Problems with 2002 Chevrolet Impala ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The problem is with a 2002 chevy impala. the problem with the car is the passive lock 2 system.. this system locks the car out and keeps it from starting for any where to 15-30 mins at a time. this is a very unsafe thing for me i am a security officer and find myself in areas that i need to get out of and can't because of the car not start do to the failing of this system this is a on going problem with alot of gm made cars from the years 1999-2004 i have done alot of research with repair shops in my area and out of the area. everyone of this place i have called or been to has told me the same thing and that is they get at lest one gm made car with in these years once a month. the problem is a fault in the pass2 system the only way to fix this problem is to take it to a gm dealer or a auto election to fix this and the cost of this is over $500.00 . chevy refuses to do a recall on their problem with this car. and other cars. *tr

Car starts intermittently, at first once every month or so and then got progressively worst. this problem has been occurring over any an extended period of time (9-15 months, maybe longer). used an independent mechanic the majority of the time (3-5 visits) was never able to identify the problem. however, the independent mechanic was reasonable in his charges. since 10/23/09 started using a gm dealer (a big mistake). they have changed the body control module and replaced the ignition cylinder with passlock sensor. cost approaching $1k and still the same problem though with less frequency (about three times since 11/10/09). contacted gm for assistance and due to mileage (about 130k) they are unwilling to help. only buy a gm product if you don't plan to put much mileage on it. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the head lights and the instrument panel lamps failed. the failure recurred sporadically. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer and the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 159,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the turn signals and hazard lights were inoperative. she installed a new fuse, but that did not remedy the failure. the manufacturer nor the dealer was notified. the current and failure mileages were 97,624.

2002 chevrolet impala ls 60,000 miles leaves wife stranded due to some security device that does not allow the vehicle to start , no warning signs other than a security light that is displayed for no apparent reason while driving. i have researched online and it seems as though this is a common problem with these cars. the repairs are expensive and don't seem to be a reliable fix this is a safety issue to me. gm should fix it, as it is a obvious design flaw. *tr

My 2002 impala wont start everyday i have to get a boost it makes me late for work i go to crank it just click click with all the interior light blinking that's not safe being a father of 2 and running the risk of car not starting after sitting for 2 hours. *tr

My 2002 chevy impala has a random issue with starting and has left me stranded several times. one time the car quit running while driving leaving me with no power steering or brakes going down the highway! then would not start again for about 15 minutes. on the internet i see where there are thousands of ignition switch complaints on this and several other gm models. this is obviously a gm issue that they have failed to address. leaving someone stranded or even worse stalling while driving is a safety issue. i live in ohio where it can easily get below zero in the winter if my car leaves me stranded, it could be very dangerous. *tr

The passlock prevents the car from starting. this happens approx. 4 or 5 times a month. you put the key in to start and the car does not start. you have to wait 10 minutes usually, sometimes 20 sometimes 30. very dangerous if you have an emergency and need to start you car right away instead of waiting to start. you may die or something of that nature. very scary when you are in the car alone and it won't start. will never by a gm car again! *tr

I have a 2002 chevrolet impala whereas i believe the passlock ignition is defective. after searching the internet, i have found that there are numerous complaints about the car not starting. the failure occurs when trying to start the car by turning the key. nothing has been do to correct this failure. *tr

Several chevrolet vehicles in the 2002 range (including my 2002 impala) have a design defect in the body control module that causes a failure in the passlock security system. the failure is intermittent and unpredictable, but causes the car to either not start, or stop running. once the bcm fails, the computer must be restarted to start the car- this means sitting in the car for 8-11 minutes waiting for the security light to go off; regardless of whether it's 110 degrees out, or 10 below. the problem is widely reported on auto forums, so there is no way chevy doesn't know about it. there are even companies willing to bypass the security system (by cutting a wire from the bcm, and routing a wire from another source with an appropriate resistor) to eliminate the problem. a dealer will replace the bcm, but the replacement is the same design as the original, and is just as likely to fail (not to mention running $500-$800). *tr

Air bag light has been diagnostic by, authorized chevy dealer, as needing to be replaced. estimated cost of the part $703.00 plus tax and shipping. this is a part that should last the life of the vehicle ,especially at that price. i was told, there is recalls in reference the safety air bag system for 2002 chevy impala's .was this part included in the recall ? if not, this part should be, or at least made available to the end customer at the manufacturers cost. i am a continues general motors customer since 1987. this 2002 impala has given me electrical problems since i purchased it. i am at the point of looking at different product lines. i am very interested in gm response to this . *tr

1999-2004 impalas have a problem, trac off, service traction system and abs lights go on. this deactivates the anti-brake system and can be very dangerous when driving on a slick road. also without traction control your car will not accelerate, turn or brake and will skid. what happens is gm used cheap wiring or cut too short and these wires corrode. this problem is an easy fix, gm is aware of these problems but refuses to do anything about them. it would be an easy fix but the only thing about that though is that you cant just replace the wires, the wires are sealed in the hub assembly, so you have to replace the entire hub assembly. also there is a problem with the passlock feature, passlock was created to prevent thieves from stealing your car, not to prevent you from driving it.passlock can cause the vehicle to lose power while driving on the highway and may stall. that in itself is a major problem. i suggest you force gm to do a recall before people die because of negligence. and if they refuse to comply, just slap them with a major lawsuit. *tr

2002 chevy impala ls on many different occasions will not start. i have been researching the problem online since i have sent my car to my mechanic twice for this issue, and he has no idea how to address the problem. i've found hundreds of other impala owners who have had the same thing happen to them, and many cannot understand why a recall has never happened. on this link, there are over 150 similar complaints listed of over 2002 impala owners. please make gm have a recall for this recurring problem that has also been a safety issue since some impala owners have been stranded in bad weather conditions: http://www.carcomplaints.com/chevrolet/impala/2002/electrical/passlock_problem_wont_start_and_security_light_is_on.shtml please take the time to look into this issue on 2002 impalas. thank you for your time. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. on july 20, 2009, the vehicle failed to start. the contact had to wait ten minutes before the vehicle would restart. the vehicle has not yet been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. she believes that this is a safety defect due to a faulty security system. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 78,000.

2002 chevy impala 7 times in 3 years i had security light issues with this vehicle leaving me stranded i had paid to have this vehicle until i through a fit in december of 2007 gm honored it because the part they put in was faulty. here it is a year and a half later and i have the same security issue this time it cost me 510 bucks and some change. the car has 50 thousand miles. i will never buy another chevy period. since i have been doing many searches on this issue and now see that i am not the only one with the same issue. *tr

I have a 2002 chevy impala and i have been having problems with my bcm (body control module). sometimes when i start it up it will not let me start it up because that security system comes on. it also failed in general yesterday which i figured this out because i had unplugged my bcm and reconnected it and my car started up just fine. i went to the dealership to find out if it could possibly be that because i am not gm certified. but like any other place they gave me the run around and told me it can be something else and something else but i'm pretty sure its this. i have done my research online and most people have problems with there bcm, once they change it the problems go away. i believe gm should fix this problem for free because its something that only happens on chevy's. i know this because i owned a 2001 chevy malibu and it used to do the same thing. this also has happened to me more then ten times in the past four months and its ridiculous. now i go to see if i can get it fixed and they also told me that if they program it and its not that my money is not refundable and i'm stuck with a car that doesn't work and i loose out around 300-400 dollars. *tr

My 02 chevy impala has issues with the starting system. i have no know electrical problems with this car except sometimes it will not start and hours of trying to start the car it starts. i even tried to short out my starter and that didn't work. it was in the middle of the summer and my infant child got very hot waiting on me to start the car. *ln

My 2002 chevrolet impala's security light came on and all of the sudden my car started losing power while driving. lights flickered and a strange clicking noise occurred. sometimes vehicle won't start. *tr

My 3.8 is under recall but apparently dealership can't get oil leak repair parts. the leak is all over the starter now and usually it doesn't work. i need to get this taken care of. can i get a refund if independent does the work?

I purchased a 2002 chevy impala ls in november of 2008. the security passlock system begin acting faulty in may of 2008,faulty as in the car won't start if it's too hot outside, when u turn the ignition in the on position you hear sparks and static from the wiring when the security light is on. you have to basically perform magic to get the car to start. and the could take up too 4 hours of sitting wherever you are. gm is practically aware of this very irritating and costly problem and should be held liable. *tr

I have a 2002 impala. the problem is with the electrical system. specifically, the security light comes on, the door lock fuse blows, clicking noises from the passenger side fuse panel, and on multiple occasions the starter will not turn when the key is placed in the "start" position. this issue can easily be found elsewhere on the internet. we have had this car since sept 2003. no issues until the last 7 months. the problem has become more frequent and sometimes disconnecting and reconnecting the battery several times fixes the problem. it is a very frustrating experience having to "reboot" the bcm by disconnecting and reconnecting the battery all of the time. my concern is eventually the electrical system will completely fail or worse cause an electrical fire. others who are dealing with the same issue are spending hundreds of dollars in parts replacements only to have the problem return a couple of weeks later. this "security" problem has to somehow qualify as a recall with chevrolet/gm. currently, i am still able to manipulate the electrical system in order to get the car to start. i'm really not looking forward to taking the car to the dealership and be charged enormous fees for parts and labor knowing that this problem will return later on like others have experienced. please find a way to force gm to do a recall on this problem. *tr

Passlock system failure on 2002 chevrolet impala ls. my wife became stranded late at night due to the passlock system failure, vehicle would not start. it took almost 30 minutes to eventually get the car to start and it is now happening more frequently. an internet search turned out literally hundreds of complaints about the problem. *tr

I own a 2002 chevrolet impala that has only 38,000 miles on it. in the last ten days this car has cost me $1,100.00. the majority of this cost was because of the passlock system. i had no choice but to get this repaired because the car could have stopped running at any time. it appears from what i have read recently that this auto and others like it should have been recalled long ago because of these security systems that seem to go out quite frequently. i cannot give an accurate incident date since this has been happening on and off for over two months - i have finally been able to borrow the money to get it fixed. *tr

Passlock sensor issues. sometimes it just won't start and then i wait the 8-10 minutes for it to reset and then it will start. been told by the chevy dealer that it will be about 800.00 to fix it. i am also having problems with the sensor in the abs wheels going out. *tr

Car does not reliably start. my wife has been stranded with our daughter while waiting for the car to start. gas gauge does not work, turn signals go out without warning. there is no way to tell when or where this problem will occur. am fearful of my wife being stranded in a bad area while waiting for the car to start. has been happening for approx. 2 yrs. *tr

2002 chevy impala 3.8l purchased used in dec. 2004 w/ 65,000 miles. where to begin... flooding in floorboards due to clog underneath windshield, three sets of rotors/brakes, clunky noise in steering shaft (replaced twice by dealership) still having same problem, catalytic converter replaced after dealership tried to charge me nearly $1000 to replace; covered by gm as harry green chevrolet was 'unaware' of replacement policy?!? new struts, numerous alignments/balances b/c vehicle still shakes and shimmys at 60-65 mph; must drive about 75-80 mph just to keep this to a minimum! bcm replaced twice by dealer, security issues won't allow car to start for 15 mins. each time, which is very inconvenient. sooo many problems and complaints with these 'quality' gm vehicles, and yet they do nothing to resolve them, except hold out their hands wanting more $$$ from american taxpayers to keep on making junk! and now the newest of a long line of recalls/problems is that there is a fire hazard for leaking oil on the manifold! all of these vehicles need to be recalled due to the numerous safety concerns and consumers are sick and tired of general motors obvious disregard for safety and reliability! *tr

I have a safety concern involving unresolveable issues with a 2002 impala ls. due to passlock, my car will randomly not start, thinking that i (the owner) am trying to steal the car. this is a safety issue being that i am a young, unmarried woman, who has to drive in and through rough neighborhoods to get to work and school. this issue could leave me and others stranded at location. and who knows what could happen from there, varying from murder to assault, etc. and if you know flint, saginaw, and detroit michigan, this is a huge issue. the car has been evaluated by three different mechanics, two dealerships, and there is no solution. aside from that issue, the car's traction control turns on at random, the abs brakes turn on, almost causing accidents. this is another issue that can't be resolved by any of the mechanics i've talked to. this is costing tons of money and gm has no solution. gm needs to issue a recall and have these issues fixed. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was unknown.

This is a pass-lock problem. randomly the pass-lock system on the 2002 chevy impala i own will not allow the car to start. i wait 15 minutes and the car starts. my understanding is that this is a common problem with the chevy impala and it causes me lots of problems. i am late for work, late picking up people, sometimes it happens when i run errands so i have to sit in the parking lot and wait for it to reset. a huge waste of my time. the reason why i am writing today is that it just happened this morning and i have finally reached the end of my rope. *tr

Having problems with passlock security system it has locked and will not let me start my car. *tr

Tried to start my car and i thought someone was after me. when i got in the car to start it, it wouldn't start. luckily no one was there. mechanic said that the tumbler in the key system is bad and that this is a very common problem for impalas. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that when she turns the ignition, it does not recognize the key. she has to wait 10-15 minutes to turn the ignition again before the vehicle starts normally. the failure has been occurring for approximately seven months. in addition, the headlights and instrument panel lights flicker while the vehicle is in motion. the security light also illuminates in the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic, who stated that the fuel pump needed to be repaired. the relay switches run through the fuel pump. two new relay switches were installed at the contact's expense. the dealer stated that there were not enough complaints to issue a recall for this issue. the failure mileage was 115,000 and current mileage was 126,651.

Turn signal turns off intermittently. work fine most of the time. i went as far as replacing all bulbs as well as the fuse. starts working a couple of months then starts failing again. seems to be an electrical problem. i've learned on the internet that this is a common problem. *tr

Intermittent passlock failure caused car not to start have to wait 20-30 minutes to start my car. *tr

2002 chevy impala. bought new. the speedometer and the fuel gage started to act erratically two years ago. the speedometer failed completely last year. it shows infinite speed for example while idling. no way to know how fast the car is going. thousands of people reporting the same problem on various internet blogs. the problem exists on all impala models, starting with 2001 and until present. some other gm cars have a similar problem. gm does not care. dealers charge up to $900 to replace an instrument cluster, and sometimes a speed sensors. many times they are guessing the problem and overcharge customers for trail and error diagnostic. the issue is a safety issue. people are getting speeding tickets for no fault of their own. car can overturn on sharp turns. the driver has only his gut feeling to guess how fast he is going. he can be to slow on a highway and pose risk to other drivers. gm is not concerned and won't fix this problem, unless a recall is forced on it. please safeguard the lives of drivers and force gm to do what is fair and just. they sold a defective product and should fix the problem immediately. thank you *tr

When driving at night and using the "high beams," they go out after awhile. nearly crashed until i could slow down enough to safely stop! by moving high/low beam lever, i was able to get headlights to come back on in the low beam position. in checking nhtsa web site, found this is a problem general motors is aware of but expects owners to pay for repair of poorly designed part. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the security system on the vehicle would lock up and the vehicle would not start as a result. the failure occurred at least once every week at any time. the contact would have to wait and keep attempting to start the vehicle; eventually, it would start. the battery, alternator and starter were replaced but the failure continued to occur. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was informed that the wiring system needed to be replaced. the vehicle had not been repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current mileage was approximately 127,000. the failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact attempted to exit his vehicle, but was locked inside the passenger compartment. the radio displayed "locked" and he could not exit the vehicle through the doors nor the windows because the electrical system failed. the representative at the dealer stated that he owned the same year, make, and model vehicle and had experienced the same failures. the dealer diagnosed the vehicle with an electrical system defect and repaired it at the estimated cost of over $1,400. the failure persisted and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. they replaced the key switch at the cost of $492.13 the failure mileage was 32,301 and current mileage was 32,328. updated 020209 *bf the windows would not roll down. updated 02/03/09. *jb several components within the electrical system were replaced and the security light illuminated twice. updated 02/20/09. *jb the consumer was informed an intermediate shaft was needed at a cost of $300.00. when the steering wheel was turned, it made strange noises as if it were about to break. updated 0423/10.*jb updated 04/29/10.*jb

1. casual use of vehicle appears to be the only variable leading up to the display of the security message and the car not starting. 2. my research suggest the etiology of the problem (car not starting and security message display) may be a malfunction of the passlock system, but failure can still occur once passlock is replaced. the car fails to start about once every two weeks and is unpredictable. this problem has occurred over the past two years, with the exception of a three month period over the summer of 2008 during which the car's body control module was replaced by a gm dealer. the consequences of the car failing to start include the driver missing work, being late to work, being stranded in 90 degree heat and in secluded areas. 3. a body control module was replaced in an attempt to correct the security message/passlock issue as well as an other issue (charging system failure). approximately three months later the car again would not start and the security message was displayed. ***while no injuries have yet occurred, the car not starting can leave the driver and passengers vulnerable to the elements and victimize (robbery, assault, rape, and murder). *tr

The passlock seems to be failing on my 2002 chevy impala..74,000 miles. when i attempt to start it, nothing happens, and i have to wait 10-20 minutes before i can start it again. this has happened 3 times since march 2008. *tr

On many occasions, car will not start after sitting for several minutes. this has happened since new and it has been in the shop many times to be fixed. lots of money spent and no resolution. leaves my elderly parents stranded and could result in major issue if in the wrong place. someone needs to address this issue - gm is not!!! *tr

I bought this car 4 years ago and i did not have problems till this happened, the car don't want to star in several times, im already pissed off and i don't really know what to do with it, cuz i know that nobody is going to buy it like that; i like the car but this is inoperable!!!! *tr

2002 chevrolet impala ls - security/passlock system problem - summer 2007 - took in to chevrolet dealer (since out of business - palm bay chevrolet in florida) because security light would come on at times, eventually disabling car for short periods of time. first repair, bcm replaced - same issue two months later - ignition cylinder replaced - two months later, security light would come on again. dealership out of business that did two original repairs for 1200.00 - today, security light was flashing and car would not start. looking online, this is a very common issue with impalas from 2000 - 2005 - why is there no recall? *tr

Car would not start changed passlock and still will not start. security light is on, radio is locked and the chevy dealership does not know what is wrong with it, they are guessing that is the bcm and the sdm but they cannot promise that it will work. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala ls. while waiting in a line, the contact turned off the vehicle and it would not restart. the vehicle had to be towed to a mechanic and they found no failures. the contact believes that the failure was due to the pass lock. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 50,000.

While driving at night on i127 highway, with my dim lights on and cars passing me, my dims go blank. nothing. i had to quickly pull over and make adjustments to find the problem. after about a dozen episodes of these i find that my bright lights would still operate. after i'd get home i would shut the engine off and wait a few minutes and restart the engine and my dims would come back on !!!!! i have cleaned the little signal switch on the front dash but they still go off at any time of the night. i have come close to a few accidents. please help ! i have talked with several mechanics and rookies but they were stumped. this is a safety issue and should be addressed. *tr

When the car starts, security light appears on dash, a/c malfunctions, trunk opens automatically, radio displays "locked out" message, lights flicker off and on, quick clicking sound on passenger side of dashboard. the car has a 50/50 chance of starting. *tr

On my 2002 chevy impala, the keyless entry remote doesn't work and car will not start after being driven all day and sitting for a few minutes. had to replace computer module just so that communication could be started. and had to replace ignition switch. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. at least once a week, whenever the contact attempts to start the vehicle, the security light illuminates on the instrument panel and the vehicle will not start. the vehicle loses total power. she has to disconnect the positive battery cable and then reconnect the cable. after she waits for it recharge itself, the vehicle will start immediately or two hours later. the dealer stated that the body control module needed to be replaced at the cost of $445. the failure mileage was 133,000. *updated 10/20/08 *bf updated 10/21/08. *jb

20002 chevrolet impala, frequently does not start about one in every ten tries. i have taken it to two different mechanics one said could find nothing the second time i left it at the garage for a week and a half before it wouldn't start for the mechanic. he checked the codes and they said it need a new ignition switch. i am reluctant to install a new switch because of all of the complaints with this year and model car and in many cases a new switch and computer did not correct the problem. *tr