8.7

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
44,700 miles
Total Complaints:
3 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (2 reports)
  2. make better sensors for this problem (1 reports)
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problem #3

Sep 062008

Impala LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles

I was driving my 2004 Impala just under the speed limit of 35 mph and legally entered the intersection. The other guy was going the opposite direction and made a left hand turn from the far right lane on a red turn light. I hit him head on in the middle of his right passenger door. I slammed on my brakes but there was really no stopping time. The air bag did not go off so my hands slammed against the steering wheel and then my right elbow came back and hit the seat hard. His big, old, heavy car spun many times in the intersection (due to the high speed he was going) before he came to a stop. I proceeded across the intersection to the shoulder and turned off the ignition.

My car was towed and the guy never even got one ticket. Me? I went through multiple tests, two surgeries for nerve damage in both hands and arms and weeks of painful physical therapy. Five years later, the damage continues to worsen and is one of the reasons I can't work any more.

The guy had minimum insurance and I ended up in the hole financially. His insurance company would not compensate me for my car for twenty months. They were $1,000.00 off from totaling it, however, they would not access the engine damage (bumper was pushed against the radiator, radiator against the motor, motor against the dashboard) until I signed to have my car repaired. Since the frame was bent, they wanted to cut the front half off my car and replace it. I made their insurance rep mad when I refused and I told him "If cars were made to do that to, then you would be able to buy them in a box at Walmart". Oh, was he mad!

The biggest joke from them was that they would not add the air bag to the total which would have been $2,000 to $3,000 more. They said "It might still be all right". Not if it didn't work the first time. I told the rep that I would agree to sign to have the car repaired but since I do not consider myself stupid, I would never drive the car again. I told the rep that he had to promise me beforehand to give the car to his daughter to drive. Yep! He got mad at me again.

Anyway, I am writing this summary today because I just saw a commercial on TV about how Chevrolet has been hiding the fact that they have had problems with their airbags not going off since 2000. Evidently they have just recently issued recalls for some models. I hope our government hits them hard for their deception!

- Diana G., Norman, OK, US

problem #2

Sep 062008

Impala LX

  • Automatic transmission
  • 12,000 miles

I had just entered the intersection going a couple of miles under the speed limit of 35mph. Another driver ran a red light. I had no breaking time and I hit him head on in his front passenger's door. The air bag did not deploy so my hands jammed the steering wheel and my right arm came back and hit the seat hard. I had surgeries on both my hands but have permanent nerve damage that continues to worsen.

Although this guy broke three traffic laws, (he was speeding, he made an illegal left hand turn from the far right lane, and the turn light was red), he did not get a single ticket. At almost 50 years old, he told the officer that he didn't know he couldn't do that. He had minimum insurance coverage so I ended up in the hole financially. The body shop that my car was towed to would not total it as they were $1,000 short of the limit. The bumper was pushed against the radiator, the radiator against the motor, the motor against the dashboard and the frame was bent. They said they could not access all that damage until I signed to have it repaired. They wanted to cut the front off of my car and weld a new one on. I told the guy that if cars were meant to be put together that way, you could buy them in a box at Walmart. For some reason he got mad at me.

I had checked the cost of replacing the air bag which was between $2,000 and $3,000. The body shop men said it was probably okay even though they admitted that it should have deployed. The damage to my car was thousands of dollars over the totaling limit but my hands were tied. I was busy going to doctors, having surgeries, and physical therapy all without a vehicle. I hired an attorney who did nothing to assist me and I was 20 months without a car. I eventually fired the attorney and hired another one who was a little more helpful. I also talked to several attorneys about taking on Chevrolet for having defective airbags but was told it would take lots of time, witnesses, and money. Why isn't there a class action suite going on?

- Diana G., Norman, OK, US

problem #1

Nov 082011

Impala LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 110,000 miles

My Father was in an accident and hit all sides and totaled the front, the air bags never deployed! What is the point of this safety feature if they do not work correctly? If he wouldn't have had his seat belt on he would have been seriously hurt. Chevrolet company should look into their safety features on the air bags! My husband totaled his silverado a few years ago and once again the air bag did not deploy!!! This could be a real problem if not fixed!!

- beky5649, New Era, MI, US