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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

22 reports

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38,500 miles · Jul 24, 2010

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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MY 2008 CHEVY IMPALA HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH FRONT BRAKES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ON STEEP OR LONG GRADES, WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THERE IS A VERY BAD SHUTTERING WHICH GETS WORSE IF THE GRADE IS LONGER. IT HAS BECOME A VERY BAD PROBLEM AND ALMOST COST ME A SPEEDING TICKET IN THAT I HAD TO LAY OFF THE BRAKE WHICH CAUSED ME TO GO ABOVE THE SPEED LIMIT. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR BEFORE I RAN THRU RADAR. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ ONLINE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH OTHER CHEVROLET OWNERS AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10345066

10,000 miles · May 4, 2010

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AT 35 MPH, THE BRAKES PULSATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE ROTORS WERE BUFFED AND RE-FACED TWICE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING DOWNHILL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKES WERE SUPPOSED TO FUNCTION THAT WAY. THE BRAKES WERE UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT AND THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO REPAIR THE FAILURE AFTER IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 17,500

NHTSA ODI #10328760

20,000 miles · Apr 13, 2010

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

OVERHEATING AND DANGEROUS, QUICK PULSATION OF BRAKE ROTORS ON MY 2008 CHEVROLET HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CONSTANT AND STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE WHEN DRIVING IN HILLY, MOUNTAINOUS COUNTRY. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH A 2001 IMPALA. GM HAS GOT TO ADDRESS THIS INHERENT WEAKNESS IN THE IMPALA'S BRAKING SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10325339

36,429 miles · Feb 27, 2010

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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1. 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA, WHILE DRIVING DOWN INCLINES THE FRONT DISC BRAKES HEAT UP AND SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE DISK ARE TOO SMALL TO DISSIPATE THE HEAT. 2. CONDITION OCCURS WHILE DRIVING DOWN HILLS. 3. GM DEALER TURNED DISC 1 TIME UNDER WARRANTY AND TOLD ME TO SHIFT MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TO A LOWER GEAR GOING DOWN HILL. THERE IS MUCH INFORMATION FROM OWNERS OF GM VEHICLES ON THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET. THE IMPALA IS NOT THE ONLY GM PRODUCT WITH THIS PROBLEM DUE TO DISK TOO SMALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10314811

16,514 miles · Feb 24, 2010

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL, THE BRAKES WOULD PULSATE ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND BAD PULSATIONS IN HARD SPEED STOPS. BOTH FRONT ROTORS EXHIBITED SEVERE HEAT SPOTS AND WERE WARPED. THE BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED WITH HEAVY DUTY BRAKE PADS. THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED TO THE OWNER BUT WITHIN 10,000 MILES THE BRAKES BEGAN TO EXHIBIT THE SAME FAILURE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO DOWN SHIFT ON HILLS TO PREVENT THE VIBRATION IN THE BRAKES. NO ADDITIONAL REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,514 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,952. UPDATED 03/24/10 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WERE SAFE AND NO ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN. UPDATED 07/09/10.*JB

NHTSA ODI #10313691

24,900 miles · Aug 29, 2009

Service Brakes, HydraulicCrash

WHEN DRIVING 2008 CHEVROLET 4 DOOR LOST CONTROL AT THE TOP OF A HILL ON A HIGHWAY. I BRAKED TO MISS A STOPPED CAR. NO SPEEDING AND NO TICKET. THIS CAR A SAFETY ISSUE WITH STEERING AND THE BRAKES. I HAVE A 2009 IMPALA LT *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282278

17,000 miles · Aug 29, 2009

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

FEEL VIBRATION FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT FROM THE FRONT OR BACK, I FEEL THE VIBRATION AT 25 + MPH. I HAVE A 2009 IMPALA LT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10282275

28,000 miles · Jun 15, 2009

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BOTH FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA LT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10273906

1,732 miles · Oct 20, 2008

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH DOWNHILL, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED AND HESITATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE BRAKES ALSO MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ROTORS. THE TECHNICIAN RESURFACED AND DEGLAZED THE ROTORS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER A TOTAL OF FOUR TIMES FOR THE FAILURES. THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU MANDATED THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR FREE. THE DEFECT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AND IS AWAITING TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,732 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,006.

NHTSA ODI #10246139

1,200 miles · Sep 23, 2008

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKES GET DIRT ON THEM AND START GRINDING AT THE ROTORS ESPECIALLY THE BACK BRAKES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10243235

Official recalls

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

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

Air Bags