NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
221 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Oct 14, 2016
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other
I WAS TOLD FROM A MECHANIC THE CAR HAS EITHER PCM OR ECM PROBLEMS. THE CAR STARTS TO DIE OUT WHEN I'M DRIVING IT THEN I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF THEN RESTART IT. IT JERKS REALLY HARD WHEN DRIVING IT. THE OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE MESSAGE COMES ON. IT JUST HAS A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE OTHER IMPALAS …
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I WAS TOLD FROM A MECHANIC THE CAR HAS EITHER PCM OR ECM PROBLEMS. THE CAR STARTS TO DIE OUT WHEN I'M DRIVING IT THEN I HAVE TO TURN IT OFF THEN RESTART IT. IT JERKS REALLY HARD WHEN DRIVING IT. THE OIL PRESSURE LOW STOP ENGINE MESSAGE COMES ON. IT JUST HAS A LOT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THE OTHER IMPALAS LIKE MINE ARE HAVING EITHER ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS OR SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. RECALL
NHTSA ODI #10916060
130,000 miles · Aug 10, 2016
Electrical SystemPower TrainCrash
MY CAR STOPPED ON 630. IT SAID DISABLED FULL THROTTLE. I HAD TO SIT FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD START. I THEN HEAR A CLICKING NOISE THAT STARTED AT 830AM AND STOPPED AT 832AM. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. DO NOT BUY ANY IMPALA, UNLESS YOU HAVE A LIFETIME OF FIXABLE RECALLS. IT'S HOT IN ARKANSAS AND TO STALL FO…
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MY CAR STOPPED ON 630. IT SAID DISABLED FULL THROTTLE. I HAD TO SIT FOR 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WOULD START. I THEN HEAR A CLICKING NOISE THAT STARTED AT 830AM AND STOPPED AT 832AM. I'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR. DO NOT BUY ANY IMPALA, UNLESS YOU HAVE A LIFETIME OF FIXABLE RECALLS. IT'S HOT IN ARKANSAS AND TO STALL FOR 15 MINUTES WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR IS UNACCEPTABLE. WHEN YOU CALL CHEVY CUSTOMER SERVICE, THEY CAN NOT HELP YOU WITH ANYTHING. THEY JUST TAKE YOUR VIN NUMBER AND STATE OH I DON'T SEE A RECALL FOR YOUR VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH YOU READ 5598 PROBLEMS/SAME ISSUE YOU ARE HAVING WITH YOUR CAR. ERRATIC TRANSMISSION IS THE WHOLE PROBLEM. SO TO CHEVROLET AND COMPANY PLEASE THINK ABOUT FAMILIES AND CHILDREN WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SALE A NEW CAR WITH USED PRODUCTS. IT'S NOT COOL AND THE SAD PART IS YOU WILL NOT FIX IT. WARRANT MY BEHIND CHEVY NEED A LIFETIME OF RECALLS FOR EVERYONE ON ALL CARS. MAY JESUS BE WITH YOUR COMPANY. SINCERELY A MOTHER OF 3 BOYS. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10894713
105,000 miles · Jul 30, 2016
Electrical SystemEngine
TWO DIFFERENT OUTCOMES BUT STEM FROM THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE TRYING TO START MY VEHICLE I GET A CLICK AND CARE WON'T START AT ALL. SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT DOES FIRE UP. ALSO WHEN IT DOES START IT WILL SOMETIMES STALL. MOST RECENTLY WHILE TRAVELING DIDN'T THE INTERSTATE IT STALLED GOING 75MPH LEAVING ME TO COAST AND DISRUP…
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TWO DIFFERENT OUTCOMES BUT STEM FROM THE SAME ISSUE. WHILE TRYING TO START MY VEHICLE I GET A CLICK AND CARE WON'T START AT ALL. SOMETIMES AFTER SEVERAL TRIES IT DOES FIRE UP. ALSO WHEN IT DOES START IT WILL SOMETIMES STALL. MOST RECENTLY WHILE TRAVELING DIDN'T THE INTERSTATE IT STALLED GOING 75MPH LEAVING ME TO COAST AND DISRUPT 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC.
NHTSA ODI #10891806
65,000 miles · Jul 19, 2016
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, BOTH REAR DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE PARKED, BOTH REAR DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK FROM THE OUTSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRIC LOCK ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.
NHTSA ODI #10885928
75,000 miles · Jun 27, 2016
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE A/C FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2012 FOR THE ACTUATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE A/C FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED IN 2012 FOR THE ACTUATOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.
NHTSA ODI #10876921
54,000 miles · May 24, 2016
Electrical SystemStructure
REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT FUNCTION ELECTRICALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARM. AUTOMATIC LOCK FUNCTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN 'DRIVE' DOES NOT FUNCTION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE MANUAL LOCK RELEASES, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS MANUALLY. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION…
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REAR PASSENGER DOOR LOCKS DO NOT FUNCTION ELECTRICALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS WARM. AUTOMATIC LOCK FUNCTION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN 'DRIVE' DOES NOT FUNCTION UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. DUE TO THE POSITION OF THE MANUAL LOCK RELEASES, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE REAR DOORS MANUALLY. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, IF THE REAR DOOR LOCKS DO NOT FUNCTION, IT CAN DELAY ESCAPE FROM THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA ODI #10870601
78,000 miles · May 17, 2016
Electrical SystemTraction Control System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.
NHTSA ODI #10865509
Mileage unknown · Apr 5, 2016
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO PULL THE KEY OUT. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. T…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHEN THE CONTACT INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED UNSUCCESSFULLY TO PULL THE KEY OUT. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VIN WAS RECALLED A YEAR AGO AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA ODI #10853591
55,000 miles · Apr 5, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemUnknown Or Other
WHEN CHANGING TEMPERATURE IN VEHICLE, A LOUD CLACKING NOISE IS HEARD FOR UP TO 2-3 MINUTES EVEN IF VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT AND STABLIZER TRAC SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON. OIL LEAK UNDER CAR. ONLY 55,000 MILES. CAN BE HEARD 50 YEARS AWAY FROM CAR IT IS SO LOUD. 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT
NHTSA ODI #10853441
276,138 miles · Mar 25, 2016
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control
I WAS LEFT SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON I-94 WHEN THE "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY THE "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" LIGHT, THEN SOMETHING ABOUT "DISABLING THROTTLE" SENSOR... MY CAR SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN, LEAVING ME TO COAST ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 94. I'VE OWNED THIS 2…
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I WAS LEFT SITTING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON I-94 WHEN THE "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" LIGHT CAME ON, FOLLOWED BY THE "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" LIGHT, THEN SOMETHING ABOUT "DISABLING THROTTLE" SENSOR... MY CAR SHUT COMPLETELY DOWN, LEAVING ME TO COAST ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC ON INTERSTATE 94. I'VE OWNED THIS 2008 IMPALA FOR JUST ABOUT A YEAR... I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO I RECEIVED THE LETTER ABOUT AN EXTENDED RECALL BACK IN DECEMBER AND I CALLED GM BECAUSE THERE'S A STIPULATION OF THE AMOUNT OF MILES YOU CAN HAVE ON YOUR CAR TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED... BECAUSE MY CAR HAS 276000 MILES GM TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, AT THAT TIME I ASKED WHY THIS ITEM WASN'T RECALLED. I WAS TOLD IF I FELT THE PROBLEM CALLED FOR A RECALL I SHOULD REACH OUT TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY AND SAFETY COMMISSION. I DON'T EVEN FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING MY CAR ANYMORE... THIS IS A DEATH TRAP!
NHTSA ODI #10851577
Defect investigations
1DP14001 · Passenger Air Bag Ocs Algorithm
Opened Jul 22, 2014 · Closed Mar 7, 2017
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags; Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:frontal:sensor/control MODULE-INACTIVE
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
Air Bags
The Agency received a petition on November 14, 2013 requesting an investigation into the operation of the passenger air bag Occupant Classification System (OCS) software logic and algorithm.The petitioner states that due to this alleged defect, the passenger air bag may be suppressed at point of impact and not provided the occupant protection as needed in a crash.On July 22, 2014, NHTSA opened DP14-001 to further review the crash event and perform a more comprehensive search and analysis of the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).The Agency also collected manufacturers reports on the alleged OCS issue on the subject Impala vehicles and other GM and non-GM peer vehicles.After examination of the petition and available data relating to the subject vehicle's OCS and the specific crash incident where the OCS allegedly failed to operate properly, NHTSA did not identify an issue with the MY2008 Impala involved in the subject crash, nor has it identified a safety-related defect trend existing in the OCS used in the MY 2006-2008 Impala vehicles, in GM peer vehicles or in other non-GM peer vehicles.NHTSA has concluded that further expenditure of the agency's investigative resources is not warranted. The agency accordingly has denied the petition.However, the agency will take further action if warranted by changing future circumstances. The official petition denial, as published in the Federal Register, is available in the document file for this defect petition.The single complaint and crash noted in the Failure Report above is the petitioner's VOQ (10568388) and can be reviewed online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=10568388.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.