2008 Chevrolet Impala: key fob or push-button start problems

Filed Feb 13, 2018 · PA · 1 injury

Back door locks will not open from outside of vehicle with key fob or with inside power locks, (no outside key entry locks in back doors) they remain locked at all times and my grandchild must climb over front seat to get in the back of vehicle and vice a versa to get out. If accident occurs, fire starts baby or child could not get out!! I have complained to chevy they will not do anything about it. I have read other complaints that all four door locks may go at some point. This is a defect and should be a recall. Chevy wants hundreds of dollars (each door lock)to have them fixed. I have never had a vehicle that this has happened to in 41 years of driving. I have hurt my own back trying to reach to the back seat from the front only. It started with one lock a few years ago and then the second one started. Please help!

Filed Jan 22, 2016 · 55,000 miles · IN

Both rear passenger door locks stop working prior to 60,000 miles. They would work randomly and eventually stopped working all together. After researching the issue there are several hundred complaints on websites and it appears to be that they used a lubricant that becomes too solidified. If I were in an accident I wouldn't be able to unlock the rear doors using the key fob or the power unlock. It has to be done manually and they are very difficult to reach from the front seats.

Filed Oct 19, 2015 · Electrical · 85,733 miles · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet impala. The contact stated that the key fob was not able to be removed from the ignition and the vehicle experienced a loss of power steering. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it could not be diagnosed. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was remedied under the federal safety agency campaign number: 14v355000 (electrical system); however, the failure recurred twelve times after the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 85,733.

Filed Jun 4, 2015 · Body · 120,000 miles · MI

The power locking mechanism failure. The only door that can be unlocked by the key fob is the driver's door. All of the other doors must be manually unlocked. If someone needs to enter the vehicle from the passenger side, the window must be opened to allow the person on the passenger side of the vehicle to reach in and unlock the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and was told the the actuator in the doors were malfunctioning, and the cost would be $1,300.00 to have them repaired. Vehicle has not been repaired.

Filed Sep 26, 2014 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · MD

The key is stuck in the ignition, this was at 10:15pm 9/25/14. The car was able to be turned off, I turned off the radio, lights, air and anything else I thought would kill the battery. I removed the key fob and locked my vehicle. I woke up this morning at 5am thinking the car wouldn't start but thankfully it did. I drove to work and now I am worried the battery will be dead when I return to it to go home. I called the dealership service department at jack winegardiner chevrolet and they said the cause could be a dead battery, not so, I can start and drive the car just fine. When I asked what could be the cause, could it possibly be the recall 14299, he said no. I told him that I have done my research and this is an ongoing issue with these cars and he said unfortunately their is no recall for that ma'am and that I will be responsible for the repairs. Really, I had another issue with the card just a few days ago which I will report in another complaint. But in short the car had reduced power and traction was supposedly affected. Turned the car of and went in to work, went back to go home and it has been fine ever since. This car is becoming unreliable. I used to love my car, now, I don't think I will buy another chevy, ever!

Filed Sep 10, 2014 · Acceleration · CA

2008 chevrolet impala. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle key fob recall notice and seeks reimbursement for throttle body control unit. *smd the consumer stated on 2 separate occasions, a sensor went off and she lost engine power and the brakes. The mechanic replaced the throttle body control unit.

Filed Aug 21, 2014 · Body, Electrical · 51,000 miles · MI · 1 injury

Rear passenger doors will not unlock, trapping passengers after parking vehicle nether of the rear passenger doors could be opened. Both rear passenger doors remain locked and could not be unlocked using ether the lock controls located on the drivers side door control or with the key fob. My 90+ year old parent was in rear passenger compartment. Due to severe dementia they became panicky and agitated when they were unable to get out of the vehicle. They did not have the ability to open the door using the passenger lock nor could they follow instructions to do so. This would be the same situation as having a small child trapped n the rear. The rear door manual locking mechanism are located to far back to be reached from the drivers compartment. I was only able to free him by entering the truck and pushing one of the rear seats flat to access the passenger area. Had this been a crash or vehicle fire any passenger in rear compartment would have perished. A review of impala owner complaints on several web sites indicates there is a common issue with the rear door locks on these impalas but gm has not offered to fix what is an obvious safety hazard.

Filed Jun 27, 2014 · Locks · 58,000 miles · MO

3 of the 4 door locks won't operate with a key fob or the door panel and there's no key access anywhere outside except the drivers side which is the only lock that currently works...with children or adults in the back seat or the passenger side this creates a serious hazard in the event of an accident or the need to enter the car urgently if being pursued by an abductor. Small children wouldn't be able to manually unlock doors to exit the vehicle in case of an emergency and the driver would have to climb over the back seat to access the lock manually or lose precious time rolling windows down and getting out of the car to open the door locks from outside the car....this vehicle is low mileage and these locks are defective. Many have been blogging about these defective door locks and gm needs to recall these and replace their defective door lock actuators stat at no cost to the consumer!

Filed Jul 25, 2013 · Electrical · 11,000 miles · SC

The power door locks work interrmittenly, both with the remote key fob and the interior door lock buttons often resulting in manually having to use the key to enter the vehicle or physically pulling up the lock once inside the car to unlock a particular door. This is not a battery issue for the remote as I've even noticed on several occasions when using the remote to unlock the driver's door, the door lock register the "input" and attempt to move up to the unlock position, physically look as if something were preventing it from doing so, and remain in the locked position. And, its completely random as for which door lock will operate and there are stretches of days when all locks will operate properly with both the remote and the door lock buttons. Also, there is no pattern to which doors will operate as to front/rear, driver/passenger side and/or one, two, three, four, or zero doors locking/unlocking. This situation is extremely inconvenient (particularly when raining), potentially unsafe, and problematic in keeping your vehicle and its contents secure.

Filed May 13, 2013 · Electrical, Locks · 92,146 miles · KY

Right rear door lock would operate intermittently at first and finally will not unlock at all with auto door lock or key fob. It is also starting to do the same thing on the left rear door lock so I know it will only be a matter of time before it will not unlock either.

Filed Apr 4, 2012 · Electrical, Locks · 71,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 chevrolet impala. The contact stated that he was unable to unlock the doors by using the automatic key fob. The contact mentioned that the only way to unlock the door was by crawling over the rear seat and manually unlocking the doors from the inside. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who did not diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 71,000 and the current mileage 73,600. Updated 04/25/12