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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

What owners actually said

810 reports
97,000 miles · Oct 21, 2015
Engine

HELLO, ONLY HAD MY CAR 2 YEARS AND NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS..MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THIS LIGHT THAT'S KEEPS COMING ON AND SAYS "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND KICKS MY CARS DOWN BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR..HUGE SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 3 CHILDREN ON THE HIGHWAYS WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE MY CAR REDUCED TO 20 MILES ON THE …

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HELLO, ONLY HAD MY CAR 2 YEARS AND NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS..MY BIGGEST CONCERN IS THIS LIGHT THAT'S KEEPS COMING ON AND SAYS "ENGINE POWER REDUCED" AND KICKS MY CARS DOWN BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MILES PER HOUR..HUGE SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I WAS DRIVING WITH MY 3 CHILDREN ON THE HIGHWAYS WHEN OUT OF NOWHERE MY CAR REDUCED TO 20 MILES ON THE HIGHWAY!!! I WAS SCARED AS WELL AS MY CHILDREN AND HAD TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. NOW I HAVE DONE SOME INVESTIGATION ABOUT THIS AND SEE MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES HOW HORRIBLE. WHY IS THERE NOT A RECALL FOR THIS? MY LIFE AND MY CHILDREN'S LIVES ARE A FACTOR AND IT'S TERRIFYING THAT NOTHING IS GETTING DONE ABOUT THIS BUT IS KNOWN BY THE MAKERS OF THIS VEHICLE..PLEASE I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS AND SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS. I AM A NURSE OUT HERE SAVING LIVES EVERYDAY AND I CAN'T JUST AFFORD TO KEEP TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH A CAR THAT NOBODY HAS A REAL ANSWER ON WHY IT'S DOING THIS. I HAVE NO OPTION TO STILL DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AS WELL AS MANY OTHER HARD WORKING PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR HARD WORKING MONEY ON THESE VEHICLES AND COMPANY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10783864

75,000 miles · Oct 20, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ACTUATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ODI #10783678

85,733 miles · Oct 19, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V3…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FOB WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS REMEDIED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED TWELVE TIMES AFTER THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,733.

NHTSA ODI #10783429

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

30,000 miles · Oct 14, 2015
Electrical System

I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2009 AND IT HAD GIVEN ME PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT. A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, THE GAS SENSORS WENT BAD, THE DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF AND THE LOCKS WOULDN'T WORK. THAT WAS A $1000 BILL. THE TIRE SENSORS WENT BAD AND NOW THE LOCKS ARE GOING BAD AGAIN. EVER SINCE THEN, THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR, WHICH REGULATES…

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I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2009 AND IT HAD GIVEN ME PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT IT. A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR, THE GAS SENSORS WENT BAD, THE DOOR HANDLE CAME OFF AND THE LOCKS WOULDN'T WORK. THAT WAS A $1000 BILL. THE TIRE SENSORS WENT BAD AND NOW THE LOCKS ARE GOING BAD AGAIN. EVER SINCE THEN, THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR, WHICH REGULATES THE HEAT OR RECIRCULATING AIR HAS CONSISTENTLY GONE BAD. I HAVE REPLACED IT THREE TIMES SO FAR AND TWO OF THE ACTUATORS HAVE GONE BAD AGAIN. IT MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND UNDER THE DASH WHETHER THE CAR IS RUNNING OR NOT. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I'M DRIVING. I HAVE CALLED CHEVY SO MANY TIMES, I REMEMBERED THE SCRIPT THEY READ TO YOU. THEY NEVER HELPED. IT IS A $200 REPAIR BILL EVERY TIME IT IS REPAIRED. I TRIED TO LET IT BURN ITSELF OUT AND IT LASTED OVER A YEAR. I WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT IT IS A PROBLEM ON 2004-2008 IMPALAS BUT THEY NEVER RECALLED IT. IT ALSO CAUSES THE AIR TO BLOW COLD IN THE WINTER. WHY WASN'T A RECALL DONE ON THESE VEHICLES.

NHTSA ODI #10782216

70,000 miles · Oct 13, 2015
StructureUnknown Or OtherCrash

FOWLER CHEVROLET, PART OF HTTP://WWW.FOWLERAUTO.COM/ WITH FOWLER TOYOTA, REPAIRED OUR 2008 IMPALA AFTER AN ACCIDENT. FIRST ROUND REPAIRS WERE $9,800 ON A $12,000 VEHICLE AND THEN CARFAX SHOWED FRAME DAMAGE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ACCIDENT NOTATION AFTER THE REPAIRS! ON THE SAME DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, I EMAILED THE BODY SHOP "PLEA…

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FOWLER CHEVROLET, PART OF HTTP://WWW.FOWLERAUTO.COM/ WITH FOWLER TOYOTA, REPAIRED OUR 2008 IMPALA AFTER AN ACCIDENT. FIRST ROUND REPAIRS WERE $9,800 ON A $12,000 VEHICLE AND THEN CARFAX SHOWED FRAME DAMAGE ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ACCIDENT NOTATION AFTER THE REPAIRS! ON THE SAME DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, I EMAILED THE BODY SHOP "PLEASE DON'T PROCEED WITH SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS UNTIL THE FRAME STRUCTURE IS DETERMINED TO BE FINE ", BUT THEY STARTED WITHOUT CONTACTING ME. OUR INSURANCE COVERED LIKE TIRES AND THE DEALERSHIP EVEN WANTED ME TO GO GET THE REPLACEMENT GOODYEAR TIRE AND BRING TO THE DEALERSHIP! IT WAS IN THE SHOP OVER 7 WEEKS AND INSURANCE ONLY COVERED FOR 30 DAYS OF A RENTAL VEHICLE, BUT SINCE WE WERE RENTING FROM THEIR FLEET, THEY HAD NO INCENTIVE TO GET IT DONE. WE ENDED UP TAKING IT TO SOUTHPOINTE CHEVROLET TO MINIMIZE THE NOISES COMING OUT OF THE REPAIR AREA AND HAVE NEVER BEEN REIMBURSED. I REQUESTED QUALITY ASSURANCE IN WRITING REGARDING THE REPAIR AREA AFTER THE CARFAX CONCERNS. I ALSO REQUESTED MORE INFORMATION REGARDING IF THE WELDER WAS CERTIFIED ETC..., BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANYTHING SUBSTANTIAL IN WRITING. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER, CHRIS HELM, WAS TERMINATED SOON AFTER OUR REPAIRS. THE BODY SHOP MANAGER STATED THAT GENERAL MOTORS/CHEVROLET SENT IN A REPRESENTATIVE TO REVIEW THE REPAIRS AND BACKED THE DEALERSHIP 100%. I REQUESTED SOMETHING IN WRITING FROM GENERAL MOTORS/CHEVROLET AFTER SENDING THE PICTURE OF THE REPAIRS AND THEY WON'T PUT ANYTHING IN WRITING. FOWLER CHEVROLET AND FOWLER AUTO GROUP REFUSE TO RESOLVE THE OUTSTANDING ISSUES. I WILL NEVER USE THEM AGAIN. CAN YOU HELP PREVENT OTHER UNSAFE REPAIRS LIKE IN THE PICTURE?

NHTSA ODI #10781856

95,000 miles · Oct 10, 2015
Steering

THIS HAS HAPPEN 2 TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT IT IN FEB. WHEN I WAS STEERING TO THE LEFT IT WOULDN'T TURN LIKE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED FOR ABOUT 15 SECOND AND THEN IT'S FINE. THANK GOD BOTH TIMES I WAS TURNING AND NOT AT A HIGH SPEED.

NHTSA ODI #10781259

Mileage unknown · Oct 8, 2015
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

VEHICLE STUCK IN PARK UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM THE PARKED POSITION. PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WENT TO GO PICK DAUGHTER UP FROM SCHOOL AND COULDN'T SHIFT GEARS.

NHTSA ODI #10780841

55,000 miles · Oct 5, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED COLLAR BONE AND BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT W…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED COLLAR BONE AND BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA ODI #10779777

65,937 miles · Oct 3, 2015
Steering

VEHICLE HAS 65,937 MILES AND FAILED NC INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN BOTH FRONT HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES. NO STEERING PROBLEMS NOTED PRIOR TO THIS INSPECTION. DEALER STATED THEY HAVE REPLACED SOME ASSEMBLIES BUT HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE BY CHEVROLET THIS WAS A PROBLEM NOR HAS ANY RECALL BEEN INITIATED. WITH SO FEW MILE…

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VEHICLE HAS 65,937 MILES AND FAILED NC INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE PLAY IN BOTH FRONT HUB AND BEARING ASSEMBLIES. NO STEERING PROBLEMS NOTED PRIOR TO THIS INSPECTION. DEALER STATED THEY HAVE REPLACED SOME ASSEMBLIES BUT HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE BY CHEVROLET THIS WAS A PROBLEM NOR HAS ANY RECALL BEEN INITIATED. WITH SO FEW MILES AND A DEFECT SO POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SOME FORM OF NOTIFICATION TO VEHICLE OWNERS OF MODELS USING THIS TYPE OF ASSEMBLY SHOULD BE NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ODI #10779474

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.