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Search Results   Report Date : November 22, 2009 at 05:49 AM NHTSA Action Number : PE06017 N/A NHTSA Action Number : PE06017 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A Make / Models :         Model/Build Years:          CHEVROLET / IMPALA     2001-2003 Manufacturer : GENERAL MOTORS CORP. Component : EXTERIOR LIGHTING EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH Date Investigation Opened : May 15, 2006 Date Investigation Closed : October 25, 2006 Summary: A TOTAL OF 646,038 SUBJECT VEHICLES WERE SOLD DURING MY 2001-2003, AND THE COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY DATA TABULATED ABOVE APPLY TO THE TOTAL VEHICLE POPULATION. COMPLAINT REPORTS ALLEGING HEADLIGHT OUTAGE REPRESENT SLIGHTLY MORE THAT ONE-HALF OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND THE BALANCE ARE ALLEGATIONS OF FLICKERING AND DIMMING. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION TO BE WEAR OF A CONTACT PLUNGER IN THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH THAT MAY RESULT IN A TEMPORARY OPEN CIRCUIT, WITH THE PLUNGER IN A NEUTRAL POSITION BETWEEN HIGH- AND LOW-BEAM CONTACT POINTS. CONSUMERS CONSISTENTLY REPORTED THAT MANIPULATION OF THE SWITCH HANDLE ON THE STEERING COLUMN RESTORES EITHER HIGH OR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT FUNCTION. NO OTHER POTENTIAL SAFETY RELATED ISSUES, E.G., FIRES OR WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE, WERE FOUND TO BE RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER RECOGNIZED THE SUBJECT HEADLIGHT ISSUES FROM FAILURE AND WARRANTY REPORTS, AND ISSUED A REDESIGNED PLUNGER IN 2003. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT IDENTIFY A DEFECT REQUIRING RECALL AND REMEDY. ODI HAS DETERMINED THAT THE RATES OF OCCURRENCE, THE FAILURE MODE AND THE REAL-WORLD CONSEQUENCE OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AS COMPARED TO OTHER SIMILAR INVESTIGATIONS FAIL TO IDENTIFY A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND. THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY MAY TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. Check to Request Research. Submit below.