put the key in the ignition and it doesnt turn. the steering wheel is free there is nothing else wrong. you have to sit there forever moving the key in every which way. to hopefully find the right combination to get the car to start.

I have a 2002 chevy impala and quite often the car will not start and displays the security light but after leaving the key in the on position and pressing the lock button on the vehicle the car will start 10 minutes later. i had to take my daughter to the er because of a bad cut on her finger which was bleeding profusely and we got in the car and it wouldn't start. after pressing the lock button and leaving the key in the on position for 15 minutes it finally started. it does this all the time at least 10 times per week. thank god my kids weren't dying or something or thank heavens it wasn't an emergency situation when the car wouldn't start. but i have looked at numerous websites and it seems that the 2002 chevy impalas have this problem and it needs to be recalled the owners should not have to pay for the parts!! *tr