2003 Chevrolet Impala Transmission Problems

Your ABS and traction control lights are coming on, causing a grinding noise and your brakes to grab unexpectedly — making the car unsafe to drive. This has been happening for the last 5,000 miles and occurs while turning or braking on city streets and highways. You can't manually turn the traction control off; it activates on its own. The fix will likely involve diagnosing and repairing the ABS system, traction control module, or related brake components.

Your turn signals have been working on and off for 6 years. When you start from a complete stop, your transmission makes a squeaking noise, which started after you changed the fluid and filter for the second time. Your ABS (anti-lock braking system) stopped working 6 years ago. These issues may require diagnostics of the electrical system for the turn signals, transmission fluid and belt inspection for the squeaking, and ABS module repair or replacement.

WHEN STEPPING ON GAS CAR HESITATES BEFORE ENGAGING INTO GEAR. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY ESPECIALLY AFTER CAR WARMS UP. IT JERKS INTO GEAR FROM A DEAD STOP. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID SWITCH BUT WAS NOT COVERED. IT WOULD COST OVER $1000 TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR AND A HALF.

APPROXIMATELY 75,0000 MILES, ABS AND THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT KEPT APPEARING. I HAVE HAD 3 REPAIRS AND NOTHING HAS CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. AT 89,000MILES, THE LIGHTS APPEAR AND THE CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I TAKE OFF OR TURN SHARPELY. THE WEATHER HAS NO AFFECT ON THIS, DRY OR WET. I PUSH THE TRACTION OFF BUTTON AND IT STOPS. THEN REAPPEARS. THE SOUND SCARES ME MAKING ME THINK THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP. HAPPENS WHEN I TURN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ONTO THE STREET, TAKING OFF AT A RED LIGHT. NO ONE IS ABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM WITH 2003 IMPALA, HUNDREDS INFACT. I HAVE SPEND OVER A $1,000. ON REPAIRS. HELP PLEASE, SOMETHING IS WRONG THAT CAN'T BE REPAIRED. HAPPENING OVER A YEAR, 2015 TO 2016.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO SHAKE WITH A KNOCKING NOISE THEN IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION LEAK FLUID AND FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

I FIRST STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN OCTOBER 2015. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JULY 2015. I TRUSTED THIS COMPANY BECAUSE I SEEN THEY HAD GREAT REVIEWS. I ACTUALLY TRADER MY PREVIOUS CAR IN BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AND ALSO SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. NOW MY CURRENT CAR IS HAVING PROBELMS STARTING. I HAD MY BATTERY, ALTERNATOR & STARTER CHECKED, AND IT WAS GOOD. THE COMPANY I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM PROVIDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET SERVICED IN THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER FOR AN ENGINE MOUNT REPLACEMENT. THEY REPLACED MY ENGINE MOUNTS AND FUEL PUMP. 2 DAYS AFTER THAT SERVICE I STARTED HAVING ISSUES STARTING THE CAR. WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN YOU USUALLY HEAR BEEPING NOISE AND I DIDN'T. THAN MY BATTERY LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, TRAC OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND IN THE MESSAGE CENTER TRACKING SYSTEM LIGHT CAME UP. THIS WAS VERY INCONVENIENT DUE TO THE WEATHER AND HAVING TO GET 2 TODDLERS READY FOR SCHOOL IN THE AM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. I DIDN'T TAKE IT BACK TO THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE EVERYTIME YOU TAKE IT FOR SERVICE MY DEDUCTIBLE IS $100. AFTER 2 WEEKS AFTER REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. SO I CALLED MY WARRANTY SERVICE CENTER THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK BUT IF IT NEEDS FIXING I HAVE TO PAY AGAIN. (ALSO I AM PAYING A CAR NOTE OF $115 A WEEK). I REFUSE TO KEEP PAYING MONEY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN SO MANY WAYS. IT'S VERY FUSTRATING BECAUSE I TRADER MY PREVIOUS CAR (2000 BUICK REGAL) IN FOR THE SAME REASON. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A WIRING ISSUE, SENSOR ISSUE OR MAYBE WHEN THEY CHANGED MY ENGINE MOUNTS OR FUEL PUMP SOMETHING GOT DISCONNECTED. THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T START UNTIL THEY DID SERVICE ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE I NEED SOME HELP ON WHAT TO DO. LITTLE MINOR ISSUES I DON'T MIND KEEPING UP WITH BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE TRACTION AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED DURING ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A DAILY BASIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HUB SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE DAYS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHENEVEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

CAR WILL NOT START, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS HOT INSIDE THE CAR. NO LIGHTS GO ON - NOTHING. HAVE REPLACED KEY, KEY CYLINDER (TWICE), AND IGNITION SWITCH. NEXT STEP IS TO REPLACE BCM, BUT NOT SURE IF THAT WILL SOLVE ISSUE. IN RESEARCHING SIMILAR ISSUES PEOPLE HAVE BYPASSED THE SECURITY SYSTEM TO THE BCM SO CAR WILL START. WE HAVE NOT DONE THIS BYPASS. *JS

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PAGE LIKE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I GOT TO THIS ONE. THIS 2003 IMPALA STARTED ACTING LIKE THIS BEFORE THE MILES I PLACE DOWN, BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS CAR USE AND MY WARRANTY END, I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING (THE DEALER STATED) WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND THEN START WELL TRY TO START THE CAR HESITATE AND THEN A HARD KICK/PUNCH AND IT WOULD DO THIS ONLY AT RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, OR REVERSE. SO ON 05/12/2010 I BOUGHT THIS CAR TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP THEY PERFORM A TEST AND IT CHECK OUT TWO OF THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS FOR THE TRANSMISSION WERE BAD SO THEY REPLACE BOTH SHIFT SOLENOIDS, SIDE COVER GASKET AND TRANSMISSION FILTER. COST ME $1,120.56 WITH IN A WEEK IT WAS STILL ACTING LIKE IT WAS NEVER WORK ON. I STARTED ASKING OTHER OWNERS ABOUT THERE IMPALA THEY ALL SAID IT DID THE SAME TO THEM. NOW HERE IT IS 2012 AND MY CAR STILL KICK HARD AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ARE NO RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. I AM A LITTLE SHOCK MY MOTHER USE TO WORK FOR GM - *TR

I PURCHASED MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA IN 2009. CAR RAN PERFECT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. AFTER 6 MONTHS THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. THAT IS NOT THE MAJOR ISSUE. THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THAT THE CAR DOES NOT START ALL THE TIME. CHANGED BATTERY AND IT STILL DOES NOT RUN. IT WILL START BUT ONLY RUNS UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN GEAR. IT THEN STALLS OUT! THIS CAR HAS BEEN GREAT BUT IS NOT UNRELIABLE.. *TR

SECURITY LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. VEHICLE WILL NOT START FOR 10 MINUTES AFTER INITIAL ATTEMPT TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION KICKS TERRIBLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. BRAKE LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT, AND AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASH WHEN BRAKING. ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY CHECK FINE AT SERVICE. ALL SIGNS POINT TO BCM AND GAUGE CLUSTER. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH A 3.8 LITER V-6. THE CAR RADIO QUIT WORKING AND I HAD TO PULL OUT THE FUSE BECAUSE IT WAS SENDING STRANGE ERROR MESSAGES TO THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. NOW THE BCM IS HAVING EVEN MORE PROBLEMS. THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OF THEN BACK ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE CAR OFF. THEN IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I PULLED THE FUSE FOR THE BCM AN THE CAR STARTED AND I MADE IT HOME. WHAT IN THE WORLD DID GENERAL MOTORS DO TO THESE CARS. I HAVE BEEN READING NUMEROUS HORROR STORIES ABOUT THEIR CARS. WAS THERE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM OR DO I HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALER AND SPEND A FORTUNE TO FIX THIS GARBAGE PRETENDING TO BE A CAR. HOW CAN A CAR COMPANY GET AWAY WITH THIS POOR QUALITY CONTROL IN THIS DAY AND AGE? MY SECURITY DISPLAY NOW SHOWS RANDOM ERRORS LIKE LOW FUEL EVEN AFTER I FILLED UP THE TANK. NOT SURE IF ANY MAJOR DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE CAR BUT NOW THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN IT SHIFTS. *TR

NO CRASHES. *TR

IN THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS I HAD NOTICED THAT THE DOORS OF MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA WERE NOT AUTOMATICALLY UNLOCKING. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO OCCUR WHEN GEARSHIFT IS MOVED INTO PARK POSITION. AT THE TIME I DID NOT VIEW THIS AS IMPORTANT. IN THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS I HAVE NOTICED THAT MY CAR WOULD NOT START AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY. ON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE GEARSHIFT WAS IN THE PHYSICAL POSITION FOR PARK, THE DASH INDICATOR DID NOT INDICATE "P" ON THE DISPLAY. I MOVED THE GEARSHIFT INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND THE VEHICLE STARTED. TODAY, WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE ON AN INCLINE I MOVED THE GEARSHIFT TO THE PHYSICAL PARK POSITION BUT AGAIN THE DASH INDICATOR DID NOT SHOW THE "P" FOR GEARSHIFT POSITION. AFTER REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL DOWN THE INCLINE. I REAPPLIED THE BRAKE AND FIDGETED WITH THE GEARSHIFT LEVER AND EVENTUALLY THE DASH INDICATOR EVENTUALLY SHOWED "P" INDICATING THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. ON REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE REMAINED STATIONARY. THERE APPEARS TO ME TO BE SOME MALFUNCTION WITH THE SWITCH SENDING THE GEARSHIFT POSITION INDICATION TO THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

TRANSMISSION PAN BOLTS LOOSEN EVERY 25,000 TO 30,000 MILES. *TR

AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE REPAIR SHOP AT TWO DEARLERSHIPS FOR MY SLIPPING TRANSMISSION ON MY 2003 IMPALA, THE TRANSMISSION FINALLY FAILED AFTER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED ON THE CAR. *TR

MY TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT OF MY TAHOE IT IS A 2003 MODEL AND HAS LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON IT. *NM

UPON ACCELERATION CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT. UPON DECELERATION OR TRAVELING IN REVERSE, CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED UNCONTROLLABLY AND SHIFTED GEARS ON IT'S OWN. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMERER THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

WHEN ON ANY GRADE OF INCLINE THE CAR WILL BEGIN TO ROLL BACKWARDS UNLESS GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED QUICKLY AND QUITE HARD. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN ME HITTING A CAR BEHIND ME WHILE WAITING FOR A RED LIGHT ON AN INCLINE WHEN I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES NOW AND I HAVE TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS I BEGIN TO ACCELERATE OR THE ROLL BACK OCCURS. ALSO ATTEMPTING TO PARK AT MY DAUGHTERS SCHOOL WHERE THE PARKING SPOTS HAVE TO BE PULLED UP INTO, THE CAR ROLLS BACK RATHER QUICKLY AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT IT HAS SOME PROBLEMS ADVANCING IT'S GEARS IF THE ENGINE IS UNDER STRAIN. I'M VERY WORRIED THAT MY CAR ROLLING BACK WILL RESULT IN ACCIDENT.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PERIODICALLY FAILS TO PROCEED WITH SHIFTS AFTER REACHING 25-30 MPH. AT THAT POINT, THE ENGINE ROARS, AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL, AND THE VEHICLE CEASES TO ACCELERATE. SOMETIMES THIS IS RESOLVED WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS WITH A LURCH. MOST OFTEN, IT IS NECESSARY TO REDUCE THE SPEAD AND ONCE AGAIN ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PROBLEMATIC RANGE. THIS USUALLY LEADS TO THE CAR RESUMING A NORMAL PATTERN OF ACCELERATION. HOWEVER, ON SOME ACCASIONS THIS PROCESS HAS LED TO MULTIPLE REPITITIONS OF THE SAME PROBLEM, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FAIL TO ACCELERATE PROPERLY INTO TRAFFIC FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD WITH RESULTANT DANGER TO THOSE IN THE VEHICLE AND IN OTHER VEHICLES NEARBY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES OVER THE PAST FIVE MONTHS, WITH THE FIRST REQUEST FOR SERVICE OCCURRING WHEN THE VEHICLE'S MILEAGE WAS JUST UNDER 10,800. THE FIRST FOUR SERVICE VISITS FAILED TO RESULT IN EFFECTIVE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE RESULTS OF THE FIFTH SERVICE VISIT ARE PENDING. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN FAILING WITHIN 3 WEEKS OF PURCHASE. TRANSMISSION WOULD SLAM AND JERK IN GEARS AND FINALLY BEGAN NOT SHIFTING OUT OF 1ST GEAR UNTIL 50 MPH. WAS FIXED AND THEN ONE WEEK LATER BEGAN FAILING AGAIN. THIS TIME CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR BUT INSTEAD JUST SLIP GEAR AND REV ENGINE. TRANSMISSION FINALLY LOCKED INTO 3RD GEAR AND WOULD NOT DRIVE IN ANY OTHER GEAR. THIS ALL OCCURS WITHIN THE FIRST 2400 MILES AND 1 1/2 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP.*AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP ON A SMALL OR LARGE INCLINE THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS EXCESSIVELY AND ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION. *NLM RETURNED USPS, 2ND ATTEMPT MADE 05/21/03 FAILED. *LJ

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ANF AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN THE CAR BEGAN DOWNSHIFTING ROUGH. AS I INCREASED SPEED OUT OF THE EXIT THE CAR WAS "JERKING" AND SHIFTING VERY ROUGH. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. IT TOOK 2 WEEKS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY, WIRING HARNESS, AND SOLENOIDS IN THE TRANSMISSION. THIS CAR ONLY HAD 400 MILES ON IT