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.
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesVehicle Speed Control
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HIGHWAY SPEED WAS 65MPH, AT THAT RATE OF SPEED MY VEHICLE WAS PICKING UP SPEED AND WHEN I WENT TO PRESS ON MY BRAKES, IT WAS IF I WAS DRIVING ON ICE AND MY CAR WAS SKIDDING. TWO DAYS LATER I STOPPED FOR GAS AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START, AFTER MY 3RD ATTEMPT, IT STUTTERED HARD TIME TURNING OVER. ONCE IT DID I TU…
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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR HIGHWAY SPEED WAS 65MPH, AT THAT RATE OF SPEED MY VEHICLE WAS PICKING UP SPEED AND WHEN I WENT TO PRESS ON MY BRAKES, IT WAS IF I WAS DRIVING ON ICE AND MY CAR WAS SKIDDING. TWO DAYS LATER I STOPPED FOR GAS AND MY CAR WOULDN'T START, AFTER MY 3RD ATTEMPT, IT STUTTERED HARD TIME TURNING OVER. ONCE IT DID I TURNED IT OFF BUT THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING. I DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES. VERY SCARED TO DRIVE MY CAR BACK HOME BECAUSE I'M OUT OF TOWN. MY LIGHTS SAYS I HAVE LOW RIGHT TIRE PRESSURE BUT I DON'T, IT'S BACK LEFT TIRE FOR SOME ODD REASON. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10598722
37,937 miles · May 19, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes
I WAS DRIVING AND AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN, MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST, AND ABS LIGHT ALL POPPED ON. IT WENT ON AND OFF FOR MANY DAYS AS I WOULD STOP AND THEN RE-START THE CAR. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY TESTED THE FRONT ABS CONNECTOR AND ADJUSTED THE TIMING. LIGHTS AND CODE…
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I WAS DRIVING AND AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN, MY SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKE ASSIST, AND ABS LIGHT ALL POPPED ON. IT WENT ON AND OFF FOR MANY DAYS AS I WOULD STOP AND THEN RE-START THE CAR. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO A CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THEY TESTED THE FRONT ABS CONNECTOR AND ADJUSTED THE TIMING. LIGHTS AND CODES WENT OFF FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS THEN POPPED BACK ON UPON MAKING A LEFT TURN. IN ADDITION TO THE LIGHTS AND CODES, THE CAR NOW MAKE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR STALLS. I HAVE BEEN AT A LIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF MAKING A TURN WHEN THE CAR WILL STALL AND NOT LET ME TAKE OFF- THE TRACTION CONTROL SYMBOL WILL COME ON AND I WILL BE STUCK TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND A FEW TIMES DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE IN A TIMELY FASHION. I HAVE GONE ON CHEVY IMPALA FORUMS LOOKING FOR OTHER DRIVERS WHO MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ARE THERE ARE A GOOD NUMBER OF THEM. IT SEEMS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10592608
36,800 miles · Apr 11, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)
IN FEB. 2014 STARTED GETTING INTERMITTENT COMPUTER MESSAGES CONCERNING, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILATOR(?) CONTROL, REDUCED ENGINE POWER. MESSAGE OCCURS RANDOMLY, AND STAYS FOR A DAY OR LESS, THEN GOES TO JUST SHOWING THE ENGINE ICON, THEN CLEARS SELF. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED (16000 MILES) FROM DEALER. ERROR CODES…
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IN FEB. 2014 STARTED GETTING INTERMITTENT COMPUTER MESSAGES CONCERNING, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, SERVICE STABILATOR(?) CONTROL, REDUCED ENGINE POWER. MESSAGE OCCURS RANDOMLY, AND STAYS FOR A DAY OR LESS, THEN GOES TO JUST SHOWING THE ENGINE ICON, THEN CLEARS SELF. CAR WAS PURCHASED USED (16000 MILES) FROM DEALER. ERROR CODES P2138 AND P2122 WERE SHOWING PER DEALER. CAR WAS OWNED IN RENTAL FLEET IN EAST ELMHURST, NY (QUEENS, SEVERELY AFFECTED) DURING HURRICANE SANDY, BUT SHOWED NO SERVICE AS BEING DONE, AFTERWARDS. NEXT ENTRY SHOWED CAR IN UPSTATE NY, ON DEALERS LOT. HAVE BEEN TOLD (3/25/2014) THAT PART WAS ORDERED AND WOULD BE IN IN A COUPLE DAYS. 17 DAYS LATER, TOLD ":PART NOT IN--WILL CALL WHEN HERE" AND REPLACE AT NO CHARGE. STILL WAITING FOR CALL FROM DEALER. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10579215
35,118 miles · Oct 30, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering
IM GOING DOWN THE ROAD MASH ON THE GAS DOING 38 AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF CONTROL. I LITERALLY HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IM DOING 45 TO 50 AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING ME RIGHT INTO THE SHOULDER OR INTO OTHER TRAFFIC I HAD TO LAY OFF THE GAS TO GAIN CONTROL OF CAR DOING SUCH LOW SPEED. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME. …
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IM GOING DOWN THE ROAD MASH ON THE GAS DOING 38 AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF CONTROL. I LITERALLY HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR. IM DOING 45 TO 50 AND THE VEHICLE IS DRIVING ME RIGHT INTO THE SHOULDER OR INTO OTHER TRAFFIC I HAD TO LAY OFF THE GAS TO GAIN CONTROL OF CAR DOING SUCH LOW SPEED. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME. AND WAS BLOWN AWAY.HOW THE SUSPENSION AND CONTROL OF THE CAR WAS NOT IN MY HAND NO MORE. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT THAT EVERYBODY IS TALKING ABOUT ON ONLINE. GM NEEDS TO FIX THIS ITS THEIR COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE CAR THAT MESSING UP THE WHOLE CAR.AND IF THERE IS POLICE FLEET OF THESE IMPALAS AND THEY USING THESE IN POLICE CHASES. THE CHASES COULD TURN UGLY. I DROVE AND BUNCH OF POLICE FLEET VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD ONE WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OF IT GETTING INTO HIGH SPEEDS. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THESE IS THAT IMPALA HAS FWD WITH 308 HP ALL UP FRONT WHAT WAS THEY THINKING. IT'LL BE GOOD FRO A DRAG CAR GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. START FROM A STAND STILL AND TRY TO GET UP SPEED FAST. DOING IT WITHOUT CRASHING OR MERGING INTO ANOTHER LANE IS IMPOSSIBLE. GET IN A 2012 CHEVY IMPALA LT WITH 308 HP THEN YOU WILL SEE THE PROBLEM. ALSO EXISTS ON SS MODELS AS WELL. *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