Problems with 2003 Chevrolet Impala EXTERIOR LIGHTING

The multifunction switch malfunctions. in switching from low beam to high beam the headlights do not switch and eventually go out completely. by holding the handle manually for high beams it cancels cruise control when activated.

Chevy impala lights don't work at night daytime lights work off and on high beams at night only.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while the vehicle was stationary, the low beam headlights malfunctioned. the contact stated that the headlights would not illuminate when prompted. the vehicle was taken to be repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 139,000.

My turning signals work on and off all of a sudden. the first time it happened i was on the freeway and was attempting to get over and my right turning signal wouldn't work but the left turning signal worked fine. then after a day or two the right turning signal would work but then the left turning signal won't work. then all of a sudden they would both work then both stop working. now a month has passed and neither one of them work most the time, but will work for a hot second and then stop working. this is only for the rear turning signal though the front turning signal have always worked properly and still do.

Sometimes when im driving and im trying to pass someone and i go to use my signal light they do not work then i can go down the road they will work plus my lights wont go on bright without shutting off. *tr

Headlights suddenly went out when driving. no warning. could only use high beam lights when lever constantly pressed when driving. very dangerous. not fuses, not bulbs, ultimately $800 multifunction switch needed replacement. appears to be a known hazard. *tr

While driving on interstate 78 at 60 mph i attempted to switch from low beam to high beam. asi did that, i lost all lights. i jiggled the high beam switch and the lights came back on. this has happened several times since then. *js

Tl* the contact stated that 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the headlights failed to illuminate and the brake light continuous illuminated. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician diagnosed that the dimmer switch need to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 186,300.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the turn signals failed to work. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the technician diagnosed that the multi function switch needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 180,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the headlights were defective. the dealer recommended that the headlights be replaced due to moisture inside the light fixtures. the vehicle was repaired and the manufacturer was not notified. the vin was unavailable. the approximate failure mileage was 120,644.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the cruise control activated independently, the headlights and brake lights flickered, and the instrument panel warning lights illuminated intermittently. the contact mentioned that the heater had to be running for the cruise control to deactivate. in addition, the exterior lighting flickered when the engine was not running. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failures were undetermined. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the failure mileage was unknown.

Every time it rains my entire vehicle floor is flooded. my radio has stopped working and my dashboard lights flicker. i have been researching and there are several models with this problem from 2002 to 2005. this happens often and can eventually lead to electrical problems. i pay a lot if money for this vehicle and still have a ways to go before i am done paying for it. i have 3 children that depend in thus car along with myself if there are so many people with this problem this is definitely a defect and should be recalled. *tr

While driving at night, the headlights have begun to go off automatically. so far, we can click the lights from high beam to low beam or vice-versa and they come back on. this started the latter part of last year, but last week they actually started flickering right before they went off. i searched the web and found this is a common complaint with many consumers. i live in rural america and fear the lights going out where there are no street lights or any other type of lighting. there are many curves and hills and fear what could happen especially if my teenager is driving and panics. we have searched for the "fix" but no one seems to know for sure and gm has made no attempt to recall this problem. my complaint is why nothing has been done to fix this problem. it is very dangerous and needs to be addressed immediately. i have read so many suggestions on what it may be but no one has the exact remedy for it. *tr

I was on my way home from work when my driverside head light went out so i stopped and bought a new bulb at the closest store when i replaced the bulb the light still didnt come back on then the dtr light also started having issues the only time you get any lights on the driver side is when you move the entire headlight assembly around then you get dim lighting so for the past couple months we havent been able to use our car at night. i keep checking for recalls but i havent seen any and we have always had problems with our dtr lighting including the ones that control our dash lights. cause we have none they work during th eday when they want too but at night we have no lights in our dash. also the drivers side heated seat has quit working. it all occured roughly around the same time. nobodys been able to fix the issues. *tr

while driving at night the headlights went out pulled over on side of road, pulled on timer switch headlights came back on. i have been reading about many issues related to headlight failure. gm needs to recall my 16 yr. old daughter 03 impala, before she gets hurt. *tr

The headlights just quit working on 2 5 2014. *tr

The car will not start no matter hot or cold. once started the electrical system throws multiple errors, from security, battery, service engine soon, abs light, seat belt light, and brakes. the complete dash board goes dead including all gauges, from the speedometer, fuel and temperature gauge. the warning bell continues to ring as the battery light comes on - it does this continually while driving. often times it will not start. i have a 6 year old daughter and i am concerned for her safety when this happens. i have put a new batter, new starter and new alternator in this car. gm knows about the problems and they should be required to re-call these cars and fix the problem. *tr

In the summer of 2013 my daughter reported the multifunction lever on her car was hard to operate when trying to activate high beams. one night while driving down a dark country road she attempted to operate the high beam switch and the headlights went out completely. luckily she was able to safely pull over and put the car in park. at that time she played with the multifunction switch and was able to get low beams to come back. i've spoken with two mechanics who said this is a very common problem with the early 2000's impalas which means there must be serious accidents / injuries associated because these are very popular cars. chevrolet should issue a recall for this prolific, well-known safety issue. *tr

When the weather is hot, the car will not start. once started the electrical system throws multiple errors, from security, battery, service engine soon, abs light, seat belt light, and brakes. the radio is locked out and the ac fan runs but will not allow the ac compressor to function. also the head lights flash and the complete dash board goes dead including all gauges, from the speedometer, fuel and temperature gauge. the warning bell continues to ring as the battery light comes on. this is a could cause a very dangerous situation with no head lights and no working gauges on the dash, and should for some reason the security system shuts the car down while driving, could cause a serious accident. gm seem to be neglecting this issue, and even gm and their dealerships claim to know nothing about this. yet in multiple impala forums, this is the top issue with this vehicle. i would like to see something done about this before someone gets killed, and it is not fair for the consumer to pay thousands of dollars trying to chase this issue down. i just wish american car companies would stand behind their products, especially when the public's safety is in question. *tr

We own a 2003 chevy impala i purchased it because i thought they were safe vehicles. in the last 2 months we have had multiple issues with traction control and our interior and exterior lighting. we have lost all function to our dash lights our head lights only work when they decide too and my traction control fails to work and when i don't need it engages.....this is not ok! we have had everything checked. all fuses and bulbs are good. we have had diagnostics done a couple of times and nothing ever shows up. i have seen hundreds of complaints about the same stuff. please tell me nobody has to die or get seriously injured before you make them fix these issues. we all paid a lot for these cars they need to fix them now!! *tr

My turn signals went out. will not work and idk what's going on but i have read many same complaints the net. *tr

Low-beam headlights have failed to come on and will no longer function. high-beams and daytime running lights still function, but at dusk the low-beams will fail to light; however high-beams can be used instead creating a traffic hazard. i replaced the multi-function switch with a new switch, and replaced the relay with a known good working relay. the relay will still work and actuate indicating that the relay is not the problem. i checked the bulbs and they are still good, fuses are fine, 12v positive power is present at the bulb, but the ground is not activated on either side at any time. all problems point to a bad body control module (bcm). i have checked online and there are many many complaints about this vehicle with the same problem. if the low-beam headlights fail on somebody while they are driving, it could cause a crash and with that comes the possibility of the fatality of the driver and passengers. the bcm computer is known to cause many problems with starting the vehicle, flashing the lights both interior and exterior and these will cause safety issues with the vehicle. *tr

I purchased from valley ford 4/18/2009 i have had nothing but trouble with it ever since i purchased it. i have had rocker arms replaced, pins, the aftermarket warranty company wouldn't replace them because they told me that it was not an internal problem, i have had pass lock problems which i had to get done, i just replaced the transmission in 2012 the computer on the car read that it was shift solenoids when it turned out to be the transmission. now as of the past three months my low beam head lamps will not come on .the day time running lamps work but when it gets dark they shut off & the parking lamps stay on. the only way i will be able to drive is to hold the turn signal towards me, its not the bulbs they have been replaced & its not the fuses and no one seems to know what the problem. my cruise control light flashes on and off while im driving & while the switch is off & also my check engine light flashes on & off but when i take it to auto part store to have it hooked up to the machine it doesn't read anything.....i ask that you guys can please help me with this car, & i also have proof of everything i just wrote receipts and all. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving 60 mph when the headlights failed to illuminate. the headlights continued to fail until the vehicle was restarted. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing nor was the manufacturer notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 80,139.

Over a period of time, the headlight lenses have become cloudy and murky. cleaners do not help. when driving at night (worst in rain or snow and at higher speeds) the visibility of the headlight lamps projection become less and less. do not suggest using the high beams as these would be a cover-up. when sealed beams were used from 1940 to 1996, this problem did not happen. (the cloudy/murky lenses) until the manufacturer's went over to plastic lenses because of the new safety codes required. updated 01/30/12 *bf

I have a 2003 chevy impala with the day time running lights on car from factory. while my daughter was driving on evening she lost all her headlights and they couldn't even be turned on manually. had it not been for some street lights in her location she might have lost control of car. the problem was diagnosed as being in the multifunction switch in the steering column. a gm replacement part was quoted to me at $500 plus installation. this should have been a recall item as i understand from my mechanic that it is common. it is very unsafe and costly to fix. the average person cannot fix this switch because it involves removing the air bag first. should look into this before someone gets seriously injured. *tr

Headlights keep going out, have installed 2 parts will last a couple months than will go out again. will go dim than go off. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that the hazard warning lights had become inoperable and the failure would occur intermittently. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not contacted. the approximate failure mileage was 20,000. the vin was not available.

I have a 2003 chevrolet impala w/ day time running lights on car from factory. while driving early 4:00 am in the morning, through the mountains with no streets lights. i put my high beams on. within a second all exterior, and interior lights when out. this is totally unsafe and hazardous. the manufacture should be responsible for this not the consumer. need to have a recall on this. this a malfunction problem that needs to be addressed, before someone gets seriously hurt. i pray that your just not entering these complaints into the data base, but letting the consumer know that you care and are working on this problem. i also, notice that while looking for recall on this matter there's a lot of complaint on this multifunction. consumer's can't fix this without a lot expenses and remove airbags. will you do your best on recalling or getting recalls on this problem. *tr

When switch is pulled to put on bright lights all lights go off, leaving me driving at night with absolutely no lights. wiggling, jiggling, or moving the switch eventually puts the low beam lights back on. had this fixed at a cost to me of more than $600. i purchased this car new and have every service record on it, can prove it was well maintained and not abused. even have saved failed part from this service. have seen a vast number of complaints with this same problem listed on web. i was lucky, the next person might not be so lucky. at the very least people who own this make/model need to be made aware of the potential for this to happen. i would not like to see this happen to my grandmother or other loved one.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact was driving at night approximately 25 mph with the headlights on. suddenly, the headlights became inoperative. the speed rate was reduced and the hi-beams were activated. the vehicle was able to continue in operation. the contact had concern of the potential safety hazard. the failure mileage was approximately 57,000. updated 01/28/11*lj the multi-function switch was replaced. updated 03/23/11

Headlights would not come back on after high beams were used on a back road in the middle of the night. checked connections and spark plugs and they were not the issue. believe it is a faulty switch after doing some research. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. the contact stated that while driving 5 mph and making a left turn, the head lights suddenly shut off. the headlights then illuminated when the contact drove up a hill but then turned off again when a turn was made. the dealer stated that they could not diagnose the failure. the vehicle had not been repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was approximately 60,000 and the current mileage was approximately 82,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving approximately 40 mph he attempted to open the rear passenger side window but it would not open. the failure continued to occur intermittently. he also mentioned that the headlights would flicker intermittently while driving various speeds and the door locks would also malfunction. the contact could only manually unlock the doors. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to diagnose the failures. he replaced the alternator himself but the failures continued to recur. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the vcm needed to be replaced, but it was not repaired. the failure mileage was 137,000 and the current mileage was 157,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. whenever the parking lights were turned on the headlights shut off. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed her that there was no warranty or recall related to the failure and the repair cost was $500. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 107,000.

I just bought a 2003 chevy impala ls. on my way home i turn on my brights and when i went to shut them off it turned all my lights off and they wont come back on. my lights will only come on when in the brights position and will still shut off occasionally. i have read countless comment by people with the exact same problem in the 15 min i've been online searching this before i stumbled onto this website. there should be a recall on this seeing as driving at night and your lights just randomly shut off that could be very dangerous and potentially deadly if not already! *tr

2003 chevy impala. passlock stystem thinks the car is being stolen, disabling the ignition for up to 30 minutes at a time. sometimes leaving you stranded. also abs and trac control system failure at 100,00 miles. no more abs or trac control as parts are over $3,000. oil spill out of filler neck onto exhaust manifold, and recall only moved spark plug wires, oil problem still exists. interior dash lights dim to complete darkeness, or super birght at all different times. issue is the dimmer switch. piss poor design by gm. they should be banned from selling vehicles until they pull their heads out of their [xxx] . information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Vehicle would fail to start however after 10 minutes would start. high beam out indicator will illuminate but at the same time both high beam headlights are stuck on and will not go off. multiple diagnostics no problem found. replaced, bcm ok for a week problem returned. dealership stumped. *tr

Recurring problem: when clicking from low beam to high beam or high/low using the turn signal arm the headlights go out unexpectedly. i've been forced to travel with the fog lights on to insure that i have some vision when switching high/low. extremely dangerous to be traveling at highway speed and losing your headlights! i have found over 30 similar complaints on-line without to much searching effort. many of the respondents have said that repair/replacement of the turn signal arm runs about $700. in visiting with my dealer he has indicated he has not heard of this problem--but my research indicates it occurs often? the most recent incident occurred in late dec. 2009. we are hesitant to use this vehicle after dark due to the problem. *tr

I own a 2003 chev. impala, ls and cannot drive with the bright lights on as they only remain on 3-to-5 minutes and go out completely. this is very nerve wracking and dangerous. thus, i no longer use high beam and was told a new switch for $500.00 plus installation was needed. this has occurred since i purchased with warranty left, but thought it was just a once or twice occurrence. *tr

Lights just turn off for no reason. *tr

Loss of both headlights when i switched from high beams to low beams. i was able to restore headlight function by jiggling the hi beam low beam switch . i went to local chevrolet dealer and was told i probably need a new multifunction switch,appears to me this is a common problem. *tr

After changing my battery on my car i notice now that my lights flicker on and off. there is also a clicking sound coming from underneath the dash and sometime my car will not start. *tr

Driving my 2003 impala at night. rear seat passenger rolled down window causing the head lights to shut off. was able to activate bright lights before slowing car. able to re-created the problems by rolling down the window and having the head lights turn off. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving various speeds at night, the headlights shut off and do not illuminate again. as a result, the contact must activate the hazard lights. for the past three months, she has not driven at night due to the failure. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the failure mileage was 87,000.

My 03 chevy impala lights flash on and off all day long whether the car is on, off, or driving down the road i have gone to the dealer and they don't know what's wrong with it but they are willing to charge me $800 to try to fix it. also the car does not start after it has rained. *tr

2003 chevrolet impala, headlights turn off without warning while driving at night. this problem has happened on several occasions. *tr

While driving at night and changing to high beams, the headlights went out. continual moving of the lever got them to come back on. less than a quarter mile later, the same thing happened, this time i was not trying to change to bright lights. *tr

Headlights fail without warning. occurs intermittently when high beams are engaged. headlight dimmer switch was replaced. old part is available. *tr

I am filing a safety complaint concerning the 2003 chevrolet impala. while driving at night, switching lights from dim to bright, headlights go out. i have had to pull over, turn of car, and restart to get dim lights on. what can this problem be and what might the cure be. i have checked for recalls on lighting and found none. please address this problem. *tr