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Chevrolet Impala Catalytic Converter

24 messages,  Last post on Oct 07, 2007 at 10:01 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Impala, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 3

#5 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [gretchen4] by gretchen4

Jul 22, 2007 (9:50 pm)

Replying to: gretchen4 (Jul 22, 2007 2:59 pm)
I just checked my car's warranty. It says:
 
"For 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first, if the catalytic converter or vehicle (powertrian) control module is found to be defective, GM will repair or replace it under the Federal Emission Control Warranty."
 
Is the 'vehicle (powertrain) control module' otherwise known as the Engine Computer? At any rate, it does sound like the catalytic converter.
 
I dropped it off at the dealer's shop tonight. I'll write back with the results.

#6 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [gretchen4] by topper7

Jul 23, 2007 (7:10 pm)

Replying to: gretchen4 (Jul 21, 2007 8:56 am)
Hello Grethen4,
I am the one that posted on the Chevrolet Impala 2005 & Earlier Discussion Section. Please look at posting 13377 dated 06/08/07. This references the warranty extension of the 2001 LS catalytic converter to 10 years or 120,000 miles (whatever comes first). The replacement is no charge. Not one penny!
I did not have any problems at the dealer. I had forgot about the letter until they told me that it was covered under an extended warranty issued by GM.
I then found the letter and typed it word for word on the Discussion Section so that others may benefit from it.
Hope this clears up any confusion that you may have had.

#7 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [topper7] by gretchen4

Jul 24, 2007 (8:38 am)

Replying to: topper7 (Jul 23, 2007 7:10 pm)
The dealer just called and said yes, it's the catalytic converter, and he has to order one (2-3 days, since they don't store them there, due to hazardous materials )
 
I never received the warranty extension letter from GM, so I'm looking for your post 13377. When I enter 13377 in the message number and press go, I go nowhere. I'll keep looking.
 
Thank you.

#8 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [topper7] by gretchen4

Jul 24, 2007 (8:45 am)

Replying to: topper7 (Jul 23, 2007 7:10 pm)
Thanks again. I just found your post number 13377.
 
(This forum is a bit difficult for me to navigate.)

#9 of 24 Catalytic Converter by slvimpala

Jul 25, 2007 (12:29 am)

Replying to: gretchen4 (Jul 24, 2007 8:45 am)
hey iv been reading about this catalytic converter problem my
 
car acts the same as what yall had sad in the other post i got
 
an 2002 Impala Base 3.4 v6 New Motor
 
but on take off my car is very slow slow i mean it struggles
 
to get reach 25 mph an at low speeds u can feel it cutting
 
out and jerking and it kills my gas millage since the cat
 
went out iv ben getting around 9.2 mpg i have to floor it
 
97.9 % of the time to get it to even move faster then 30
 
but once i get rolling it will run up to 115 mph i mean once
 
it warms up it dose good on the high way i can put it to the
 
floor and suck up to the car in front of me an pass them
 
with out any problem but after i hammer it for a while it
 
will display a light saying Reduces Engine Power
  
i noticed with my old motor i was getting 24.8 mpg and thats
 
everyday driven in the city
 
also who ever has the 3.4 v6 watch out for over heating
 
problems it only takes one time for it to over heat to
 
start messing up very bad i over heated my 3400 once and
 
about 3days later it blew the intanke & head gasket
 
theres nothing you can do to stop so be ware and watch your temp gauge when my head blew it took 4 weeks for the whole motor to blow i mean it threw a rod threw the oil pan and on to my tires and the motor causen a fire and i spun the car out

#10 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [gretchen4] by 0patience

Jul 29, 2007 (2:01 pm)

Replying to: gretchen4 (Jul 24, 2007 8:38 am)
"For 8 years or 80,000 miles, whichever comes first, if the catalytic converter or vehicle (powertrian) control module is found to be defective, GM will repair or replace it under the Federal Emission Control Warranty."
 
This is correct. DO NOT let them tell you otherwise.
The emissions warranty covers the ECM/PCM (computer) and some other emissions sensors. If the catalytic converter has failed and you are with in the 8 years/80,000 miles, then they have to cover it under warranty and you should not be paying a dime.
Now, they can charge you for waste disposal fees, diagnostics and incidentals, so they have you there.
 
The dealer just called and said yes, it's the catalytic converter, and he has to order one (2-3 days, since they don't store them there, due to hazardous materials).
There are so many things wrong with that statement, I don't even know where to start.
In the first place, new catalytic converters are not classified as hazardous materials. Used ones, possibly, but not new ones. So who ever told you that is clueless.
Besides, even if for some reason, the cat could possibly be hazardous material (which it is not), then I would have to assume that they couldn't keep bulk oil, coolant, brake cleaners, carb cleaners, A/C refrigerant, paints and a whole host of other automotive chemicals, as those ARE all hazardous materials.
 
I sometimes wonder about some of these places and what they tell people. I'm betting that the reason that they don't stock the cats is cost. They don't want to put the expense out to keep something like that on the shelf.

#12 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [0patience] by slvimpala

Jul 29, 2007 (3:39 pm)

Replying to: 0patience (Jul 29, 2007 2:01 pm)
thats the problem but they said for some reason when they Ran My vin Code to see if it has been replaced in the past and it has been once b4 i brought the car that this Vin Coded Impala is risky for us to work on so there for we would have to charge you 88 to look at it and if the cat is the problem they will replace it for 100$ and funny thing is and i sorta jumped and Attuide with them is when they ran my Vin Code it showed at 88,558 Miles The Cat Was Replaced and i'm only at 120,997 right now so in the 32,409 Miles i put on it from Working and other stuff there isn't no warranty Gm needs to get there Selfs together and quit Milking Us out of our very hard earned money to get something fixed and yet 2 months later it breaks again costing us another 300$

#13 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [slvimpala] by 0patience

Jul 30, 2007 (12:36 am)

Replying to: slvimpala (Jul 29, 2007 3:39 pm)
Are you saying that you had the cat replaced 2 months ago and it is "broken" again??
 
Please, if that is the case, you really need to find another place to work on your vehicle.
Is this a dealer?
If the cat was replaced 2 months ago, then the new installation has a new warranty.

#14 of 24 Re: Impala LS - Engine Computer? [0patience] by gretchen4

Jul 30, 2007 (8:35 am)

Replying to: 0patience (Jul 29, 2007 2:01 pm)
I dropped the car off on a Sunday night (Sunday night drop-off, had a 9:45 am Monday appointment) for diagnosis, and printed out and included, in the drop-off envelope, the replies that I had gotten from this and other forums about the symptoms pointing towards the catalytic converter. The dealer called early Monday morning and said they couldn't just take my diagnosis, and that they'd have to diagnose themselves, and needed authorization from me to do that. I thought this was unnecessary, since I wasn't expecting them to just replace the converter without confirming with their own test. I was just trying to help with the diagnosis, and I WANTED them to do their own testing. Besides, I had signed the boilerplate statement on the envelope. Anyway, I, of course said yes, go ahead and diagnose.
Come late Monday, I still hadn't heard from them, so I called. They said they hadn't gotten to the car yet (then why did I have to schedule a 9:45 am Monday appointment?), because 3 mechanics (wrench turners) had not shown up. I'm starting to wonder what type of people they hire. The dealer told me he'd try to get to it Tuesday.
Tuesday morning they called, said they were able to diagnose late Monday, and confirmed it needed a new catalytic converter, it was covered under warranty, and that they didn't store due to hazardous materials. It would take 2-3 days to get. I said ok.
Wednesday afternoon dealer called and said car was ready to pick up! Guess they found a converter locally at another dealer. The entire job was free. He did try to sell me a 60,000 mile service package, but I said no.
I suspect that you're right, that they don't keep large inventories due to cost, or, as a friend mechanic told me, catalytic converters are expensive, and some dealers don't store due to employee theft. Sounds a little over the top to me, though.
I've had the car for 4 days now, and my daughter took it on a long trip into the mountains over the weekend (Lake Tahoe), and all went fine.

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