There are 26 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2002 Chevrolet Impalain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A FAINT BURNING ORDER INSIDE THE VEHICLE WHILE THE HEAT WAS ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE REAR WINDSHIELD SUDDENLY SHATTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A WINDOW REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE REAR WINDSHIELD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEFROSTER MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.
GO TO START THE CAR, EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL, YOU TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. THERE IS POWER TO EVERYTHING BUT DOES NOTHING WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY. NO CLICK OR CRANK SOUND AT ALL. HAPPENS OUT OF THE BLUE LEAVING YOU STRANDED. SOMETIMES IF YOU WAIT IT OUT ALL OF A SUDDEN IT WILL WORK LIKE NOTHING EVERY HAPPENED. VERY BAZAAR. MECHANICS UNABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT. THIS IS A CAR OUR DAUGHTER DRIVES AND HAS BEEN STRANDED ALONE AT NIGHT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I GOGGLED THIS PROBLEM ONLINE AND FOUND HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT. THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THE WIPERS STAY IN UP POSITION ON THE WINDSHIELD WHEN YOUR TURN THEM OFF AFTER IT SNOWS. SEVERAL THOUSAND COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON LINE AS WELL. CAUSES A VISIBILITY ISSUE.. VERY DANGEROUS! *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVERS WINDOW FAILED AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP OR DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW REGULATOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,544 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,000. SM.
STARTING WITH THE 2000 CHEVY IMPALA THEY HAVE A WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEM, WHERE IF HEAVY SNOWS SLIDES OFF THE ROOF ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, OR IF THE WIPERS ARE FROZEN TO THE WINDSHIELD WHEN YOU OPERATE THE WIPERS, IT BENDS A TAB UNDER THE WIPER MECHANISM AND CAUSES THE WIPERS TO PARK IN THE OUTWIPE CONDITION WHEN TURNED OFF INSTEAD OF OUT OF THE WAY OF THE DRIVERS VISION JUST UNDER THE FRONT HOOD. THEY PARK STRAIGHT UP CAUSING A DANGEROUS OBSTRUCTION IN THE DRIVERS VIEW. THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET WHERE IMPALA OWNERS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY IN THE STATES THAT EXPERIENCE FREEZING WEATHER AND SNOW. SOME HAVE STATED AFTER PAYING FROM $75 TO $300 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED THE PROBLEM WOULD RETURN. PERHAPS A VERY POOR DESIGN ON GMS PART BUT TO THIS DATE GM HAS NOT INSTITUTED A RECALL. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND DESIGNED REPLACEMENT KIT FOR THE BENT TAB AT GREAT EXPENSE FOR THE OWNER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED.
MY 2002 CHEVROLET IMAPLA'S WINDSHIELD WIPER TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS WHEN FREEZING RAIN OR EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE OR SNOW ACCUMULATES ON THE WINDSHIELD AND ISN'T COMPLETELY CLEARED BEFORE TURNING THE WIPERS ON. NOW THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT FUNCTION AND OBVIOUSLY THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN IT BEGINS TO RAIN OR SNOW AS ONE CANNOT SEE CLEARLY WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ESPECIALLY FOR IMPALAS IN RECENT YEARS, SO I FEEL THAT THE PART SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT LEAST TWO OTHER TIMES, AND NOW A THIRD TIME WHERE I BELIEVE THE PART IS DAMAGED TO THE POINT WHERE IT MUST BE REPLACED. THE PREVIOUS TWO TIMES THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO RE-SET THE WIPERS FOR CHEAP, BUT THE MOST RECENT VISIT HE SAID IT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE NOT REPLACED THE PART YET AS I DO NOT TRAVEL FAR OR IN POOR WEATHER, BUT I WILL BE DOING SO IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING, THE PASSENGER WINDOW FELL DOWN INTO THE DOOR FRAME CAUSING SUCH A LOUD NOISE AND STARTLING ME WHILE DRIVING I NEARLY CRASHED MY CAR, LEAVING MY CHILD EXPOSED TO THE WEATHER AND OTHER THINGS. *JB
WINDSHIELD WIPER DEFECT. STAYS IN UP POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF. I HAVE SEVERAL OTHER IMPALAS SIINCE THIS HAS STARTED ON MY VEHICLE.*AK
2002 IMPALA WIPERS WILL NOT RETURN TO PARK POSITION WHEN TURNED OFF. NORMAL OPERATION IS OK. WHEN WIPERS ARE TURNED OFF THEY STAY IN THE FULL UPPER MOST POSITION, CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTED VIEW THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES KEEP FAILING IN THE WINTER MONTHS. DEALER KEEPS SAYING NEED TO CLEAN BETTER, BUT THAT HAS NOT WORKED, AND THEY HAVE FAILED WHILE IN USE ON THE HIGHWAY. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN MY MIND. KEEP PUTTING NEW PARTS INTO THE WIPER TRAIN. AT MY EXPENCE AND IT STILL IS A PROBLEM EVERY WINTER.*AK
DT: CONTACT STATES THE REAR DEFROSTER TERMINAL FELL OFF. THIS HAS BEEN THE 5TH TIME THIS OCCURRED. THE REAR WINDOW HAS BEEN REPLACED ONCE, WAITING TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WHEN TURNED ON OFF ARE IN AN UPRIGHT POSTION ON WINDSHIELD. *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK, BUT WHEN YOU CUT THEM OFF THEY STAND STRAIGHT UP INSTEAD OF LAYING DOWN.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAYED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN THEY WERE SHUT OFF. TOOK THE CAR TO THE BILL WINK DEALER AND PAID $ 78.00 TO REPOSITION THEM BUT ONLY 3 DAYS LATER, THE WIPERS WON'T EVEN MOVE. I HEAR THE MOTOR TRYING TO MOVE THEM BUT ITS LIKE THEY JUST DON'T CATCH THE WIPER TO MOVE THEM. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS? *JB
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE CONSUMER HAD TO RUN THE ENGINE FOR HALF AN HOUR TO DEFROST ARMS AND BRACKET. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE WIPERS THREE TIMES. THE FLOOR MANAGER INDICATED THERE WAS LEAKING WATER UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *NM
MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 2002 CHEVY IMPALA STARTED STAYING IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, THEY STILL MOVE WHEN TURNED ON BUT IF I TURN THEM OFF, THEY GO RIGHT UP TO UPRIGHT POSITION. THEY HAVE PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE AS NOW WHEN I TURN THEM ON, THEY GO SO FAR BACK THAT THEY ARE SCRATCHING MY PAINT. I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL CHEVY(GM) CARS WITH WINDSHIELD WIPER PROBLEMS SO I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN WHO DO I NEED TO CONTACT OR WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WAS GLASSY, WHICH CAUSED EYE STRAIN AND FATIGUE, WHEN DRIVING IN SUNNY CONDITIONS. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TS *TT *JB
MY WINDOW REGULATOR KEEPS SNAPPING. THIS IS THE SECOND ONE THAT I PURCHASE IN ONE YEAR AT THE COST OF $300.00 EACH TIME TO REPAIR. THE REPAIRMAN SAID THAT HE BELIEVE THAT THE WINDOW IS TO HEAVY FOR IT. EACH TIME I GET IT REPAIRED, THEY SAID THAT THEY GET A LOT OF THEM TO FIX. *TR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE WINDSHIELD HAS A GLARE THAT YOU CAN BARELY SEE THROUGH. CONSUMER STATES IF YOU TURN TO THE LEFT YOU CANT SEE AT ALL. NLM
CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDSHIELD HAS A DENSE GLARE WHICH CAUSES EYE SRAIN AND FATIGUE, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *YH
Showing 1–20 of 26 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026