Illustration2011 CHEVY IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE HEADREST AND NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR *TGW
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
770–25K
8225–50K
9150–75K
7975–100K
67100–150K
14150K+
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.
22 crash reports5 fire reports19 injury reports
Seats complaints
77 reportsI BOUGHT A USED 2011 IMPALA AND DID NOTICE THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS WERE QUITE HIGH, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD GET USED TO IT. I HOWEVER AFTER THREE WEEKS HAVE NOT. IT IS A HINDRANCE HAVING TO SPEND EYE TIME ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. WHEN DRIVING IN 5 LANE TRAFFIC YOU NEED TO DEVOTE ALL OF Y…
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I BOUGHT A USED 2011 IMPALA AND DID NOTICE THE REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS WERE QUITE HIGH, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD GET USED TO IT. I HOWEVER AFTER THREE WEEKS HAVE NOT. IT IS A HINDRANCE HAVING TO SPEND EYE TIME ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. WHEN DRIVING IN 5 LANE TRAFFIC YOU NEED TO DEVOTE ALL OF YOUR ATTENTION TO ALL AROUND YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THIS IN A 2011 IMPALA. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER BECAUSE IT APPEARS FROM OTHER POSTINGS THAT THE ONLY RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME IS TO BUY 2012 REAR SEATS FOR OVER $400. THESE SEATS ARE DEFINITELY A DANGEROUS ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEADRESTS WERE OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD OF VISION THROUGH THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MODIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND FILED A …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR HEADRESTS WERE OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD OF VISION THROUGH THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE MODIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE AND FILED A COMPLAINT. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD BE GETTING IN TOUCH WITH THE CONTACT AT A LATER DATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,300.
2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUES WITH VEHICLE HEAD REST *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR HEAD REST WERE TOO HIGH AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SEE, WHICH MADE BACKING UP DIFFICULT. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD REST BLOCKED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD REST WAS LEANING ENTIRELY TOO FAR FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED.…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HEAD REST BLOCKED THE CONTACT'S VIEW OF THE ROADWAY. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD REST WAS LEANING ENTIRELY TOO FAR FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT HEADREST WAS IMPAIRING HIS DRIVING VIEW. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HEAD-REST COULD NOT BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 9,000.
MY FIRST ISSUE WAS WITH THE CENTER HEAD RESTRAINT IN THE BACK WHICH TOTALLY BLOCKS VISION USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I ASKED THE DEALER TO REMOVE IT AND I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT. BACKING UP IS IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT WITH THE SIDE MIRRORS AND TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY BEHIND IS BLOCKED WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THERE …
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MY FIRST ISSUE WAS WITH THE CENTER HEAD RESTRAINT IN THE BACK WHICH TOTALLY BLOCKS VISION USING THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. I ASKED THE DEALER TO REMOVE IT AND I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT. BACKING UP IS IMPOSSIBLE EXCEPT WITH THE SIDE MIRRORS AND TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY BEHIND IS BLOCKED WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS BUT GM REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL TO ADJUST THESE HEADRESTS. ALSO, I LIVE IN THE TN MOUNTAINS AND THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPLETELY DISENGAGES WHEN GOING DOWNHILL. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME "THIS WAS NORMAL AND ALL NEW CARS DID THIS TO SAVE GAS"! I'M NOT THAT MUCH OF AN IDIOT! CRUISE CONTROL IS SET TO MAINTAIN SPEED.... PERIOD! PLEASE.... CAN YOU HELP? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEAD REST ON THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BLOCKED HIS VIEW. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 06/05/12 *BF UPDATED 06/07/12 *JS
REAR SEAT HEADRESTS IMPAIR VISIBILITY THROUGH REAR WINDOW. THE CENTER HEADREST IS THE WORST OFFENDER AS IT BLOCKS MOTORCYCLES AND EVEN SMALLER CARS FROM YOUR VIEW. OVER 50% OF THE VIEW THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW IS BLOCKED. ONE MUST USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN TRYING TO NAVIGATE ON THE ROADS AND IT ACTUALLY CAUSES A DANGEROUS SITUATION …
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REAR SEAT HEADRESTS IMPAIR VISIBILITY THROUGH REAR WINDOW. THE CENTER HEADREST IS THE WORST OFFENDER AS IT BLOCKS MOTORCYCLES AND EVEN SMALLER CARS FROM YOUR VIEW. OVER 50% OF THE VIEW THROUGH THE REAR WINDOW IS BLOCKED. ONE MUST USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN TRYING TO NAVIGATE ON THE ROADS AND IT ACTUALLY CAUSES A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN BACKING INTO OR OUT OF PARKING SPACES. A PERSON WALKING BEHIND THE CAR CAN EASILY BE MISSED BY THE DRIVER. *TR
2011 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER STATES ISSUES WITH REAR SEAT HEAD RESTS BEING TOO HIGH. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR SEATS HAS THREE LARGE HEAD RESTS, WHICH MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. *JB
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.