MMullen614

yea I recently got a 2014 impala, love the car, but I have noticed recently after a car wash a lot of steam or smoke comes from the front end of the car for a little bit, is this normal? I know it has to do with the water hitting something just want to make sure its not hitting something its not supposed too.


Also I have noticed that my PARK light comes on randomly after I park my car like the E-brake comes on all by its self. it only does it once in a while. Anyone else car does these things?

in2pro

Welcome to the forum...
When you wash your vehicle, are you going through an automated car wash?
If so, often times the automated ones have a under body flush that will shoot water under the vehicle, that water hitting the exhaust system will instantly turn to steam...the catalytic converter alone can reach temps of 1000 degrees. (this is why you should never pull off into tall grass in a car)
Steam after a car wash or going though a puddle of water is normal...

As for the e-brake or park light, I suspect that could be a faulty switch...that should be covered by your Bumper to bumper warranty, I would get ti back to the dealer to have it looked at...

MMullen614

I was looking in the manual and it says with the electric parking brake it comes on automatically periodically after you park for a system check to make sure its working correctly..

sledge.impy

V6? There is one of your catalytic converters right behind the radiator.

My car was steaming out the front with high humidity/dew point and low temps... (and also lots of wet sticky snow getting caught).
Water was condensing on a few rows of the radiator and smoking.

When the fans kick on the air gets sucked in and no more smoke.

Anyways, once your radiator dries out, you should be fine.

This was on one of those colder days, where the moisture comes out as steam from the rear exhaust.

Christiangordh

I'm not sure why but I almost think it's heated, because I drove for a good 30 minutes on the highway in -10 degree F weather and once i parked i almost thought the car was over heating but the howl grill was wet with warm water all over it, normally things should be turning to ice, just like wiper fluid freezes once it gets squirted out and after feeling the grill it was very warm but there wasn't anything touching it to make it warm, it's very strange I'll have to ask the dealership they'll probably look at me like I'm crazy

sledge.impy

You don't notice that catalytic converter behind the radiator, in front of the motor?! Do you know how hot that gets? Don't even try to touch it.

Soldierjoecali

[QUOTE=MMullen614;262360]yea I recently got a 2014 impala, love the car, but I have noticed recently after a car wash a lot of steam or smoke comes from the front end of the car for a little bit, is this normal? I know it has to do with the water hitting something just want to make sure its not hitting something its not supposed too.

My 2014 does the same thing, wether I go through a car wash or puddles. Half the tim the car even stalls. I have taken it to the dealership and they were no help. Now I have a check engine light on; so back to the dealership for answers!!
P.S. Very pissed off I bought this new car to get away from this crap!!!

sledge.impy

[QUOTE=Soldierjoecali;299567]You're stalling is probably a separate issue ...

The steam issue there is a fix. Steam from front... - Chevy Impala Forums

gougie

I bought a 2014 Impala LT2 in Februay, still learning some of it's idiocies. My Impala does both of those things! I was reading the manual about the parking brake, it does state the brake will come on periodically.

Nonrev

[QUOTE=sledge.impy;299588]Any idea what the stalling is from as I recently got a drive through car wash with underbody spray and got the steam as with all my washes, but this time it stalled on me.