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2008 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

665 reports with mileage · 145 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 221 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 134 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 117 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

51 crash reports10 fire reports36 injury reports

Power Train complaints

91 reports
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65,000 miles · Jan 1, 2016
Power Train

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS VEHICLE JERKS HARD AFTER COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS SAFETY ISSUES CAN BE A DANGER IF VEHICLE IS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND HAS A ISSUES ON MOST CHEVROLET IMPALAS. THIS PROBLEM HAS ACCORD IN MOVING TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM A…

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TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS VEHICLE JERKS HARD AFTER COMING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS SAFETY ISSUES CAN BE A DANGER IF VEHICLE IS OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND HAS A ISSUES ON MOST CHEVROLET IMPALAS. THIS PROBLEM HAS ACCORD IN MOVING TRAFFIC. THIS PROBLEM ACCORD THE SECOND MONTH AFTER VEHICLE WAS BOUT FROM DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SAYS THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI #10817302

6,800 miles · Oct 14, 2015
Power Train

THE VEHICLE JERKS AFTER TAKE OFF FROM A STOP AND LOSES SPEED IN TRAFFIC.

NHTSA ODI #10782263

100,000 miles · Sep 16, 2015
Power Train

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEARS HESITATED TO CHANGE AND THE GEARS WERE SLIPPING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ODI #10764218

140,000 miles · Aug 26, 2015
Power Train

I WAS ON THE 10 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES HEADING WEST IN THE FAR LEFT LANE DOING 65 MILES AN HOUR ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR LOST POWER DROP DOWN TO 10 MILES AN HOUR WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO I CONTACT A GM THE…

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I WAS ON THE 10 FREEWAY IN LOS ANGELES HEADING WEST IN THE FAR LEFT LANE DOING 65 MILES AN HOUR ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR LOST POWER DROP DOWN TO 10 MILES AN HOUR WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED. THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED MESSAGE APPEARED ON MY DASHBOARD. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO I CONTACT A GM THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DO NOTHING I WAS READING ON THEIR BLOGS THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE SO THE YEAH THIS IS A BIG SAFETY CONCERN AND SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING ISSUE. PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA ODI #10759619

155,928 miles · Aug 24, 2015
Power TrainUnknown Or Other

WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF GEARS. CAME TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I COULD NOT GO TOWARD. ENGINE JUST REVVED. HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SOLENOID BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ISSUE. HAD PART REPLACED ONLY TO FIND …

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WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING OUT OF GEARS. CAME TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I COULD NOT GO TOWARD. ENGINE JUST REVVED. HAD THE CAR TOWED AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION CONTROL SOLENOID BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ISSUE. HAD PART REPLACED ONLY TO FIND THE TRANNY ITSELF WENT. DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE. WHY ISN'T THIS ISSUE OR DEFECT UNDER RECALL WHEN ITS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM AND VERY COSTLY AS WELL?

NHTSA ODI #10759015

75,000 miles · Jul 27, 2015
Power Train

WHEN TAKING OFF THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK INTO GEAR AFTER A SLIGHT SPUTTER. YOU HAVE TO LET THE TRANSMISSION GET FULLY HOT (RUNNING FOR 10-15 MINUTES EVEN ON A HOT DAY) FOR IT NOT TO JERK WHEN PULLING OFF OR LET IT SLIGHTLY COAST BEFORE GIVING GAS TO KEEP FROM JERKING. ONCE IT'S GOOD AND HOT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY OTHER PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ODI #10743580

81,352 miles · Jul 21, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EnginePower Train

TRACTION CONTROL NEEDS SERVICE MESSAGE DISPLAYED, THEN THROTTLE DISABLED MESSAGE DISPLAYED SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD. SO THEREFOR NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES ETC . ONCE PULLED ONTO SHOULDER CAR WOULD NOT CRANK. HAD TO WAIT FIVE MINUTES UNTIL THE GAUGES FLICKERED AND THEN CAR WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THIS IS HIG…

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TRACTION CONTROL NEEDS SERVICE MESSAGE DISPLAYED, THEN THROTTLE DISABLED MESSAGE DISPLAYED SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF GOING DOWN THE ROAD. SO THEREFOR NO POWER STEERING, BRAKES ETC . ONCE PULLED ONTO SHOULDER CAR WOULD NOT CRANK. HAD TO WAIT FIVE MINUTES UNTIL THE GAUGES FLICKERED AND THEN CAR WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THIS IS HIGHLY DANGEROUS IF NOT WHERE TO PULL OFF OR BEING FOLLOWED CLOSELY. NOT TO MENTION NOT POWER STEERING ASSIST OR BRAKE ASSIST. THIS COULD VERY EASILY CAUSE A CRASH AND THERE FOR SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUED BEFORE PEOPLE ARE INJURED OR KILLED BY THIS!

NHTSA ODI #10735593

109,000 miles · Jun 14, 2015
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND OUT OF NOWHERE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID ENGINE REDUCED POWER. THE CAR SEEMED TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT HAVE POWER. IF I CAME TO A STOP AND BEGAN TO DRIVE AGAIN, THE CAR BARELY ACCELERATED AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED EVERY SINGLE TIME IT SHIFTED. I HAD EVERY CAR GOING AROUND ME DOWN THE BUSY …

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND OUT OF NOWHERE THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID ENGINE REDUCED POWER. THE CAR SEEMED TO SLOW DOWN AND NOT HAVE POWER. IF I CAME TO A STOP AND BEGAN TO DRIVE AGAIN, THE CAR BARELY ACCELERATED AND THE TRANSMISSION JERKED EVERY SINGLE TIME IT SHIFTED. I HAD EVERY CAR GOING AROUND ME DOWN THE BUSY STREET, BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD BARELY GO. I WAS WORRIED I WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE IT HOME AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS GOING TO HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS ALONG WITH THE ENGINE AS IT JERKED ROUGHLY WITH EVERY GEAR CHANGE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY! IT COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED AT A WORSE TIME, AS I JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR A FEW WEEKS AGO, HAVE MY FIRST CHILD ON THE WAY, AND JUST GOT A HOUSE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10725134

142,760 miles · Mar 11, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHILE DRIVING MY CAR THE SPEED REDUCED ITSELF FROM 40MPH TO 5 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH REDUCED ENGINE POWER ACROSS MY DASHBOARD. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND JERKING. IT THEN SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. I HAD IT TOWED THE NEXT DAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID A SENSOR WAS BAD IN THE GAS PEDAL AND…

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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR THE SPEED REDUCED ITSELF FROM 40MPH TO 5 MPH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH REDUCED ENGINE POWER ACROSS MY DASHBOARD. THE CAR STARTED SHAKING AND JERKING. IT THEN SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. I HAD IT TOWED THE NEXT DAY TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID A SENSOR WAS BAD IN THE GAS PEDAL AND REPLACED THE WHOLE PEDAL. 4 DAYS LATER IT DID THE SAME THING. AGAIN IT STARTED SHAKING AND JERKING THEN SHUT ITSELF OFF. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP BUT BY THE TIME THEY COULD READ THE CODES THE CAR HAD BEEN SHUT OFF LONG ENOUGH THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THEY CLEANED THE THROTTLE BODY AND GAVE IT BACK. THE NEXT DAY IT DID THE SAME THING. I AGAIN TOOK IT BACK AND DID NOT SHUT IT OFF TIL THEY READ THE CODES. IT READ THE THROTTLE BODY WAS BAD. THEY REPLACED IT AND GAVE THE CAR BACK. 30 MILES LATER, IT STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. I HAVE SPOKE TO GENERAL MOTORS AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ISSUE EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS ON THE WEB WITH IMPALAS DATING BACK TO 2005 HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS IS GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AND HURT/KILL PEOPLE IF ITS NOT ADDRESSED SOON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10693444

69,000 miles · Feb 23, 2015
EnginePower Train

I LET ME 2008 CHEVY IMPALA WARM UP AS THE WINDCHILL IS AROUND -35 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. I STARTED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY MESSAGE DISPLAY SAID "REDUCING ENGINE SPEED", THEN IT SAID "SERVICE DISABLED, DISABLED SERVICE THROTTLE". THEN THE VEH CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A PA…

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I LET ME 2008 CHEVY IMPALA WARM UP AS THE WINDCHILL IS AROUND -35 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. I STARTED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY MESSAGE DISPLAY SAID "REDUCING ENGINE SPEED", THEN IT SAID "SERVICE DISABLED, DISABLED SERVICE THROTTLE". THEN THE VEH CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND LEFT ME STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A PARKING LOT! THERE ARE NO TOWERS AVAILABLE AT ALL TILL TOMORROW MORNING EITHER. TRIED JUMPING STARTING THE VEHICLE - BUT TO NO AVAIL. CALLED A CHEVY DEALER AND THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10690141

Official recalls

2

14V355000 · Electrical System:ignition

Jun 23, 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) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and 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. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

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 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

12V377000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm

Aug 3, 2012

General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

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

1

DP14001 · 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.