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2005 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

499 reports with mileage · 110 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 331 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 60 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

39 crash reports13 fire reports22 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

331 reports
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85,000 miles · Nov 24, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GAUGES AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GAUGES AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

NHTSA ODI #10806519

150,000 miles · Nov 4, 2015
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

SECURITY LIGHT ON, WILL NOT START. WHILE DRIVING SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME. IF IT STARTS FLASHING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL NOT START WHEN CYCLED AGAIN. YOU HAVE TO WAIT ALMOST 3HRS BEFORE IT WILL START AGAIN. WE ARE REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO SEE IF THAT HELPS.

NHTSA ODI #10788194

129,000 miles · Oct 15, 2015
Electrical System

THE GAS GAUGE, THE SPEED GAUGE AND THE GAUGE FOR THE HEATING AND WATER COOLING HAS MALFUNCTIONED. IT ALSO JUST STALLS CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP.

NHTSA ODI #10782375

62,000 miles · Sep 29, 2015
Electrical System

THE STEPPER MOTORS THAT CONTROL DASH INSTRUMENTS. SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT RESET TO 0 MPH AFTER COMING TO A FULL STOP. ALSO, STEPPER MOTOR CONTROLLING FUEL GAUGE. INACCURATE FUEL AVAILABLE READING AND I MUST RELY ON TRIP METER TO ESTIMATE WHAT FUEL IS REMAINING.

NHTSA ODI #10778353

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 2015
Electrical System

2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE TIMES, WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THERE WERE TIMES, WHERE IT WOULD TAKE HOURS FOR IT TO START. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10680219

164,000 miles · Sep 20, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemVehicle Speed Control

HAD TO RECENTLY REPLACE FUEL EJECTION AND OTHER PART FOR FUEL LEAKING AND FUMES OVERCOMING IN CAR. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL AND TACK GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. GM HAS NOT RECALLED THIS ON THE IMPALA AND THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY DAUGHTER …

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HAD TO RECENTLY REPLACE FUEL EJECTION AND OTHER PART FOR FUEL LEAKING AND FUMES OVERCOMING IN CAR. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER, FUEL AND TACK GAUGE STOPPED WORKING. GM HAS NOT RECALLED THIS ON THE IMPALA AND THEY ARE AWARE THIS IS A PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD FOR MY DAUGHTER AND CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR. EVERY CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND PARTS STORES THINK THERE IS A RECALL UNTIL THEY LOOK IT UP. THATS HOW MUCH THEY ARE AWARE OF THE ISSUES. ONCE AGAIN ILL HAVE TO PAY APPROX. 300.00 JUST FOR THE PART. DORMAN OE SOLUTIONS INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. HOW CAN WE STOP GM FROM GETTING AWAY WITH THIS! WE NEED HELP!

NHTSA ODI #10765372

169,000 miles · Sep 18, 2015
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

THE HI BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED, WHICH MADE THE LO BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THE HI BEAM WAS ENGAGED. REPAIR SERVICE FOUND A CORRODED "PIN" IN A MULTI-PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.THIS IS A "PROTECTED" CONNECTION, IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT HAS BEEN CORRODED FOR A VERY LONG TIME ACCORDING TO THE ELECTRIC SERVICEMAN. HE INFORMED …

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THE HI BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED, WHICH MADE THE LO BEAM HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHEN THE HI BEAM WAS ENGAGED. REPAIR SERVICE FOUND A CORRODED "PIN" IN A MULTI-PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTION.THIS IS A "PROTECTED" CONNECTION, IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, IT HAS BEEN CORRODED FOR A VERY LONG TIME ACCORDING TO THE ELECTRIC SERVICEMAN. HE INFORMED ME THE OTHER "PINS" WILL FAIL ALSO EFFECTING THE WIPERS AND OTHER "NECESSARY" SAFETY COMPONENTS, BECAUSE OF THE CONDITION OF THIS CONNECTOR.

NHTSA ODI #10765234

160,000 miles · Sep 15, 2015
Electrical SystemSteering

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT, IT MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANU…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT, IT MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, A BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI #10763874

150,073 miles · Sep 9, 2015
Electrical System

FUEL, TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER FAILED / NO LONGER WORKING.

NHTSA ODI #10762433

56,000 miles · Aug 20, 2015
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion System

INTERMITTENT NO CRANK, NO START. PROBLEM IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IGNITION SWITCH, TUMBLER, AND DEFECTIVE "PASSLOCK SYSTEM". DEALERS CHARGE EXCESSIVE PROCES FOR REPAIRS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE A BAD DESIGN ISSUE, AND IS RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION RECALLS. THERE IS A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE COMP…

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INTERMITTENT NO CRANK, NO START. PROBLEM IS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH IGNITION SWITCH, TUMBLER, AND DEFECTIVE "PASSLOCK SYSTEM". DEALERS CHARGE EXCESSIVE PROCES FOR REPAIRS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT ACTUALLY FIX THE PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE A BAD DESIGN ISSUE, AND IS RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE IGNITION RECALLS. THERE IS A FAIRLY EXTENSIVE COMPLAINT LIST, AND THE MFR CERTAINLY HAS DATA REFLECTING THAT THE PROBLEM COVERS MULTI MODEL AND YEARS OF GM CARS AND TRUCKS.

NHTSA ODI #10750173

Official recalls

1

14V400000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jul 3, 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) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or 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.

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 9, 2014. GM's number for this recall is 14350.

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.