NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
68 reportsClear category filter120,000 miles · Dec 5, 2013
Power Train
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHT IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN I…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ENGINE LIGHT IN ORDER TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
NHTSA ODI #10554911
70,400 miles · Sep 13, 2013
EnginePower TrainTraction Control System
I WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREETS AND MY CHECK ENGINE AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. THE DASH ALTERNATED BETWEEN "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" AND "REDUCED ENGINE POWER." YES THE ENGINE POWER WAS REDUCED BUT I WAS STILL ABLE TO DRIVE IN THE CITY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10543410
112,254 miles · Sep 10, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
TODAY MUST OF BEEN A RECORD FOR HOW MANY TIMES MY IMPALA SHUT ITSELF OFF! I LOST COUNT AT ABOUT 20 TIMES! IM OVER A HUNDRED MILES AWAY FROM HOME AT MY PARENTS HOUSE AND ON MY ATTEMPT TO GET HOME THE IMPALA WOULDN'T LET ME DRIVE MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE NOW HAD TO CALL OFF WORK AND AM OUT OF A DAYS WAGE BECAUS…
Read full complaint
TODAY MUST OF BEEN A RECORD FOR HOW MANY TIMES MY IMPALA SHUT ITSELF OFF! I LOST COUNT AT ABOUT 20 TIMES! IM OVER A HUNDRED MILES AWAY FROM HOME AT MY PARENTS HOUSE AND ON MY ATTEMPT TO GET HOME THE IMPALA WOULDN'T LET ME DRIVE MORE THAN 10 MINUTES. BECAUSE OF THIS I HAVE NOW HAD TO CALL OFF WORK AND AM OUT OF A DAYS WAGE BECAUSE I MADE THE MISTAKE OF BUYING THIS CAR. I HAVE NO MONEY AND CANT GET THIS FIXED FOR AWHILE BUT IT SEEMS THAT I MAY HAVE TO CHOSE BETWEEN EATING THIS MONTH OR FIXING THIS SO I GUESS ILL JUST GO HUNGRY. I'VE BEEN SEARCHING THIS SITE FOR OTHER YEAR IMPALAS AND IT SEEMS THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR IS HAVING THIS ISSUE, EVEN THE 2014 MODELS! THIS HAS MADE ME REACH THE CONCLUSION THAT THE NHTSA DOESN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT OUR SAFETY NOR DO THEY ATTEMPT TO SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS BASED ON HOW MANY TIMES THIS COMPLAINT GETS REPORTED AND DOES ANYTHING EVER HAPPEN!? THE ANSWER IS NO! SO IM BASICALLY WRITING THIS TO INFORM OTHERS WHO PLAN ON GETTING AN IMPALA, PLEASE FOR THE SAFETY OF YOURSELF, THOSE AROUND YOU, AND YOUR WALLET DON'T! THIS IS MY LAST GM CAR I WILL EVER PURCHASE! NOT THAT GM REALLY CARES BECAUSE THEY ALREADY GOT MY $60,000 FOR MY LAST 3 CARS SO THIS PROBLEM WILL NEVER GET RECALLED, NOR WILL THIS WEBSITE ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF HELP SO SAVE YOURSELF THE HEADACHE AND BUY FOREIGN. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10542998
111,703 miles · Aug 31, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
AFTER JUST CLEARING THE ONBOARD COMPUTER WITH MY OBD2 SCANNER JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER SITTING AT ANOTHER STOPLIGHT I PROCEEDED INTO MY LEFT TURN AND AS I'M COMING INTO THE LANE MY IMPALA DIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AS IT CHANGED FROM YELLOW TO RED LEAVING ME IN THE INTERSECTION AS THE CROSS T…
Read full complaint
AFTER JUST CLEARING THE ONBOARD COMPUTER WITH MY OBD2 SCANNER JUST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER SITTING AT ANOTHER STOPLIGHT I PROCEEDED INTO MY LEFT TURN AND AS I'M COMING INTO THE LANE MY IMPALA DIED MIDWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AS IT CHANGED FROM YELLOW TO RED LEAVING ME IN THE INTERSECTION AS THE CROSS TRAFFIC BEGAN TO GO ALMOST CREATING A HEAD ON COLLISION AND A MULTIPLE VEHICLE COLLISION. CAN A RECALL PLEASE BE IN EFFECT FOR THIS! ITS TO THE POINT TO WHERE I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR TO WORK! I'D RATHER WALK THE 20 MILES TO WORK THEN BE IN THIS UNSAFE GM CAR! *JS
NHTSA ODI #10538236
111,700 miles · Aug 31, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT THE INFORMATION PANEL SAID REDUCED ENGINE POWER AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN. I HELD UP NUMEROUS CARS AS I SCANNED THE OBD2 PORT TO CLEAR THE CODE, ONCE AGAIN THE CODE READ P0601. CLEARED IT AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10538234
111,450 miles · Aug 31, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
ON MY COMMUTE TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE MY IMPALA SHUT ITSELF OFF. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE CAR SHOWED THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER ON THE INFORMATION PANEL, IT THEN FULLY DISENGAGED ALL ENGINE POWER AND POWERSTEERING. BEING IN THE OUTSIDE LANE I HAD TO MANEUVER MY IMPALA THROUGH THE HEAVY TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS A…
Read full complaint
ON MY COMMUTE TO WORK ON THE INTERSTATE MY IMPALA SHUT ITSELF OFF. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE WHEN THE CAR SHOWED THE REDUCED ENGINE POWER ON THE INFORMATION PANEL, IT THEN FULLY DISENGAGED ALL ENGINE POWER AND POWERSTEERING. BEING IN THE OUTSIDE LANE I HAD TO MANEUVER MY IMPALA THROUGH THE HEAVY TRAFFIC AND ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS TRYING TO SQUEEZE TO THE SHOULDER. I THEN COASTED OFF INTO THE GRASS ALMOST INTO A LARGE DITCH BUT I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES HARD AND WENT INTO A SKID COMING TO A FULL STOP. I SCANNED THE CAR WITH MY OBD2 SCANNER, IT READ P0601. *JS
NHTSA ODI #10538232
111,232 miles · Aug 25, 2013
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY STREET LOOKING FOR A RESTAURANT AND MY CAR MADE THREE DINGING SOUNDS INDICATING A ISSUE. BEFORE I EVEN COULD READ WHAT WAS DISPLAYING ON MY INFORMATION PANEL THE CAR LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND ENGINE POWER. BECAUSE I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55MPH I COULD VERY LUCKILY COAST TO A PARKING LOT NEAR BY.…
Read full complaint
I WAS DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY STREET LOOKING FOR A RESTAURANT AND MY CAR MADE THREE DINGING SOUNDS INDICATING A ISSUE. BEFORE I EVEN COULD READ WHAT WAS DISPLAYING ON MY INFORMATION PANEL THE CAR LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND ENGINE POWER. BECAUSE I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 55MPH I COULD VERY LUCKILY COAST TO A PARKING LOT NEAR BY. AFTER COASTING TO A PARKING SPOT I PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND READ THE INFORMATION PANEL, IT READ REDUCED ENGINE POWER, SERVICE STABILITRAK, AND SERVICE THROTTLE BODY. BECAUSE I KNOW MOST AMERICAN MADE CARS ARE PURE GARBAGE I WONT DRIVE ONE WITHOUT A EBDII SCANNER. AFTER READING THE EBDII SCANNER IT SHOWED A P0601 CODE, WHICH INDICATES A PCM MEMORY ISSUE. AFTER CLEARING THE CODE IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP AND DROVE FOR ABOUT 10 MORE MINUTES UNTIL I WAS AT A PARKING LOT ON A STEEP GRADE. THE 3 DINGS HAPPENED AGAIN AND MY ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING ME TO ROLL BACKWARDS ABOUT 10 FEET ALMOST INTO OVER VEHICLES. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THIS AND HAVE COME TO FOUND THAT THIS IS A ENGINEERING FAULT CAUSED BY TO MUCH CURRENT FLOWING INTO THE POWER CONTROL MODULE, WHICH CREATES A SMALL HAIRLINE CRACK ON THE PCM ONBOARD COMPUTER, WITH WHICH MANY MANY OTHER GM PRODUCTS HAVE EXPERIENCED. I FEEL A RECALL SHOULD BE DONE ON ALL GM PRODUCTS AFFECTED BY THIS, THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND I FEEL COULD LEAD TO DEATHS. I AM A [XXX] MALE WHO COULD CONTROL THE VEHICLE WITH NO POWER STEERING, IMAGINE A STUDENT DRIVER ENCOUNTERING THIS ISSUE AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE AWAY FROM OTHER DRIVERS OR EVEN INNOCENT PEDESTRIANS! I KNOW FOR A FACT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY OTHER GM VEHICLE OWNERS SO DOES A BODY COUNT HAVE TO STACK UP BEFORE A RECALL IS ISSUED BY GM?? *TR
NHTSA ODI #10537180
90,000 miles · Aug 22, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND FINALLY DIED WHILE STILL MOVING. LOST POWER STEERING. THEN MY CAR SHUT DOWN, HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WITH THIS HAPPENING ON A VERY BUS…
Read full complaint
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND FINALLY DIED WHILE STILL MOVING. LOST POWER STEERING. THEN MY CAR SHUT DOWN, HAD A VERY DIFFICULT TIME GETTING IT OFF THE ROAD. THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. WITH THIS HAPPENING ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY, MYSELF OR MY DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC, DUE TO CAR SHUTTING DOWN. COST OF TOW AND SERVICE 350.00 I ALSO HAVE HAD THE CAR PUT IN FOR THE SEATBELT AND AIRBAG LIGHTS GOING OFF, SINCE BEING IN THE CHEVROLET DEALER, THE LIGHTS NEVER GO OFF. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10536805
98,659 miles · Aug 9, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
THIS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND FINALLY DIED WHILE STILL MOVING. LOST POWER STEERING AND FINALLY BROUGHT CAR TO A STOP ON LEFT INSIDE OF EXPRESSWAY. AFTER A SHORT TIME SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART …
Read full complaint
THIS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY WHEN TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. CAR WENT INTO REDUCED POWER MODE AND FINALLY DIED WHILE STILL MOVING. LOST POWER STEERING AND FINALLY BROUGHT CAR TO A STOP ON LEFT INSIDE OF EXPRESSWAY. AFTER A SHORT TIME SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND LIMP HOME. NOTE THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON, BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS SET. HAD THE CODES READ THAT INDICATED A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CAUSED THE FAULT. THERE ARE TWO SENSORS WHICH HAVE TO AGREE AND IF THEY DON'T CAR WILL GO INTO REDUCED POWER MODE. WHEN SHE GOT HOME I FOUND ONLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. I HAVE IN THE PAST MOVED THE WIRES ON THE BRAKE FLUID SENSOR TO GET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO GO OFF. NOT KNOWING EXACTLY HOW ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT SYSTEMS ARE TIED TOGETHER, I TEND TO THINK THAT THE CARS COMPUTER IS THE PROBLEM WHICH SETS OFF ALL THE DIFFERENT WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH. I WENT TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR ASKED IF THIS WAS A RECALL ISSUE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS SOME WHAT STRANGE. AFTER READING COMPLAINTS ON THE NET I CAN SEE WHY SHE MIGHT HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS A RECALL ISSUE. THE THROTTLE BODY PART IS $300 DOLLARS PLUS LABOR RATE OF $105/HR. AS OF NOW I CANNOT FIND ANY RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE LOSS OF STEERING WITH ALL SYSTEMS DUE TO MOTOR STALLING WHILE IN MOTION IS A HAZARD TO EVERYONE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10534470
39,500 miles · Jun 11, 2013
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power TrainVehicle Speed Control
ALARM CAME ON THAT READ SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL - ENGINE POWER REDUCED. I WAS TRYING TO PASS A SEMI-TRAILER WITH ANOTHER CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT DEAD AND ANOTHER ALARM READ STARTING DISABLED. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD NOT NOTICED MY CAR ROLLING TO A STOP I WOULD HAVE BEE…
Read full complaint
ALARM CAME ON THAT READ SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL - ENGINE POWER REDUCED. I WAS TRYING TO PASS A SEMI-TRAILER WITH ANOTHER CAR DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY WENT DEAD AND ANOTHER ALARM READ STARTING DISABLED. THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO. IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD NOT NOTICED MY CAR ROLLING TO A STOP I WOULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED AND SENT INTO THE TRUCK. THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10516216
Official recalls
5Jul 5, 2016
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Consequence: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.
Electrical System:wiring
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 25, 2008 through February 16, 2010. The front passenger seat frame may contact and damage the wires of the passenger presence sensor module.
Consequence: If the wires are damaged, the passenger presence sensory system may fail to recognize that the passenger seat is occupied, disabling the air bag. Damage may also cause the air bag fuse to short resulting in a loss of all air bags and seat belt pretensions. Both conditions increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will double wrap the wires with anti-abrasion tape and replace damaged wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 36110.
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.
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.
Oct 13, 2010
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CHEVROLET IMPALAS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." THE FRONT SAFETY BELT WEBBING MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY SECURED TO THE LAP BELT ANCHOR PRETENSIONER MOUNTED TO THE SIDE OF THE SEAT NEAREST THE DOOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANT AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH, WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELTS FOR PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE ANCHORS TO THE PRETENSIONERS AND, IF NECESSARY, REINSTALL THE ANCHORS. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 5, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
Oct 6, 2008
GM IS RECALLING 79 MY 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG INFLATOR THAT COULD FRACTURE AT AN INFLATOR TUBE DURING A DEPLOYMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DURING A PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, PIECES OF THE INFLATOR TUBE COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE PASSENGER.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT AIR BAG. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 10, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗