2004 Chevrolet Impala: windshield wiper failure

Filed Jul 7, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · 179,000 miles · WI · fire

I have had issues with lights for the past 6 months. First started out where if I had my bright lights on every now and again all my lights would go off while driving. The bright lights wouldn't stay on so had to hold to keep them on. Then it came a period of time where all my lights would not work. On friday, june 27th 2014, I was at work and happened to look out the window and noticed my lights were on. Went outside to see if car was dead. When I got in the car I could see that my steering column was smoking (on fire) coming from the turn signal switch. The bright lights had stuck to on somehow and this is why I could see that my llights were on. I unhooked the battery and the smoking stopped. When I went to hook battery back up there wasn't any more smoking but my windshield wipers were going as fast as they could and I couldn't switch or do anything to make them stop. The hazards or all my lights were blinking on/off repeatedly. Nothing I could do to stop. As of now I'm driving without any fuse to the wipers and the lights work during the daytime but will not work at all after dark. I've been told the part that is needed to replace this is a multi-functional switch. However, this is going to cost $800 to replace. Many complaints out there about the same thing happening to same year/make/model car and no recall??

Filed Sep 30, 2013 · Electrical, Lights · KY

The heater completely stopped working but was finally able to get the passenger side to work (it has dual temp. Controls). The turn signals work just when they want to and the windshield wipers do the same. They just stop working with no warning what so ever. Have taken it to several different places to have it looked at but nobody can determine the cause of these problems. However, upon the research I've done since these problems began I've found I'm not the only one experiencing these same issues yet there has been no kind of recalls to fix it.

Filed Mar 25, 2011 · Brakes, Electrical · 40,000 miles · ME

Event: use the brakes. Failure: front end shakes. Repair: replace rotors. Event: drive at any speed. Failure: speedometer gone haywire, says your going 20 when you are going 70? Repair: rebuilt instrument cluster. Event: any time engine running. Failure: temp gauge haywire. You pull over thinking your car is overheating; it's not. Repair: rebuilt instrument cluster. Event: any time engine running. Failure: fuel gauge haywire. Don't know how much fuel you have, could run out of gas (did not happen to me). Repair: rebuilt instrument cluster. Event: using blinkers. Failure: blinkers either don't work when activated, or flash randomly. Repair: replace blinker/hazard module. Event: turning ignition key failure: no crank, no start - security light on. Wait a while, car starts like nothing happened. Repair: bypassed and disabled security 'passlock' switch. Event: using wipers/rain. Failure: windshield wipers stop in middle of windshield, continue after turning off, or don't come on when switch turned on. Repair: replace wiper motor & pulse board. Event: stop at intersection with engine running failure: engine surging and stalling. You must keep your foot planted on the brake so that you don't run into the car in front of you. It stalled out of state in an intersection. Repair: replace mass air flow sensor (maf). This most recent maf problem was the last straw. This car has other non-safety related electrical problems, as well as the normal wear items that you would replace on a 'real car'. This car is a rolling electrical disaster. This car is a money pit, just like its manufacturer. Good luck with that chevy volt.

Filed Feb 9, 2010 · Electrical, Lights · 143,122 miles · MI

I just had my second multi-function switch (headlight dimmer, turn signal, cruise, wiper/washer) fail on this car for the same reason resulting in complete loss of headlights. This is a very common issue as seen by numerous bulletin board postings. I dissected the original switch to determine if this could be fixed. It became quite obvious what was happening. The contacts on the hi/lo beam portion of the switch foul and overheat. This switch had melted plastic from the switch housing that had flowed over the contacts and prevented proper switch operation. This is an incredibly dangerous situation that manifests itself with little or no warning. This overheating is obviously due to poor engineering that has resulted in undersized contacts that foul due to relatively high load currents in the headlight circuit.

Filed Nov 24, 2009 · Visibility · AR

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.

Filed Feb 14, 2009 · Electrical · PA

Speedometer is erratic. Cannot tell what actual speed is at any time. Also gas gauge does not work properly. Cannot tell how much gas is in the tank. Also wipers are not working properly. Where's gm with a recall to fix these problems? These are all safety issues.

Filed Dec 10, 2007 · Lights · TX

2004 chevy impala--both turn signals and hazard lights stop flashing. Tried to replace fuses, but all still good. Could not locate a turn signal relay in the fuse box. Spoke to a mechanic who said it didn't make since that there was no relay in the fuse panel. Looked up the turn signal switch part and it was on back order. The part alone was over $300.00. Mechanic also stated it did not make since that it would be the turn signal switch when all other components on the turn signal arm (windshield wipers, cruise control, etc.) still worked. Unable to go to the dealership since it was a sunday. Looked up other similar complaints on topix.com and found several people having the same problem. Was advised to turn on and off the hazard several times. In doing so (about 100 times) the signals started working. Therefore, it doesn't seem as if this is a turn signal switch issue, but a hazard switch issue. This is a very dangerous situation if driving and your turn signals stop working which could cause a serious accident.