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2005 Chevrolet Impala

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

499 reports with mileage · 110 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 331 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports13 fire reports22 injury reports

What owners actually said

609 reports
Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2026
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

On XXX in [XXX], while at a complete stop, without cause or prior warning, airbags violently deployed causing property damage to the entire instrument panel and windshield, and bodily injuries. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11744464

200,000 miles · Dec 30, 2024
Electrical SystemPower Train

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. There was no war…

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The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.

NHTSA ODI #11633118

Mileage unknown · Dec 26, 2024
Air Bags

When traveling down a steep incline the front driver and passenger side airbags went off. There was no collision with anything, also there's no damage to the car aside from the airbags themselves.

NHTSA ODI #11632541

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2024
Power Train

Transmission shifts hard after engine warms up.

NHTSA ODI #11592236

Mileage unknown · Jan 4, 2023
Unknown Or Other

The car shuts off while driving. Loose power steering hazardous while turning at higher speeds... dangerous for. Vehicles in front or back . The car also jumps or jolts when driving. And looses power causing severe loss of control especially when icy or snow road conditions.

NHTSA ODI #11500198

140,000 miles · Sep 16, 2022
Visibility

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, suddenly there was an abnormal wind sound inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof had detached from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the conta…

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The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-60 MPH, suddenly there was an abnormal wind sound inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof had detached from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed of a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ODI #11484788

194,000 miles · May 13, 2021
SteeringCrash

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 10 MPH, TO MERGE INTO ANOTHER INTERSTATE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A POLE. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND THE HOOD WAS DAMAGED FROM THE CRASH. A STATE TROOPER ASSISTED THE CONTACT TO REPLA…

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THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 10 MPH, TO MERGE INTO ANOTHER INTERSTATE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A POLE. THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AND THE HOOD WAS DAMAGED FROM THE CRASH. A STATE TROOPER ASSISTED THE CONTACT TO REPLACE THE TIRE WITH A SPARE TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. AN UNKNOWN DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TOWED TO THEIR DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD CONTACT BACK TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE HAD BEEN PROVIDED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000.

NHTSA ODI #11416500

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 2021
Power Train

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND I MADE IT ABOUT HALF WAY INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE PART OF MY CAR WAS STI'LL IN THE ROAD WHEN MY CAR JUST SHIFTED DOWN INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO BE TOWED INTO THE PARKING LOT BY A YOUNG MAN THAT STOPPED TO HELP GI'VE ME …

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I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND I MADE IT ABOUT HALF WAY INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE PART OF MY CAR WAS STI'LL IN THE ROAD WHEN MY CAR JUST SHIFTED DOWN INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO BE TOWED INTO THE PARKING LOT BY A YOUNG MAN THAT STOPPED TO HELP GI'VE ME A HAND TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE ROAD I WAS ON A MAJOR STREET THAT GETS TRAVELSE ALOT AND IT WAS DRIVING JUST FINE UNTIL I WENT TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND IT JUST QUIT SHIFTING PERIOD

NHTSA ODI #11398321

44,000 miles · Nov 10, 2020
Power Train

TRANSMISSION HAS HARD SHIFTING AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. STOP AND GO TRAFFIC SEEMS TO START THE PROBLEM FASTER THAN HIGHWAY DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI #11374004

105,886 miles · Oct 30, 2020
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMEN…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE MECHANIC CONTACTED AN UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER FOR THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,886.

NHTSA ODI #11372377

Official recalls

1

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.