Ignition Complaints to CHEVY to get recalls

[kees45]

Same problem with my 2002 impala. Chevy does not give a hoot about this problem. Guess its a too good of a money maker for them. I did the "cut the yellow wire" modification with a switch and so far it is working. ( this is the modification GM put a bulletin out for remote starters and installation) The toggle switch cost me a couple of C$, and the time it took was about 1 hour. My Impala problems are ignition switch causing the security lock light to come on and sometimes a no start situation (modified as described), warped rotors, GM and dealer do not take any responsibility and HI/Lo beam switch faulty. My faith in GM is gone from a 9 to a big 0. GM probably still wonders why they are in trouble and have to lay off people.....ah well.....Looks like Toyota is taking over their ranking position soon. Yes I am disgruntled customer.

[pauldkreutzer]

Tell me if this sounds like same problem. 2000 Chevy Impala with 73500 mile, and have had the car just go dead after I shut it off. No radio, no lights, but, I do not seem to have much problem getting it to restart. Have to reset the clock on the radio. Did have the Security light come on in the Message Center, recently, but, it has not come back on after I shut the car off and turned back on. The worst case I had restarting, I moved the shifter out of park and could hear power being restored.

[Karen Black]

I too am having the ignition starting problem, also the clunking in the steering column. Is this just a true lemon car or what? I really like my Impala, but am getting frustarted with the not starting problem most of all. Nothing more scarey than being 265 miles from home and your car won't start. After reading the forum I am not the only one with this problem. How do we get this taken care of!?!

[winterover]

Originally Posted by Karen Black

I too am having the ignition starting problem, also the clunking in the steering column. Is this just a true lemon car or what? I really like my Impala, but am getting frustarted with the not starting problem most of all. Nothing more scarey than being 265 miles from home and your car won't start. After reading the forum I am not the only one with this problem. How do we get this taken care of!?!

I know it's of little help to you... but.... GM would never help me fix my car... After the 4th --yes 4th window regulator broke...(among countless other issues I had) I decided to do something about it..... I fixed my problem by trading off my problematic Impala...........

[Tomb1957]

2002 Impala Sedan having had security problem since purchasing car-Thanks, I added a toggle switch to my plastic dash board to the left of the the key ignition. To to get at the yellow wire I had to remove the plastic dash board (1 piece), remove the metal plate under sterring colume, remove 2 bolt holding key ignition, pulled ignition key cylinder to the left and out after cutting harnesss support, splice the wires to prewired toggle and put all back together. I disconnected pos battery terminal prior to doing any of the work. With the passlock in disable mode (toggle switch off) the security light stays on while car running. This light bugs me and would like to know if anyone known how to stop light from coming on? The the only way it goes off now is when I enable the toggle switch to the on position when car is running and then I disable toggle switch to off position. I called cust service with complaint-They just logged call as complaint.

[Tomb1957]

2002 Impala Sedan having had security no start problem since purchasing car- wait 5 – 10 min then car will start. To disable the passlock system I added a toggle switch to my plastic dashboard to the left of the key ignition. To get at the yellow wire on the key ignition housing I had to remove the plastic dash board (1 piece), remove the metal plate under steering column, remove 2 bolts holding key ignition, pulled ignition key cylinder to the left and out after cutting harness support, splice the yellow wire to a pre-wired toggle and put it all back together. I disconnected pos battery terminal prior to doing any of the work. With the passlock in disable mode (toggle switch off) the security light stays on while car is running and has eliminated the no start problem. However, this light bugs me and would like to know how to completely stop security light illuminating? The only way it goes off now is when I enable the toggle switch to the on position when car is running and then I disable toggle switch to off position before shutting engine off so car will start.
Thank you!

[raycorri]

Originally Posted by Tomb1957

However, this light bugs me and would like to know how to completely stop security light illuminating? The only way it goes off now is when I enable the toggle switch to the on position when car is running and then I disable toggle switch to off position before shutting engine off so car will start.
Thank you!
[/size]

GM doesn't show any way of doing this. They use the Security light as an indicator to let you know if the passlock is enabled or disabled. I have heard of others, like yourself, who are irritated with the constant illumination. They resorted to blacking out the front of the Security light or removal of the instrument panel cluster bulb. Here is a link to some info on this if you are looking for a How To......
http://bbengineer.home.comcast.net/c...usterlight.htm

Incidentally, if anyone with an Alero, Malibu, or Grand AM is interested in doing this ---here is a possible How To....... The Impala is much more difficult than this.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/294363/8
Take the two screws out from the black plastic piece around the speedometer. They will be upside down. Carefully pull on the lower part of this piece until it unsnaps. It will be difficult to do so be prepared. Have the steering wheel in the lowest position so that you can take this piece off and undo the buttons for the trip and odometer. Unscrew the four screws around the instrument cluster and be careful not to drop those screws. Pull out the cluster and on the back there is five light grey plastic knob things. Turn those and take out the bulbs.

Ray

[Tomb1957]

Thank You,

Tomb1957

[Blue Bowtie]

Good deals on vehicles don't just happen every day, after all. You can always find a wife....

[ponchonutty]

Guys, with GM being real close to filing bancrupcy, it just makes it even harder to get them to fess up to faulty problems. There are ways to effectively bypass the PK2 system like I've posted on here before. You're gonna have to take it upon yourselves to fix the problem.

[malletslinger]

It seems GM history repeats itself...
I have an 89 Camaro which was the first year GM tried their first antitheft system(chip in key)...VATS...It was easy to bypass and like the problem you Impala owners are having, the system could be repaired, but you would need to replace the chip reader in the column...big $$$$$$$... so I got a $30 bypass from ecklers camaro and have told others to do the same.
Some one, at some point in time had to find an easy way to bypass the system and in the case of the vats, it was to make the system read the correct key code all the time. Then they made a whole bunch of them and sold them(and are still selling them on ecklerscamaro.com)...

So I say that some one(maybe one of you forum members) should find a fast, easy way to fix the problem and eather post it, or sell it for a reasonable price(as a do-it-yourself kit)...just an idea...

[ponchonutty]

Originally Posted by malletslinger

It seems GM history repeats itself...
I have an 89 Camaro which was the first year GM tried their first antitheft system(chip in key)...VATS...It was easy to bypass and like the problem you Impala owners are having, the system could be repaired, but you would need to replace the chip reader in the column...big $$$$$$$... so I got a $30 bypass from ecklers camaro and have told others to do the same.
Some one, at some point in time had to find an easy way to bypass the system and in the case of the vats, it was to make the system read the correct key code all the time. Then they made a whole bunch of them and sold them(and are still selling them on ecklerscamaro.com)...

So I say that some one(maybe one of you forum members) should find a fast, easy way to fix the problem and eather post it, or sell it for a reasonable price(as a do-it-yourself kit)...just an idea...

Yep, you got it. There are ways to bypass the system simular to what you did to yours. BTW, about $1.94 at radioshack is all that's needed to do the fix you are talking about on your Camaro. I average doing it about 3 times a year to customer's vehicles.

[malletslinger]

Originally Posted by ponchonutty

Yep, you got it. There are ways to bypass the system simular to what you did to yours. BTW, about $1.94 at radioshack is all that's needed to do the fix you are talking about on your Camaro. I average doing it about 3 times a year to customer's vehicles.

I know, and I could've done it that way, but I chose to buy the one from ecklers instead because the resister is stabilized inside a resin(or something) so I dont have to wory about it coming apart and making me redo it later, and their bypass came with the proper connector so all I had to do was unplug the wire at the small black bat and plug in the bypass. Then velcro it to a solid part in there.
So I didn't cut any wires, dont have to worry about things getting pushed or vibrated out of place, the set up is clean and from the time I took it out of the mail box to the time it was installed was only about 5 mins(8 tops).
I love troubleshooting and repairing my cars, but Im not crazy about detailed electrical work...especially if it involves fabrication
Also, it I ever have to take the colum apart while working on something else, I can replace the chip reader and easily put my vats system back to work(it is afterall an effective antitheft system...) and so to me the $30 was worth it, but its different for some people...

[mdu1979]

YES!!!!!!!!!! I pulled up to the store put my 2004 impalla in park turned it off, went in got what I needed and when I came back out to start my car it was LOCKED in park and would not budge. I had to have it towed to the chevy dealership and have the ignition switch and cylinder replaced. I was told by the mechanic at the dealership that Impala's are excellent cars, BUT... the main problem ALOT of them have is that the ignitions go out on them. So I paid $617.01 in parts and labor to get my car going again. And now I find out that there are so many other impala owners with the same problem. I am furious! My parents have a chevy malibu and they are having the same problem with the ignition in their car. Something needs to be done about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa

[ponchonutty]

Originally Posted by mdu1979

.......... My parents have a chevy malibu and they are having the same problem with the ignition in their car. Something needs to be done about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Melissa

Yes. All Gm vehicles will eventually have this happen to them. When all of this started happening, I was losing a lot of money. See, I sell and install car remote starters for a living. Many of which I work with/inside car dealerships. I'd get calls saying the car won't start and they took it to the dealers which said it was me(dealers I don't work with). So I had to foot the bill.

Best story was my wife's friend bought a brand new Pontiac Grand Am. With in days I had a remote starter installed in it. About a year later she called saying that it won't always start either with the key or remote starter. Before I could look at it she had a dealer pick it up. They called her and stated it was something to do with the ignition switch or remote starter and about $450 would cover the charges to fix it. I quickly called them and asked them if they had performed the recall on the ignition switch. There happened to be this recall that was actually separate from the PK2 system. I knew that with them doing the recall would also fix the no start condition too. Low and behold when she went to pick it up, thinking she'd be writing a check for a huge bill, they said it was all under warranty!!!!