# 2006 Chevy Impala - Rear Door Won't Open.



## HawkZ28

Sounds almost like you have a rod that is disconected somewhere. I haven't stripped down an Impala door, but from the other GM cars I've stripped down with electric locks, there's several metal rods that can bend, lose hold, etc, and cause a problem like that. 

I'd remove the door panel (window up) and look for something obvious. Then actuate both the inside and outside handles, as well as the lock. That will help you see exactly where the problem is. 

Good luck! Doors can be a PITA for anybody with hands larger than a 5 year old.


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## schilder

*My rear doors won't open either*

Hi Dave,

I have the same problem on my 2006 Impala. First the left read door seized. I took it to a GM dealer in Waterloo, Ontario. They ended up removing the panel and resetting something. A year later, the same door went. I delayed having it repaired for a week, and on a Labour Day weekend, went away and ended up having my mother in law stuck in the backseat as, you guessed it, the right door failed to open. I had them both repaired again. The GM advisor said at the time when I complained that "oh yeah, we have seen that happen on the Impalas and Malibus". I took my complaint to GM, claiming that this is a serious safety problem, but even after numerous phone calls and emails, they claimed that because my warranty is up, too bad, so sad. My left door has now seized again, and I am gearing up for another round of battle with GM.

Brian


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## DIYguy2000

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the post. I'm sure many impala owners experience this problem. I ended up calling the garage where I used to live and asked them how they did it. They couldn't remember exactly, but said they just played with the lock and handle until it worked. I tried unsuccessfully 

I brought it into the GM dealership here and was told it would cost a minimum of $700 to fix it. After mulling over it for a week or two while considering my DIY options, I forgot all about the door problem.... I walked out from work one afternoon and opened the rear door to throw my jacket in the back seat.. I didn't realize until about 4 hours later what I had just done! It worked! I don't know how.. but it fixed itself I suppose. I'm not holding my breath because if it's happened twice now, it will happen again when I'm least expecting it.

The next time it happens I'm going to take the panel off myself and see what's inside before I bother with the GM dealership again.

Keep my updated on your Impala.

Dave


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## Thurman

This would ALL depend on your FIRST warranty claim for this problem, IF you made a warranty claim and have the paperwork. GM does not like warranty claims, as a former GM employee, I believe that. The dealers are giving people hard times over warranty issues with the units under warranty. Most people really do not understand their warranties. Didn't buy the car new, no problem, did the original owner make a warranty claim for this problem--it is a safety problem to say the least. Some, not all, some reputable dealers would take this to heart and call the area GM division rep, Chevy, Buick, etc. and see about getting it covered. I've seen some go over the area GM rep to the division rep to get things done to prevent a safety issue down the line. You are lucky that on that particular day the door handle/lock worked and let you in. IF you are not comfortable with removing the door panel for a good inspection, then find an independent shop and ask them what they would charge to do a good inspection of the locking mechanisms. David


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## cowboy dan

it could be your plunger mechanism for your door lock. not sure what they call it, but inside the door panel it is far from sealed, all kinds of dirt builds up in there. they all have a flexible rubber sheeth and are always remotely located, meaning the lock is connected by several rods and plastic joints. it could be that the mechanism bound up or not have full range to lock and unlock. it may have bent a connecting rod, or cracked a joint but not broke. i have seen some situations where the child safety lock interferes with the door handle also. you won't know for sure till you take it apart. i might recomend that you invest in a small mirror on a flexible stick cause just removing the inner panel will not reveal as much as you think.


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## James N

*03 Impala door locks*

When you put this car(03 Impala)in park all the doors lock instead of unlocking. They will unlock when you press the unlock button. Bought this car new and this problem didn't occur until early this year. Otherwise the door locks work fine. How can I reverse this sequence?


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## Rabslincoln

*I just fixed tis*

<LI class=comment nodeIndex="2">I Just had the same problem as of 1/6/2012 I took the inside panel off which can be done by an amatuer in about half hour,with the door closed. you can find a quick video on how to take it off on youtube.... Anyway just take it off slide your hand inside the door you can feel the rods i just toyed with them until the door opened, took about 5 minuets then i sprayed the mechanism from the inside with lubricant, i used PB blaster, and then sprayed it from the outside on the mechanism which the door locks into. Really easy skip the mechanic on this one not work your 300$! i would do it for twenty bucks and a beer.... Anyway you could probably just spray the heck out of it from the inside without messing around to much and im pretty sure it would open. obviously some part is getting stuck and needs to be lubed up around 60,000 as im finding quite a feew threads with this exact same issue on this car. and im guessing every 20000 after that hope this helps!! any questions you can email me at [email protected]


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## J.Matthews

I notice no one has posted since about 2012, but has anyone got anywhere with GM or any solutions?

My left (Drv) side rear door started acting up about 2 years ago. It would open, but when you closed it, it would not latch. I use to lock & unlock the child safety lock and then the door would close. About 6 months ago it closed and now will not open at all.

Recently the right (Pass) side rear door did not latch. Once again I locked & unlock the child safety lock and it latched when I closed it.

I am now concerned because if there was an accident or something happened a passenger in the rear seat may not be able to get out alive??

I have been using my wife's car when I have to take passengers.

Very frustrating.

Any Suggestions??

John.


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## DIYguy2000

Thanks for bringing this thread back to life. It is a safety issue for sure. Not opening the door during an accident was one of my biggest worries as well. I have not had a problem with my rear door since my last post in the summer of 2010, so I haven't given this issue much thought since. Perhaps others could chime in if they were able to get anywhere with GM.

Is your Impala a 2006 as well? It seems pretty late to be getting any warranty work done, but if you bring it to GM's attention as a safety issue, especially with their ignition switch recall fiasco going on right now, it might get you somewhere.


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## J.Matthews

*DIYguy2000*

Thanks for your reply.
Yes it is a 2006.
So far I have sent the concern to the dealership where I bought the car.
Pending their response I will most likely contact GM next, but I'm not sure where to go from there.
This problem we are having seems to be very common, so I do plan on posting my results as I go to keep you and others informed.
I believe this should be a recall issue.
John.


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## DIYguy2000

just did a quick search and there was an article on CAA's website that states:


> If you suspect that your vehicle has a manufacturer’s defect, report it directly to Transport Canada by calling (800)-333-0510, or filling out an online Defect Complaint Form. In your report, you’ll be asked to include the make, model and year of your vehicle, its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which can be found on the driver’s side of the dashboard, and a summary of the suspected defect. Transport Canada will log your complaint, and if they feel it’s justified, investigate further. Nigel Mortimer, head of recalls at Transport Canada’s Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulation Directorate, also suggests you contact your car manufacturer to report any problems.


Doesn't look like the link is working for me right now, so maybe best to call in? I should take down my VIN number at lunch as well and phone it in. The more they have on record, the better, right? Perhaps it would trigger Transport Canada to investigate further.


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## J.Matthews

*Reporting*

Good Idea. I am still going to call GM first, but will definitely follow up with Transport Canada. Great job!


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## J.Matthews

Update:
I contacted the Dealership where I purchased my Impala. The gentleman was very helpful and gave me the toll free number to contact GM Canada's Costumer service. He also offered to have a look at it for me as well.
The GM customer service number is 1-800-263-3777.
Upon contacting GM Canada they took my concern and asked me to take the vehicle to a authorized GM dealership to have them assess it and requested that I give the dealership their extension number to follow up with GM Canada.
So far everyone I have spoke with agrees it is a safety concern and has suggested that everyone that has this problem contact GM Canada customer service so they can deal with it firsthand.
I believe in giving GM an opportunity to fix this first. If this does not work I will follow up with transport Canada.
I have still yet to bring it to the dealership due to my busy schedule. But will follow up with regular posts and updates for everyone.
Thank you DIYguy2000 for your help and input.


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## DIYguy2000

Also as a follow up on my part, I contacted GM on-line with my concern. They phoned back a few days later and I spoke to them regarding the issue. There really wasn't much discussed during the phone call, but she did mention that there was no recall for this issue and that GM was not aware of it (yeah right...). She said that recalls are generated as a result of Transport Canada investigations, so she suggested that the next step would be to report the problem to Transport Canada. That way if there is a valid concern, Transport Canada will investigate the issue further and bring their findings to GM's attention, which could then generate a recall.

I'm not saying this will get as far as a recall, but that GM will only issue a recall if initiated by Transport Canada.

So, next step is to report it to Transport Canada if you want it to go anywhere.

Glad you're able to get some help from the dealership, but it would likely be best to bring this to Transport Canada's attention also as they probably have much more say in the matter of recalls.

Best of luck everyone! I'll be calling Transport Canada in the near future.


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## 7Sassy

*Same Impala Problem*

My 2010 Impala LT has the same problem! Rear driver's side passenger door does not work at all. It is still that way and I have just over 60,000 miles on the car so I find that also interesting. It is a safety concern for sure! :clover:Thanks for all the info though in this blog!


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## 123pugsy

I'm curious as to how many have reported this to Transport Canada at the number provided. The more that do, the better chance of a lot of owners getting the problems corrected.


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## DIYguy2000

123pugsy said:


> I'm curious as to how many have reported this to Transport Canada at the number provided. The more that do, the better chance of a lot of owners getting the problems corrected.


Agreed. I haven't called in yet, but will do it this week. I've been lucky that this problem hasn't come back since 2011, but you never know when it can happen.


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## J.Matthews

*Next Step...*



DIYguy2000 said:


> Also as a follow up on my part, I contacted GM on-line with my concern. They phoned back a few days later and I spoke to them regarding the issue. There really wasn't much discussed during the phone call, but she did mention that there was no recall for this issue and that GM was not aware of it (yeah right...). She said that recalls are generated as a result of Transport Canada investigations, so she suggested that the next step would be to report the problem to Transport Canada. That way if there is a valid concern, Transport Canada will investigate the issue further and bring their findings to GM's attention, which could then generate a recall.
> 
> I'm not saying this will get as far as a recall, but that GM will only issue a recall if initiated by Transport Canada.
> 
> So, next step is to report it to Transport Canada if you want it to go anywhere.
> 
> Glad you're able to get some help from the dealership, but it would likely be best to bring this to Transport Canada's attention also as they probably have much more say in the matter of recalls.
> 
> Best of luck everyone! I'll be calling Transport Canada in the near future.


Alright. I've been to the dealership and spoke with GM Canada Customer Service. The Dealership confirmed it is the "rear door lock actuator" on both left and right rear doors.

They charged me 1/2 labour to determine this ($54.81). The service advisor at the dealership said GM was not going to pay to have it fixed because it is regular wear and tear and my car has 250,000 KMS on it.

I thought that was kind of funny because I don't use my back doors (don't have small children) and I don't think the KMS should effect a door lock actuator, but what do I know.

She provided me with a quote to have the work done at the dealership...
Left Side actuator $265.18
Labour $97.00
Left side total $362.18 + HST.

Right Side actuator $301.40
Labour $97.00
Right side Total $407.40 + HST.

So a total of $769.58 + HST to have them fixed (WOW)!

I have not personally heard back from GM Canada yet, but regardless I am going to follow up with Transport Canada first thing in the morning.

Just a question to everyone following this feed...

Is there anyone who is having this problem with a newer model Impala or one with much less than 250,000 KMS? I just want to see if it is wear and tear causing this or if GM just has crappy parts.

Thanks,
John.


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## J.Matthews

*Transport Canada by calling (800)-333-0510*



J.Matthews said:


> Alright. I've been to the dealership and spoke with GM Canada Customer Service. The Dealership confirmed it is the "rear door lock actuator" on both left and right rear doors.
> 
> They charged me 1/2 labour to determine this ($54.81). The service advisor at the dealership said GM was not going to pay to have it fixed because it is regular wear and tear and my car has 250,000 KMS on it.
> 
> I thought that was kind of funny because I don't use my back doors (don't have small children) and I don't think the KMS should effect a door lock actuator, but what do I know.
> 
> She provided me with a quote to have the work done at the dealership...
> Left Side actuator $265.18
> Labour $97.00
> Left side total $362.18 + HST.
> 
> Right Side actuator $301.40
> Labour $97.00
> Right side Total $407.40 + HST.
> 
> So a total of $769.58 + HST to have them fixed (WOW)!
> 
> I have not personally heard back from GM Canada yet, but regardless I am going to follow up with Transport Canada first thing in the morning.
> 
> Just a question to everyone following this feed...
> 
> Is there anyone who is having this problem with a newer model Impala or one with much less than 250,000 KMS? I just want to see if it is wear and tear causing this or if GM just has crappy parts.
> 
> Thanks,
> John.


Sorry I should provide that number again to make it easy for anyone who may want to help get some attention to this matter before there is an accident and someone cannot get out of the back seat because the door actuator has failed.

Transport Canada by calling (800)-333-0510


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## 123pugsy

J.Matthews said:


> I just want to see if it is wear and tear causing this or if GM just has crappy parts.
> 
> Thanks,
> John.


Everyone knows the answer to this question and I believe you do as well.


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## DIYguy2000

I first experienced this problem on my 2006 impala in 2009. I purchased it with about 20,000km on it. I believe it was a return rental so I can't speak for how much use/abuse the rear doors got during that time. After I bought it, the rear doors weren't used all that much. I was probably around 80,000km in 2009 when it first happened.


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## cjm94

It's not that uncommon in a lot of models of cars. They wear out or corrode especially if they are rarely used road salt and debri gets in there and they seize up with lack of use. I replace plenty on fords too.


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## J.Matthews

*Very Insightful.*



123pugsy said:


> Everyone knows the answer to this question and I believe you do as well.


Thank you for your wealth of wisdom 123Pugsy. I first experienced the problem when the car was about 4 years old with much less KMS on it.

My point was it is a poor excuse for a bad part. I guess I should have simplified the comment.

Have a wonderful day.

JM.


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## J.Matthews

*Called Transport Canada.*

Just as an update for those of you who may want to follow up. I have called Transport Canada at the number I provided earlier in the blog and filed a report. The guy on the phone was helpful, but did say that it will be reviewed and depending on the seriousness of the issue and the amount of complaints they have received it may or may not be recalled.
He also told me that even if it does get recalled it will most likely take about a year or so.
Thanks to everyone for your input.
JM


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## Cport21

*Impala rear door*

We had this happen on my husbands 2006 impala recently. I called GM today and they were not aware of any issues or complaints. I filed the complaint. If you have not called and filed please do so, so they can hopefully do a recall and fix the problem. 800-222-1020 is the number make sure you have your vin number. From most of my research the driver rear is the one it's typically happens to. Haven't attempted to fix it seems like it'll be a pain in the butt.


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## bemeup

I see that I am not the only one with this problem. My problem happened recently ( the only time I had child in the back seat. Door at first would not latch but after trying the child proof lock it did. Now door will not open at all.
Contacted GM and Ministry of Transport. Have the same problem with my 2002 Olds Intrigue. Same door. With the Olds I can still open it but will not lock with the fob. Must be a GM defect.


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## NormaJean

DO NOT call Transport Canada concerning any issues with rear doors seizing up in a locked position. They view it as an INCONVENIENCE (you've time to fix it), rather than a SAFETY ISSUE (unless it happens during an accident). Gee thanks, TC.
2006 Chev Impala LTZ - my husband will try to free up the locking mechanism, before taking it to the garage. There's a You Tube video concerning oiling the mechanisms & banging the lock free. 
With both rear doors seized, it'll be a challenge to get the back seats out, to take the door trim panels off.


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## NormaJean

P.S. Don't bother reporting to GM Canada Customer Service (1-800-263-3777). Their GM dealers have to diagnose the problem. There is no recall, nor will one be forthcoming. Try fixing it yourself or go to your favourite mechanic.


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