IllustrationHEADLIGHTS GO OUT INTERMITTENTLY. *TR
2005 Chevrolet Impala
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impala years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
410–25K
8625–50K
11150–75K
9675–100K
113100–150K
52150K+
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
Exterior Lighting complaints
49 reportsI OWN AN 05 IMPALA WE HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT FAIL ON US ABOUT 6-12 TIMES WE WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT I HAVE TRIED RUNNING WITH THE SWITCH ON AND THEY STILL GO OUT ITS HAS EVEN HAPPENED TO ME ON A CURVE I JUST ABOUT PUT THE CAR IN THE DITCH IVE ASKED MY DAD WITCH IS A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC ABOU…
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I OWN AN 05 IMPALA WE HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHT FAIL ON US ABOUT 6-12 TIMES WE WILL BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT I HAVE TRIED RUNNING WITH THE SWITCH ON AND THEY STILL GO OUT ITS HAS EVEN HAPPENED TO ME ON A CURVE I JUST ABOUT PUT THE CAR IN THE DITCH IVE ASKED MY DAD WITCH IS A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC ABOUT IT AND THERE'S NOT A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT HE KNOWS OF I WOULD LIKE THIS FIXED BEFORE I DO GO IN THE DITCH AND MY FAMILY IS WITH OR I GET A CALL FROM THE COPS THAT MY WIFE HAS SMASHED THE CAR THERE IS A PROBLEM AND GM SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE SOME ONE IS KILLED FROM IT. *JB
ELECTRICAL-HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. *TR
WHILE DRIVING MY 2005 CHEVY IMPALA AFTER DARK THE HEADLIGHTS JUST WENT OUT. WAS DRIVING 55MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR. PULLED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN AND OUT A FEW TIMES AND THEY CAME BACK ON. ABOUT ONE MILE LATER THE BOTH WENT OUT AGAIN. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED WITHOUT WARNING. APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN SECONDS LATER THE HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 40,595.*AK
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING AT NIGHT MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT. I USUALLY CAN GET THEM BACK ON. IT IS SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT HAS HAPPENED IN RAIN STORMS AT NIGHT AND THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALSO HAD A WHEEL HUB THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED WHEN MY CAR WAS ONLY 1.5 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL ON…
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THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I AM DRIVING AT NIGHT MY HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT. I USUALLY CAN GET THEM BACK ON. IT IS SCARY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT HAS HAPPENED IN RAIN STORMS AT NIGHT AND THERE IS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE ALSO HAD A WHEEL HUB THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED WHEN MY CAR WAS ONLY 1.5 YEARS OLD. I WAS TOLD THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS AND I CAN'T FIND ONE. I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE NEW PART ON A FAIRLY NEW CAR. I HAVE THE OLD PART IN MY TRUNK. *JB
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WATER COLLECTED IN THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TAIL LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
WATER IN BACKUP LIGHTS GM REPAIRED 2 TIMES BUT REFUSES TO REPAIR AGAIN SAYS IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. *NM
DT: THE CONTACT DOES NOT LIKE THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP ADJUSTED THE HEADLIGHTS THREE DIFFERENT TIMES. THE CONTACT IS STILL NOT SATISFIED. HE SAYS HE CANNOT SEE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS ONLY SHINE ABOUT FORTY FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR.*AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB
Official recalls
114V400000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.