← New search

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 →

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

Visibility/wiper complaints

6 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2015
Vehicle Speed ControlVisibility/wiper

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FUNCTIONS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE ACTIVATED AT THE SAME TIME. EITHER THE CRUISE CONTROL OR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS NEEDED TO BE ACTIVATED AT A SINGLE TIME IN ORDER FOR EITH…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FUNCTIONS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE ACTIVATED AT THE SAME TIME. EITHER THE CRUISE CONTROL OR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS NEEDED TO BE ACTIVATED AT A SINGLE TIME IN ORDER FOR EITHER FUNCTION TO OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI #10809478

159,345 miles · Mar 24, 2014
Power TrainVisibility/wiperCrashInjury

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HEAD WIPERS ON WIPERS QUIT FOR NO REASON COME TO THE STOP SIGN TRIED TURNING IT OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES THEN ONCE YOU TAKE OFF THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AND THEN LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574402

124,800 miles · Mar 20, 2014
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON A STRAIGHT ROADWAY WITH BRIGHTS ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THIS OCCURRED IN THE EARLY MORNING WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK OUT. THE PARKING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. PULLING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF DASH TO THE "MANUAL ON" POSITION DID NOT HELP. I TURNED ON THE FOG LIGHTS A…

Read full complaint

I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON A STRAIGHT ROADWAY WITH BRIGHTS ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THIS OCCURRED IN THE EARLY MORNING WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK OUT. THE PARKING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. PULLING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE LEFT SIDE OF DASH TO THE "MANUAL ON" POSITION DID NOT HELP. I TURNED ON THE FOG LIGHTS AND RETURNED HOME USING THE FOG LIGHTS ONLY. UPON ARRIVING HOME, I WAS ABLE TO GET THE HEADLIGHTS TO WORK AGAIN BY SWITCHING TO HIGH BEAM AND BACK. THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE IN THE PAST MONTH. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH FELT LIKE IT WAS FULLY ENGAGED AND GAVE AN AUDIBLE CLICK WHEN PULLED. I HAVE ORDERED A REPLACEMENT MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH TO REPAIR THIS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10573856

109,000 miles · Feb 14, 2014
Electrical SystemStructureVisibility/wiper

I NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL LIKE MELTING PLASTIC COMING FROM MY PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER. THEY DISCOVERED MY BACK WINDOW DEFROST SHORTED OUT THE FUSE BOX ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. COMPLETELY MELTED IT AND RUINED THE BOX. IF I HAD WAITED ANY LONGER IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE …

Read full complaint

I NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL LIKE MELTING PLASTIC COMING FROM MY PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. TOOK IT STRAIGHT TO THE DEALER. THEY DISCOVERED MY BACK WINDOW DEFROST SHORTED OUT THE FUSE BOX ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. COMPLETELY MELTED IT AND RUINED THE BOX. IF I HAD WAITED ANY LONGER IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE STARTED A FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10564310

100,000 miles · Jan 10, 2014
Visibility/wiper

I HAVE SPUN THE MOTOR IN MY WIPERS 3 TIMES NOW. THE SNOW OR ICE BUILD UP UNDER THE HOOD WHERE THE WIPERS REST. I HAVE HAD IT FIXED 2 TIMES NOW. THIS TIME WIPERS WERE DOING FINE, MADE SURE THAT I HAD NO ICE OR SNOW ON THE WIPERS AS THEY TURN ON (WAKE UP). THEN WHEN I WENT TO SHUT THEM OFF AFTER OUR LAST ICE STORM, THE ICE BUILD U…

Read full complaint

I HAVE SPUN THE MOTOR IN MY WIPERS 3 TIMES NOW. THE SNOW OR ICE BUILD UP UNDER THE HOOD WHERE THE WIPERS REST. I HAVE HAD IT FIXED 2 TIMES NOW. THIS TIME WIPERS WERE DOING FINE, MADE SURE THAT I HAD NO ICE OR SNOW ON THE WIPERS AS THEY TURN ON (WAKE UP). THEN WHEN I WENT TO SHUT THEM OFF AFTER OUR LAST ICE STORM, THE ICE BUILD UP UNDER THE HOOD STOPPED THEM FROM GOING DOWN UNDER THE HOOD, AND MADE THEM SPIN AGAIN. NOW ITS A VISUAL DISTRACTION AS I AM FORCED TO DRIVE WITH THE WIPERS IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION ON MY WINDSHIELD. IT MAKES FOR BLIND SPOTS. I KNOW THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME I CHECKED OUT CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND WAS ABLE TO FIND A DIAGRAM ON HOW TO FIX IT FROM SOMEONE ELSE. BUT NOW ITS SPUN SO MANY TIMES I WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A MECHANIC AND ORDER PARTS AND SPEND UNNECESSARY MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10559289

130,000 miles · Dec 10, 2013
Visibility/wiperCrashInjury

WIPERS QUICK WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10555526

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.