Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
890–25K
11125–50K
14950–75K
11675–100K
141100–150K
59150K+
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
What owners actually said
810 reports
102,841 miles · Mar 6, 2017
Vehicle Speed Control
STARTED THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY UPON PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL ERROR MESSAGE AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGES APPEARED. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THIS CAR. HAVE ENTERED PROBLEM REPORTS FOR THE 1ST 2 OCCURRENCES ON THIS SITE. REPLACED ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION PEDAL SENSOR. NO…
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STARTED THE CAR AND IMMEDIATELY UPON PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL ERROR MESSAGE AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER MESSAGES APPEARED. THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THIS CAR. HAVE ENTERED PROBLEM REPORTS FOR THE 1ST 2 OCCURRENCES ON THIS SITE. REPLACED ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION PEDAL SENSOR. NONE OF THESE 3 OCCURRENCES WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. IT WAS 14 MONTHS SINCE THE LAST OCCURRENCE AND WARRANTY WAS FOR 12 MONTHS.
NHTSA ODI #10958921
30,000 miles · Jan 24, 2017
Structure
REAR DOOR LOCKS DONT WORK WHEN TRYING TO GET CHILDREN OUT OF CAR. DOORS DON'T UNLOCK. REAR DOORS DO NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK OFTEN.
NHTSA ODI #10947394
75,000 miles · Jan 18, 2017
Electrical System
BLINKING AIRBAG LIGHT THAT IS UNABLE TO BE CLEARED.
NHTSA ODI #10946234
200,000 miles · Jan 18, 2017
Exterior Lighting
I WAS LEAVING A HIGH SCHOOL AT NIGHT AFTER BASKETBALL GAME. CRANKED CAR AND STARTED DRIVING. ALL LIGHTS WORKING FINE. IT WAS ON AUTO LIGHTS. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES UP THE ROAD ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. THEY JUST STOPPED. PULLED OVER AND TURNED LIGHTS ON AND OFF....STILL NOT WORKING. SWITCHED FROM AUTO TO MANUAL HEADLIGHTS. ON…
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I WAS LEAVING A HIGH SCHOOL AT NIGHT AFTER BASKETBALL GAME. CRANKED CAR AND STARTED DRIVING. ALL LIGHTS WORKING FINE. IT WAS ON AUTO LIGHTS. ABOUT FIVE MINUTES UP THE ROAD ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS QUIT WORKING. THEY JUST STOPPED. PULLED OVER AND TURNED LIGHTS ON AND OFF....STILL NOT WORKING. SWITCHED FROM AUTO TO MANUAL HEADLIGHTS. ONLY HIGH BEAM WORKED. AND THEN ONLY LEFT SIDE. LOW BEAM NOT WORKING AT ALL. IF I TRIED TO DIM LIGHTS....THEN THEY CUT OFF. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10946173
97,098 miles · Jan 13, 2017
Unknown Or Other
DRIVING THE CAR THE OTHER DAY I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE IN THE DASH AS I DROVE IT THE WINDSHIELD AND ALL THE WINDOWS FOGED UP. HAD TO PULL OFF THE SIDE OF ROAD UNTIL THE WINDOWS CLEARED UP.
NHTSA ODI #10944997
83,000 miles · Jan 5, 2017
EquipmentVisibility
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER CONVERTER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAIL…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER CONVERTER WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
NHTSA ODI #10939812
210,000 miles · Dec 13, 2016
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED TO JERK. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE BUT THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD INDEPENDENTLY SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND STARTED TO JERK. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE BUT THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO MOVE FROM THE PARK POSITION WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT WIRING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.
NHTSA ODI #10934969
137,000 miles · Dec 7, 2016
Service Brakes
ABS ABD TC WARNING LIGHT LIT WITH "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM" MESSAGE. INITIATED AT TURNING EVENTS,
NHTSA ODI #10933732
161,000 miles · Nov 16, 2016
EngineSteeringVehicle Speed Control
I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AROUND 5:30PM CST ON US 59 N AND RANKIN RD TUESDAY 11/15/16 WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR STEER AND THE ONLY LIGHT THAT CAME ON IN THE CAR WAS THE SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM. I MANAGED, SOMEHOW, TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND PUT IT IN PAR…
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I WAS DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AROUND 5:30PM CST ON US 59 N AND RANKIN RD TUESDAY 11/15/16 WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER. I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR STEER AND THE ONLY LIGHT THAT CAME ON IN THE CAR WAS THE SERVICE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM. I MANAGED, SOMEHOW, TO STEER THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY AND PUT IT IN PARK. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I WENT START IT AGAIN, AFTER RELEASING THE KEY, IT MADE A STUTTERING TO START SOUND OVER AND OVER AGAIN EVEN THOUGH I WAS NO LONGER TOUCHING THE KEY. WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN IT TURN ON AND THEN BACK OFF AND CONTINUED TO DO THIS AT LEAST 3 MORE TIMES. I EVENTUALLY HAD IT TOWED TO MY HOME AND AFTER READING ONLINE TODAY AT FORUMS.EDMONDS.COM MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS ISSUE WITH IMPALA'S AND SUBURBAN'S FROM GM FOR AT LEAST 4 YEARS NOW, FIRST POST IS BACK IN 2012. GM NEEDS TO PUT A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THE ISSUE BEFORE IT MORE FATALITIES, AS PROVEN IN THEIR EARLIER 2014-2015 RECALL. THEY JUST DID A RECALL ABOUT A YEAR AGO FOR IMPALA'S HAVING AN ISSUE WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD THEN SWITCH INTO THE OFF POSITION WHILE DRIVING IF YOU HIT A BUMP TOO HARD AND HAD TOO MUCH WEIGHT ON YOUR KEYS. I GOT MY VEHICLE SERVICED FOR THAT RECALL ISSUE BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THEIR FIX FOR THAT WAS INCORRECT AND NOT THE ISSUE SEEING AS MY VEHICLE, AND SEVERAL OTHERS, STILL SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND THE IGNITION IS STILL IN THE ON (NOT OFF) POSITION, YOU LOSE ACCELERATION AND STEERING. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND WILL CAUSE MORE DEATHS, INJURIES, AND ACCIDENTS. PLEASE GET THIS TO GM AND HAVE THEM CORRECT THIS ISSUE IN ALL THEIR MODELS WITH SENSOR THROTTLE BODY'S INSTEAD OF WIRED ONES. THEY ALSO NEED TO FIX THE ISSUE OF DOOR AND A/C ACCUATORS IN THEIR MODELS, AS ITS BEEN DESCRIBED TO ME AS A COMMON ISSUE IN GM MODELS. THIS IS A VERY UNSAFE ISSUE FOR ALL DRIVERS GM OR NOT. MORE ACCIDENTS WILL FOLLOW.
NHTSA ODI #10926373
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 2016
Electrical System
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. AFTER ENTERING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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.
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.
2008 Chevrolet Impala Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year