# 2002 CHEVROLET IMPALA — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
> NHTSA complaint `713830` · 2009-03-27 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CHEVROLET
- **Model:** IMPALA
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- **Miles at failure:** 85,000
- **Speed:** 55 mph
## Narrative
ON MARCH 19, 2008 I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AT 5AM AND TURNING ON MY HIGHBEAMS.  A CAR WAS COMING OVER THE HILL SO I TURNED OFF MY HIGHBEAMS AND MY HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF.  IN A PANIC I HIT THE BRAKES AND ENDED UP PUTTING MY CAR IN THE DITCH.  I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT OUT OF THE DITCH BUT I WAS PRETTY SHOOK UP.  AFTER JIGGLING MY DIMMER SWITCH I WAS ABLE TO GET MY HEADLIGHTS AGAIN.  I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE DIMMER SWITCH THAT NEEDED REPLACED AND IT WOULD COST $450.  I FOUND AN AFTER MARKET ONE ONLINE AND PUT IT IN MYSELF FOR $350.  I NOTICED MY LIGHTS FLICKERING BEFORE THIS EVENT BUT THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT.  USUALLY IT WAS 1 OR 2 TIMES A WEEK FOR TWO WEEKS WHEN THE SWITCH FINALLY WENT OUT COMPLETELY.  I WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE A RECALL ON ALL DIMMER SWITCHES DUE TO THE FACT THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT.  THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT LIGHTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ON A VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING IN THE DARK.  IN MY CASE I WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN DURING BAD ROAD CONDITIONS.  *TR
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*