As everyone already knows, this is common with basically every 3.1/3.4L V6 that General Motors made from about 1996-2006. So they had a decade to figure out the problem and resolve it, but nope...they just kept on building them with the crappy plastic intake gaskets to save what is sure to be less than $5/car.

I sure hope it was worth it GM. Just look at how many people you've pissed off because of this stupid decision and this is what happens when purchasing/accountants run a company. Luckily I knew this was coming as I work in the industry and the only reason I even purchased the car is because I got it for a steal of a deal because they are basically worthless on the used market because of this repair cost!

Car has 135,000kms, parts for the upgraded metal FELPRO gaskets cost me about $200 all in including new coolant and oil and filter. I will say it is not the easiest job to do on your own, but it is certainly possible with the right tools and some experience.

I hope the new GM does better. MUCH better.

My first car was a Chevy (69 Nova) then had all Toyota, Honda, and Suburu until I inherited my mothers barely used 2002 Impala. At first I was impressed but then I got the infamous low coolant light (checked the records and my mother had it fixed last year too). This car has not been driven much - only 14k after 8 years! So at first when the dealer mentioned it "appeared" to have an engine intake leak (and he never mentioned this was a common problem!!), I figured OK seals can go given the cars sporatic use but after seeing all the complaints the problem has a new look.

As others have said no more GM for me - they really should be ashamed of themselves (reorganizing after bankrupcy is no excuse!). As others have said all my previous Hondas, Suburus and Toyotas have been very infrequent users of the unplanned visit to the repair shop. How can a supposedly reputable company continue to soak folks for their design flaw? I am going to just run this car until the engine does fail and then it is off to the recycle farm so the metal can live a new day in a hopefully better car. Oh and this car also had to have part of its "brain" fixed for control of the lights (after only 9k!) and the second setting on the heater fan doesn't work - and my 97 Honda with over 140k miles is going strong in both those departments with no fixes every necessary! Just amazing.

I see 116 people have taken the time to complain. Makes you wonder how many hundreds more read the posts but didn't write. I, too, have a coolant leak on my 2002 Chevy Impala. I called the local Chevy dealer who referred me to corporate Chev. who referred me back to local (and on two more times). Basically, they refuse to pay for any portion of the repair on this KNOWN defect. The local dealership admitted they feel bad about the problem but Chevy refuses to cover it unless it fails within five years. I replaced the intake manifold over the weekend to the tune of $350.00 and now the lower intake manifold is leaking.

My Impala has 82,428 miles on it and I have spent wayyy to much $ on repairs for this piece of crap. My daughter has a 2001 Honda CRV with 147,000+ miles on it and nary a repair yet - other than brakes, new wipers, and oil changes which is to be expected. I've never bought a foreign vehicle in my life but this Impala will now be my last American car. Say hello to a new customer Honda. Oh, and here's another gripe. Both the people I spoke with at Chevrolet barely spoke English. If you are going to be an American car company perhaps you should staff your complaint lines with people who can understand the language.

This car is the biggest piece of crap. NEVER BUY A CHEVY. They should go out of business for producing a car that is just a money taker. My car has service traction lights, check engine lights, low coolant, service vehicle soon. My car is leaking oil and coolant. I had the radiator replaced last year. I had the gaskets replaced. I am still having a problem reporting that the system is too lean and probably has a dirty air flow sensor. Did I mention I had the air flow sensor replaced too? This car is getting about 11 MILES TO THE GALLON! Yes I'm burning money and just wasted my time at the dealer. They should be held responsible and refund everyones money. They are theives and should be jailed.

well looks like my impala is just as much as a piece of sh*t as everyone else s on this page my 90 degree from the intake to the water pump housing cracked and radiator levels keep dropping and now leaking plenum gaskets need to be replaced along with water pump the 90 degree the intake gaskets valve cover gaskets thermostat and gaskets and just like mentioned by someone else my power windows have gone, having tranny problem where it changes gears hard from first to second from being stopped its hard to start sometimes and now my security light will come on at random times while driving which ive read is an electrical problem in the onboard computer! THANKS CHEVY FOR SELLING AMERICAN PIECES OF SH*T one problem after another, fix one problem and two more come up

here i am again this time not the bcm rather a leaky manifold , one garage here told me about 4 hrs labor @ $95.00 p.h. to replace it , so far already replaced catalytic converter and the computer knows there is a problem in which the check engine light stays on , 02 sensors detecting a cat problem and yes COOLANT IS A CAT KILLER, i have 28 days to prepare for smog test. so i did what any tool bearing chevy owner does i ordered the cd service manual from ebay and will do this methodically myself with all my GM car problems i may qualify for a MR GOODWRENCH cetificate

man oh man... so my car has the same problem as everyone on here... low coolant level comes on, wasting money on dex-cool and just wondering were the leakage is coming from.... so i google.. and voila.. looks like GM has f***ed a whole lotta ppl... i mean, u buy gm because its american... its what u learn growin up... and they do this to us... unreal... i saw a post about a guy saying they have some goo or stop leak... im gonna try to get it... but im also gonna call my mechanic and ask him how much... krazy... forget taking it 2 the dealer... gm should be ashamed!! good luck 2 all of u!!

I bought my 2002 Chevy impala ls in 2006 with 30,000 miles. For the first year the car drove fine with no problems. But out of nowhere it started to fall apart piece by piece. First it was the radiator, than it was the intake manifold gasket which for about two years now ive had replaced twice. Its really unfortunate because the car i originally bought for about $13,000 and i still have to pay a car note on it every month and am investing more and more money on repairs than the car is actually worth. I would like to know what i can do about sueing or anything that can help because up to this date i still have this issue after having it repaired several times by several different mechanics. never again will i buy a Chevy or gm car. they are real pieces of crap!

I will NEVER get another chevy impala. it has the engine comartment fires in the engine, and all kinds of stuff wrong with it. it seems like everything goes out on it. its also got a few more recalls on it. its horrible. i replaced my intake gaskets and it had a cracked intake manifold plenum, my eentire brake system and my alternator, all the power windows. Its in the shop now for the intake manifold, oxegen sensor, and its using too much fuel. (running rich)) Over all, i dislike this car very much. everything seems to just be wrong with it. one thing after another

First of all, back in 2002 when I first bought the car, it had 15,000 miles on it and the low coolant light was coming on. Brought it back to dealership many times to get the sensor replaced. Less than 6 months after i brought the vehicle, i had to get the water pump changed. Low coolant light was still on from then all the way until now. I got the radiator changed twice, thermostat changed twice and water pump changed again. Car started to run hot every time I drive it. Found out I needed the manifold intake gasket replaced. Since my extended warranty was exhausted, I had to end up paying for it out of pocket. The local mechanic shop wanted to charge $1000 to get it replaced. I couldn't afford it because I had gotten laid off from my job 3 months prior and I had to get this replaced so I can look for another job. I told my mom's boyfriend about it and told me his cousin does work like that. I took a chance and drove it to his cousin's home while the car was still running hot. He got it fixed, charged me $300.00 to get it done. I thank God for him fixing my car. Now it seems the transmission is failing. When I drive it, it changes gear hard and when I stop and start it again, it's hard to start. As soon as I start another job, I will save up to get me another vehicle, It won't be a GM this time.

Well I replaced my whole Engine because of the the lower intake was leaking coolant, and it was mostly my fault for not taking it in to see why my check engine lights was on; however my engine light had been on for a few months because of the catalytic converter, and i was told that i had a ways to go before i would have to replace it. And over 1yr. from my engine going, my converter still is working fine. I ended up spending all the money i made bartending that weekend on replacing my engine. I ended up getting a used engine with 50,000 miles on it. It has about 90,000 now a year later nad now im back to why i had to replace it in the first way. the sh*t that upsets me is its expensive to fix, and and the engine that i blew had about 150,000 miles on it.So now i can't drive which means i have to pay for other means of transportation when if it were affordable to fix i could just relplace the intake gasket. It's an American Car so it should be inexpensive to repair. I'm feeling like i should have bought a honda, i hear they last longer. If GM wasn't so f*cking greedy, they would have not gone under. See what happens when you rip off you customers. Assholes.