What 505 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Chevrolet Impala Eco Eassist

WE ARE LEASING A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA, AND WITH NO WARNING AFTER 3 CHIMES A MESSAGE WILL COME UP ON THE DASH STATING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED". THE VEHICLE WILL START TO SLOW DOWN AND SOMETIMES COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHARGED ME $357.00 TO REPLACE A DEFECTIVE COMPUTER CHIP IN THE GAS PEDAL. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON LINE AND THERE WERE A LOT OF CONSUMERS THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AND WHEN THEY TOOK THEIR VEHICLES INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR THEIR VEHICLES WERE DIAGNOSED WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE NO ONE DRIVING BEHIND YOU EXPECTS YOUR VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY DRASTICALLY SLOW DOWN OR EVEN STOP WITH NO WARNING. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT YOU COULD BE INJURED BY A REAR END ACCIDENT. I'M SURE BY NOW CHEVY IS AWARE OF THIS DEFECTIVE PART AND THEY SHOULD PUT OUT A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM SO THAT CONSUMERS ARE AWARE ABOUT IT AND NOT HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET FOR REPAIRS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10515740

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE SPEED REDUCE ALERT ILLUMINATED AS THE VEHICLE SPEED INDEPENDENTLY DECELERATED TO 40 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR CHIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

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REAR SEAT CENTER HEAD REST LIMITS VISIBILITY, SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. IT IS A DEFINITE HAZARD. *TR

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THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES TO MY 2011 IMPALA. I WILL BE DRIVING NORMALLY, ANYWHERE FROM 45 TO UP TO 65 MPH, AND I WILL GET A WARNING SAYING "SERVICE STABILTRACK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, ENGINE POWER REDUCED". USUALLY I CAN SHUT THE CAR OFF AND WAIT 5 MINUTES, AND THE MESSAGES WILL CLEAR, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL REMAIN ILLUMINATED FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, EVENTUALLY CLEARING. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR WHATEVER IS CAUSING THIS, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WITH IMPALAS HAVING THIS SAME EXACT PROBLEM. WE AS THE CONSUMER, SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY MONEY OUT OF OUR POCKET, FOR A PROBLEM THAT CHEVROLET CAUSED DURING THE MANUFACTURE OF THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10510397

STARTING FROM STOPPED POSITION, TRANSMISSION SLIPS WHEN PRESSING GAS PEDAL. NO ERROR CODES. ALSO WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, AFTER STOPPING, THE VEHICLE JERKS, LIKE IT IS GOING FROM NEUTRAL INTO FIRST GEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10510262

HAD THE SERVICE LIGHT AND SERVICE STABITRAK AND REDUCED POWER COME ON. SEEMS TO HAPPEN A LOT DURING THE WINTER. I HAVE HAD THE GAS PEDAL REPLACED SEEMED TO HELP FOR A WEEK UNTIL SNOWED AGAIN BUT WAS DUE TO NICE WEATHER I HAVE ALSO HAD TO TAKE OFF THROTTLE BODY AND CLEANED WITH THROTTLE BODY CLEANER. SEEMED TO DO THE TRICK UNTIL IT SNOWED AGAIN. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE WITH THE SENOR BUT WORKS FINE WHEN NOT WET OUT OR SNOWING. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH CHEVY WITH THEM NOT DOING A THING OTHER THEN WANTING TO CHARGE ME 600 BUCKS TO REPLACE THROTTLE BODY. SEEMS LIKE CHEVY NEVER WANTED TO FIX THIS ISSUE DUE TO THE FACT OF ALOT OF OTHER MODELS OF CHEVY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM GOING BACK ATLEAST 4-5 YEARS. *TR

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THE SERVICE STABILITRAK LIGHT COMES ON AND ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED. IT HAPPENED THIS MORNING WHILE TAKING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL...VERY SCARY THING WHEN KIDS ARE IN THE CAR BECAUSE IT JUST STARTS LOSING POWER & YOU REALLY CANNOT DRIVE IT LIKE THIS.. *TR

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DRIVING 30 MPH IN A SMALL TOWN. A "BINGING" NOISE SOUNDS 3 TIMES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE MESSAGING SYSTEM STATED THAT TO "SERVICE STABILITRAK," "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL," AND "ENGINE POWER REDUCED. THE ACCELERATION WAS NOTICEABLY REDUCED AS WELL AS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN MAINTAINING SPEED. MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT KICK IN WHEN SETTING SPEED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO MANAGE A 65 MPH SPEED LIMIT. *TR

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THE CHECK STABILILINK / REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON AT START. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE DOWN AND RESTARTING THE LIGHT WENT OFF. I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON. I PULLED OVER, RESTARTED THE CAR AND IT WAS FINE. AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING SEVERAL MORE TIMES, THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND THE CHECK. THE STABILIZING WARNING CONTINUES. THE CAR IS COMPLETELY UNRELIABLE AT THIS TIME. SINCE THIS OCCURRED OVER EASTER, THERE ARE NO MECHANICS AVAILABLE,LEAVING ME WITH NO CAR AND CANCELLED APPOINTMENTS AND LOST WAGES TO START THE WEEK. *TR

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WE WERE ON THE TURNPIKE GOING ABOUT 60MPH WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE SERVICE LIGHT FOR TRACTION CONTROL AND SERVICE STABILITRAK WARNINGS CAME UP ON THE DASH. IT ALSO SAID REDUCING POWER TO ENGINE. THE CAR SLOWED IN SPEED AND BEGAN SHAKING. SERVICE THROTTLE CAME UP ON DASH ALSO. WE HAD NO WHERE TO PULL OFF. THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A BURM ON THIS INTERSTATE AND BEFORE WE COULD GET TO A PULL OFF AREA THE CAR SHUT DOWN IN THE ROAD. WE HAD TO SET THERE FOR 10 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD RESTART SO THAT WE COULD GET TO A SAFER PLACE. I HAD MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS ROAD WITH TRACTOR TRAILERS SWERVING AROUND ME CONSTANTLY. ALL I COULD DO WAS PRAY NO ONE WOULD HIT US. WE EVEN CONTACTED 911 FOR ASSISTANCE. SINCE THIS DAY WE HAVE HAD THE SAME CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS. I WILL NOT TRAVEL ON THE INTERSTATES WITH THIS VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. THERE DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THERE IS ANY ONE PARTICULAR THING THAT SETS THIS OFF. BUT SEEMS TO BE WORSENING. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GM. FROM THE CHEVY FORUMS ON THE IMPALA IT SEEMS THIS A PROBLEM WITH THEIR IMPALAS AND THEY SHOULD HAVE TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM WITH NO COST TO THE CONSUMER BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10504799

I OWN A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA AND FOR THE PAST COUPLE MONTHS ON 6 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY MY ENGINE POWER IS REDUCED AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT APPEARS. AS I HAVE RESEARCHED AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON AND VERY UNSAFE PROBLEM AMONG GM VEHICLES. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT THERE IS NO CLEAR SOLUTION TO WHY THIS IS HAPPENING WITH MANY MECHANICS STUMPED AND REPLACING PARTS IN WHICH THE PROBLEM RECURS ONLY A SHORT TIME LATER. I HAVE ALSO FOUND REPLACING WHAT THE DIAGNOSIS OF CODE P2135 SAYS THE PROBLEM STILL MAY NOT BE SOLVED. AS ONE CAN IMAGINE THAT DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY WITH A SEMI,HEAVY TRAFFIC,ETC. AND LOSING ENGINE POWER MAY LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE RESULTS. I HAVE NOT INSTALLED ANY PARTS OTHER THAN TIRES AFTER PURCHASING OF VEHICLE. *TR

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MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND OUT OF THE BLUE THE STABILITY CONTROL AND REDUCE ENGINE POWER LIGHT CAME ON THE MESSAGE DISPLAY. THERE WERE NO WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE TIME. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES TOTAL. ONE TIME IT HAPPENED AS SHE WAS WARMING UP THE CAR. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT STARTED SHAKING AND SHE FELT AS IF IT WAS ABOUT TO TAKE OFF INTO SPACE. SHE TURNED IT OFF THREE TIMES - EVEN TRIED TO DRIVE IT AND MOVE TO ANOTHER PARKING PLACE AND TURNED IF OFF AGAIN BEFORE IT FINALLY STOPPED SHAKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10502201

MY 2011 IMPALA IS READING "SERVICE THROTTLE. REDUCE ENGINE POWER" AND THEN PROCEEDS TO SHUT DOWN. EVEN AFTER REPLACING ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR, VEHICLE IS STILL READING SAME ERRORS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THERE IS NO LIMITATIONS TO WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AND CHEVROLET HASN'T ATTEMPTED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE HELP! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493682

WHILE DRIVING ON CITY BELTWAY, I WAS CHANGING LANES AT 50 -55MPH WHEN MY CAR EXPERIENCE SHUDDER AND THE MESSAGES THAT CAME ON SCREEN WAS ENGINE REDUCING POWER, CHECK STABILITY CONTROL, CHECK TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS FLASH AND WHAT APPEARED TO BE ROUGH IDLING. THE NEXT INCIDENT HAPPEN OFF AND ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. THE LAST KNOWN WAS 1/3/2013 630AM AND 115PM I WOULD HAVE TO SSHUT DOWN AND RESTART UNTIL THE MESSAGE DISAPPEARS. THE THING THAT REALLY SHOOK ME UP WAS WHEN I WAS MERGING ONTO THE HIGHWAY IN THE MORNING AROUND 6:45AM THERE WAS A SEMI AND OTHER VEHICLES BEHIND ME SO I ATTEMPTED TO MERGE AT ABOUT 30-50 WHEN THE MESSAGES APPEARED AND THE SEMI WAS PRACTICALLY ON MY TAIL. MY HEART JUMPED OUT MY CHEST BUT I REMAINED CALMED AND LUCKILY THERE WAS A MEDIAN STRIP AHEAD. I ASK MYSELF SITUATION COULD HAVE GONE WRONG AND CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT OR GOTTEN KILLED FROM BEING RAMMED FROM BEHIND ALL BECAUSE I COULD'NT ACCELERATE.I HAVE A SMALL VIDEO TO BACK THIS UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL NOTICE AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO GET THE CODE AND CHARGE ME 129.00 FOR DIAGNOSTIC. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY WAS KILLED BEHIND THIS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONTACT APPLIED MORE PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE TRACTION STABILIZER WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE ONE WEEK LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACCELERATOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

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THE TALL REAR SEAT HEADRESTS SEVERELY OBSCURE VISION TO THE REAR WHEN BACKING UP. THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT HEADREST IS THE WORST OFFENDER, AND COMPLETELY BLOCKS MY REAR VISION TO THE POINT WHERE I CANNOT TELL IF THERE IS A VEHICLE OR OTHER OBJECT BEHIND ME WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR BACKING UP. IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY GM AS I HAVE NOTICED THE 2012 IMPALA DOES NOT HAVE THIS CENTER REAR HEADREST! THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN AND A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED FOR THESE OLDER MODEL IMPALAS SO THESE REAR SEAT HEADRESTS CAN BE REMOVED. I ALREADY SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO GM (REFERENCE #[XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE HEADREST IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WOULD SIT TOO HIGH, BLOCKING THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY WHEN UTILIZING THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 900. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 11,300. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10483753

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS LOOSING POWER. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RESTARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSE THAT THE APP SENSOR AND MODULATOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR BOTH COMPONENTS. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH LATER THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN WHILE HE WAS PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. AFTER PULLING OVER THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE BUT THE RPM'S WERE RISING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10480863

I WAS DRIVING 60-70 MILES PER HOUR ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE ENGINE GOT A SUDDEN BOOST OF POWER. I WAS TOLD IT IS THE SENSOR ON THE GAS PEDAL THAT IS EFFECTING THE ENGINE POWER AND IT IS NOT COVERED BY POWER 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE STABILITY TRACK CONTROL LIGHT, THE ENGINE LIGHT, AND THE REDUCE POWER LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED WHILE ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT AWARE OF THE DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,562. UPDATED11/14/12*LJ UPDATED 11/16/2012 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10479335

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD REST IN THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LARGE AND THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WERE TOO SMALL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10478500

AFTER I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE THIS SUMMER I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WOULDN'T ACCELERATE WHEN PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC PLUS I HAD TO REALLY PRESS HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL TO GET POWER ON SMALL INCLINES. TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND OF COURSE THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. IT SEEMS THAT IF THE ENGINE LIGHT ISN'T ON THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE. SO I TOOK THE MECHANIC FOR A LITTLE DRIVE AND HE STILL COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING WRONG OR HEAR THE SLIGHT SQUEAK IN THE GAS PEDAL BUT FINALLY TOLD ME ABOUT THE SENSORS IN THE PEDAL AND THAT HE WOULD LUBE IT. AFTER HE LUBED THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE RAN GREAT FOR AWHILE AND NOW IT IS STARTING AGAIN AND THE GAS PEDALS SQUEAK IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN DEPRESSING IT. THE THING IS MY FULL WARRANTY HAS NOW EXPIRED AND I DOUBT THAT CHEVY WOULD COVER ANY COSTS. ANOTHER THING IS THE HEADRESTS IN THE BACK SEAT ARE WAY TOO BIG. YOU PRACTICALLY HAVE TO DISLOCATE YOUR SHOULDER TO SEE OUT THE BACK WINDOW WHEN BACKING UP; THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE FOR VISION. THEY NEED TO HAVE A RECALL TO REPLACE THE WHOLE BENCH AND GET RID OF THESE HIGH HEADRESTS! *TR

NHTSA ODI 10476732

I HAVE 42,000 ON MY 2011 CHEVY IMPALA AND THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL AND THEN REDUCE ENGINE POWER AS WELL AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ONE. I HAVE READ IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY AND NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, BUT NUMEROUS PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME EXACT THING AND NO RECALL OR ANY KIND OF CARE IS COMING FROM GM.... AND THOSE OF US THAT ARE STILL PAYING FOR OUR CARS ARE GETTING THE SHORT END OF THE STICK... *TR

NHTSA ODI 10476579

CANNOT SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR BECAUSE THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT HEADREST IS VERY TALL. THIS HEADREST IS NOT PRESENT ON THE 2012 IMPALA, SO THIS IS AN ISSUE. ALSO, TURNING AND TRYING TO LOOK OUT THE BACK WINDOW IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE OF HIGH REAR SEAT HEADRESTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10475697

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR EAGLE LS-2 TIRES, SIZE: P225/55R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD BLOWN FROM THE INSIDE WALL BUT THE OUTER WALL WAS STILL HOLING AIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND OFFERED TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF THE TIRES. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES AND THE VEHICLE WAS 30,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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