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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

Seat Belts complaints

7 reports
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109,334 miles · Oct 15, 2014
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

IN MARCH 5 2013 I WAS DRIVING WHILE A DOG RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR NEXT TO ME AND MYSELF CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AS THE OWNER CAME AND GOT HER DOG FROM THE STREET. AS SOON AS THE OWNER GOT THE DOG A CAR DOING 50+MPH IN A 35MPH ZONE WAS TEXTING AND DRIVING AND THE DRIVER DIDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO BRAKE. THE DRIVER REAR ENDED …

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IN MARCH 5 2013 I WAS DRIVING WHILE A DOG RAN OUT IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR NEXT TO ME AND MYSELF CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AS THE OWNER CAME AND GOT HER DOG FROM THE STREET. AS SOON AS THE OWNER GOT THE DOG A CAR DOING 50+MPH IN A 35MPH ZONE WAS TEXTING AND DRIVING AND THE DRIVER DIDN'T EVEN ATTEMPT TO BRAKE. THE DRIVER REAR ENDED ME SO HARD THAT THE CAR MOVED OVER 15FT. MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND ALSO MY SEAT BELTS NEVER LOCKED SO DUE TO THAT MY FACE BROKE THE WINDSHIELD. I SUFFERED A LOT OF INJURIES. BROKE MY LEFT FOOT, REALLY HURT MY NECK AND SHOULDER. IF MY AIRBAGS WOULD HAVE DEPLOYED I WOULD NOT OF BEEN BADLY INJURED LIKE I WAS. THE 2005 IMPALA WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE IMPACT PUSHED THE TRUNK INTO THE REAR SEATS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10644726

131,100 miles · Sep 23, 2014
Air BagsEngineSeat BeltsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE AROUND THE OCCUPANTS AT THE POINT OF IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND TWO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. T…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT SECURE AROUND THE OCCUPANTS AT THE POINT OF IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND TWO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,100.

NHTSA ODI #10638539

140,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014
Seat Belts

DRIVERS SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. LOOSE AGAINST DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607267

79,500 miles · Dec 29, 2013
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

AUGUST 2013 INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, QUICK DECELERATION, FRONTAL CRASH. OTHER DRIVER PULLED INTO TRAFFIC, WITH HER VIEW BLOCKED OF MOVING TRAFFIC APPROACHING HER. ONCE THE TRUCK DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME TURNED SHE WAS STOPPED IN THE ROADWAY. I ATTEMPTED TO STOP MY CAR QUICKLY BUT DID NOT HAVE MORE THAN 4 SECONDS IN WHICH TO ST…

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AUGUST 2013 INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, QUICK DECELERATION, FRONTAL CRASH. OTHER DRIVER PULLED INTO TRAFFIC, WITH HER VIEW BLOCKED OF MOVING TRAFFIC APPROACHING HER. ONCE THE TRUCK DRIVING IN FRONT OF ME TURNED SHE WAS STOPPED IN THE ROADWAY. I ATTEMPTED TO STOP MY CAR QUICKLY BUT DID NOT HAVE MORE THAN 4 SECONDS IN WHICH TO STOP MY CAR. I IMPACTED THE FRONT END, DRIVER SIDE QUARTER PANEL, AND ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2005 HONDA CIVIC. THE 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA SHOULDER HARNESS LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. MY BODY PROPELLED FORWARD UPON BRAKING AND I IMPACTED WITH A FULLY EXTENDED SHOULDER HARNESS. THE LENGTH OF THE SHOULDER HARNESS ONLY EXTENDS TO 1.5 INCHES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL, MY BODY CONTINUED TO TRAVEL BEYOND THE EXTENSION OF THE HARNESS CAUSING INJURY TO MY LEFT CLAVICLE, UPPER STERNUM, NECK, SHOULDERS AND RIBS. MY UPPER BODY, STERNUM AND TORSO HIT THE STEERING RESULTING IN WHIPLASH, TO INCLUDE ABDOMINAL, NECK, STERNUM, CLAVICLE, SHOULDER AND SCAPULOTHORACIC INJURIES. MY KNEE HIT THE DASH UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10557621

166,377 miles · Dec 29, 2009
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrash

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 12/22/09 WHERE I REAR-ENDED ANOTHER CAR. MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. BECAUSE OF THAT MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. ALSO I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND THE SEATBELT DID NOT CATCH TO PREVENT ME FROM HITTING MY HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10297305

25,000 miles · Sep 22, 2006
Seat Belts

FOUND THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT CONNECTION TWISTED WHERE IT MOUNTS TO THE CAR CHASSIS. IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE MOUNTED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE LEFT REAR SEAT BELT CONNECTION. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10169008

8,000 miles · Nov 21, 2005
Air BagsSeat BeltsService Brakes, HydraulicCrashInjury

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE AT ANY TIME DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE PASSENGER SEAT DIDN'T RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER DURING IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND …

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DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE AND THE BRAKES DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE ABS DID NOT ACTIVATE AT ANY TIME DURING THIS INCIDENT. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE PASSENGER SEAT DIDN'T RESTRAIN THE PASSENGER DURING IMPACT. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE ONSTAR SERVICE DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. THE INSURANCE AGENCY WAS INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT A DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10143326

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.