Problems with 2005 Chevrolet Impala ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Speedometer was first off by 5 miles then worked, few months later you would be driving 30 and it would say 60 then it would work fine at random last time it actually spun around and the pointer was all the way down to the gear information. after that the heat gage would read at max temp but the temperature was fine and then it to stopped working. replaced the cluster for around $350. *tr

Intermittent no crank, no start. problem is known problem with ignition switch, tumbler, and defective "passlock system". dealers charge excessive proces for repairs that may or may not actually fix the problem. it seems to be a bad design issue, and is related to the defective ignition recalls. there is a fairly extensive complaint list, and the mfr certainly has data reflecting that the problem covers multi model and years of gm cars and trucks.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the instrument panel cluster was inoperable and would fail mostly when driving during evening hours. the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed a diagnostic test but to no avail. the dealer also could not duplicate the failure. the manufacturer was notified and advised the contact to take the vehicle back to the dealer for another diagnostic test. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 59,600.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala ls. the contact stated that while driving approximately 30 mph, the speedometer fluctuated continuously. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 107,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle was turned off and failed to restart. the contact mentioned that after waiting, the vehicle was able to start. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Horn was working fine and it was nice and loud always sounded like a tractor trailer horn. then the horn started getting weaker and sounding like a regular horn then the horn just quit working. this happen within two weeks time. replaced fuses but that didn't work. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while driving at night, he noticed that the instrument panel failed to illuminate. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 180,000 and current mileage was 200,000. updated 7/22/14*cn the consumer stated there was an issue with the abs and ignition. updated 07/29/14

I have had this car towed 4 times since march 2012. when the car decides to start and is driven for short destinations, it will not start. problem is intermittent. gives no warning of impending doom! cranks but will not start. on april 13, 2012 vehicle started after having set in driveway for a week or more. i drove it to nearest dealer, merollis chevrolet. after 7 days, dealer requested i pick-up vehicle because it started each day and they could not diagnose. fearful of a repeat performance, i drove car home and parked it. several days later, car failed to start. following day 5/7/12, car would not start. towed car to james martin chevrolet. they cannot diagnose because it has started daily for dealer. our world is too dangerous for anyone to drive a car that will leave them stranded for unknown reason. this is a life and death issue. help! *tr

Speedometer and temperature on the instrument cluster read eradicate at all speeds. when i went to a mechanic he said he was changing 3 to 5 of these a week. just think hundreds of thousands or maybe millions of vehicles on the road with no clue as to how fast they are going. it's not just this make and model gm has a lot of them. there are many businesses that are rebuilding these instrument clusters because of the failures. check it out on the internet. when is gm going to be made to correct there faulty products? *tr

I'm not sure what this would be classified under but here's the description. the gauges go haywire, i.e. the speedometer just keeps going up even if you slow down - until it goes almost all the way around again. it normally stops at the bottom like at the 200 degree position if on a 360 degree view. this has been happening on my car since around the 30k mileage. starting just last week [march 2012], now the temperature gauge is starting to do the same thing. it started running "hot", [but not really] so i immediately shut down my car, called my mechanic, etc. the temp gauge also went all the way around and sometimes stays there, sometimes it comes back around to normal. upon restarting the car, the temp gauge would start coming back down in segments - turning the ignition switch on/off would make the gauges come back down to normal in notches or spaced increments. now i'm running my car without knowing the proper speed and also not sure if my car is really overheating or not. *tr

This report is about sudden and repeated headlight electrical system failure in a 2005 chevrolet impala sedan, and a request for a nationwide safety recall and repair at gm expense for this issue. after getting in my 2005 impala sedan at approximately 4:55 pm on 16 february 2012, i started up and drove out on the road then i smelled burning plastic and noticed the headlights (low beam) were out. i tried the high beams and they worked as did the left and right turn signals, the windshield wiper controls and the cruise control functioned. as darkness increased i had to hold the switch in the high beam position so i could see to drive so i could get home. from what i could determine the problem seems to be in the wiring to/from the multifunction light control switch or maybe it is the switch itself on the steering column. the fuses and relays and the all seemed to be in working order but the low beam lights still did not work. this failure is extremely dangerous and happens without warning. this is the second time this has happened to me now. with dealer parts cost for a replacement multifunction light switch at $350.00 alone, not to mention labor costs and the criticality of lights while driving means this should be a required safety recall item. i have searched mechanical forums on this subject and there are many such occurrences documented, but gm does not seem to think there is a common problem or a reason to investigate and fix the malfunction. this problem is common knowledge at gm dealerships nationwide. smelling burning plastic is an indication of a serious electrical problem which could lead to an onboard fire in the car in addition to causing injury and or death from a sudden light outage at night. again, i request a nationwide safety recall and repair be initiated as it appears to be a manufacturing defect and an extreme safety issue. *tr

Starting in february of 2012, my car has failed to start on several occasions. i have had this car for 3 years and it has let me down so many times. i go to crank my car and it doesn't do anything. i took it to a certified mechanic and he told me it was the security system and he showed me how to reset it. you turn the ignition to the on position, wait for the security light to blink 3 times, then turn the ignition back to the off position and wait about 12 minutes and then your car will crank. if not repeat the steps and wait a few minutes longer before trying to crank it. i have waited up to 1 1/2 hours. i have been late for work, stuck in 100 degree weather with my kis, couldn't rush daughter to hospital when she had a 102 degree fever. this is very dangerous and i am sick of this unreliable car! *tr

2005 chevrolet impala consumer seeking reimbursement for out of pocket expenses prior to the recall being issued *cn the consumer stated the vehicle would stall, while making turns. the vehicle was towed to a repair shop, where it was determined, the ignition lock cylinder needed to be replaced. *jb

Speedometer does not work most of the time. car will shut down without warning going down road. the check engine light does not come on. after pulling over it will start back up. have been placed on diagnostics machine and no codes are triggered. we have replaced fuel filter. had a tune up done. nothing is working and mechanics cant figure out what is wrong. very dangerous. has happened many times. last time going down mountain on a curve with no where to pull over. luckily no traffic at the time. *tr

The temperature gauge, fuel gauge, and speedometer have gone completely haywire! the temperature gauge goes to hot and buzzes but my car is no where near hot. i don't know if my tank is full or empty because the gauge is always on the bottom. i don't know how fast i'm going because my speedometer is stuck on 120. the dealership knows that this is a common problem but they insist on charging $500 or more to fix it...just own up and do the recall!! *tr

Several types of gm vehicles (approx 2000-2008) have severe leaking and decay problems like my chevy impala shows currently. i noticed early february 2012 when my factory speakers stopped working all together. the radio sound didn't get through, door chimes didn't work, safety and warning chimes didn't make noise, etc. a warning chime didn't signal for me to turn off my lights on a rainy day at a grocery store so that when i came back, i was stranded! this however isn't the big problem. this leak under the cowl seems to be prominent in many other vehicles and allowed gallons to enter in under my rugs, floor mats etc., and travel all over the passenger cabin so that wires were submerged, corroded, mold grew, and airbag sensor hubs became islands. yes my airbag sensors and wiring are submerged with water! please have gm recall this common problem to fix this! my car smells terrible inside from this (especially in the summer) and more importantly, i am worried that my airbags will malfunction. thank you. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 60 mph, the speedometer reading would not decrease when decelerating. the speedometer reading fluctuated erratically. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

2005 chevy impala. first had an electrical problem with the abs brake system. traction control feature would engage whenever the brake was applied. this occurred at 30,000 miles. dealer warranted this. at about 80,000 miles the display panel indicated erroneous problems, ie. truck open when not. the lights would flash off and on indicating all kinds of issues when none existed. also the speedometer began to work erratically. the speedometer would indicate speeds of 30-60 mph higher than actual driving speed. turning the car off/on would gradually lower and reset the speedometer. this occurs randomly with no real pattern. seems to be electrical in nature. also could present a safety issue. *kb

Driving at approximately 60 mph on the freeway, the speedometer advanced to the bottom of the gauge, then stuck there. the only way i can reset it is to turn the ignition off and on, and sometimes that does not work. *tr

During a snow storm, traveling with traffic at a safe speed. i was cut off by another vehicle because my horn failed. i was not able to alert the other driver that it was not safe to merge into my lane. resulting in my car entering the ditch to avoid a multi-car accident. i have researched 2005 chevy impala horn failure, and i have found many have burned out. my mechanic states he believes it is a known issue with chevrolet due to the placement of the horn itself, the horn is in an unprotected area, it can and will "burn" out due to rain water, snow, etc. this is a safety issue. as important as any other. the cost to replace the horn is over $200.00 with labor because of the additional labor to get to the horn. *tr

Tl ' the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. while driving at an unknown speed, the security warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle stalled. the contact was unable to restart the vehicle because the lock system reset itself automatically. additionally, the headlights shut off intermittently. the dealer stated that the ignition was the cause of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 70,000. jcc

The speedometer has gone haywire. you cannot tell how fast you are going. the rpm gauge is going haywire as well. it jumps all over the place. took the car to the dealership but wouldn't you know it the warranty expired with no written notice from warranty company. the clusters are the root of all the problems and chevrolet needs to recall to repair the issues described. another alarming problem with the 2005 chevy impala i own is what is called the passlock protection. it also does not work at times and i had to find out ways to bypass the passlock on youtube. this could turn into a dangerous situation if you need to start you car in an emergency and you cant because the passlock will not let you turn on the car. sometimes you have to wait ten minutes with the key in a certain position. that is totally not acceptable. *kb

Car has just rolled over to a little over 165,,000 miles and when we bought it at the time we didn't think anything of it and then turns out a year after we bought the car it started smelling like gas big time but we didn't know where it was coming from then when i went to put the car in park the check engine light came on so im like thinking now what and so we take it to a garage and they say oh your entire exhaust system is rusted out and that there's a dollar size hole near the front of the exhaust but we didn't get it fixed becuz we couldn't at the time so they just told me to drive it as is and i have been but i've been noticing that it sounds louder and louder almost like how a car does not have an exhaust system and i really don't feel safe becuz its loud and it smells like gas on the inside and im afraid of it catching on fire one of these days and as for the resistor blower module for the a/c and heater we already had to replace that three times becuz it kept going out and i really don't want to have the car catch on fire becuz the blower motor resistor module isn't working properly and i don't have any money to keep fixing things on my car. *tr

From stop i would step on the gas, and the car would slam into gear. i have had to have the electrical cluster replaced $300, and the fuel control replaced (car always smelt like gas) now they think this slam is the tcc valve in the transmission which is anywhere from $600-$900. also the steering knuckle makes a loud noise on sharp turns. whats next? are any of these issues recalls? *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start. after repeated attempts, the contact was able to successfully start the vehicle. the failure recurred on an intermittent basis. the vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 72,000. updated 08/01/12*lj the consumer stated she continues to experience starting problems. the consumer stated she read online where there is a defect in the design in the security system. updated 08/02/12

Car: 2005 chevrolet impala, v6 3100 engine the horn in the car began having intermittent problems with functionality. it is unknown how this began except that the sound of the horn became somewhat strange to start. over time the horn failed completely. the result of this failure is a rather big safety issue given the need of the horn to warn other drives and pedestrians of your presence when they are unaware. we nearly got into three accidents (two in parking lots, one on road) as a result of our inability to honk at drivers to let them know we were there. i am a handyman/mechanic type and replaced the defective horn and added a custom water shield to prevent water from corroding the horn. there is a tsb about this issue. i believe a recall is necessary. service bulletin number : 4043 nhtsa item number : 10020089 *tt

The gas gauge works off and on and does read correctly from over full to not at all and every place inbetween. the speedometer reads every where from correctly to 130 mph when you are driving at 50 mph and sometimes goes all the way around to it hits the stop.other times the speed odometer says you are moving at 40 mph when you are stopped. *tr

I purchased this car used with 59,000 miles. drove it home, parked it for 2 days and the car would not start. returned to dealer who replaced the battery and indicated the drain while off was with specs. took car home and worked well for about 3 days. on the fourth day the car would not start again. searched the web and found this is a very common issue with this car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated the speedometer and tachometer would display improper readings. the failure was frequent, recurring more than three times a week. the vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. the manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 156,000 and the current mileage was approximately 156,000.

Instrument cluster panel fails off and on for awhile and then completely quits, causing you not to know your speed or the health of your vehicle. i have seen online way too many complaints of this particular problem for there not to be a recall. the instrument cluster panel needs replaced. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the instrument panel was defective, none of the gauges were displaying the correct readings. the vehicle was taken to the an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the instrument panel was defective and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 66,000. updated 06/01/11*lj updated 06/13/11.*jb

2005 chevy impala with a sticking speedometer. stays at 85 when parked, and is very erratic. have read many, many others with same problem and dealerships unwilling to fix this safety issue without fully charging for repair. cannot afford car payment and over expense for shop repair that should be covered by dealership/manufacturer defect. *tr

Car turns off while driving,also looks like its not getting gas,cluster also went bad and the check engine light comes on also bat, brake flu ,it blinks fast and turns off high danger when it turns off while driving it happened 3 times have no control what should i do. *tr

Speedometer not working properly. sporadically changes to 100mph+ while driving any speed. safety issue. gm customer assistance gave a big run-around. i had them and a dealership service manager on the phone together. gm cust. asst. said that they would have to know the cause of the problem before they would say if they would cover repairs. service manager said that there are only two possible problems. cust asst still would not say if they would repair. this is a serious safety issue. i guess someone will have to plow through some elementary school kids since i don't know how fast they are going in a school zone before they issue a recall. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated the speedometer would not register what speed he was driving and the gauge would sporadically fluctuate from 100 mph to zero. the manufacturer was contacted and advised him to have the vehicle diagnosed before they would be able to determine if they could assist with repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 72,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the speedometer and tachometer would not register an accurate reading which caused difficulty in determining what speed he was driving. in addition, the low fuel level alarm failed. the failure mileage was approximately 74,000. updated 08/01/11*lj updated 08/02/11

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the contact noticed that the speedometer was providing an inaccurate reading of 90 mph. within seconds, the speedometer was reading 0 mph. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed and the manufacturer would not assist with the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 43,000.

The instrument panel on my 2005 chevy impala just stopped working. the gas, speedometer, rpm gauges are all miss reading. when im parked the rpm is redlined, the speedometer reads 90 mph , and the gas gauge reads straight north above the full line. i'm stuck not knowing exactly how fast im going. the speedometer seems to go back and forth to reading correctly at times reading all the way south but never making it completely around. *tr

Instrument cluster failure, speedometer stopped at 55mph even when i stopped the car and shut it off. when i started the car and begin driving the speedometer was going up to 105 mph. i have no idea how fast the vehicle is going. *tr

There are no events leading up to the passlock security system leaving a motorist stranded at any given time. the failure happens at least once a week leaving the driver stranded at whatever location he/she cuts the car off. sometimes it will be 5min before the alarm will reset and sometimes it will be days leaving the motorist without a vehicle. nothing done to correct the problem because in this instance the alarm won't reset so the only alternative i was given by a gm dealership is to have the system disconnected. *tr

The instrument panel on my 2005 chevy impala works intermittently. this includes gas, speedometer, and temperature gauges. the driver is left not knowing conditions of the vehicle. seems to be worse in cold weather. *tr

All three of the gauges in my 05 impala have malfunctioned. i have no way of knowing how much fuel is in the car, the temp of the engine, and at times the speed of the car. my research suggests a faulty stepper motor used by gm. while i can live with the fuel gauge malfunction and the temperature gauge malfunction, the speedometer malfunctioning presents a safety issue. when it acts up the gauge will indicate a speed that is obviously errant, leaving me guessing as to my actual speed. *tr

My speedometer gauge doesn't work it will get stuck on 20 mph constantly it never reads the correct speed but my other gauges work fine. my transmission shifts/slips harder than it should from 1st into 2ed and 2nd into 3rd. my headlights flicker when i push on my window controls to roll my windows up or down. the heat only blows on the passenger side of my car including on the defrost for the front windows and the rear window. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala . the contact stated that the speedometer and the entire instrument panel failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was advised that the instrument panel needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 58,000 and the current mileage was 85,456.

My speedometer went out on my 2005 chevy impala. it happened about 3 months ago. i just had the inspection done and had to have a new cluster put in. my total cost was $500. after searching the internet for complaints, i noticed that there were alot of them regarding the cluster to stop working in the 2005 impala. for being only 6 years old, this should not be happening. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. while driving at an unknown speed, the speedometer malfunctioned. the failure recurred multiple times after being repaired. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the instrument cluster needed to be replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure . the approximate failure mileage was 65,301.

Tl*the contact owns a 2005 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 70 mph the speedometer stopped working. the speedometer would fail intermittently and over time it stopped functioning. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 85,000.

2005 chevy impala: rough shifting, lost some hp, speedometer isn't working, engine leaking oil. *tr

This is for information only: our car's speed odometer started acting up--registering high speeds when hardly moving and no speed when on the interstate- in november, 2010. i called the 800 number in the owners manual and after exchanging phone calls for several weeks the told me that they would furnish a new instrument cluster for our car free as long as we paid the labor to have it installed at a local dealer. i had to take car to dealer so they could get correct instrument cluster number so they could send correct one. dealer contacted us when cluster was there and we took car in. as luck would have it we had a card from either the dealer or gm for a one time 10% discount. we were able to use this and had cluster replaced for $135.00 total labor and no cost for parts. well worth a few phone calls to gm/chevrolet. *tr

1. my fuel gauge quit working as i was driving to work. all the other gauges kept working. the needle was pointing down and would move at the bottom when the vehicle was turned on and off. i spent 400.00 to replace the instrument cluster which appears to be a problem as listed on the complaints section. 2. i purchased a 2005 chev impala 01/2006 with15,00 miles on it. i started to notice a bit of a hard shifting on take off, only after driving it in the city after about the 2nd year of driving. the problem never left, in fact it has gotten worse over the years that we have owned the car. the problem with my car is the transmission shifts hard and only seems to do it if you did a a lot of start and stopping and you could turn the car off and let it sit for 10 min. or so then it won't do it again. sometimes it would go for several days or weeks before it would happen again or will do it several times in a row. when i had the instrument cluster replaced i had them check for codes and found a p1811.