2008 Chevrolet Impala Fuel System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR IN THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER SHOWED LOW LEVELS OF OIL AND POWER STEERING FLUIDS. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED OR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

AS I WAS DRIVING, AROUND 30 MPH, THE WARNING DISPLAYS "REDUCED ENGINE SPEED" AND THE CAR WILL BARELY REACH 45 MPH. TWICE IN 5 YEARS, WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR.

I JUST PURCHASED MY USED VEHICLE FROM A DEALER LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO. MY ENGINE LIGHT KEPT COMING ON AND THEN IT STAYED ON. I WENT TO A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO GET A DIAGNOSTIC READING AND IT SAID TO CHECK MY EMMISION SYSTEM. SO, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALER IN TOWN AND THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A BAD EVAP VENT SOLENOID VALVE. EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS COVERED BY THE 8 YEAR FEDERAL WARRANTY ON EMISSIONS, I HAD TO PAY FOR THE NEW PART AND THE DIAGNOSTICS CHECK. IN LOOKING UP THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET, TO MY SURPRISE IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM! APPARENTLY, THE SOLENOID VALVE IS A POOR LASTING PART WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE! IT IS A COMMON MAINTENANCE SERVICE THAT SHOULD BE CHECKED EVERY 30,000 MILES. THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL. IN SPEAKING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, THEY HAVE ALSO HAD THEIR ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND HAD GAS STATION MECHANICS TELL THEM TO IGNORE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AS IT IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE WITH THE NEWER VEHICLES AND THE NEW EMMISION STANDARDS. WHEN I TOLD CHEVY THAT THEY SHOULD RECALL THE PART, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY DON'T HANDLE THAT AND TO REPORT IT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. I BELIEVE THE CONSUMER IS NOT GETTING ALL THE INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM AND SOMEONE SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS DEFECTIVE PART.

I HAVE A 2008 IMPALA LT WITH A GAS GAUGE THAT FAILS ESPECIALLY IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES. IT READS 1/4 FULL WHEN YOU FILL IT AND GOES ABOUT 100 MILES AND READS EMPTY WITH THE LIGHT COMING ON TO GET GAS IMMEDIATELY. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER,SAWYERS CHEVROLET TWICE BUT THEY WILL DO NOTHING SINCE I HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT. I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I OWN A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA THAT TAKE E85 FUEL. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, I'VE FILLED UP WITH E85 AND DRIVEN OUT THE ENTIRE TANK OF E85 FUEL, THEN SWITCHED BACK TO 87 OCTANE. WITH DRIVING 10 - 20 MILES, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I'M DIRECTED BY MY ONSTAR SERVICE TO REPORT THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THAT MY FUEL SYSTEM DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE CHANGE IN ALCOHOL LEVELS BETWEEN THE E85 AND 87 OCTANE; THE REASON FOR THE ALERT. THE FUEL SYSTEM IS NOT ABLE TO TELL THAT I'VE SWITCHED FROM E85 TO 87 AND REPORTS A FAILURE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. THIS CAUSE MY REMOTE START TO NOT WORK. I HAVE TO REPORT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO MANUALLY RESET THE FUEL SYSTEM THAT MONITORS THIS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT HAD BEEN DRIVING HIS VEHICLE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FOR SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE HE NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT GETTING THE MILES PER GALLON THAT WAS STATED ON THE EPA STICKER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY FOUND NO FAILURES RELATED TO THE FUEL MILEAGE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 500. UPDATED 09/10/08. *LJ UPDATED 09/12/08. *JB