2004 Chevrolet Impala Wipers & Visibility Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH, THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ONCE BEFORE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

INCIDENT DESCRIPTION = I PURCHASED RAIN-X WIPER AT WALMART FOR MY 2004 IMPALA VEHICLE. IT COST $17.99+ AND WAS A 22-INCH MODEL. A WEEK OR SO LATER I RAN INTO A HEAVY DOWNPOUR WHILE DRIVING WEST ON I-40 FROM MEMPHIS TO LITTLE ROCK. THE WIPER PORTION OF BLADE ASSEMBLY BEGAN TO WORK ITS WAY OUT OF THE END OF THE HOLDER AND QUICKLY REACHED ABOUT 5 TO 6 INCHES OUTSIDE THE HOLDER. THE RUBBER BEGAN TO WHIP AROUND AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY TO PUT THE RUBBER PART BACK IN PLACE. THIS HAPPENED 3 MORE TIMES BEFORE I HAD TO STOP AND SEARCH OUT A MINI-MART WHERE I COULD BUY A ROLL OF ELECTRICAL TAPE TO TAPE THE RUBBER END TIGHTLY ENOUGH SO IT WOULD STOP FLYING OUT OF THE HOLDER. *TR

THE TEMPERATURE WAS 10 BELOW ZERO AND MY HEATER BLOWER QUIT WORKING CAUSING ALL OF THE WINDOWS TO ICE UP ON THE INSIDE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME SAFELY. I CHECK THE FUSES, BUT COULD FIND NO BLOWN FUSES. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY (MONDAY) AND, THANKFULLY IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER MY G.M. EXTENDED WARRANTY AT NO COST TO ME. I HAD 69,560 MILES ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. *TR

HEAT NO LONGER WORKING. *TR

SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 12/04, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER PERFORMED VERY POORLY. IN 3/07 IT CEASED WORKING, HOWEVER DASHBOARD CONTROL SWITCH AND I/P CONTROL RELAY APPEARED TO REMAIN FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED DEFECTIVE CIRCUIT BREAKER (MECHANICALLY BROKEN ARMATURE) TO BE CAUSE OF COMPLETE FAILURE. FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF CIRCUIT BREAKER, I/P CONTROL RELAY, AND ANTENNA MODULE, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS BACK TO PERFORMING POORLY. ELECTRICAL GRID APPEARS TO BE FUNCTIONAL - GOOD HEATING PATTERN (WHEN IT HEATS) WITH NO VISUALLY OBVIOUS DEFECTS. NO OBVIOUS PROBLEMS WERE FOUND IN I/P CONTROL RELAY AND ANTENNA MODULE THAT WERE REPLACED. ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSIS INDICATES EXCESSIVE CURRENT DRAW THRU DEFROSTER GRID, WHICH CAUSES CIRCUIT BREAKER TO TRIP AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS OF OPERATION. MANUALLY CYCLING THE DEFROSTER CONTROL ALLOWS BREAKER TO COOL AND CAN AGAIN BE ACTIVATED TO PROVIDE 10-15 SECONDS OF REPEATED OPERATION. NOTE THAT ELECTRICALLY DISCONNECTING THE GRID (AT THE WINDOW) DOES NOT CAUSE THE BREAKER TO TRIP, INDICATING NO SHORT IN THE VEHICLE WIRING HARNESS. WITH POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE OEM CIRCUIT BREAKER, DIAGNOSIS REVEALED TO OBVIOUS HEAT DAMAGE TO ANY OTHER COMPONENTS/WIRING IN THE VEHICLE. REAR DEFROSTER GRID APPEARS TO BE SOURCE OF THE EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL LOAD IN THE CIRCUIT. PROBLEM DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE ADDRESSED IN TSBS THAT I CAN LOCATE TO DATE. DISCUSSIONS WITH SEVERAL TECHNICIANS HAS RESULTED IN NOTHING MORE THAN GUESSES AT THIS TIME. *TR

HVAC SYSTEM IN THE 2004 IMPALA HAS A PROBLEM. THE AC COMPRESER RUNS IN THE HEAT ONLY MODE AT TEMPS AS LOW AS 30 DEGREES. THIS CAUSES THE INSIDE WINDOWS TO FOG UP ON THE INSIDE AND IF THE VECH IS LEFT PARKED OUTSIDE ALL THE WINDOWS WILL FOG UP. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP ALL WINDOWS CLEAN IS TO OPEN ONE OF THE WINDOWS A LITTLE AND RUN DEFROST WITH AT LEAST HALF SPEED. IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS THE FRONT AND SIDE WINDOWS FOG UP AND IT IS VERY HARD TO CLEAT THE SIDE WINDOWS. THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSING MY GAS MILEAGE TO GO DOWN AND MAKING IT HARD TO DRIVE WHEN IT IS COLD OUT. DEALER SAID IT IS OK. THE MANUAL SAYS THE AC SOULD ONLY RUN ABOVE 40 AND ONLY IN DEFROST OR DEMIST MODES.*AK