Four problems related to front air bag have been reported for the 2001 Chevrolet Impala. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2001 Chevrolet Impala based on all problems reported for the 2001 Impala.
(1) I was driving on 2 lane undivided state highway on a clear day with the cruise control and fell asleep while driving. My wife and I were the only occupants. I woke on the side of the highway going about 65 mph. I started braking (abs brakes) I think we slowed to about 50 mph before hitting the blunt end of a guard rail. The car impacted about 6 inches right(drivers side) of center on the front. Seat belts were in use. The car had spun 170 degrees clockwise and come to a complete stop and then I looked at my wife for an instant when her airbag went off closely followed by my air bag. (2) the failure of the airbags resulted in seat belt related strains and soft tissue injuries for my wife. I received a bruise on the chest. (3) so far nothing has been done. The insurance company sold the car to a used auto parts yard. I was able to track it down and I bought the computer module that was under the passenger side seat. I witnessed the removal. I was unsuccessful at contacting Chevrolet.
Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision of 40-45 mph and neither air bag deployed. One person was injured in the accident.
The computer that is in my car is new for this model, and this year. No other car has it in there. What is happening is that while driving down the road, the computer gets overloaded with information, and pukes with a b0100 error. The dealership tried the other 2001. It had the same problem. They tried three other 2001's that the southern dealership owned. They had the same problem. There are other dealerships also having this same problem with the 2001 Chevrolet Impala airbags.
Frontal air bags deployed without warning while coming to a stop at 5 mph. Dealer has been contacted.