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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

What owners actually said

609 reports
64,480 miles · Apr 14, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingSteering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. A CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED AND A NEW STEERING COLUMN WAS INSTALLED AT THE COST OF $465. AFTER THE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED, THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO WORK. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE FOLLOWING DAY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. A CLUSTER WAS REPAIRED AND A NEW STEERING COLUMN WAS INSTALLED AT THE COST OF $465. AFTER THE CLUSTER WAS REPLACED, THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN TO WORK. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A WHINING SOUND. THE WHINING SOUND COULD ALSO BE HEARD WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-45 MPH. ON FOUR OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DEFROST AND HEAT UP AT TEMPERATURES BETWEEN 45-59 DEGREES. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. WHILE PARKED AT A GAS STATION AND TWICE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT EVENTUALLY RESTARTED. THE DEALER INITIALLY STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD BE DUE TO THE IGNITION OR THE STARTER. THE CONTACT FOUND A NAIL IN A TIRE AND WENT TO A TIRE SHOP. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT ALL FOUR OF THE TIRES HAD CRACKS ON THE EDGE OF THE TREAD AND WERE DRY ROTTED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,480 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,480.

NHTSA ODI #10224422

21,000 miles · Apr 11, 2008
Steering

POWER STEERING TOTAL QUIT WORKING ON TWO OCCASIONS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND WE WERE STRANDED ON THE ROAD AND HAD TO HAVE AUTO TOWED TO DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10224171

39,000 miles · Apr 8, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER IN 2005 CHEVY IMPALA STICKS. YOU ARE GOING 35MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 85 TO 90 MPH. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO GET A $80 DIAGNOSTICS CHECK ON THE CAR FROM A DEALER, BEFORE THEY WILL TELL ME IF THEY CAN GIVE ME A DISCOUNT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC GAVE ME A VERBAL ESTIMATE OF…

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SPEEDOMETER IN 2005 CHEVY IMPALA STICKS. YOU ARE GOING 35MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER WILL READ 85 TO 90 MPH. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY TOLD ME I HAD TO GET A $80 DIAGNOSTICS CHECK ON THE CAR FROM A DEALER, BEFORE THEY WILL TELL ME IF THEY CAN GIVE ME A DISCOUNT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC GAVE ME A VERBAL ESTIMATE OF $500 TO REPLACE THE CLUSTER. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO PAY THIS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THESE CLUSTERS IN CHEVY IMPALAS SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10223739

13,400 miles · Apr 6, 2008
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingEquipment

I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY IMPALA, CURRENTLY WITH 22,320 MILES. AT MY OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION, (~20,500) I WAS INFORMED BY REPAIR PLACE THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THE TIRE ROTATION AS I WOULD BE NEEDING TO REPLACE THE TIRES SOON. I ASKED WHY THEY WERE WEARING SO FAST- I WAS TOLD, THEY NOTICED IT ON MANY IMPALAS- PREMATURE TIRE WE…

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I HAVE A 2005 CHEVY IMPALA, CURRENTLY WITH 22,320 MILES. AT MY OIL CHANGE AND TIRE ROTATION, (~20,500) I WAS INFORMED BY REPAIR PLACE THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THE TIRE ROTATION AS I WOULD BE NEEDING TO REPLACE THE TIRES SOON. I ASKED WHY THEY WERE WEARING SO FAST- I WAS TOLD, THEY NOTICED IT ON MANY IMPALAS- PREMATURE TIRE WEAR BETWEEN 18,000-25,000 MILES. ~ 15 MONTHS AGO, WITH ONLY ABOUT 13,000 MILES, WHEN I HAD AN OIL CHANGE DONE I WAS INFORMED ME THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING OIL FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE, I SHOULD TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE (UNDER WARRANTY) SEVERAL SEALS/GASKETS- OIL PAN, DRAIN PLUG, OIL FILTER, PLUS REPLACE THE DRAIN PLUG. THE CAR IS SOMETIMES HARD TO START AND HAVE TO HOLD THE KEY IN THE START POSITION, AND/OR LIGHTLY PRESS THE GAS PEDAL TO START IT. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO, I GRINDED THE STARTER. SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL START ROUGHLY AND IMMEDIATELY STALL, OR WILL STALL THE FIRST FEW SECONDS AS I AM BACKING OUT THE DRIVE WAY. DEALER ABOUT THIS THEY TOLD ME I WAS USING CHEAP GAS AND TO USE A BETTER BRAND, BUT I ALWAYS USE "BRAND" GAS, I EVEN USE FUEL INJECTOR CLEANER DEALER LATER TOLD ME I NEEDED TO HAVE THE FUEL INJECTION "FLUSHED" WITH THEIR SYSTEM FOR $199, PLUS TAX AND CHARGES, HEARING IT WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE VEHICLE, I DECLINED. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED A "CLUNKING/BUMPING/BANGING" NOISE WHEN TURNING, ESPECIALLY HARD TURNS. MY BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT BRAKES ARE STARTING TO MAKE A THUMP WHEN BRAKING, AND YESTERDAY WHEN BRAKING HARD, I HEARD A SQUEAL NOISE, (REAR?). FUEL GAUGE SOMETIMES RAPIDLY FLUCTUATES, WHEN DRIVING, AND AT TIMES WHEN ACCELERATING,(THOUGH NOT CONCURRENT) I HEAR A "SWOOSH/GARGLING" SOUND. I WAS ACCELERATING TOO HARD. THE FUEL GAUGE WILL SWING AS MUCH AS A 1/4 TANK WHEN DRIVING BEFORE RECOVERING TO THE CORRECT POSITION. GAUGE SHOWS LOW FUEL LEVEL, LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON, I ONLY NEEDED 10-12 GALS TO FILL IT (~16 GALS). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10223516

67,000 miles · Mar 31, 2008
Electrical System

THE SPEEDOMETER WILL AT RANDOM REGISTER THAT YOU ARE GOING FASTER THAN WHAT YOU ARE. THIS CREATES PROBLEM ON THE ROAD AND CAUSE SOMEONE TO BREAK BECAUSE OF FEAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10222902

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

Mileage unknown · Mar 7, 2008
Electrical SystemFuel System, GasolineCrashFire

2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE CAR FIRST CAUGHT FIRE THE VEHICLE STAYED IN DRIVE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK AND IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FEED FUEL TO THE FIRE. *KB THE DRIVER OF THE IMPALA WAS INVOLVED IN A MODERATELY LOW SPEED FRONT END …

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2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD IN AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN THE CAR FIRST CAUGHT FIRE THE VEHICLE STAYED IN DRIVE AND WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK AND IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FEED FUEL TO THE FIRE. *KB THE DRIVER OF THE IMPALA WAS INVOLVED IN A MODERATELY LOW SPEED FRONT END COLLISION WITH THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE REPORT, THE FIRE A CAP WAS MISSING FROM THE FUEL RETURN ON TOP OF THE ENGINE WHICH WOULD HAVE SPEWED GASOLINE AS LONG AS THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10220608

22,000 miles · Feb 28, 2008
Steering

THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT ON STEERING WEARS OUT CAUSING VIBRATION IN STEERING, WAS REPLACED FREE, BUT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO CHEVROLET YEAR 2005. ALSO REAR BRAKES DO NOT LAST VERY LONG LOW MILEAGE THEY WEAR OUT BEFORE EXPECTED TIME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10219375

40,000 miles · Feb 21, 2008
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

I HAVE AN 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 45,000 MILES AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING IS VERY DIFFICULT AND SCARY AS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY HAVE REPLACED PARTS AND STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER HAS QUIT WORKING…

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I HAVE AN 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA WITH 45,000 MILES AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING IS VERY DIFFICULT AND SCARY AS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY HAVE REPLACED PARTS AND STILL HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. NOW THE SPEEDOMETER HAS QUIT WORKING AND IS STUCK ON 140 MILES AN HOUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218767

37,100 miles · Feb 21, 2008
Electrical System

2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA SPEEDOMETER INDICATES HIGHER SPEEDS THAN WHAT I AM ACTUALLY TRAVELING. TURN OFF THE CAR AND THE SPEEDOMETER WILL NOT RESET TO ZERO. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218716

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.