2008 CHEVY IMPALA WAS SHIPPED FROM THE FACTORY UNALIGNED CAUSING PREMATURE TIRE WEAR. THERE MAY BE A CAMBER RELATED ISSUE CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR ON THE INNER EDGE OF THE REAR TIRES. PROBLEMS START AT ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I REPLACED THE REAR TIRES TWICE IN ONE YEAR. *TR
2008 Chevrolet Impala
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impala years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
665 reports with mileage · 145 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 221 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 134 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 117 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Suspension complaints
117 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH OR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, IT IS DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, NOR PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH OR IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, IT IS DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, NOR PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 12/30/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE DONE, THE VEHICLE TRACKS PROPERLY ON ICE. THE ALIGNMENT WAS OUT AND REAR CAMBER AND TOE WAS OUT OF SPECS. UPDATED 12/31/09. *JB
STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY 2008 CHEVY IMPALA WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A TIRE BALANCE PROBLEM. DID REQUIRED TIRE ROTATION AS RECOMMENDED AT 6000, 10,000 AND THEN AGAIN AT 13,500. DEALER SAID TIRES MAY BE OUT OF ROUND AND SUGGESTED ROAD FORCE BALANCING AT 16,500 MILES. THIS DID NOT CHANGE THE ISSUE, SO WENT TO GOODYEAR DEALER AN…
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STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY 2008 CHEVY IMPALA WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A TIRE BALANCE PROBLEM. DID REQUIRED TIRE ROTATION AS RECOMMENDED AT 6000, 10,000 AND THEN AGAIN AT 13,500. DEALER SAID TIRES MAY BE OUT OF ROUND AND SUGGESTED ROAD FORCE BALANCING AT 16,500 MILES. THIS DID NOT CHANGE THE ISSUE, SO WENT TO GOODYEAR DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE INSIDE 2 INCHES OF ALL FOUR TIRES WERE WEARING EXCESSIVELY WITH THE REAR TWO LESS THAT 2/32 INCHES OF TREAD LEFT. GOODYEAR SHOT THE ALIGNMENT AND SHOWED THAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS WAY OFF AND TIRES COULD NOT BE WARRANTED WITH AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. TOOK BACK TO CHEVY DEALER TO INFORM THEM OF THE ALIGNMENT ISSUE. THEY SAID ALIGNMENT WAS NOT WARRANTED AFTER 7,500 MILES AND ALSO WOULD NOT REPLACE THE 4 TIRES. I DID GET THE DEALER TO GRATUITOUSLY DO A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT THAT ALSO SHOWED THE CAMBER AND TOE, ESPECIALLY IN THE REAR WAS "OUT OF TOLERANCE AND EXCEEDED CROSS-TOLERANCE" ON THEIR MACHINE AS WELL. THE CAMBER COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED WITHOUT EXTRA WORK (ELONGATING THE BOLT HOLES OR A CHAMBER ALIGNMENT KIT). CONTACTED GM COMPLAINT LINE FOR RESOLUTION TO NO AVAIL, SAYING I HAD TO PROVE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT ON THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN INHERENT SAFETY PROBLEM WITH 2007 AND 2008 IMPALAS THAT HAS FOSTERED NUMEROUS COMPLAINT TO YOU INCLUDING 5 ALREADY THIS YEAR. GM ISSUED A TSB #08032 FOR POLICE IMPALAS THAT ARE ON THE SAME PLATFORM AND SUSPENSION, BUT NEVER EXTENDED THAT TO THE PUBLIC. SEEMS TO ME THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION HAS AN SEVERE DEFECT THAT CAN CAUSE TIRE BLOWOUT WITHOUT WARNING. NO TIRES SHOULD WEAR LIKE THAT WITH LESS THAN 17,000 MILES WITHOUT A REAR SUSPENSION AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED FOR REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT OF THE PARTS AND TIRES. I SAW AT LEAST 12 COMPLAINTS IN THE FIRST 24 PAGES OF 2007 IMPALA COMPLAINTS TO THE ODI. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED AS A RESULT OF THIS CONTINUING IMPALA ISSUE. *TR
DURING ANY DAMP, WET OR SNOWY ROADWAY CONDITIONS, MY 2008 CHEVY IMPALA SS HANDLES DANGEROUSLY POOR. THIS OCCURS EVEN IF THE CAR IS PUT INTO NEUTRAL DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE REAR-END KEEPS WANTING TO GO SIDEWAYS. I TOOK IT TO A CHEVY/GM CERTIFIED DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH IT. *TR
MY 08 IMPALA SS HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH TIRES EXCESSIVELY. I REPLACED THE BACK TIRES ALMOST 4 MONTHS AGO AND NEW TIRES ARE NEEDED AGAIN. THE REAR TIRES ARE WEARING ON THE INSIDES OF THE TIRES. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY LOCAL GM DEALER WHO "ASSURED" ME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION AND THAT I NEED TO R…
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MY 08 IMPALA SS HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH TIRES EXCESSIVELY. I REPLACED THE BACK TIRES ALMOST 4 MONTHS AGO AND NEW TIRES ARE NEEDED AGAIN. THE REAR TIRES ARE WEARING ON THE INSIDES OF THE TIRES. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF MY LOCAL GM DEALER WHO "ASSURED" ME THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION AND THAT I NEED TO ROTATE THE TIRES EVERY 6000 MILES THAT WAS WHAT WAS WRONG THAT I WASN'T FOLLOWING THE OWNERS MANUAL. SO I THOUGHT IT REALLY WAS MY FAULT SO I SPENT THE $500 TO BUY TWO NEW TIRES AND NOW ALMOST 4 MONTHS LATER THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING. I HAVE ONLY PUT ABOUT 6000 MILES ON THE NEW TIRES AND THE CORDS ARE ALREADY SHOWING ON THE INSIDES OF THE REAR TIRES. *TR
I GOT THIS 2008 IMPALA IN NOV.2007. IT HAS A VIBRATION THAT STARTS ABOUT 37MPH THROUGH 47MPH. AND AT 75MPH IT IS WORST. THE DEALER REBALANCED THE TIRES, I WENT BACK AND THE TIRES WERE REBALANCED AGAIN. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL HAVE THIS VIBRATION. I CALLED CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION,TALKED TO 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE,THE LA…
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I GOT THIS 2008 IMPALA IN NOV.2007. IT HAS A VIBRATION THAT STARTS ABOUT 37MPH THROUGH 47MPH. AND AT 75MPH IT IS WORST. THE DEALER REBALANCED THE TIRES, I WENT BACK AND THE TIRES WERE REBALANCED AGAIN. SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY ALL HAVE THIS VIBRATION. I CALLED CHEVROLET MOTOR DIVISION,TALKED TO 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE,THE LAST PERSON SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE TIRES,AND IT WAS NORMAL OF THAT CAR. THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CAR. THIS CAR 2,300 MILES ON IT. I WANT THIS FIXED,AND I'M STUCK WITH IT. *TR
GM ISSUED A LETTER TO 2007 AND 2008 IMPALA POLICE VEHICLE OWNERS CONCERNING A CONDITION THAT LEADS TO REAR WHEEL MISALIGNMENT, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE TIRES. MY 2008 IMPALA SS IS EXHIBITS THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT GM WILL ONLY FIX POLICE VEHICLES. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE PROBLEM EFFECTS MORE TH…
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GM ISSUED A LETTER TO 2007 AND 2008 IMPALA POLICE VEHICLE OWNERS CONCERNING A CONDITION THAT LEADS TO REAR WHEEL MISALIGNMENT, RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE WEAR TO THE INBOARD SIDE OF THE TIRES. MY 2008 IMPALA SS IS EXHIBITS THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT GM WILL ONLY FIX POLICE VEHICLES. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE PROBLEM EFFECTS MORE THAT JUST THE POLICE VEHICLES BECAUSE THE REAR SUSPENSIONS AND SETUPS ARE IDENTICAL. GM SHOULD FIX ANY IMPALA EXPERIENCE THE ALIGNMENT ISSUES BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER RIGHT TO BEGIN WITH. *TR
Official recalls
214V355000 · Electrical System:ignition
Jun 23, 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) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and 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. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
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 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.
12V377000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm
Aug 3, 2012
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.
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
1DP14001 · Passenger Air Bag Ocs Algorithm
Opened Jul 22, 2014 · Closed Mar 7, 2017
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
Air Bags
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
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