Problems · by component

2002 Chevrolet Impala exterior lighting problems

125 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Chevrolet Impala cite exterior lighting, 15% of all 808 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
125
15% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the exterior lighting

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“HIGH BEAM SWITCH HAS BEEN BROKEN, VERY COMMON PROBLEM WHEN GOOGLE SEARCHING. NO ONE FIXES IT AS IT IS PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE. CANNOT USE HIGH BEAMS AND MANY PEOPLE ADJUST THE LOW BEAMS HIGHER AS A SOLUTION, WHICH IS BAD FOR EVERYONE. SHOULD BE A RECALL?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2020Exterior lightingODI 11340188
“THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE OCCURS AT RANDOM TIMES AND CONDITIONS. AS I'M TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND I PULL BACK THE DIMMER SWITCH LEVER, THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT AND LEAVE ME TOTALLY IN THE DARK. THE ONLY WAY THAT I CAN GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON AGAIN IS TO CONTINUE TO MANIPULATE THE DIMMER/TURN SIGNAL LEVER UNTIL THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2015Exterior lightingODI 10695393
“I HAVE HAD 1 TURN SIGNAL SWITCH REPLACED DUE TO A WIRE THAT FRIED AND STARTED SMOKING CAUSING WHITE SMOKE TO COME OUT NEAR THE STEERING WHEEL. THE HIGH BEAM HEAD LIGHTS WERE STUCK ON THE ON POSITION KILLING THE BATTERY. THAT WAS LAST YEAR. THESE SWITCHES COST ABOUT 500.00 BC THEY ARE DEALER PARTS. NOW, 10/21/14 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT NIGHT AND LOST MY LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. MECHANICS TELL ME SAME PROBLEM. I NEED ANOTHER TURN SIGNAL SWITCH REPLACED. I'VE BEEN DRIVING ON ONLY HIGH BEAMS NOW UNTIL I CAN AFFORD ANOTHER 500 BUCKS. TO EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO KEEP REPLACING. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 22, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10649205
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT HAD TO ACTIVATE THE HIGH BEAMS AS AN INTERIM FIX. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 15, 2014Exterior lightingODI 10644897
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURNING SIGNALS FAILED TO ACTIVATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2014Exterior lightingODI 10640241
“MY BLINKER SWITCH AND HIGH BEAM DOESN'T WORK AT ALL YOU HAVE TO MESS WITH THE FLASHER BUTTON IF YOU WANT TO SINGLE A TURN. OTHER TIMES IT WORKS BUT STILL NO HIGH BEAMS ITS BEEN WORKED ON LIGHTS CHANGED EVERYTHING STILL NOTHING. I WAS TOLD A FACTORY DEFECT BUT HEARD NOTHING ON THIS. I CARRY MY SMALL CHILDREN AND MY WIFE IN THIS CAR AND I ALMOST GOT REARENDED A FEW TIMES SO IF ITS A FACTORY DEFECT THEY SHOULD FIX IT. I HEARD OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT SO ITS NOT JUST PARTS WORE OUT IT WAS NO GOOD IN THE BEGINNING THEN THEY SHOULD PAY FOR IT SINCE THE FAULT IS AT THE FACTORY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 26, 2014Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10616582

Showing 6 of 125 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.