10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$400
Average Mileage:
3,500 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2007 Chevrolet Impala:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #1

Apr 062007

(reported on)

Impala LT 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,500 miles

I only had this car for 60 days! I was driving along on the highway and the check engine light came on. I called onstar and they ran an onboard diagnostic check. They found a problem with throttle operation. Car stalled out, pulled to side of road noticed smoke coming from under the hood. I opened hood found it coming from the airbox assembly. I opened it up and found the MAF had burned and melted and set the filter on fire. I quickly put it out. Car was towed to local dealer, Botnick Chevrolet of Binghamton NY. To make long story short, they claim that a lit cigarette went into the air cleaner and set it on fire!!! (mind you I am on the highway driving at 65 MPH!) The filter opening is 3 inches wide, behind a fender assembly! And they continued to stick to this story.

My insurance company went and looked at the vehicle and had brought in an adjuster that does strictly fire investigations to inspect this and he determined that the fire started at the MAF and worked its way to the filter. The probability of this happening is 1 in 1,000,000 and that it would be impossible for the cigarette to even remain lit when and if it would enter the housing, much less finding its way up to the intake! The dealership and GM customer service stood fast defending their "trained staff" saying they have the "last say" and that they will not pay and that it is not a warranty issue or repair.

I had to cough up $400 dollars for a new air cleaner assembly, $200 dollars for a rental car and $27 dollars for a cab! On a brand new car. Since it was not warranty work they are not obliged to pay for a rental car.

The 1-800 number is a complete joke. I have been a Service Manager for one of the largest vehicle fleets in the state of New York for 13 years and 10 years as a mechanic myself for the same company for a total of 23 years and none of my mechanics, friends or neighbors can believe this crap GM is pulling. I complained to GM customer service about this and told them that this was the 4th new GM car I bought from them and the customer service rep whose name as she gave it to me was "Princess Mills" said "thank you and sorry to lose you as a customer".

IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, POST IT!!! STAND UP TO THESE BIG COMPANIES THAT HURT THE WORKING PUBLIC! My next step is arbitration.

I will never ever buy a GM vehicle ever again! Beware if you use the above dealer!!! Jim DICKson and Rick Erecka in the service dept are a DISGRACE to all the honest mechanics and supervisors out there!!

- acevedo, Roscoe, NY, US