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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

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

31 reports
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15,000 miles · Mar 25, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

2005 CHEVY IMPALA HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST PROBLEMS HAVE STARTED AT 15,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE AND THE BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES, THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR AT THIS TIME IS 44,900 MILES, THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 35,000 THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, OF COURSE EVERY TIME…

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2005 CHEVY IMPALA HAVE HAD MANY PROBLEMS, THE MOST PROBLEMS HAVE STARTED AT 15,000 MILES, I HAVE HAD THE ROTORS REPLACED TWICE AND THE BRAKES REPLACED FOUR TIMES, THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR AT THIS TIME IS 44,900 MILES, THE AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 35,000 THE DEALER SAID IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, OF COURSE EVERY TIME I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR WARRANTY WORK THE DEALER HAS FOUND LITTLE THINGS WRONG THAT TOTAL UP TO $200 THAT COME OUT OF MY POCKET, LOTS OF VIBRATION IN FRONT END, TIRES HAVE CUPPED WITH THE PROBLEMS, THERE SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF RECALL FOR THIS, NOW I HAVE THE VIBRATION BACK AND THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID THAT IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY ANYMORE, AND THE ROTORS AND BRAKES WERE REPLACED APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO, THE BRAKES SEEM TO GO OUT EVERY 6 MONTHS. ROTORS EVERY YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10222265

86,000 miles · Dec 28, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A 2005 IMPALA. WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND I TURN ON THE HEAT I SMELL GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. I CALL GM AND I WAS DIRECTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SUPERIOR CHEVROLET. THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE COOLANT. IT COST ME $90.00. THE PROBLEM RETURNED A WEEK LATER AFTER I HAVE HAD …

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MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A 2005 IMPALA. WHEN I START THE CAR IN THE MORNING AND I TURN ON THE HEAT I SMELL GASOLINE FUMES INSIDE THE CAR. I CALL GM AND I WAS DIRECTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO SUPERIOR CHEVROLET. THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE COOLANT. IT COST ME $90.00. THE PROBLEM RETURNED A WEEK LATER AFTER I HAVE HAD THE FILE TO CASE CLOSED. THE CASEWORKER WAS MS GLASKO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10213119

39,000 miles · Dec 10, 2007
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD BECOME HOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND CURRENT MI…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP TO ZERO AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD BECOME HOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 03/10/08. *LJ THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS LEAKED AS WELL.

NHTSA ODI #10211371

49,000 miles · Aug 13, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, HOWEVER, THEY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAIL…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE STALLED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, HOWEVER, THEY CHANGED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,100.

NHTSA ODI #10199361

64,035 miles · Aug 8, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ONE HOUR WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BOOM. THE VEHICLE THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. TWO OTHER VEHICLE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ONE HOUR WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD BOOM. THE VEHICLE THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. TWO OTHER VEHICLES PARKED NEXT TO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE ALSO CAUGHT FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 64,035.

NHTSA ODI #10198821

28,000 miles · Jul 29, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

DEXCOOL COOLANT TURNS FROM ORANGE LIQUID TO BROWN CORROSIVE SLUDGE RESULTING IN A CLOGGED HEATER CORE/RADIATOR, WATER PUMP DAMAGE, ENGINE DAMAGE, GASKET AND HOSE DETERIORATION AND OTHER COSTLY REPAIRS. GM/CHEVRON/TEXACO INSIST ON KEEPING THIS CANCER IN YOUR CAR. MANY LAWSUITS ARE PENDING. BOYCOTT DEXCOOL!!!*JB

NHTSA ODI #10197766

50,000 miles · Jul 21, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

HEATING AIR CONDITIONER CAR OVERHEATING. (IT HAPPENED BEFORE AROUND 15000-20000 MILES) 2ND OCCURRENCE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10197117

Mileage unknown · May 2, 2007
Engine And Engine CoolingCrash

I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM BILL WINK CHEVORLET UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS A QUALITY USED VEHICLE. AS SOON AS I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT, I NOTICED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE VEHICLE VEERED AND STOPPED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OK. I REPEATED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS…

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I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM BILL WINK CHEVORLET UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT WAS A QUALITY USED VEHICLE. AS SOON AS I DROVE IT OFF THE LOT, I NOTICED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE VEHICLE VEERED AND STOPPED. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS OK. I REPEATED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING. FINALLY I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO TRADE IT BACK IN TO THE DEALER WHO OFFERED ME VERY LITTLE FOR THE VEHICLE. SO I WENT TO ANOTHER DEALER AND WAS AT THAT POINT TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS ONCE AND ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR AND HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND I DON'T NOT WANT THIS CAR IF IT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED SEVERAL PEOPLE INCLUDING THE OWNER BILL WINK HIMSELF AND WAS UNABLE TO REACH A RESOLUTION, WHICH BRINGS ME HERE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10189539

Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2005
Engine And Engine Cooling

NO SUMMARY GIVEN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10142232

35 miles · Sep 17, 2005
Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolinePower Train

1. UNDER CHASSIS CORROSION PROTECTION FAILURE- KEY SUSPENSION AND POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS AFFECTING SAFE OPERATION. 2. FACTORY DID NOT APPLY STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ANTI CORROSION COATINGS PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. DAMAGE OCCURRED PRIOR TO DEALER RECEIPT. #. FACTORY REP HAS NOT PROVIDED OR APPROVED ANY POSSIBLE REMEDY AT THIS TIM…

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1. UNDER CHASSIS CORROSION PROTECTION FAILURE- KEY SUSPENSION AND POWER TRAIN COMPONENTS AFFECTING SAFE OPERATION. 2. FACTORY DID NOT APPLY STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY ANTI CORROSION COATINGS PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. DAMAGE OCCURRED PRIOR TO DEALER RECEIPT. #. FACTORY REP HAS NOT PROVIDED OR APPROVED ANY POSSIBLE REMEDY AT THIS TIME. PROBLEM WAS OBSERVED AT FIRST OIL CHANGE-25 JULY 05 -FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE WAS ON LIFT AFTER DELIVERY TO CUSTOMER. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10136826

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.