Problems with 2002 Chevrolet Impala ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

Tl*the contact owns a 2002 chevrolet impala. the contact was unable to start the engine after several attempts. the vehicle finally started fifteen minutes later. suddenly, the security warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel. the failures occurred sporadically and without warning. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the failure was related to the passlock sensor. the vehicle has not been repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 150,000 and current mileage was 170,000.

2002 chevrolet impala i have a 50 / 50 chance of getting this junk to start. i have talked to the dealer and all they want to do is replace the bcm and the ignition, but judging from the other complaints on this model why spend the money if it is not going to fix the problem. some one some where must know how to fix it, it can't be that difficult. what i have been doing to get it started is leave the key on the on position for a full ten minutes until the security light stops flashing 3 times. if you try and start it to soon you have to wait another ten minutes, the great part about all this is gm wants the government to bail them out because they are loosing money, i wish gm would help bail me out of this piece of junk, i'm losing money trying to keep this thing going. *tr

Started experiencing engine pulling/hesitation, then my engine would idle at 2,000 rpms and increase to 3,000. come to find that there is a hole in the intake manifold not knowing why. i only had the car for 4 months and put a little over 7,000 miles on it. *jb

Had intake gasket replaced in feb. of 2006 for coolant leaking into engine oil, because of said gasket failing (77,000 approx. mi.) noticed coolant level dropping again in jan. 2007 (85,000 mi.) found white/brown sludge in oil again!apparently the problem is back and i am told it will keep coming back until gm corp. comes up with a permanent fix. why are they not concerned about this? i can't afford to keep on fixing this problem that has no end in sight. i like my car but if gm won't address obvious design flaws i'll have to buy from somebody else. *jb

Cooling system leak low coolant warning--intake gasket replaced at 25,461 miles (august 2002) low coolant warning--water pump and intake gasket replaced at 60,045 miles again. *jb

At 89,000 miles i noticed that my engine coolant light was on. i filled the coolant. the light continued to come on and i filled it a few more times, but could not pinpoint the leak. then one night the engine started to make noises and i pulled off the road to check the coolant. i filled it and waited until the car cooled. i started the engine and drove about a quarter mile and the car shut down. when i towed it to a garage i learned that the head gaskets were leaking water into the engine. the engine had to be replaced. since the warranty expired i paid the garage to put in a used motor. it cost me over $1300. i never thought to contact chevy since the warranty expired. now, because of my internet research, i know this is a common problem. unfortunately for me i also bought a second chevy in 2002. wouldn't you know it - my 2002 chevy malibu had the same symptoms at 62,000 miles. i was lucky enough to get by with replacing the head gasket. the same garage gave me a price break and fixed it for $252.00. boo to chevy. *nm

I have a 2002 impala. i experienced a coolant leak for several months. i took it to the dealer who told me they needed to replace the intake manifold gasket. this can result, among other things, engine seizure, blowing a rod, etc. i believe this is referred to in service bulletin number: 070803 and nhtsa item number: 10003814 per records found on this site. after calling chevrolet's 800 number, i was told there was a recall associated with this for my vin, but they only offered it for 2 years, from 07/03 - 07/05. since i purchased this vehicle used, i was not sent a recall notice and now it appears i have to pay the rather expensive repair bill.

Purchased a 2002 chevrolet impala used at a local chevy dealer. the coolant light has been on for a month, but i could not find any leaks, the dealer tells me it is the lower intake gasket and the cost is ($1000). he also mentioned that this is a common problem in that the gasket is now plastic, whereas previously was made of metal. he also stated that the replacement part is also plastic and indicated that this will probably need to be replaced in the future. there is no better proof of planned obsolescence. as i am doing my research, i find that this problem is very common. the service manager even said they he is surprised that there has not been a recall. thx, gek. *nm

My 2002 impala has just 70k miles. the low coolant light came on and over heated several times. the mechanic says that it is a intake gasket that needs to be replaced and that this problem is not unusual with the dextron coolant that gm uses. i have heard of this problem from many mechanics and it seems that gm is aware of the problem and needs to fix this very expensive repair. my failure happened when my family was stranded on the side of the road because of no coolant in the engine. *jb

Only 78000 miles on my 2002 impala when the coolant light comes on. nearly $1000.00 later they told me i needed a new water pump, intake manifold gasket, belt, radiator cap, thermostat and of course an oil change. all of this because the coolant gm requires is corrosive and causes the above items to deteriorate. how long will the replacements last? not sure i want to find out. *nm

Engine coolant leak at the intake manifold, or at the lower intake manifold to lower intake manifold gasket. this condition may result in a low engine coolant level or coolant pooling on manifold. same problem as noted in tsb#03034(nhtsa id#10003430, july 01, 2003) this problem is present in my impala that has been well serviced every 5k miles and suddenly presented at 96k miles. *jb

I own a chevrolet, impala - 2002. in the beginning of april i was on my way to work and when i attempted to pull out into a busy four-lane highway as i hit the gas pedal to accelerate the car felt sluggish as though it were not getting enough gas or not shifting into gear. that evening i stooped to fill up the gas tank and upon leaving i was climbing a hill and the car acted up again and made a different sound and again acted as though it were not shifting into gear or not getting enough fuel and the security light (not service engine) came on and stayed on. i immediately phoned my husband and he made arrangements to take it to the dealership (john serretti). we have maintained this vehicle faithfully since we purchased it oil changes, tires rotated etc. all performed at john seretti's every 3/4 months. after reviewing all paperwork received at home for the impala my husband came across a letter from general motors mailed in october 2005 stating that some vehicles were experiencing loss of power due to the catalytic converter and if we did indeed have any issues with this to take to the dealer and they would replace it, but if not, nothing needed to be done and this letter was not a recall. the dealer performed a diagnostic test ($90) and found that indeed the catalytic converted was clogged and supposedly caused the spark plugs wire to arc and melt which all had to be replaced at our expense (almost $600). my husband has talked to several mechanics in reference to this and they all agree this could have been a potentially dangerous situation possibly causing the vehicle to catch on fire. gm did cover part of the repairs but in my opinion they should have covered them all because the converter was defective and if carbon had built up to that extent to cause all of this damage and leading me and other mechanics to believe it could very well have started a fire, why wasn't it discovered at the previous inspection-oil change? *jb

Purchased a 2002 chevrolet impala used at a local chevy dealer, in less than 8 months i have come across two problems. one, the turn signal starts acting up and affects the system and they tell me it is the multifunction switch ($400.00) and the second, i noticed i had to constantly add coolant/water to the radiator but could not find any leaks, the dealer tells me it is the lower intake gasket and the cost is ($1000). as i am doing my research to find a more reasonable cost to which i can accommodate, i find that these problems are too common in the version of the motors/style of vehicles. so far, that even two of the shops i have taken the vehicle for an estimate have said they are surprised that there has not been a recall, especially in the lower intake problem. where can i turn to, to try to get help and make sure these manufacturers take care of these issues that are very costly and as you can see, in less than 3 to 4 years, the consumer has to pay for them. thank you!! *nm

Low engine coolant light went on. had it checked out. local mechanic said that oil was getting into the radiator, possible intake manifold or head gasket problem. went to chevy dealer explained the situation and he stated it was very common problem with 2002 impala. he diagnostic the problem as the intake manifold gasket, cost to repair $1000. i phone another chevy dealer cost $800, local mechanic $600. cost of the parts at autozone less than $75 amount of labor time should be 3-5 hours. chevy dealers 8 + hours. all this because gm uses bad antifreeze. gm caused the problem they need to step up and provide assistance to impala owners. needless to say this will be my last gm product. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving there is a smell of antifreeze. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop; the problem was determined to be a leaking intake manifold gasket. the vehicle has not been to the dealership nor has the manufacturer been alerted.

In january 2006 my 2002 impala loss power. i was going up a very small hill and i didn't think i was going to make it up. i took my car to my local mom and pop's garage and they put it on the computer. it showed that the catalytic converter was bad eventhough the check engine light did not come on. i had them replace not knowing that the car was still under warranty for emissions and they didn't use a gm part. a few months later, the check engine light did come on. again it showed the catalytic converter as the problem. the service technician said he had never had any problems with putting a non-dealer part on a car before but did replace the converter once again with a non-gm part in case the first one happened to be a bad part. a couple of months later the check engine light is back on. took it to the dealership and the catalytic converter shows as well as the transmission. of course, they wouldn't make good on the catalytic converter by this time because it was out of warranty and it wasn't the original gm part. i was told that it would cost $775 just for them to look at the transmission. i cannot afford this and just brought the car home. i'm still driving it but it's worse and worse every day. i wouldn't trust driving this car very far. i've read many complaints on the catalytic converter & the transmission that you would think gm would have to step up and do something. at this point i would never purchase another gm vehicle and my husband is diehard gm. i've taken very good care of this car hoping that it would last until my daughter starts driving and i could hand it trustingly down to her but that's not going to be the case. my husband doesn't take care of his trucks like i would and he still has a 1995 that runs good.

Mis-diagnosis and willful negligence vehicle was brought in for diagnosis of engine knocking and loss of power upon acceleration at highway speeds. dealership diagnosed a clogged catalytic converter, however, the symptoms returned within 15 days. now the dealership says that the engine is damaged and must be replaced at a cost of $5,000. the vehicle was only purchased 6 weeks ago at a cost of $12,000. the first repair was made under warranty, however, now the vehicle is beyond warranty. *jb

2002 chevrolet impala, 72k miles, poor acceleration, over-heating of catalytic converter. fire is possible. no announced recall, however a service recall was issued and warranty extended due to faulty converter. dealership will not announce recall, unless a problem occurs. *nm

1. low coolant light was continually on, and it did require coolant at the time, but there was no indication what was happening to the coolant - after 2 weeks of smelling antifreeze within the vehicle, it was then discovered that the coolant was leaking around the lower intake manifold gasket near the bolts and then this led to the replacement of the gasket itself..it took 8.5 hours of labor and the cost of the new gasket to correct the problem. 2. there is a loud clunking noise in the front end of the vehicle when turning the vehicle at slow speeds...apparently it is the intermediate steering shaft and has been identified by the chevrolet dealer but will not fix the problem for us...they say that there is no recall for this problem, but admit that they have numerous complaints about this and that they have tried to get chevrolet to recall the vehicle because of the complaints from their customers. both problems that i have listed are a continual problem for many impala owners and i feel as though since they have issued numerous service bulletins to their dealers about both of my complaints, that they are aware of the problems but still refuse to correct them for the consumer. as a consumer i feel as though gm should be investigated and made to fix these problems for all of us 2002 impala owners. *nm

Around 58k miles the low coolant light came on and i was informed that there is a slight leak around the intake manifold gasket. this was a common problem due to the dex-cool antifreeze that is used. i have contacted the dealer and they won't do anything for me, and the cost would be around $700 to repair. i've been nursing this issue for several months as the leak was slight, however now it is greater and must be dealt with. i have gotten nowhere with the dealers and will have to repair it and bear the cost. *nm

8-10-2005 i bought it used mileage was 91186 7-5-2006 took it into the shop they replaced intake/vc/head/gasketsflushed radiator replaced h2o pump/thermostat coolant oil change resurface heads covered by guardian warranty over $1700.00 dollars 2/2008 it started all over low coolant light it would get hot brownish looking water replaced radiator/hoses/waterpump/coolantsenser /thermotstat/flushed coolant system but it stillwould get hot/but if you turn on the heater on hot but it would never blow out hot air it was cold only it smell as if theirs coolant seeping into the motor oil my mileage at the first repair was 102100 my mileage as of to day139297 as it sit in drive way i still have payments of 300.00amonth im paying for 11more months and cant even drive it not even a1/2mile to work i been told its affect in the closed coolingsystem and dex cool it internal and i cant afford the repair or the payment but im stuck with them. *tr

2002 chevrolet impala experienced a problem with stalling and misfiring.***no answer required***. *mr this was an intermittent problem. a hole burnt through the upper intake manifold, resulting in excessive amounts of air to enter the system. the clogged converter was the source of the problem which allowed excessive back pressure to build up in the system and gases that were much hotter than normal entered the manifold. *sc

Dt: engine started to spit and sputter. it got worse. caller changed fuel filter because the dealer said it might be the problem. while driving the vehicle the car ran fast and tried to take off, and she had to slam the brakes hard, and hold them to t stop car. dealer said a hole was burned into the manifold, and when they did a diagnostic test, they said a misfire code came up. problem was with catalytic converter being plugged. dealer fixed the burned intake manifold before they found that the problem was catalytic converter. that was the only thing wrong with it. *ak

Bought chev impala 2002 brand new, no miles. 2005 began experiencing cooling system problems-running hot etc. replaced radiator, flushed system, replaced thermostat, etc. etc. several times, body control units- lights and locks going crazy, hub assembly/tracking system problems- sounds and pulsating when try to brake or turn, high beam light won't stay on to this date. experiencing smoke from hood-may be a leak which seems to be acommon complaint but dealer put dye in and said they don't detect a leak. no air-freon replaced several times. *cn

P102 mass air flow sensor failure, causing check engine light to remain in a steady on condition. vehicle would fail emissions test with check engine light on, but dealer says this condition not covered by emissions warranty even though the owner's manual clearly states this condition is a emissions system malfunction.*ak

The first thing is that i had to replace the head gasket two time now it is leaking again into the water reservoir then i had two replace the main control ( bcm ) and ( pcm ) by the dealership ha to replace the starter and the water pump had to re place two window motor and two window electronic switch that control each window there a lot more but this are the more importance ones it would be okay if i got this car used but i paid for a new car so i would not have this kind of breakdowns does gm stand behind there car or what !!!!!!!! *tr

The check engine and the abs braking light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. driver took vehicle to the dealer for inspection, but mechanic could not duplicate the problem. driver informed the mechanic that this problem has happened on more than one occasion and had not been resolved. *ak

2002 chevy impala 3.4l 84,000+ miles low coolant light comes on. leaking antifreeze but not sure where. continually having to add antifreeze to overflow to maintain level. car smells like burning antifreeze after being driven. numerous complaints found online at car forums with other consumers having the same trouble. contents in radiator and overflow is thick, oily-like substance. so far, while checking oil, it is ok. not milky or cloudy. numerous reasons why vehicle has coolant problems. one theory is dexcool causes the sludge. another theory is faulty intake valve & gasket. main theory is problem originates from intake valve (gasket) and dominos. *tr

Intake/head gasket failure. leaking coolant is due to a known defective gasket. in fact a class action lawsuit has been filed but is insufficient to repay cost of repair. this should be considered a recall item. it is well documented among web-based automotive complaint forums that this is a problem most if not all owners experience....2002 chevrolet impala..... *tr

My 2002 chevrolet impala suffered a breakdown of the antifreeze that turned into a thick brown substance. this caused the vehicle to overheat and gm did have the coolant flushed. two weeks later the lifter began to rattle when the vehicle was first started. when i took the vehicle back to the dealer, i was told that a seal was leaking coolant into the oil. i was assurred that this was not related to the original problem and was not covered. the repairs will cost over 760.00. i called gm customer service and after waiting all day, the response was that the service manager was not there, but the problem could not have been caused by the first problem. the coolant turned into a thick brown gritty substance that would have been like sandpaper going through the engine and they claim that it could not have caused the seal to fail. it is obvious that general motors refuses to stand up for obvious failure and defective equipment. they refuse to stand up for the repairs. this coolant according to gm is supposed to last at least 100,000 miles and it does hold up as they state. they should admit the problem and make the proper repairs to customers vehicles.

At just under 60,000 miles, low coolant light comes on. dealer says it's leaking coolant at 2 places: at lower intake and at water pump. cost to repair: $600 to $850, depending on repair facility. if there was a recall on this, i did not receive.*ak

Engine coolant has turned brown and clogged up the cooling system. i have been told this is a problem with the type of coolant being used in new vehicles. i have been refered to have my engine flushed and that gm will not stand up for the repairs.

Engine stalls, remoteless key entry doesn't work, coolant leaking. *ak

Consumer noticed that every week, he had to fill the coolant reservoir. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, and mechanic determined that intake manifold cracked and coolant spilled inside the engine. *ak *jb

Catalytic converter clogged on 2002 vehicle. the engine was calibrated to run too lean making the exhaust gases too hot, leading to premature failure. noticed gradual power loss since 50,000 miles but thought it was air filter. engine light still did turn on. took in for service and was told it was ok for warranty. *nm

While driving, the vehicle overheated and smoke emitted from the front of the vehicle. the consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic determinedthat the intake manifold gaskte had failed. *ak *jb

Loud "thumping" noise coming from lower engine area. echanic diagnosed problem. fly wheel disinegrated. poorly manufactured part. *ak one month later "low coolant" engine light came on. mechanic diagnosed problem as bad intake valve seal. poor quality gm part. both parts replaced and repaired as recommended.

Two months after i bought the car both my headlights fogged over. they cost $250 a piece to replace (have not yet replaced). about a month later a computer chip that controlled my lights, locks, windows, interior lights, and stereo went bad and that cost $353 to replace. soon after that i noticed that my car felt like it moved back and forth when i drove it, and the steering wheel was very loose when i turned. i didn't think it was a very big deal but took it into the shop to have it looked at. i took it in and found out that i was missing 2 bearings on my suspension which put pressure on my drive shaft(not sure about actual terminology here not sure if it was drive shaft or steering column) causing my rack and pinion to go bad. that cost $1100 to fix. so now i am $1453 into having my car repaired for things that should never have gone bad in the first place. today (may 9th 2005) i found out that my intake manifold has gone bad and i can smell burning antifreeze when i drive, and my coolant sensor is bad. to fix those two things is going to cost me $840. i should also mention that i have checked this car out on carfax.com there was only one previous owner and nothing signifigant as how it was treated. i purchased this car at 34,000 miles and it now has 53,000 miles. this car has been nothing but problems since i bought almost 2yrs ago. i have called gm customer service 3 times now, and each time i am given the same answer "i am sorry ms.... there is nothing we can do for you at this time...". gm needs to get their act together and start making cars that are worth what they sell them for. had i known how gm made vehicles with bad parts and refuse to back them up, i would never have bought the vehicle that now sits in my garage.

2002 chevy impala ls car stalls at highway speeds, often after hitting large bump, resulting loss of power brakes and power steering is dangerous. full text of correspondence with gm, postings on line and search of tsb is available. *nm

At approximately 50,000 miles i had been told that my car had a minor antifreeze leak at the lower intake. now at 130,000 miles it has turned into a major problem that will require at least 600 dollars in repair costs. i have been told that alot of impalas do this. have not resolved the issue yet, nor received a recall notice.

Intake manafold leak

Intake manafold leak

While driving at 45 mph vehicle suddenly accelerated. consumer was able to control the vehicle and pulled over. drove vehicle to the dealer for analysis. the mechanic noticed that the catalytic converter was clogged. this problem caused the catalytic converter to be replaced.*ak

Consumer smelled anti freeze on the outside of the vehicle when the weather became cold. this was due to the intake manifold leaking anti freeze. *ak

Catalytic converter clogged on 2002 vehicle. the engine was calibrated to run too lean making the exhaust gases too hot, leading to premature failure. noticed gradual power loss since 60,000 miles but thought it was air filter. finally, i could not get up to highway speeds at 85,000 miles, but the engine light still did not turn on. took in for service and was told it was out of warranty. *la

2002 chevrolet impala, coolant light has been on for 2 years. took it to a dealership when it first came on, only to be informed that it was a "corrosion problem" which was not covered by my bumper to bumper warantee. now i discovered that gm's choice of dex-cool antifreeze is very well known to cause corrosion problems, and there are a myriad of consumer complaints about dex-cool destroying head and intake gaskets as well! i expect gm to make good on a problem that they themselves caused, instead of their to-date snively policy of passing the buck back to the consumer. (in short, if this issue is not resolved to my satisfaction in a timely manner, i will never buy a gm product ever again!)

In 2002 i purchased a impala ls with 3.8 engine. cass # chv0350387 ---08/15/03---as stated prior--consumer wants the manufacturer to repair the vehicle correctly. i feel that the repair that is been done on the vehicle is not correct and in a matter of time the problem will recur again. referring to the above stated paragraph the problem has occurred with the vehicle with less than 60k. the vehicle is loosing antifreeze at a consistent rate and is needing repairs immediately. if repairs are not done then the vehicle will become a driving hazard to both passenger and fellow users of the highway. the recall was a defect management repair and wasn't completed in a quality and professional manner. this vehicle needs immediately attention to resolve the injury liability of all concerned. it was and is still the responsibility of gm to make this right. it should not fall to the customer to make the costly needed repairs now. when it was assembled and sold to the customer. this matter should definitely be researched to confirm the problems which could be somewhat different but originated from the same recall. *tr

Dt: within 6 months after purchase the new vehicle stalled with no notice at stop light. after letting it sit for several hours it will then start. sometimes it will not start even after sitting overnight. the dealer replaced the mass air flow pressure sensor several times.*ak

i wanted him to check my driver side back door because it wouldn't open very easily at times, and the window to that same door would not open at times. also, my trunk wouldn't open when one would use the trunk release button at times. i also had him check my dimming headlights, my steering which had a jerk in it when i went around curves, clicking sound in engine and an over all check since my warranty is about to run out in 1,000 miles. turn out-after leaving the dealer my air conditioner was humming like a helicopter, my brakes were horrible and grinding and the car feels like it has no get up and go power. i took my car to brake check after leaving because when the dealer did the overall check of my car they said i needed a front brake job. and they wanted to charge me over 200.00 dollars. the dealer told me it was not covered under my warranty. well brake check took off all four tires and found that my problem was due to left and right caliper problems on the inboard side and left rear hard wear problems and wear on the outboard side. the caliper is engaging but not disengaging and caused my pads to wear out and my rotors are ate up. the pads are not worn evenly which is definitely a sign of caliper problems. also, the dealer upon the overall inspection of my car said that my intake gaskets were ruined and leaking coolant. they said they replaced them, however i am afraid that there is further damage to my vehicle that they are not telling me, just like my brakes. due to the fact that steve at lone star told me that it was caused due to lack of oils changes and gil said it was a problem with the gaskets being improperly seated from the factory or just a defect in the gasket. well is this why my car has no get up anymore? my car also made a grinding sound when hitting bumps under the right front fender area that nothing was done about and my headlight problem they said was due to a faulty battery cable. *nlm

The vehicle's gas tank would not fill because air had gotten in the tank. the dealer has been notified. *nlm one must hold the gas nozzle away from the filler tube and restrict the flow. the tire and fuel system/tank/injectors were replaced. there was a rattle sound coming from the engine due to the injectors the vehicle would stall. after the engine is hot, the next time the vehicle would turn over but no start and run rough. the fuel gauge fluctuated(not giving actual amount). the solenoid was replaced due to hanging by the hose retainer. scc