Problems with 2004 Chevrolet Impala ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer began acting erratically at about 50,000 miles. i corrected the problem myself by sending the instrument cluster to an online vendor who replaced the motors in all five of the gauges. i did this after seeing many similar complaints online and researching the cost to fix. the worst alternative was to return the cluster to the manufacturer. *tr

The speedometer on my 2004 chevrolet impala goes crazy. after it has been run for more than an hour it will stick on your highest speed, not drop back to zero and show a speed from 10 to 100 mile more than the actual speed. very unsafe, when you do not know how fast you are going. *tr

Vehicle has been stalling intermittently at any speed. vehicle has stalled a total of ten times. the vehicle has been taken to the local mechanic shop five times and the dealership twice but no codes were found during testing. so far i have had new plugs/wires (tune-up), new coil pack, new ignition module and new crank sensor, and new fuel filter. the vehicle completely dies at any speed. told possibility of bad fuel pump but dealership cannot be 100% certain this will fix the problem. while driving at 70-75 miles an hour the car completely shuts down. it is a miracle i have not been severely hurt or killed. problems began in may 2007 and have been ongoing since then. *tr

Our speedometer quit working properly approx 4/1/07. contacted gm to see if there was a recall, there was not. speedometer is just stuck and points to the gear indicator in the dash. upon research, many gm '04 have this defect. my husband manages a retail food company and his fleet is supplied with gmc topkicks. the '04 trucks had the same problem. the company had to soak the cost of replacing all the "clusters" due to no recall. i think a defect which affects the safety of a dot certified driver should be recalled. *tr

The instrument cluster on the 2004 chevy impala goes out-of-control. it regristers speeds greater or less than the speed i am traveling. everything was working great and then all of a sudden it started going out-of-control. i was told that the entire instrument cluster needs to be replaced.*k

2004 chevrolet impala. consumer writes in regards to ignition switch recall. *tgw the consumer had the ignition lock cylinder replaced in march 2007. the consumer is seeking reimbursement. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet impala. while driving 65 mph with the cruise control activated, the speedometer dial dropped to 0 mph. the speedometer then began displaying inaccurate speeds. the vehicle was not diagnosed by the dealer. the current mileage was 52,203 and failure mileage was 30,000.

Speedometer acts like it freezes while driving. while driving recently the speedometer was stuck on 65 mph. after coming to a stop and starting again, speedometer started from this point and went to 120. i parked the car overnight and the speed was 65 mph. i turned the key on and off and it went down by 10 mph. i did this a few more times and it finally went back to 0. it registered correct after i drove it but it still acts like it is sticking or hesitating. my friend also has an impala and she stated that her speedometer on her car does not work sometimes either. *jb

I have a 2004 chevy impala. it now has 43,000 miles on it. we purchased it dec. 30, 2004. it only had 13 miles on it. over the past month it failed to start twice. i took it to the dealer and learned that the passlock sensor needs to be replaced at a cost of $475.00. after investigating the issue, i've learned that this has been a common failure in gm cars for many years. one would think that this type of failure should not be so common, and especially on such a young car. gm should be pressured into redoing this system. at $475.00 per car, they are making quite a bit of money to make these repairs. *jb

04 chevy impala with approx. 42,000+ mi. erratic speedometer reading. from time to time speedometer shows 20 to 30 mph over actual speed. cannot be sure of car's actual true speed. *nm

My speedometer does not work. *tr

The speedometer on my 2004 chevrolet impala does not function properly. it will read 110 mph when i am going approximately 45 mph. it will read "0" while i am driving. *jb

My 2004 chevrolet impala speedometer is broken and there is no recall on it. *tr

Speedometer/tachometer cluster malfunction - a couple of months ago my speedometer was acting erratic, so i took it to a chevrolet dealership. the dealership wanted to charge me $90 bucks to check the speedometer, knowing that this is a common problem. i chose not to pay and i based my speed off of my tach. which was a rough estimate. well today, my tach. goes haywire, so where does that leave me? hmmmm.. i have a speedometer that has completely stopped working, now i have a tachometer that starts on 4000 rpm. and of course goes way past 7000 rpm. why should i have to pay chevrolet $90 to check my speedometer for them to tell me that it's not working, then pay an additional $300 for the cluster, which may not resolve the issue? this should definitely be a recall!! what is it going to take? loss of life? *nm

Dash board cluster (speed odometer, temperature and rmp) is not working properly/at all sometimes. *tr

I have been having trouble with the car starting. we thought it was the battery. we bought a new one. it did not help. when a mechanic look at it he said that it may be a neutral safety switch. he told me how to start it , first i have to have the key on the on position and the car in neutral to start it. this helped, but i was wondering if anyone else has had any problem like this?*ak

Instrument cluster quit working. it started with my fuel gauge. my fuel gauge reader now sits under fuel gauge. my speedometer quit working about 6 months after my fuel gauge. my speedometer now says i am going 120 mph. my thermostat gauge acts like it's going to work but then it doesn't. *tr

2004 chevrolet impala. instrument cluster gauge failure. all gauges have stopped functioning correctly. they either register incorrect information, (speed, fuel, engine temperature) or do not work at all. http://www.mycarstats.com/safetystation.asp lists over 100 accounts of this happening with this model car. *tr

Tachometer and speedometer quit working correctly. tachometer would vary anywhere from 0 to 7000+ rpm when idling, would go off the scale or fall to zero while driving. speedometer was showing 85 mph while driving approximately 40 mph. speedometer showed 52 mph and was actually going 70 mph, verified by state trooper using moving radar. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the speedometer would not record the proper speed. the speedometer displayed at least 30 miles below the traveled speed, or it would read over 100 mph when the contact was really traveling less than 50 mph. the manufacturer would not assume liability or assist with the repairs. the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure mileage was 24,000 and current mileage was 40,500. updated 03-06-09 *bf the consumer stated the speedometer initially would fail occasionally or give false readings. soon after, is stopped working all together. updated 03/11/09. *jb

I have a 2004 impala and about once a week it won't start for about 10-15 minutes. have to sit there a jiggle the key around. took it in and the chevy garage could not figure it out at all and i was charge for this answer "i don't know" something is seriously wrong when you have thousands of people complaining of the very same thing in their impala. i received all kinds of possible solutions like a new computer that costs over a $1000.00 give me a break. *tr

Instrument panel cluster- temp gauge no longer working, speedometor was reading 30mph when actual doing 60-70mph speedometor has recently reset its self okay for now still no temp. realitive tells me it's common for gm shop is repairing ipcs' daily.if this is that common theres a problem with product!!

Tl* - the contact has a 2004 chevrolet impala and the speedometer registers actual speed inaccurately for periods of time. the contact stated that on 01/07/07 he was driving at 60 mph and the speedometer stated that he was going 10 mph. *ak updated 2/13/2007 - the cluster was replaced. the lighter was inoperative due to a blow fuse. *nm

Speedometer acts erratically. some kind of communication problem between the instrument cluster and the drivetrain control module. as many complaints i've seen, this should be a recall issue. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet impala. while driving 2 mph in the rain, the speedometer stopped working. the failure had occurred since 2008 until the speedometer was replaced at a local repair facility. the contact sent the manufacturer three letters regarding the failure but the manufacturer stated that they would not repair the vehicle free of charge. the failure mileage was approximately 35,000. the current mileage was approximately 75,000. updated 06/17/10. *lj the consumer stated the needle would not return to zero when the vehicle was stopped. updated 07/26/10*jb

Sometime around 2007 the instrument cluster started to mess up. it would say that i was going 100 mph when i was parked in my drive way. my tachometer would say that the engine was doing 5000 to 6000 rpm when parked in my drive way. i did a little research on the internet and discovered i am no the only one with this problem. i called chevy and they told me that there were no recall on my vehicle. the problems still exists today. *tr

Speedometer registers speed much higher than actual, complete failure of temperature gauge. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet impala. while driving 35 mph, the contact noticed that the speedometer displayed 75 mph. when the vehicle is parked, the speedometer displays the last traveled speed instead of zero. in order to reset the speedometer, he must turn the switch on and off until it reads zero. the dealer stated that the instrumental panel cluster needed to be replaced and would cost $1,000. the dealer information was unavailable. the current mileage was 80,000 and failure mileage was 65,000.

Opy of text sent to gm/chevrolet... my speedometer and other instrument cluster gauges operate erratically. speedometer specifically is totally erratic, almost never correct and varies anywhere from fully pegged at zero to fully pegged at top end. you never know what speed you are traveling at any time. you cannot gauge, by speedometer, the speed limit or recommended speeds for curves, etc. this is a very unsafe condition. from extensive reading so far, it is obvious that this is a defective part on this vehicle and due to the safety and legal nature of your speed, this gauge should be replaced via industry-wide recall. i welcome your return call to discuss this dangerous situation. i am a pilot and cannot have my cell on continuously. please leave a message with call back number and i will be happy to discuss. this gauge has been faulty for the past year. i have installed my gps to monitor my speed. the gauge is not symmetric in its errors. you will read 100+ sometimes going 70 or you will read 0 going same speed. it changes from trip to trip and sometimes after a stop at an intersection, or just driving constant speed. *tr

Several occasions now the speedometer has gone haywire and is showing that i am traveling excessively faster than i am going - approximately 30 - 40+ mph. i thought that i was speeding and so i lightly put on my brakes to slow down during rush hour traffic and had tires squealing all around me - the speed of traffic is 70+ mph in that section of freeway. it was fortunate that it did not cause a several car pileup. *tr

Driving at night with high beams on, all lights went out, approx. 10 mins later started functioning again but did it twice more in 10 miles. since that time speedometer and tachometer are erratic, if they function at all. repair shop stated that dash computer, replaced it but did not correct problem. been running w/o high beams since and have to use gps for speed. *tr

Tl*- the contact stated that when she started vehicle with 70000 miles on it the starter staysed engaged for about 5 seconds. the contact said that this could happen under any conditions. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and that they could not find a problem. the contact said that this happened several times a month. *ak

The instrument cluster starts to fail one gauge at a time until none of the gauges work. *tr

Wow same problem as everyone else. speed does not register properly seems to be whenever it wants it will show speeds higher then what they are. this is a danger because speeds are guessed in school zones and highways. after a couple days speed will begin to work ok. now the blower motor and heater do not work unless you pound by the ashtray area and hopefully the air conditioning will start blowing but the heat will not come on when switched to heat. this is a safety issue living in montana when it gets below 32 and colder it would be nice this winter to thaw out the windows so i can see when driving at unknown speeds. sometimes when the air is blowing you can smell something burning. we are in drought conditions in montana and if my car were to catch on fire on side of road and continue up the mountains this could be a disaster be creating a wildfire. i am unhappy with my car which has started problems around the 30,000 mile mark. another problem is the high beam switch is needing to be clicked twice before dimming down from high beam. this is a safety issue due to blinding oncoming traffic. transmission has been like slipping into gear as well. *tr

Speedometer registers below or above actual speeds for periods of time. will reset itself after turning off ignition and restarting vehicle. *nm

The speedometer on my 2004 impala sometimes sticks at the speed i am going or it show a speed that is higher or low then i am traveling. it sometimes corrects itself if the car is left off over night. *nm

Instrument cluster failure. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, the speedometer intermittently provided an incorrect reading. the dealer and manufacturer were not alerted.

I have a bad speedometer on my 2004 chevy impala. it is erratic. sometimes it works fine, but not for long. usually it reads 30 to 60 mph over what i am going or it goes beyond the 120 max. i researched online and found this a common problem with chevy vehicles. http://www.topix.net/forum/autos/chevrolet-tahoe/t2bgkbgi55eknu77c/p1 above is a lengthy customer complaint section on the same problem. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2004 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 65 mph with the cruise control activated, the contact noticed that the speedometer displayed an incorrect speed and would fluctuate sporadically. the instrument panel cluster was repaired. the manufacturer did not provide any assistance. the current mileage was 67,000 and failure mileage was 47,826. the consumer stated gm issued an extended warranty for the instrument cluster. updated 12/12/07

I was driving and noticed that my speedometer was sitting on zero. months later i noticed that my gas gauge started going haywire. one minute it was full the next it was 1/2 full and i had only gone 20 miles down the road. then my dad used my car one day and told me that the oil pressure gauge was wrong as well. i have not had the money to fix this problem and the only way i know i need gas is when the low fuel message comes up in the message center. i have received about 4 speeding tickets just in the last year and would have received more if i had not known the officer or told them the problem and begged that they let me off with a warning. *tr

Speedometer goes haywire and does not register proper speed or gets stuck on one number, other consumers of this 2004 chevy impala has had the same problem and we feel it should be a safety recall issue. *jb

I was driving to school, i went to pushing my cigarette lighter and when i did i noticed that there was an odd smell coming from the car, then i noticed smoke coming from under the console where you put the car in gear, then i had to pull over the car because there was so much smoke that i couldn't see and i could hear a crackling sizzling noise, so i pulled at the piece that covers up the gears and seen that the wires where burning it looked as if where the spring that light dynamite or something so i did the only thing i could do i poured my soda on the wires because i was scared the car might have blown up with me and my 10 mo. old boy and 3 year old girl right there. *nm

When instrument panel stops working the traction control is also stops working so does the speedometer and the anti- lock brakes making it unable to stop properly. i have been told by a gm mechanic that gm knows about this problem by\ut they intend to do nothing about it. *tr

Speedometer reads erratic. indicator began reading the incorrect speed at approximately 37,800 miles. speedometer currently stuck at 35 mph with vehicle at a complete stop. when actually traveling at 65 mph, speedometer reads 110 mph. this would be a serious problem if the driver thought the 110 mph was correct and quickly applied brakes to slow the vehicle. dealer was contacted and vehicle checked. speedometer had returned to normal operation and dealer could not find any problem. since then a week has gone by and problem has returned. *jb

Started by temp gauge not returning to cold, then speedo stuck and wouldn't climb or would be number of mph above actual speed. *tr

Speedometer,and temp gauge going haywire at 36,000 miles. *tr

Unable to control steering hydroplaning without just cause other than rain, also noise when turning the steering wheel, and backing it, and it drags when key is turned to start. the speed,temp,and gasoline gauge isn't working. i do not like to drive this car in the rain and if i can avoid it, i will not drive, the problems began in the past 3 weeks miles is still fairly low. *jb

Speedometer stopped working correctly. registered speeds from 0-100+ mph at any given time whether the vehicle was started or turned off. had speedometer cluster replaced under extended warranty plan. *jb

Instrument panel malfunction has been a problem with my 2004 chevy impala for 3 yrs now. like everyone else, can't afford to get it fixed. in winter, the speedometer rarely works at all and the temperature gauge just goes wherever it wants. however, i have not had any problems with the gas gauge, but not saying that i won't. i really do believe that a recall should be made for this problem. *tr