Electrical System. Review the 681 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 104 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine. Review the 71 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

44 crash reports21 fire reports34 injury reports

Power Train complaints

47 reports

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132,000 miles · Oct 1, 2014

Electrical SystemPower Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

NHTSA ODI #10640427

4,000 miles · Apr 9, 2014

Power Train

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AT RANDOM TIMES IT WILL NOT START ,IT HAS DONE THIS EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. ITS A 2004 CHEVROLET IMPALA .AT RANDOM TIMES THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK THE SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON IT AND STAYS MAYBE A DAY MAYBE 2. AT TIMES THE TRANSMISSION JUMPS SO BAD WE HAVE TO PULL IT OVER AND TURN IT OFF WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN TURN THE CAR BACK ON THE WE CAN PROCEED TO DRIVE IT. IT MAY CRANK THEN WE STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND GO BACK TO IT AND IT WILL NOT CRANK . WE HAVE HAD TO WAIT ANYWHERE FROM 15 MINUTES TO 1 HOUR RANDOMLY MOVING THE TRYING TO GET IT TO START. WE HAVE HAD IT BACK AND FORTH TO THE CHEVROLET DEALER OFF AND ON EVER SINCE WE'VE HAD THE CAR THEY SAY THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT IF THEY CANNOT GET IT TO DO IT . I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN RAN OVER SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF IT ACTING UP. ITS GOT 100,000 MILES ON IT NOW. SO WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578781

120,567 miles · Mar 18, 2014

EnginePower Train

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I NOTICED WHEN I GET TO 30 MPH I NOTICED A KICK IN MY TRANSMISSION, AFTER THAT IT'S SMOOTH SAILING UNTIL TAKE OFF AGAIN. I SPOKE WITH A SEVERAL MECHANIC ABOUT THE ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION SOLENOID WAS GOING OUT. THEY TOLD ME THE CHEVROLET IMPALA WERE FAMOUS FOR THAT. SO I BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS SITUATION AND FOUND OUT THAT EVERY PERSON I SPOKE WITH HAVE THE SAME SITUATION GOING ON. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND THAT HAS AN 2005 IMPALA AS WELL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE STARTED A GROUP FOR THIS. WILL YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SITUATION. IT WILL BE APPRECIATED. ... IN THE MEANTIME WE ARE STARTING A PETITION. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573030

30,000 miles · Mar 13, 2014

Electrical SystemPower Train

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SPEEDOMETER CHANGED TWICE BY ANOTHER CHEVY DEALER, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, ALL LIGHTS WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL WENT OFF BY ITSELF. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ABOUT THE LIGHTS AND CRUISE CONTROL, ANSWER WAS TO HAVE IT CHECKED, ALSO HAD THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED BY THREE DEALERS, ONLY ONE SAID YES IT WAS SLIPPING (TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN SLIPPING SINCE I GOT THE CAR). NO PAPERWORK DUE TO COST TO HAVE IT CHECKED BY TWO DEALERS. ONE DEALER (WHERE I GOT THE CAR) NO LONGER IN BUSINESS BUT HAD THE PAPERWORK FOR THE TRANSMISSION COMPLAINT. BUT THEY TOO SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS AND BECAUSE OF THIS THEY REFUSED TO WORK ON THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10569006

78,000 miles · Jun 26, 2013

Power Train

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WHEN COMING TO A ALMOST STOP AND U START TO TAKE OFF ITS LIKE THE CAR ISN'T IN GEAR THE AFTER THE RPMS GO UP IT JUMPS IN GEAR SPINNING THE TIRES. THEN IT WILL PAUSE IN BETWEEN GEARS AND MAKE A THUMP WHEN IT GOES IN GEAR FROM 0-55. GM NEEDS TO FIX ALL THESE PROBLEMS WITH THESE TRANSMISSIONS. WE ALREADY PAID FOR THE TRANSMISSIONS WHEN WE ALL BOUGHT THE CARS FROM THE DEALERS AND SOME ARE NOT EVEN GETTING HALF THE MILES I GOT BEFORE THEY HAVE PROBLEMS. I HAD CARS I'VE NEVER TOUCH THE TRANSMISSION OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE AND IT OUT LASTED THE CAR! GM NEEDS TO FIX THESE NOW. I JUST GOT THIS CAR AND HAD IT ONLY A YEAR AND TWO MONTHS. I'M DISABLED I CAN'T AFFORD THIS REPAIR! NOTE: THE CAR IS IN MY MOTHERS NAME [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10521816

135,000 miles · Jun 9, 2013

Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainService Brakes

WAS TURNING LEFT FROM STOP WHEN TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON ALSO ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION OFF SWITCH LIGHT, NOW IT HAPPENS IN REVERSE AND SOMETIMES WHEN I START THE CAR. IT MAKES A GROWLING SOUND,IF I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT ALL THE LIGHTS GO OUT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10515886

98,000 miles · May 23, 2013

Power TrainService Brakes

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TRACTION CONTROL TRIES TO KICK WHEN BRAKING. BRAKES ACT AS THOUGH THEY ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST MY FOOT PRESSURE AT THIS TIME. TRACTION CONTROL MAKES A GRINDING NOISE. VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE STOPPING. TRACTION CONTROL SHUTS OFF, WARNING LIGHT TO SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL COMES ON, ABS SHUTS OFF AND LIGHT COMES ON, AND RED "BRAKES" LIGHT TURNS ON. VEHICLE DRIVES AND BRAKES JUST FINE AFTER THAT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DRIVE. ON OCCASION THESE EVENTS HAPPEN WHEN GOING OVER A RAILROAD TRACKS OR OTHER SIMILAR BUMPS AND BRAKES ARE NOT INVOLVED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10513327

120,135 miles · Jan 25, 2013

Electrical SystemEnginePower TrainFire

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FIRST AT BUYING MY CHEVY IMPALA IT HAD 115,000MI ON IT ALREADY BUT DESPERATELY NEEDED A CAR BEING A SINGLE MOTHER. AFTER HAVING THE CAR A LITTLE OVER A MONTH THE FUEL INJECTORS BLEW WHERE MY CAR WOULD NO LONGER START. GOT IT FIXED. NEXT I HAD TO KEEP PUTTING POWER STEERING FLUID IN (ONCE EVERY WEEK) WENT TO A MECHANIC, HE SAID MY POWER STEERING IS GOING TO EVENTUALLY GO.. NEXT 2 MONTHS AFTER THAT MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE THROUGH THE LIGHTER. ELECTRICAL. CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. THEY HAD TO CUT THE WIRES AND PULL THE FUSE. 2 MONTHS AFTER THAT, MY TRANSMISSION BLEW. JUST LIKE THAT. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGH WAY AND APPROACHED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP TRIED TO PICK SPEED BACK UP AND IT WOULDN'T GO ANYMORE THAN 15 MPH. I PULLED OFF TO A REST AREA, SAT THERE FOR 30MINS. REVERSED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, PUT IT IN DRIVE, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE... NOT TO MENTION A MONTH AFTER BUYING THE CAR. THE TURN SIGNALS,, BRAKE LIGHTS, CRUISE CONTROL, FLASHERS ALL WORKED WHEN THEY WANTED TOO AND NOT WHEN I NEEDED IT TOO. CAME CLOSE TO A FEW PEOPLE RUNNING IN THE BACK OF ME DUE TO BACK LIGHTS NOT WORKING.. AND MY TEMP, GAUGE, SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAUGE DO NOT WORK. ID BE IN PARK WITH A FULL TANK OF GAS, IT SAYS IM GOING 80MPH AND GAS IS EMPTY.. HATE THIS CAR WITH A PASSION.. VERY DANGEROUS CAR...WOULD NEVER RECOMMEND THIS CAR TO ANYONE.... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10494671

79,000 miles · Aug 29, 2012

Power Train

THE CAR IS SHIFTING HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN I SLOW DOWN AROUND A CURVE AND THEN THE CAR HAS TO SHIFT DOWN AND BACK UP RIGHT AWAY. THIS HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE AND WORSE AND FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING, IT PROBABLY ISN'T THE TRANSMISSION BUT WITH THE VACUUM MODULAR OR TORQUE CONVERTER. I ALSO H…

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NHTSA ODI #10472901

113,000 miles · Apr 12, 2012

Power Train

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THERE IS A LITTLE VIBRATION. WHEN I ACCELERATE AND BEGIN TO PICK UP SPEED IT HESITATES. WHEN GOING FROM 1ST INTO 2ND GEAR THE CAR SHIFTS HARD AND EVEN INTO THIRD GEAR. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET A TRANSMISSION SERVICE THINKING IT WOULD HELP, BUT IT DIDN'T. ITS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. I HAVE BEEN ASKING AROUND TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND EVERYONE IS SAYING THAT ITS HARD TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT COULD BE S NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF THINGS WRONG. MOST OF THE MECHANICS I SPOKE TO THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD BE SOMEWHERE AROUND $1800 TO GET ANOTHER TRANSMISSION AND THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTICED THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS CAR THAT'S HAVING THIS ISSUE. I WOULD HATE TO BE SOMEWHERE AND THE CAR JUST QUIT ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN VERY RELIABLE TO ME UP UNTIL THIS YEAR. I WOULD LOVE TO KEEP THE CAR BUT I DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE WASTING MONEY GETTING PARTS FIXED ON IT AND ITS NOT GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10454951

Official recalls

15V701000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine; Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

Oct 26, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

15V201000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Apr 6, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to June 23, 2003. On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004. In the affected vehicles, the valve cover gasket may leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.

14V400000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 3, 2014

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

04V287000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Jun 23, 2004

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH LOWER THAN SPECIFIED TORQUE ON BOTH FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO STEERING KNUCKLE ATTACHMENT BOLTS. WITH IMPROPER TORQUE, THE CLAMP LOAD AT THE JOINT MAY NOT BE ADEQUATE TO PREVENT MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CALIPER BRACKET AND KNUCKLE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DEPENDING ON WHETHER ONE OR BOTH BOLTS BACKS OUT OR FRACTURES, THE RESULT CAN BE LOCKING OF THE AFFECTED WHEEL DURING BRAKING AND AN ABRUPT STEERING INPUT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LOCKED WHEEL, REDUCED BRAKING AND NOISE FROM THE AFFECTED WHEEL, OR SEVERING OF A BRAKE HOSE, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, AND REDUCED STEERING CONTROL. REDUCED BRAKING OR STEERING CONTROL COULD CAUSE A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS ARE TO TIGHTEN BOTH BOLTS TO THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 28, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET 1-800-630-2438 OR PONTIAC 1-800-620-7668.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.