# 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `1659732` · 2020-04-23 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** IMPALA
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 144,150
## Narrative
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED THIS MORNING AS I WAS LEAVING FOR WORK. MY CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN IN 2 DAYS. I GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND AS SOON AS I TURNED IT TO START THERE WAS A LOUD BANG THAT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT WHICH I THOUGHT WAS A BACKFIRE. THE ENTIRE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD EXPLODED INTO PIECES AND WHITE SMOKE BEGAN TO RISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD AND THE SMOKE CLEARED I BEGAN TO ASSESS THE ISSUE, I NOTICED THE MANIFOLD GASKET COVER HAD BEEN BLOWN COMPLETELY OFF AND THE MANIFOLD ITSELF WAS IN PIECES. I'VE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON BUT UNCOMMON THING AMONG EARLY 2000'S GM VEHICLES.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*