2015 Chevrolet Impala

I STARTED MY VEHICLE AND INSTANTLY THE PASSENGER SIDE BLIND SPOT INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. EVEN AFTER I SHUT OFF MY VEHICLE; THE INDICATOR LIGHT STAYED ON. IT WOULD CHANGE IN BRIGHTNESS OCCASSIONALLY. I WAS HOPING THAT IT WOULD NOT DRAIN MY BATTERY OVER NIGHT AS I'M NOT A MECHANIC. I CHECKED THE SENSORS ON THE BUMPER FOR CLEANLINESS.

SIDE OBJECT DETECTION SYSTEM FAILED 1ST (2/2018). SEE ATTACHMENT FROM ENGINEERING AT MY FORMER EMPLOYER (GMPG). 2ND ISSUE: DASH ILLUMINATION GOES BACK & FORTH FROM NORMAL TO EXTREMELY BRIGHT, DIMMING INOP. 3RD ISSUE SAFETY...WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED, ERROR MESSAGES FOR AIRBAG, SIDE OBJECT DETECTION, FRONT & REAR CAMERA-HVAC COMPLETELY INOP. RADIO INOP-BEGINS WORKING AFTER ELECTRIC FACEPLATE LIFTED ON RADIO. HVAC & AIRBAG REMAIN INOP. ASKED DEALERSHIP ABOUT SIDE OBJECT ISSUE- THEY HAVE NO INFO ON THIS. ADDITIONAL PROBLEMS STARTED 2/13/2019. WHEN STARTING WITH RKE, SIDE OBJECT LIGHTS IN MIRROR ILLUMINATED SITTING IN A PARKING LOT. THEY HAVE NOT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING IN OVER A YEAR. NO HEAT OR DEFROST WORKING-BIG SAFETY ISSUE IN WINTER WEATHER.

THE DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS IS FAULTY. THE REFLECTORS BEHIND THE BULBS DO NOT PROJECT SUFFICIENT ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD AHEAD, NOR DOES IT ILLUMINATE THE LEFT AND RIGHT CORNERS. I ESTIMATE THAT THE VERY DIM LIGHTS ARE GOOD FOR 30-FT AHEAD AT MOST, AND THEY ARE SO DIM THAT THEY ARE ALMOST USELESS WHEN DRIVING IN AM AND PM HOURS. SWITCHING TO HIGH-BEAMS BARELY MAKES A DIFFERENCE. IN FACT, I ALWAYS DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON WHEN DRIVING IN THE DARK, AND HAVE NEVER HAD AN ONCOMING VEHICLE FLASH ITS LIGHTS AT ME IN ATTEMPT TO GET ME TO SWIYCH TO THE LOW-BEAMS. FURTHER, TURNING CORNERS IN THE DARK IS DANGEROUS, AS THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO ILLUMINATION OF THE CORNERS BY THE HEADLIGHTS. ALL OF THIS IS EXACERBATED SIGNIFICANTLY WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET AND WHEN IT'S RAINING. I SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE A TEST DRIVE IN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES, IN " COUNTRY" ENVIRONMENTS THAT ARE NOT LIT BY STREET LIGHTS. DO IT AGAIN ON SIMILAR ROADS WHEN IT'S RAINING. SEARCH GOOGLE "IMPALA POOR HEADLIGHT DESIGN" AND YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS HAZARD IS DISCUSSED IN SEVERAL FORUMS AND REVIEWS FOR 2015 THROUGH 2018 IMPALAS. IT BOGGLES THE MIND TO KNOW THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS ALLOWED THIS SAFETY ISSUE TO BE PERPETUATED THROUGH 4 IMPALA MODEL YEARS.

THE SENSORS FOR THE BLIND SPOT INDICATORS ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO EROSION AND GUNK-INVASION, CAUSING THE BLIND SPOT INDICATORS TO QUIT WORKING. PRESENTLY, THE DRIVERS SIDE INDICATOR DOESN'T WORK AT ALL, AND THE PASSENGER SIDE INDICATOR STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. MY CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP TELLS ME TO REPLACE THE BOX CONTAINING THE WIRES FOR THE SENSORS IS $500 PER SIDE, AND BOTH HAVE QUIT WORKING, AND THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL, WHICH MEANS THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM TOLD THE BOX CONTAINING THE ELECTRONICS FOR THE SENSORS IS NOT SEALED PROPERLY, AND THAT MY DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED A LARGE NUMBER OF THEM ON THESE VEHICLES.

I WENT OUT THE NIGHT OF AUGUST 28TH TO CELEBRATE THE ARRIVAL OF MY FIRST CHILD. AS MY FRIEND AND I WERE RETURNING HOME AROUND 1 AM ON THE 29TH OF AUGUST, I WAS STOPPED FOR DRIVING WITH NO HEADLIGHTS ON. I ASKED THE OFFICER HOW CAN THAT BE CONSIDERING I HAVE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHTS. HE DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND THERE WERE AUTONOMOUS EQUIPMENT IN VEHICLES TODAY. THE POLICE OFFICER APPLIED FOR A WARRANT FOR MY BLOOD AND DREW IT WITHOUT MY CONSENT. WHEN I GOT TO THE JAIL, I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE OTHER THAN MY ATTORNEY OR JUDGE. THEY TOOK THIS AS SIGN OF HAVING SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. THEY HAD TWO GUARDS ASK ME FOR MY CLOTHES IN EXCHANGE FOR A BEACH BLANKET WHICH WOULD ONLY COVER THE BOTTOM, UPPER, FRONT, OR BACK SIDE OF MY BODY. ALL THIS BECAUSE I HAD A DEFECTIVE SAFETY DEVICE. THE OFFICER STATED HE NOTICED THE CAR'S HEADLIGHT WERE OFF AFTER I WAS HIT WITH HIGH BEAMS. THE SENSOR TURNS THE LIGHTS OFF WHEN IT'S HIT BY A PHOTON AND SLIPS INTO A DELAY SCENARIO. AND DOESN'T TURN THEM ON UNTIL THE SENSORS BELIEVE IT'S DARK ENOUGH. WHATEVER THAT IS. THE STATE'S (TEXAS) LAW REQUIRED THE LIGHT TO BE ON WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN A CERTAIN TIME FRAME. I'VE REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO THE MANUFACTURER ON TWO OCCASIONS. I'M ASKING THAT YOU INCLUDE STATE REGULATIONS SO THAT THIS KIND OF THING DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. THIS EXPERIENCE HAS REALLY SHAKING MY TRUST WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. IN FOLLOWING THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS TRYING TO ADDRESS SAFETY, IT SEEMS A LAW WAS BROKEN. AM I PROTECTED BY ANY FEDERAL PREEMPTION PROVISIONS? I HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY MY BLOOD HAD TO BE TAKEN WHEN IT WAS THE SOFTWARE MAKING THE DECISIONS. ARE THERE ANY SAFEGUARDS? I AM CONCERNED WITH WHO ELSE THIS WILL EFFECT.

THE HID HEADLIGHT BEAM OF THE 2015 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT IS VERY POOR. THE BEAM OF LIGHT IN THE LOW SETTING PROVIDES NO ILLUMINATION TO THE SIDES OF THE ROAD, FORWARD ILLUMINATION IS MARGINAL. I CONTEND THAT WHEN THE 2015 IMPALA LIGHTS ARE ON THE HIGH OR "BRIGHT" SETTING IT IS COMPRABALE TO THE LOW BEAM SETTING IN MY 2012 IMPALA. IN MODERATE TO HEAVY WEATHER, RAIN, SLEET, SNOW THE HEADLIGHTS OFFER NO ASSISTANCE, DRIVER IS NAVIGATING BLIND, CAN NOT EVEN SEE THE LINES ON THE ROAD. I LIVE AND DRIVE PRIMARILY IN A RURAL AREA, ALONG WITH THE WEATHER CONDITIONS THERE ARE MANY WILDLIFE HAZARDS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH WILDLIFE AND TWO IMPACTS, ONE WITH A DEER CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I SIMPLY CAN NOT SEE ANYTHING UNTIL IT IS DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE CAR. IT IS IN MY JUDGEMENT THESE HEADLIGHTS ARE UNSAFE NOT ONLY FOR THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE, BUT OTHERS SHARING THE ROADS WITH THE VEHICLE.

LT MODEL. HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY INADEQUATE SUCH THAT THEY REPRESENT A HAZARD WHEN DRIVING ON UNLIT ROADS. THEY SEND FORWARD A FOCUSED BEAM WITH NO LIGHT COVERING THE SIDES OR OVERHEAD. THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN ON TO A SIDE ROAD BECAUSE THERE IS NO ILLUMINATION OF THE ROAD YOU ARE TURNING ONTO UNTIL YOU HAVE ACTUALLY MADE THE TURN. IT IS ALSO EASY TO MISS EXIT RAMPS. OVERHEAD SIGNS AND SIGNS AT THE SIDES OF EXITS ARE USUALLY UNREADABLE. THE LOW BEAMS ACTUALLY HAVE A SHUTTER COVERING THE TOP OF THE BULB (I GUESS THAT'S WHAT MAKES THEM LOW BEAMS) SO OBJECTS MUCH ABOVE THE LEVEL OF THE TOP OF THE CAR ARE NOT ILLUMINATED. WHEN DRIVING ON HILLY COUNTRY ROADS, THE CUTOFF ON TOP MAKES THE APPROACHING HILL JUST ABOUT INVISIBLE. WHEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN, IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE LANE MARKINGS, ETC. THE CAR ALSO DOES NOT OFFER FOG LIGHTS AS AN OPTION SO THERE IS NO SUPPLEMENTAL LIGHTING TO ALLEVIATE THE PROBLEM. I STRONGLY URGE A RECALL TO EITHER CHANGE THE HEADLIGHT DESIGN OR TO INSTALL SUPPLEMENTARY LIGHTING SUCH AS FOG LIGHTS TO BETTER ILLUMINATE THE PAVEMENT AND THE AREAS TO THE SIDES OF THE ROADWAY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS OFFERED NO SIDE VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLAMPS COMPLIED WITH FEDERAL STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,000. UPDATED 05/11/16*LJ

QUESTION: ARE THESE NEW POLICE CARS WITHOUT LIGHTS SAFE IN HIGH SPEED CHASES? I LIVE IN NYC NY AND SEE THAT WE HAVE THESE NYPD CARS WITHOUT LIGHTS ON THE TOP OF THE CARS THERE. YES, IT IS A REGULAR CHEVY IMPALA POLICE CAR BUT WITHOUT THE LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE POLICE CAR WHICH ARE THERE WHEN CARS ARE IN PURSUIT OR IN CHASES OR SOMETHING. I THINK THE ONLY LIGHTS THAT THE NYPD CAR HAS WOULD BE LIKE IN THE FRONT MOTOR. WOW, THEY ALSO HAVE HIGHWAY PATROL CARS WITH THE NYPD WHICH DO REGULAR DUTIES WITH THE CAR WITHOUT THE LIGHTS ON TOP OF THE CAR THERE. WOW, IS THAT CAR ESPECIALLY THE NYPD HIGHWAY PATROL CAR TO DO CHASES WITHOUT THOSE LAMPS ON TOP. WOW, THAT IS ODD, YES, NYPD HIGHWAY PATROL HAS THOSE CARS WITHOUT LIGHTS ON TOP OF THEM DOING REGULAR PATROLS ON THE HIGHWAYS THERE. SAFE FOR CHASES AND ALL OF THAT?(REPLY BY E MAIL)...UPDATED 10/01/15*BF