Aug 27, 2012Body & structure1 injury
UPON ARRIVING AT A RESTAURANT LOCATION WHERE WE PLANNED TO DINE, MY SPOUSE OPENED THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR USING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. WHILE PUSHING THE DOOR OPEN SHE RELAXED HER HANDHOLD ON THE HANDLE ALLOWING HER RIGHT HAND PINKIE FINGER TO BECOME CAPTURED BETWEEN THE RETRACTING HANDLE AND THE FLAT AREA WHERE THE HANDLE IS ATTACHED. IT PINCHED HER FINGER AND IT IMMEDIATELY FORMED A BLOOD BLISTER AND WAS VERY PAINFUL. AFTER SHE EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, I INSPECTED ALL OF THE OTHER DOORS AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO REPLICATE HER TYPE OF INJURY AT ANY OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES. I THEN TOOK A PICTURE OF HER INJURY AND THE PROBLEM INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10472704
Aug 3, 2012Speed controlEngine
VEHICLE STARTED VIA NORMAL KEY IGNITION. AFTER HIGH IDLING STOPS FOR WARM UP, VEHICLE STARTS TO HAVE ODOMETER NEEDLE MOVE FROM 500 RPM TO 1000 RPM FOR A STEADY 5 TO TEN MINUTES. IN ADDITION, EVENT OCCURS FREQUENTLY AT LONG STOPS EVEN AFTER CAR WARM. USUALLY, RPM MAY STEADY AT ABOUT 750 OR SO A NORMAL RPM SETTING FOR THIS VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO KEPT IT FOR A WEEK. NO CORRECTION MADE. DEALER STATE WAITING TO HEAR FROM MANUFACTURER. VEHICLE STILL HAVE PROBLEM HAVING NEEDLE FLUTTER BETWEEN THE RPM MENTIONED CAUSING UNDUE DISTRESS TO ENGINE COMPONENTS. PLEASE ASSIST. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10469138
Jun 15, 2012SteeringWheels
I WAS ROTATING THE TIRES AT HOME. WHEN REPLACING THE WHEELS I STARTED AND SNAGGED THE LUG NUTS BY HAND. I WENT TO TORQUE THE LUG NUTS TO SPECIFICATIONS (100 FOOT POUNDS) USING A TORQUE WRENCH. ONE OF THE RIGHT FRONT LUG NUTS WOULD NOT STOP TURNING WAY BEFORE REACHING THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. AS I CONTINUED TO TURN THE WRENCH, THE STUD SNAPPED OFF. ONE OF THE LUGS/STUDS NEXT TO IT ALSO FELT SUSPICIOUS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HAD ALL STUDS AND LUGS REPLACED ON THAT WHEEL AS I AM AFRAID THERE MAY BE A BAD BATCH OF STUDS. THE PARTS HAVE BEEN SAVED IF NEEDED FOR TESTING. I WAS A MECHANIC IN THE 1960'S AND HAVE BEEN DOING THIS WORK ON MY OWN AND FAMILY VEHICLES SINCE THEN. I CAN NOT RECALL EVER SNAPPING A STUD BEFORE. *JB
NHTSA ODI 10461854
Jun 5, 2012Airbags
WHILE DRIVING THIS MORNING MY PASSENGER SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING, I WAS THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR. I HAD A 20 OZ AQUAFINA BOTTLE OF WATER SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON AND CAR WAS WANTING THE SEAT BELT BUCKLED. I HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND THE THOUGHT OF THE AIRBAG DEPLOYING BECAUSE THE SEAT SENSOR FOR THE AIRBAG THOUGHT THERE WAS A PERSON SITTING THERE IS VERY DISTURBING. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10460656
May 24, 2012Fuel systemSpeed control
2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT. CONSUMER STATES HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP IS VERY NOISY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STAND STILL AND ALSO STATES ISSUES WITH VIBRATION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE ACCELERATOR MOTOR MADE A LOUD NOISE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL LINES, WHICH APPARENTLY RUN DIRECTLY UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FLOOR, VIBRATE DUE TO THE HARMONICS SET UP BY THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. THE VIBRATION IS CONTINUOUS AND CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE FLOOR AND UP INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT. *JB
NHTSA ODI 10459443
Mar 31, 2012Engine
ENGINE MAKES A KNOCKING NOISE WHILE ACCELERATING. I DROVE ANOTHER ONE AND THE NOISE WAS EVEN WORSE, THAT ONE HAD 15000 MILES ON IT. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THEM ALL. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THIS CAR. I DON'T ENJOY HEARING ALL THIS NOISE FROM A NEW CAR. (NOW HAS 6000 MILES ON IT) IF I CAN'T RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM IT WILL BE THE LAST GM CAR I EVER BUY. THE DEALER HAD ME DRIVE ANOTHER NEW 2012 IMPALA WHEN I MENTIONED THE NOISE, IT ALSO SOUNDED THE SAME. GM DEFINITELY DIDN'T ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PRODUCTION. *JS
NHTSA ODI 10453664
Feb 21, 2012Engine & cooling
ENGINE MAKES A TICKING NOISE OR KNOCKING NOISE WHILE ACCELERATING , I'M VERY CONCERNED WITH THIS BEING THAT THIS NOISE STARTED THE NEXT DAY AFTER I HAD THE CAR HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP . I'M HOPING THIS ISN'T A SAFETY CONCERN BUT IT SURE IS A CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO ISOLATE THE NOISE AND COULD NOT AND SAID I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE MANUFACTURER GM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. I'M VERY DEPRESSED ABOUT THIS HAVING SPENT GOOD MONEY ON A NEW CAR JUST TO HAVE IT MAKE MORE NOISE THAT A 40 YEAR OLD CAR , AND THEN BEING TOLD I HAVE TO WAIT TILL SOMEONE COMPLAINS ENOUGH TO SEE IF IT CAN BE FIXED. I BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A NEW ENGINE IN THE IMPALA AND NOW AM WONDERING IF THIS ENGINE IS GOING TO BECOME A PROBLEM FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF. I HAVE READ SOME MAJOR CONCERNS FROM PEOPLE ABOUT THE 06 IMPALA AND HOPE THIS ISN'T WHERE MY CAR IS HEADED. ANY HELP THAT I COULD GET WOULD BE VERY APPRECIATED, THANK YOU.
NHTSA ODI 10449788
Dec 13, 2011Transmission & drivetrainCrash1 injury
CAR WAS IN PARK AT A GAS STATION, IGNITION OFF, CAR NOT RUNNING. GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED "PARK". DRIVER WAS OUT OF THE CAR AND THE CAR ROLLED AWAY, CRASHING INTO PARKED VEHICLE AND RESULTING IN INJURY TO DRIVER. THIS WAS AN AVIS RENTAL CAR WITH 7,500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10439689