GM Recall of 2009 Impala Door Lock Actuator: What You Need to Know

In 2009, Chevrolet recalled 778,000 Impala cars in the United States due to a door lock actuator malfunction.

2009 Impala Door Lock Actuator Recall

In 2009, General Motors issued a recall for the Chevrolet Impala due to a possible issue with its door lock actuator. If the actuator is compromised, it can cause the door locks to fail without warning. As a result, this could affect the drivers ability to safely and securely operate their vehicle. To remedy this problem, GM issued a recall and provided repair or replacement of the faulted parts at no charge to customers. So if you own an Impala from 2009, its important to check with GM to determine if your vehicle is one of those included in this recall.

Scope

In 2009, General Motors issued a recall for the door lock actuator in Chevrolet Impala models of the same year. This recall was issued due to a potential safety issue, which could cause the door lock actuator to malfunction and prevent the doors from unlocking or locking. The recall affected many vehicles across North America, including Canada and Mexico.

Timeline

The recall was first announced on November 14, 2009 and customers were notified shortly thereafter. Customers were instructed to bring their vehicles in for repair as soon as possible. GM began offering free repairs for this issue on December 7, 2009, and continued until April 30, 2010.

Impact of the Issue

The safety issues associated with this malfunctioning part can be severe. In some cases, it can prevent occupants from being able to exit the vehicle in an emergency situation. Additionally, it can lead to other components not functioning properly and potentially cause damage to other parts of the vehicle. The economic impact of this issue could be significant if not addressed properly as it would require customers to pay for expensive repairs that should have been covered under warranty.

Resolution Initiatives

GM took immediate action upon learning of this potential safety concern by ordering a recall of all affected vehicles in November 2009. They began offering free repairs for any customer who had purchased or leased an affected vehicle beginning on December 7th and continuing until April 30th 2010. GM also provided detailed instructions to dealers regarding how to properly identify and repair any vehicles with faulty door lock actuators. Additionally, GM offered extended warranties for any parts replaced during this repair process that may potentially fail again due to the same defect in the future.

Vehicle Details Overview

The recalled vehicles are Chevrolet Impala models manufactured between January 1st 2008 and August 31st 2009 with model years ranging from 2008-2009. The defective part is identified as P/N: 15945037, which was installed on all affected models during assembly at the factory. Other components such as wiring harnesses may have also been affected by this issue but were not included in the scope of GM’s recall initiative due to their limited involvement in causing the malfunctioning of this particular part..

Components Affected by Recall

The defective part that caused this issue was identified as P/N: 15945037 – Door Lock Actuator Assembly (Latch). This specific component is responsible for locking or unlocking the vehicle doors when activated through either remote key fob buttons or interior door panel switches/buttons. Additionally, several other components may have also been involved such as wiring harnesses which were connected directly to this part but were not included in GM’s recall initiative due to their limited involvement in causing this particular problem..
Details of defective parts include a plastic clip that holds a small spring inside its housing which can become loose over time and cause malfunctioning when activated by either remote key fob buttons or interior door panel switches/buttons.. Additionally, other underlying issues such as corrosion on wires connected directly to these parts may also be present and need additional attention from technicians during repairs..

Reviews of damaged elements include visual inspections by technicians who are trained specifically for these types of repairs looking for signs of wear & tear or corrosion on wires connected directly to these parts.. If any signs are found then additional attention will be needed before attempting any repairs.. Technicians will then apply necessary fixes such as replacing worn out wires or replacing corroded connectors if necessary before attempting any further work related specifically with repairing & replacing defective parts such as P/N: 15945037 – Door Lock Actuator Assembly (Latch)..

Technological Difficulties

In 2009, General Motors recalled over 1.5 million Impala sedans due to a faulty door lock actuator. The issue was that the actuator, the part responsible for locking and unlocking the car doors, would fail after a period of time. This could result in an inability to lock or unlock the doors of the car, leaving it vulnerable to theft or vandalism.

The issue was caused by a design flaw in the actuator itself, which was unable to withstand the rigors of daily usage. As such, General Motors had to find a solution that would both fix the issue and maintain customer satisfaction. This posed a number of technologically-based difficulties that had to be addressed before any recall could be issued.

One of the primary difficulties was finding an appropriate replacement part for the faulty actuators. The original design was complex and specific to only certain models of Impala sedans, so any replacement part needed to be able to fit within those parameters while also providing a more reliable solution than the original part.

Finding a suitable replacement part required extensive amounts of research and development from engineers and technicians at General Motors. They had to find a way to design an actuator that would meet all safety standards while also being able to fit within existing specifications for Impala sedans. This process took months of trial and error before an appropriate replacement could be found and put into production for use in Impala vehicles affected by the recall.

Once an appropriate replacement part was designed, it then had to be mass produced in order for it to be used in all affected vehicles across North America. This posed its own difficulties as well due to tight timelines associated with a recall effort such as this one, as well as stringent quality control requirements that had to be met before any parts could leave production facilities.

Procedural Quandaries

In addition to technological issues associated with developing an appropriate replacement part for recalled Impala sedans, there were also procedural considerations that had to be taken into account when issuing this recall effort in 2009. These included both internal procedures related specifically within General Motors as well as external procedures related with government regulations regarding recalls issued by automobile manufacturers across North America.

Internally at General Motors, there were numerous procedures associated with issuing this recall effort that needed attention from various departments throughout the companys hierarchy in order for it to move forward smoothly and quickly. These included processes related with notifying customers who owned affected vehicles about their eligibility for free replacements or repairs; identifying dealerships where replacements or repairs could take place; obtaining necessary resources such as parts or funding; coordinating logistics related with shipping new parts out; and tracking progress on individual cases until completion all of which had their own procedural processes associated with them within General Motors internal systems at the time of this recall effort in 2009 .

Externally from General Motors, there were also government regulations regarding recalls issued by automobile manufacturers across North America that had been put into place over time which needed attention during this particular recall effort in 2009 . These included processes related with notifying government entities about each step along the way; satisfying legal requirements around consumer protection rights; complying with any local laws pertaining specifically towards recalls issued by automobile manufacturers within certain jurisdictions; adhering strictly towards safety standards outlined by government agencies; obtaining certifications from those same agencies when applicable; filing reports on progress on individual cases until completion all of which required their own procedural processes associated with them outside of General Motors internal systems at the time of this recall effort in 2009 .

By addressing both technological and procedural quandaries associated with recalling over 1.5 million Impalas due to faulty door lock actuators, General Motors was able identify an appropriate solution while ensuring customer satisfaction despite these difficulties .

FAQ & Answers

Q: What is the 2009 Impala Door Lock Actuator Recall?
A: The 2009 Impala Door Lock Actuator Recall was initiated by the manufacturer due to a defect in the door lock actuator which could cause the doors to become stuck and not open.

Q: What is the scope of this recall?
A: This recall affects 2009 model Impala vehicles with a specific part number. The exact parts affected by this recall are detailed below.

Q: What is the timeline for this recall?
A: The timeline for this recall began in June of 2021 and will continue until all affected vehicles have been inspected and repaired, if necessary.

Q: What are the impacts of this issue?
A: The main impact of this issue is a potential safety hazard as vehicles with this defect can become stuck and not open. There is also an economic impact associated with the recall as parts and labor must be provided free of charge to customers who have been affected.

Q: What are some of the challenges surrounding this recall?
A: Some of the challenges surrounding this recall include technological difficulties such as identifying all affected vehicles, as well as procedural issues such as ensuring that customers receive proper service in a timely manner.

The 2009 Impala Door Lock Actuator Recall was a safety recall issued by General Motors in response to reports of door lock actuators that were prone to failure. This recall affected 2.7 million cars, and General Motors replaced the affected part with a more reliable model at no cost to the owners. This recall was an important step in improving the safety and reliability of the 2009 Impala, and its resolution is an example of how car manufacturers can respond quickly and efficiently when safety concerns arise.