TRAVELING A STATE HIGHWAY AT THE LEGAL SPEED OF 70 MPH, HAD TO BREAK VERY HARD. AS THE CAR SLOWED DOWN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND POWER STEERING FAILED.
2011 Chevrolet Impala
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Impala years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
410 reports with mileage · 95 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.
- Electronic Stability Control (esc). Review the 132 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 125 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 95 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Electrical System complaints
95 reportsON MY WAY TO WORK, I WAS MAKING A NEXT TURN AT A LIGHT WHEN MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON TWICE IN A MATTER OF 15 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE VERY ATTENTIVE DRIVERS, I COULD'VE BEEN RAMMED!!! THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS AFTER I GOT OFF OF WORK. MY CAR WAS IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN …
Read full complaint
ON MY WAY TO WORK, I WAS MAKING A NEXT TURN AT A LIGHT WHEN MY CAR ALL OF A SUDDEN SHUT OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON TWICE IN A MATTER OF 15 SECONDS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, IF IT WASN'T FOR THE VERY ATTENTIVE DRIVERS, I COULD'VE BEEN RAMMED!!! THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS AFTER I GOT OFF OF WORK. MY CAR WAS IN A PARKING GARAGE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I TRIED STARTING MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START. I TRIED A SECOND TIME AND IT STARTED BUT THE ENGINE WAS REVVING REALLY HARD, LIKE I WAS ABOUT TO SPEED OFF OR SOMETHING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AGAIN AND STARTED IT AGAIN FOR THE THIRD TIME AND "SERVICE STABILITRAK, SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL, AND REDUCED ENGINE POWER" ALL COME UP ON THE SERVICE SCREEN. AFTER READING MULTIPLE FORUMS ONLINE WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE HOME. I DROVE AT ABOUT 40 MPH ALL THE WAY HOME (MY JOB IS A 25-30 MIN COMMUTE) AND FORTUNATELY I DIDN'T GET STRANDED AND MY CAR DIDN'T TURN OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING LIKE SOME FOLK HAVE EXPERIENCED. GM NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. WHY ISNT THERE A RECALL YET?!
WHILE DRIVING THE TRACTION CONTROL,STABILIZER,ENGINE POWER WARNING ALL COME ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE TURNS OFF. PULL OFF ROAD, WILL NOT START THEN MINUTES LATER IT STARTS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. AFTER MULTIPLE STARTS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT . I HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS AB…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING THE TRACTION CONTROL,STABILIZER,ENGINE POWER WARNING ALL COME ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND SOMETIMES THE ENGINE TURNS OFF. PULL OFF ROAD, WILL NOT START THEN MINUTES LATER IT STARTS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. AFTER MULTIPLE STARTS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT . I HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ,YET THE NOTHING IS BEING DONE. TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM. THE EFFECTS OF THIS IS THE SAME AS THE IGNITION TURNING OFF. PENDING ON TRAFFIC. THIS COULD BE DEADLY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ALOT.
I BEGIN NOTICING ISSUES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD LIKE IT COULDN'T SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAD THAT CHECKED AND NOTHING SHOWED AS AN ISSUE, SO THE MECHANIC SAID IT HAD TO BE ELECTRICAL. THIS WEEKEND I AM DRIVING IT AND AFTER 25 MINUTES IN THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, …
Read full complaint
I BEGIN NOTICING ISSUES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD LUNGE FORWARD LIKE IT COULDN'T SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR. I HAD THAT CHECKED AND NOTHING SHOWED AS AN ISSUE, SO THE MECHANIC SAID IT HAD TO BE ELECTRICAL. THIS WEEKEND I AM DRIVING IT AND AFTER 25 MINUTES IN THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, AS DOES THE NOTICE THAT MY ENGINE POWER HAS BEEN REDUCED, AND TO SERVICE THE STABILITY TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. I WAS COMING TO A STOP LIGHT WHEN IT CAME ON AND I PULLED OFF TO TURN OFF THE CAR AND RESTART IT AS THAT WOULD WORK WHEN IT FAILED BEFORE TO RESET THE SYSTEM. IT DIDN'T RESET AND I HAD TO DRIVE IT WITH REDUCED POWER THE REST OF THE WAY TO MY DESTINATION. I HAD THIS FIXED A COUPLE YEARS AGO. I DID GET A NOTICE FROM GM ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THE ABILITY TO BE REIMBURSED OR GETTING IT FIXED IF THERE WAS A CURRENT ISSUE AND I WAS ABLE TO GET REIMBURSED FOR IT. NOW IT IS HAPPENING AGAIN, BUT MY MILEAGE IS TOO HIGH TO GET IT FIXED UNDER THIS REPAIR NOTICE BECAUSE THE LETTER SAYS THAT THE MILEAGE COVERAGE IS ONLY UP TO 120,000. IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND I HAVE ALREADY DEALT WITH IT BEFORE, WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO CONTINUALLY FAIL WHEN IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, WHICH I WOULD HAVE NO ISSUE FIXING AS A PART OF MAINTAINING THE VEHICLE?! THIS SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT GM WOULD FIX EVERY TIME IT GOES OUT BECAUSE IT IS CLEAR THE ISSUE IS A MALFUNCTION OF THE OVERALL SYSTEM AND NOT LINKED TO ANYTHING THAT THE DRIVER DOES OR DOESN'T DO TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. IN ADDITION WHAT IF IT HAS TO BE REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AS IS THE CASE WITH MINE. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A DEVOTED GM CUSTOMER, BUT HONESTLY I AM NOT SURE I WILL EVER BUY ANOTHER GM AFTER THIS ISSUE. IT IS UNSAFE AND PROVIDES ANXIETY WHEN DRIVING, BECAUSE IT MIGHT FAIL AT THE WORST TIME AND COULD NEED FIXED AGAIN EVEN IF I FIX IT THIS TIME.
REAR DEFROSTER NOT WORKING. DISCOVERED BURNED-UP CONNECTOR IN A PLUG UNDER PASSENGER FOOTWELL FUSE BOX. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFFECTING IMPALAS AND OTHER MODELS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THIS WOULD THEREFORE APPEAR TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT. OUTCOMES INCLUDE REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO INABILITY TO DEFROST…
Read full complaint
REAR DEFROSTER NOT WORKING. DISCOVERED BURNED-UP CONNECTOR IN A PLUG UNDER PASSENGER FOOTWELL FUSE BOX. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AFFECTING IMPALAS AND OTHER MODELS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. THIS WOULD THEREFORE APPEAR TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT. OUTCOMES INCLUDE REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO INABILITY TO DEFROST/DEMIST REAR WINDOW AND FIRE HAZARD DUE TO OVERHEATED CONNECTOR
I TURN ON THE VEHICLE AND THEN IT SHUT OFF...LIKE THE IGNITION SWITCH IS FAULTY...THEN THE STABILITRAK COMES ON..I HAVE TO TURN THE KEY OVER SLOWLY SO IT WON'T HESITATE TO TURN ON OR SHIRT OFF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AP…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
MY SON WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS 60-70MPH, THE CAR DISPLAY WOULD SAY "REDUCED POWER" FOLLOWED BY "SERVICE STABILLATRAC", "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL". SHUTTING CAR DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHUT CAR OFF FOR 5-10 MINUTES AND WOULD B FINE FOR A WEEK, A MONTH, SIX MONTHS!!! THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER A YEAR!! …
Read full complaint
MY SON WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS 60-70MPH, THE CAR DISPLAY WOULD SAY "REDUCED POWER" FOLLOWED BY "SERVICE STABILLATRAC", "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL". SHUTTING CAR DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SHUT CAR OFF FOR 5-10 MINUTES AND WOULD B FINE FOR A WEEK, A MONTH, SIX MONTHS!!! THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR OVER A YEAR!! CAR NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE TO DEALER EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS, NEEDLESS TO SAY NO ONE DRIVES IT BUT ME. HAVE NOT TAKING TO DEALER BECAUSE RESEARCH ONLINE AND NOTHING SEEMS TO BE A SURE FIX!! OTHER PEOPLE ARE REPLACING THROTTLEBODY,S, GAS PEDALS, GAS CAPS, ABS SENSORS, VARIOUS WIRING HARNESSES, BATTERIES, GROUNDS, COMPUTERS WITHOUT ANY OF THEM BEING A SURE FIX. SOMEONE WILL OR MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED BY THIS MALFUNCTION AND UNFORTUNATELY DID NOT LIVE TO SAY THE CAR DID THIS!!!! I KNOW FROM READING ONLINE FORUMS AND THE SUCH THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON OCCURANCE ON MULTIPLE YEARS OF THIS MODEL!! ALL OF THIS ON TOP OF A $2 KEY SWITCH FIX THAT TOOK HOW MANY TO DIE BEFORE ANYTHING WAS DONE!!!
WE OWN BOTH A 2011 AND A 2013 CHEVY IMPALA. BOTH VEHICLES GRIND AND HESITATE. THEY BOTH ACT THIS WAY WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A LIGHT, BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE AND ANY OTHER TIME IT FEELS NECESSARY TO DO SO. EXCEPT WHILE BEING CHECKED BY THE MECHANIC. WE OWNED A 2007 IMPALA THAT DID THE SAME THIN…
Read full complaint
WE OWN BOTH A 2011 AND A 2013 CHEVY IMPALA. BOTH VEHICLES GRIND AND HESITATE. THEY BOTH ACT THIS WAY WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A LIGHT, BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN PUTTING IT IN DRIVE AND ANY OTHER TIME IT FEELS NECESSARY TO DO SO. EXCEPT WHILE BEING CHECKED BY THE MECHANIC. WE OWNED A 2007 IMPALA THAT DID THE SAME THING. OUR REMEDY, PUSH THE TRACTION CONTROL BUTTON TO THE "OFF" POSITION. STOPPED MAKING THE NOISE AND NO LONGER HESITATES AFTER PUTTING IT IN DRIVE. OF COURSE, WE HAVE TO DO THIS EACH AND EVERY TIME WE GET IN THE CAR. NO MORE BUYING CHEVY'S FOR US.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT FAILED. IN ORDER FOR THE HEAT TO FUNCTION, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE IN MOTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE W…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAT FAILED. IN ORDER FOR THE HEAT TO FUNCTION, THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE IN MOTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Official recalls
214V355000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration