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2012 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

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.

20 crash reports5 fire reports12 injury reports

Structure complaints

8 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 2024
Electrical SystemStructureWheels

The actuators in the air vents are faulty and I've had to have them repla ed multiple times now. They still continue to make clicking noise sounds and blow cold air in winter/hot air in summer. The trunk deck lid paint is bad. The clear coat has been coming off. Paint all over the car's clear coat has been coming off. There is a…

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The actuators in the air vents are faulty and I've had to have them repla ed multiple times now. They still continue to make clicking noise sounds and blow cold air in winter/hot air in summer. The trunk deck lid paint is bad. The clear coat has been coming off. Paint all over the car's clear coat has been coming off. There is also some spots where it's down to the metal showing rust/corrosion. Finally, and most seriously, is the car's Traction Control System. It goes off constantly and without warning! It's been doing this randomly, in all types of weather conditions, for some time now. It goes off under normal driving conditions. I barely pull out of a parking space, or make a slow turn, or pull out of a parking lot at a very slow speed and it just goes off. The really dangerous part is that it stalls the car almost to a complete stop, when I've been making a turn well before oncoming traffic, and it stalls almost causing an accident on several occasions now. Most of the incidents are on sunny days where there's no inclement weather! This system is not safe and is unreliable. I've checked many public forums, like Reddit, and there are many other Chevy Impala owners who complain of the same exact problem. Yet Chevy has issued No recalls!? The only recall I've seen close to this is for 2011 year models. Although my car is a 2012, 2011 parts likely were used. If the recall affects 2011 Impalas, then any model that used 2011 parts should be included in this recall. I cannot trust the safety of my car's Traction Control System anymore as it comes on without warning, under no circumstances where it would need to come on. People are in danger with this defect! The car cosmetically, specifically the paint job and the flimsy actuators, are also defective. I've always taken excellent care of my vehicle, regularly having maintenance done at my local Chevy Dealership. Another defect that Chevy had to fix was my fuel pump that went out for no reason! I have receipt for this.

NHTSA ODI #11568249

162,500 miles · Mar 12, 2021
EngineStructureWheels

MY CAR'S ENGINE ALWAYS FEELS LIKE IT'S DRAGGING IN THE FRONT AND SOUNDS REALLY REALLY BAD LIKE IT'S ABOUT TO EXPLODE OR SOMETHING IT MAKES A LOT OF NOISE AND TICKING SOUND AS WELL WHEN I'M DRIVING

NHTSA ODI #11402608

20,000 miles · Aug 29, 2016
Air BagsEngineService Brakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED, THE ENGINE LEAKED TRANSMISSION OIL AND FUEL, AND THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWAR…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED, THE ENGINE LEAKED TRANSMISSION OIL AND FUEL, AND THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ODI #10899134

40,000 miles · May 20, 2015
Structure

TRIM ON PASSENGER DOOR STARTED PEELING OFF CAR WAS NOT IT IN ANY WAY TRIM IS PUT ON WITH 2 PIECES OF WHAT LOOK LIKES DOUBLE SIDED TAPE VERY DISAPPOINTED AFTER SPENDING 18,000 DOLLARS

NHTSA ODI #10717450

22,000 miles · May 2, 2014
Air BagsStructureCrashInjury

TRACTOR TRAILER HIT A 1/2 SCHOOL BUS WHICH HIT US ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF. PASSENGERS HAD SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING NECK, ARMS, NERVE, HANDS, SHOULDER DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10586271

28,200 miles · Mar 20, 2014
Structure

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD REST AND THE PANELS LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR SIDES WINDOWS OBSTRUCTED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE HEADREST HOWEVER THE HEADREST COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. TH…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD REST AND THE PANELS LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR SIDES WINDOWS OBSTRUCTED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE HEADREST HOWEVER THE HEADREST COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,200.

NHTSA ODI #10573679

16,500 miles · Jun 27, 2013
Air BagsStructureCrash

WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT STREET PAST AN INTERSECTION, A CAR RAN THE STOP SIGN AND HIT THE RIGHT SIDE CORNER OF THE PASSENGER DOOR AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAUSING A 180 SPIN AND SLIDING INTO THE CURB DAMAGING THE LEFT WHEELS AND STEERING DOING $10,000 DAMAGE. THE PROBLEM I AM WRITING ABOUT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT…

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WHILE DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT STREET PAST AN INTERSECTION, A CAR RAN THE STOP SIGN AND HIT THE RIGHT SIDE CORNER OF THE PASSENGER DOOR AND DAMAGED THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL CAUSING A 180 SPIN AND SLIDING INTO THE CURB DAMAGING THE LEFT WHEELS AND STEERING DOING $10,000 DAMAGE. THE PROBLEM I AM WRITING ABOUT IS THAT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT ACTIVATE. I HAVE TO WONDER WHY AND ARE THEY GOING TO ACTIVATE IF I HAVE ANOTHER CRASH. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10522054

26,700 miles · Aug 27, 2012
StructureInjury

UPON ARRIVING AT A RESTAURANT LOCATION WHERE WE PLANNED TO DINE, MY SPOUSE OPENED THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR USING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. WHILE PUSHING THE DOOR OPEN SHE RELAXED HER HANDHOLD ON THE HANDLE ALLOWING HER RIGHT HAND PINKIE FINGER TO BECOME CAPTURED BETWEEN THE RETRACTING HANDLE AND THE FLAT AREA WHERE THE HAND…

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UPON ARRIVING AT A RESTAURANT LOCATION WHERE WE PLANNED TO DINE, MY SPOUSE OPENED THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER DOOR USING THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. WHILE PUSHING THE DOOR OPEN SHE RELAXED HER HANDHOLD ON THE HANDLE ALLOWING HER RIGHT HAND PINKIE FINGER TO BECOME CAPTURED BETWEEN THE RETRACTING HANDLE AND THE FLAT AREA WHERE THE HANDLE IS ATTACHED. IT PINCHED HER FINGER AND IT IMMEDIATELY FORMED A BLOOD BLISTER AND WAS VERY PAINFUL. AFTER SHE EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, I INSPECTED ALL OF THE OTHER DOORS AND DISCOVERED THAT IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO REPLICATE HER TYPE OF INJURY AT ANY OF THE INSIDE DOOR HANDLES. I THEN TOOK A PICTURE OF HER INJURY AND THE PROBLEM INSIDE DOOR HANDLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10472704

Official recalls

3

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.

11V398000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections

Aug 5, 2011

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.