Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
460–25K
5825–50K
3850–75K
3175–100K
24100–150K
7150K+
204 reports with mileage · 54 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 58 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 54 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF A SECOND TIME AGAIN AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WERE BOTH AFFECTED. THE CAR RESTARTED. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE CAR AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE CONDITION. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AFTER I REMOVED ALL THE KE…
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THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF A SECOND TIME AGAIN AFTER HITTING A LARGE BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WERE BOTH AFFECTED. THE CAR RESTARTED. THE DEALER LOOKED AT THE CAR AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE CONDITION. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY AFTER I REMOVED ALL THE KEYS FROM THE KEY-RING. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10621617
41,039 miles · Jul 30, 2014
Air BagsElectrical SystemSeat BeltsCrashInjury
MAY 2013 I PURCHASED A 2012 IMPALA FULLY CERTIFIED BY THE CHEVY DEALER. ON 9/25/2013 I WAS STOPPED ON I-80 DUE TO TRAFFIC. A WOMAN TRAVELING 53 MPH SLAMMED INTO ME CAUSING ME TO TAKE OUT THE NEXT 3 CARS. I FILED AN INVESTIGATION WITH GM TO REVIEW THE VEHICLE INFORMATION (WHICH IS HOW I KNOW HOW FAST SHE WAS TRAVELING). THE AIRBA…
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MAY 2013 I PURCHASED A 2012 IMPALA FULLY CERTIFIED BY THE CHEVY DEALER. ON 9/25/2013 I WAS STOPPED ON I-80 DUE TO TRAFFIC. A WOMAN TRAVELING 53 MPH SLAMMED INTO ME CAUSING ME TO TAKE OUT THE NEXT 3 CARS. I FILED AN INVESTIGATION WITH GM TO REVIEW THE VEHICLE INFORMATION (WHICH IS HOW I KNOW HOW FAST SHE WAS TRAVELING). THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS ON, BUT NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND THE SEAT BELT HAD RESTRAINED ME ONLY AFTER I VIOLENTLY BOUNCED OFF OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN THIS WAS REPORTED TO GM IT WAS STATED THAT THERE ARE THREE LINES OF DEFENSE IN A VEHICULAR ACCIDENT #1 THE BODY OF YOUR VEHICLE #2 YOUR SEAT BELT #3 AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. 2/3 LINES OF DEFENSE HAD FAILED ME. GM HAD NO CONCLUSION AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND I RECEIVED THE REPORTS FROM THE ENGINEERS. I WAS TRAVELING FAST ENOUGH INTO THE CAR AHEAD OF ME FOR THE AIRBAGS TO HAVE DEPLOYED, AND THE SEAT BELT SHOULD HAVE RESTRAINED ME. NEARLY A YEAR LATER, I AM GREATFUL THAT ONE LINE OF DEFENSE HAD PREVENTED FURTHER INJURIES, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I WILL FOREVER FEEL THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF. WITH RECENT NEWS INVESTIGATIONS INTO GM'S FAULTY AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, CLEARLY THEY CAN LOOK BEYOND JUST THE OLDER MODELS OF IMPALAS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10617649
66,000 miles · Jun 2, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineVehicle Speed Control
CAR EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY LANE, SO BROUGHT CAR TO A HALT BLOCKING ONE LANE. THIS WAS AS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LATER DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS A LOOSE HOT WIRE TERMINAL CONNECTION TO THE FUSE BOX. IT HAD EITHER VIBRATED LOOSE …
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CAR EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO BUSY HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY LANE, SO BROUGHT CAR TO A HALT BLOCKING ONE LANE. THIS WAS AS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. LATER DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE WAS A LOOSE HOT WIRE TERMINAL CONNECTION TO THE FUSE BOX. IT HAD EITHER VIBRATED LOOSE OR WAS NOT TIGHTENED ADEQUATELY AT TIME OF MANUFACTURE. LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT INTERESTED IN REPORTING THIS EVENT TO THE GM DATA BASE, SO GAVE ME A CHEVROLET CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER TO CALL, WHICH I DID. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10595615
33,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE THE KEY FAILED TO TURN UNTIL AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.
NHTSA ODI #10576122
3,360 miles · Aug 20, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineVisibility/wiper
THE ENGINE DIED IN A HARD RAIN,WIPERS QUIT, FLASHERS CAME ON, WINDOWS WENT UP AND DOWN, CD PLAYER QUIT AND RADIO CAME ON, THEN FLASHERS WENT OFF. WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO BACK UP SOAKING THE INSIDE OF THE DOORS.THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND NOW SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I CALLED THE DEALER TWICE AND GOT A RECORDING ASKING ME TO LEAVE …
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THE ENGINE DIED IN A HARD RAIN,WIPERS QUIT, FLASHERS CAME ON, WINDOWS WENT UP AND DOWN, CD PLAYER QUIT AND RADIO CAME ON, THEN FLASHERS WENT OFF. WINDOWS WOULD NOT GO BACK UP SOAKING THE INSIDE OF THE DOORS.THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND NOW SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I CALLED THE DEALER TWICE AND GOT A RECORDING ASKING ME TO LEAVE A BRIEF MESSAGE. IF THEY DON'T HAVE TIME TO ANSWER THE PHONE, HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO FIX IT? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10536430
20,500 miles · Aug 7, 2013
Electrical SystemService Brakes
SAME INCIDENT TWICE. I AM DRIVING EITHER AT LOW SPEEDS (5 TO 10 MPH) OR AT 30 MPH. THE LIGHT SERVICE STABILITRAK AND BRAKES COMES ON. AFTER I TURN OFF THE CAR, THE WARNING LIGHTS AND THE MESSAGE GO OFF. I TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THE WARNING MESSAGE IS OFF. I HAVE SEEN MESSAGES ACROSS…
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SAME INCIDENT TWICE. I AM DRIVING EITHER AT LOW SPEEDS (5 TO 10 MPH) OR AT 30 MPH. THE LIGHT SERVICE STABILITRAK AND BRAKES COMES ON. AFTER I TURN OFF THE CAR, THE WARNING LIGHTS AND THE MESSAGE GO OFF. I TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THE WARNING MESSAGE IS OFF. I HAVE SEEN MESSAGES ACROSS THE INTERNET POSTS THAT OTHER IMPALAS (2012) ARE DOING THE SAME THING. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10534064
Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2013
Electrical SystemVehicle Speed Control
2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER SENSOR FAILURE IN VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE ENGINE QUIT, THE FLASHERS WOULD NOT WORK AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS, OR LOWER THE WINDOWS USING THE POWER SWITCH. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WAS…
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2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER SENSOR FAILURE IN VEHICLE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. THE ENGINE QUIT, THE FLASHERS WOULD NOT WORK AND HE WAS UNABLE TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS, OR LOWER THE WINDOWS USING THE POWER SWITCH. THE ONLY WAY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS WAS WITH THE KEY FOB, THAT UNLOCKED OR LOCKED THE DOORS FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. A DIAGNOSIS REVEALED A BAD SENSOR AND TWO BURNED WIRES. THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. A WEEK LATER, THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER DUE TO A MALFUNCTION WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL. ON JUNE 13, 2013 WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE DIED AGAIN. IT WAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT OCCURRED BACK IN FEBRUARY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN. THE NEXT THE DAY, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY STILL HAD NOT FOUND A PROBLEM. TWO HOURS LATER, THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THEY HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM, BUT THE PART HAD TO BE ORDERED. THE PART ARRIVED THE SAME DAY, AND THE CONSUMER WAS ASSURED, THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. HOWEVER, AS SOON AS HE PULLED OFF AT AN EXIT, THE VEHICLE DIED AGAIN. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR OVER A WEEK, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY FOUND NUMEROUS EXPOSED WIRES, THAT WERE CAUSING SHORTS, SUCH AS RUBBING ON THE TRANSMISSION AND OTHER METAL PARTS, MANY OF THEM WERE NOT PROPERLY SECURED. ALSO, WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED ON THE HEADLIGHTS, HE DISCOVERED THE LOW BEAMS DID NOT WORK. THE CONSUMER STATED CHEVROLET BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK AND THEY OFFERED HIM A DEAL ON A DIFFERENT MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. UPDATED 09/24/13. JB
NHTSA ODI #10532509
55,000 miles · Jun 24, 2013
Electrical SystemEngineSteering
PURCHASED A GM CERTIFIED VEHICLE. VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHENEVER MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. WHEN I WOULD MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD DIE COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. ONE INSTANCE WHEN TRYING TO RESTART THE CAR, THE IGNITION ACTED "STUCK." I ONLY TURNED THE IGNITIO…
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PURCHASED A GM CERTIFIED VEHICLE. VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES WHENEVER MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. WHEN I WOULD MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD DIE COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TURN. I WOULD HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. ONE INSTANCE WHEN TRYING TO RESTART THE CAR, THE IGNITION ACTED "STUCK." I ONLY TURNED THE IGNITION ONCE AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO CRANK OVER TO RESTART THE CAR ON ITS OWN. THE LAST COUPLE OF INSTANCES WHEN TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT DIED, EVEN WHEN NOT MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN. IT WOULD DIE PERIODICALLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO MAIN MOTORS (A GM DEALERSHIP) TO HAVE IT FIXED. THEY SAID THE WIRES WERE WORN THROUGH IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT RUN TO THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THEY STATED THEY REROUTED THE WIRES. MY BILL WAS ONLY FOR LABOR, NO REPLACEMENT OF PARTS. I ASKED GM TO COVER THIS. THE SERVICE ADVISER TOLD THE FIRST AGENT AT GM THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE WIRE HARNESS. THEN THE CASE WAS DIRECTED TO A "DISTRICT SPECIALIST." THE DISTRICT SPECIALIST STATED THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MAIN MOTORS RETRACTED THE STATEMENT THAT IT WAS A DEFECT AND STATED IT WAS NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR FOR ELECTRICAL WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO BE WORN THROUGH. NOT A SAFE DESIGN FOR AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO NOT LAST PAST 55000 MILES. *TR
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.
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.
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2011, THROUGH JULY 29, 2011. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED SO THAT IT CAN COME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AND/OR CONTACT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WITH THE ENGINE ON, HEAT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY MELT THE POWER STEERING HOSE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: POWER STEERING FLUID COULD FLOW ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THAT THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE IS ROUTED CORRECTLY AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.
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.
2012 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year