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2011 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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

410 reports with mileage · 95 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.

  • Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 132 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 125 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 95 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

22 crash reports5 fire reports19 injury reports

What owners actually said

505 reports
11,000 miles · Jun 20, 2012
Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT SEIZED AND THE PASSENGER COULD NOT MOVE AROUND FREELY IN THE SEAT WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ALMOST EVERY TIME THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT SEIZED AND THE PASSENGER COULD NOT MOVE AROUND FREELY IN THE SEAT WHEN THE SEAT BELT WAS BUCKLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ALMOST EVERY TIME THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS OPERATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10462395

13,465 miles · Jun 17, 2012
Seats

MY HUSBAND IS 6' TALL AND WE GOT A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA THE BACK SEAT HAS 3 HEADREST AND THE MIDDLE HEADREST BLOCKS HIS VIEW USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HE DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION WHEN HE TEST DROVE IT AND WHEN I DROVE IT HOME I COULD NOT SEE THE CAR BEHIND ME SO I TOLD MY HUSBAND AND WHEN WE GOT HOME WITH THE CAR WE BOTH REALLY L…

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MY HUSBAND IS 6' TALL AND WE GOT A 2011 CHEVY IMPALA THE BACK SEAT HAS 3 HEADREST AND THE MIDDLE HEADREST BLOCKS HIS VIEW USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HE DID NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION WHEN HE TEST DROVE IT AND WHEN I DROVE IT HOME I COULD NOT SEE THE CAR BEHIND ME SO I TOLD MY HUSBAND AND WHEN WE GOT HOME WITH THE CAR WE BOTH REALLY LIKE IT SO I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASK IF THE BACK SEAT COULD BE REPLACE AND THEY TOLD ME NO SO NOW WE ARE STUCK WITH A SAFETY DEFECT!!!! YOU NEED TO DRIVE ONE AROUND FOR AWHILE AND SEE WHAT I MEAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10461975

19,000 miles · Jun 1, 2012
Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THREE HEAD RESTS ON THE REAR SEATS WERE INTERFERING WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE REAR SEAT WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THE VEHI…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE THREE HEAD RESTS ON THE REAR SEATS WERE INTERFERING WITH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE REAR SEAT WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED ONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ODI #10460279

Mileage unknown · May 18, 2012
Seats

2011 CHEVY IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEADREST AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR *TGW

NHTSA ODI #10459422

33,000 miles · May 14, 2012
Electronic Stability Control (esc)

ON 5/11/12, THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT CAME ON; THEN A NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND HE SAID I COULD BRING IT IN ON 5/14. I ASKED IF IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE MEANTIME AND HE SAID NO. I WAS DRIVING ON 5/12 AND WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WAITING TO TURN LEFT. …

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ON 5/11/12, THE "SERVICE STABILITRAK" LIGHT CAME ON; THEN A NOTICE THAT THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED CAME ON. I CALLED THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND HE SAID I COULD BRING IT IN ON 5/14. I ASKED IF IT WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THE MEANTIME AND HE SAID NO. I WAS DRIVING ON 5/12 AND WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WAITING TO TURN LEFT. I WENT TO TURN LEFT AND EXPERIENCED A GREATLY REDUCED RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL WHICH WAS FRIGHTENING. THE DEALER JUST CALLED ME ON 5/14 AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND HE IS REPLACING IT. I FOUND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF THIS SAME ISSUE GOING BACK TO THE 2007 MODEL. I THINK THIS SHOULD PROMPT A SAFETY RECALL, SINCE A NON-RESPONSIVE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *JS

NHTSA ODI #10458449

25,095 miles · May 9, 2012
Equipment Adaptive/mobilitySeats

I BOUGHT A USED 2011 IMPALA AND DID NOTICE THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS WERE QUITE HIGH, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD GET USED TO IT. I HOWEVER AFTER THREE WEEKS HAVE NOT. IT IS A HINDRANCE HAVING TO SPEND EYE TIME ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. WHEN DRIVING IN 5 LANE TRAFFIC YOU NEED TO DEVOTE ALL OF Y…

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I BOUGHT A USED 2011 IMPALA AND DID NOTICE THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS WERE QUITE HIGH, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD GET USED TO IT. I HOWEVER AFTER THREE WEEKS HAVE NOT. IT IS A HINDRANCE HAVING TO SPEND EYE TIME ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. WHEN DRIVING IN 5 LANE TRAFFIC YOU NEED TO DEVOTE ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION TO ALL AROUND YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS IN A 2011 IMPALA. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER BECAUSE IT APPEARS FROM OTHER POSTINGS THAT THE ONLY RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME IS TO BUY 2012 REAR SEATS FOR OVER $400. THESE SEATS ARE DEFINITELY A DANGEROUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10457939

5 miles · May 2, 2012
Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEADRESTS WERE OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD OF VISION THROUGH THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MODIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND FILED A …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEADRESTS WERE OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD OF VISION THROUGH THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MODIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE CONTACT AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,300.

NHTSA ODI #10457160

5,400 miles · May 2, 2012
Steering

WHILE GOING TO WORK APPROX. 6 MONTHS AGO A DEER CROSSED THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. I ATTEMPTED TO STEER AWAY FROM THE DEER ONLY TO NOTICE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT AS IF IT HAD NO POWER STEERING. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE DEER CHANGED ITS COURSE OR I WOULD OF RAN INTO IT HEAD ON DUE TO THE STEERING BEING SO HARD. THE 2012 IMPALA HAS…

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WHILE GOING TO WORK APPROX. 6 MONTHS AGO A DEER CROSSED THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME. I ATTEMPTED TO STEER AWAY FROM THE DEER ONLY TO NOTICE THAT THE STEERING WHEEL FELT AS IF IT HAD NO POWER STEERING. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE DEER CHANGED ITS COURSE OR I WOULD OF RAN INTO IT HEAD ON DUE TO THE STEERING BEING SO HARD. THE 2012 IMPALA HAS THE SAME ISSUE? GM IS NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. I HAVE A PI DOCUMENT FROM GM WHICH IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. IT CONFIRMS THIS STEERING ISSUE WITH THE 2011 CHEVY IMPALA (ALL MODELS). THIS PI STATES TO THE MECHANICS TO TAKE CONSUMERS FOR A RIDE IN A PARKING LOT AND PERFORM PARKING LOT MANEUVERS AT SLOW SPEEDS.THEN TELL THE CONSUMER IT IS A NORMAL CONDITION IF THE STEERING ISSUE IS DUPLICATED. MY ATTORNEY STILL HAS POSSESSION OF MY INDEPENDENT TECHNICAL EXPERT REPORT WHICH STATES THAT THE STEERING IS EXTREMELY HARD AT LOW SPEEDS. MY CASE WAS LOST IN ARBITRATION AND THE DECISION WAS MADE IN A FEW HOURS. I DO HAVE THE DOCUMENT NO. [XXX]. DOCUMENT ID [XXX]. I WANT ALL CONSUMERS TO KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT IF THEY PURCHASE A 2011 IMPALA AND HAVE THIS PROBLEM. I DID NOTE THAT THE NHTSA HAS THIS STEERING ISSUE DOCUMENTED. HOWEVER GM STATES THAT THIS IS NOT THEIR BULLETIN AND NONE EXIST FOR THIS ISSUE. I WAS GIVEN THIS PI BY MISTAKE. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #10457155

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2012
Seats

2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH VEHICLE HEAD REST *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR HEAD REST WERE TOO HIGH AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE, WHICH MADE BACKING UP DIFFICULT. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10457290

3,000 miles · Apr 27, 2012
Seats

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD REST BLOCKED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD REST WAS LEANING ENTIRELY TOO FAR FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD REST BLOCKED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD REST WAS LEANING ENTIRELY TOO FAR FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

NHTSA ODI #10456704

Official recalls

2

14V355000 · 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.