10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
90,894 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #19

Jul 122022

Impala 6-cyl

  • miles
I was driving along when out of no where my trunk opened. I got off the highway and closed it. At that time I was puzzled wondering who had been in my truck to have not closed it correctly. I knew I hadn't been in it in awhile. It wasn't until a few weeks later when the "Service Vehicle Soon" light on my dash came on. I went and had my vehicle scanned and was told about the TrapAlert system in the trunk and that is why my trunk popped open. I realize there was a post about this like a decade ago. But this is happening to me now and I can't find help for this issue anywhere. I've contacted both Chevrolet and GM support online as well as repair shops and no one seems to know what I'm talking about. GM told me they don't keep info on Vehicles older than 10 years. All the information online would suggest there is an actual sensor somewhere in the trunk although extremely vague on where it actually is and that it has a disable switch. Well, we've tore this thing apart only to find out it's some looped wiring that goes into the stereo amp in the trunk. I've yet to see a sensor yet for some reason my vehicle is still giving a single that someone is trapped in the trunk thus, popping the trunk whenever it wants. I've been searching high and low for information and already spent $1100 to repair issues to clear the dash light and nothing seems to work. Just a waste of time and money and considering this happened while I was driving 55mph I would think it obvious that its dangerous. Could we at least get some actual information without having to spend more than the Vehicle is worth. Smh

- Saint Paul , MN, USA

problem #18

Mar 302018

Impala

  • 125,000 miles
The pieces the dealer glued unto my ignition key fell out. I did not do anything. I just noticed one day they had fallen out. Gluing the pieces in the key was not a fix. I am using my spare key, but I am afraid they will come unglued and fall out.

- Robbinsville, NC, USA

problem #17

Mar 072018

Impala

  • 180,000 miles
Car randomly locks me out for 10 minutes, this should be a recall. These cars are [xxx]. constantly leaves me stranded. Passlock security code, security light flashes for 10 minutes. Parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Coon Rapids, MN, USA

problem #16

Jun 302017

Impala

  • 130,000 miles
Takata recall signal lights do not work all the time. Just sometime, sometimes it does it for a few days.. then they start working again. I have to travel on interstate quite often to get my son to the doctor.

- Summer Shade, KY, USA

problem #15

Mar 182016

Impala

  • 267,890 miles
My car want start sometimes. I've taken to the shop and nothing was wrong. It's starts like nothing was ever wrong. I've put a battery in it. Changed the fuel filter and it still does this. My car has been sitting for months and today it started. It is always parked when this happen.

- Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

problem #14

Mar 142016

Impala

  • 159,000 miles
Car was parked I started it and began driving my ABS just went crazy. The pump was trying to engage over and over again even while driving. When I hit the ABS off button this problem continued. I feel this car could at anytime have something in the break or tire area just compeletly fail. Along with another list of issues including burning oil from the gasket. Please tell me if there is anything that can be done.

- Fremont, NE, USA

problem #13

Feb 252016

Impala

  • miles
Had vehicle in shop to repair recall for oil on manifold. Within a week of that being repaired I started smelling something electrical buring under the hood of my car. We were driving for about 2 minutes when it first started, we stopped looked under hood didn't see anything but could continue to smell it. Checked fuses they were all good, checked under the car still good. Nothing oiutof the ordinary but could still smell something burning.

- Ithaca, NY, USA

problem #12

Jun 262012

Impala 6-cyl

  • 54,000 miles
This automobile was totaled (wrecked) in 2012 it belongs to the salvage yard in traverse city mi (genes). Stop sending the notifications of recall for [xxx] to [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

- Manistee, MI, USA

problem #11

Sep 242015

Impala

  • miles
Got into the car from work drove less than two miles went in the house for about 20 minutes got back in the car drove about a mile and a half to get food got back in car returned to prior location delivery food to my mom went inside house bout 5 minutes later a passerby bang on the door to notify us that the car was on fire use a fire extinguisher couldn't put it out proceeded to call the fire department

- Springfield , TN, USA

problem #10

Jun 012012

Impala

  • 68,000 miles
You can be driving at any speed and all of the sudden your turn signals stop working. They will work well for hours then when you go to make a turn they either will not turn on or turn on for a couple seconds and then turn off. If you lightly tap the emergency flash button they will start working again but if you tap the emergency flash button to hard your emergency flash lights turn on. It really concerns me when I try to make a left hand turn on the highway in the fast lane and they stop working. I feel this is worse then the key problem GM has had because they work on and off at any given time without warning. I have spoke with a number of people with the same problem with the turn signals and they have advised me that it will run anywhere from three to four hundred to have repaired.

- Bay City, MI, USA

problem #9

Apr 152013

Impala 6-cyl

  • 145,000 miles
Car will only start randomly. Engine will not turn. All lights on dash will go out when turning the ignition. Starter has been replaced and electrical shop advised to go to dealer. Took to dealer for ignition recall which did not fix the problem. Dealer advised this issue is not covered by recall. Security light turns on.

- Mcallen, TX, USA

problem #8

Jun 302014

Impala 6-cyl

  • 126,895 miles
The car dont start. The key stuck always. Sometimes the car turns itself off when start the car

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #7

Nov 152010

Impala 6-cyl

  • 98,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that the tires were being rotated when the technician stated that the rear strut chamber was out of alignment, causing the interior sides of the rear tires to wear excessively. The contact was concerned that the tires may blow out and decided to have the tires replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 8,000. On a 65,000 mile tire repair rear strut holes camber rods etc. Updated 10/07/2011

- Bangor, ME, USA

problem #6

Aug 012011

Impala 6-cyl

  • 170,000 miles
Our 2002 General Motors Chevrolet Impala has the reported and well known intermittent issue known as the passlock failure regarding General Motors security module which occurs on many General Motors cars made from 1999-2005. The passlock failure happens intermittently and is difficult to diagnose and fix/resolve but is reported on the internet. The passlock failure seems to be tied to the 'security' light on the dashboard, however it has been seen that the 'security' light can come on from time to time while driving with no problems but not always. The passlock failure is observed in 2 scenarios: 1) while driving in traffic the vehicle may stall, leaving the driver without power steering or power brakes, also the 'security' light on the dashboard will be lit. 2) after getting into the car it fails to start, the engine will not turn over but electrical instruments all appear to work okay, the 'security' light on the dashboard will be lit. Frequency of failure - the frequency of these two failures is unable to be predicted, it has occurred multiple times in one day, multiple time times across 2 days and then may not occur for weeks or months. The issue can occur in winter, summer, fall or spring. Temporary correction - when the car fails to start then this issue may be able to be resolved temporarily by using another key ( a spare key should be stored in the car for safety) or the driver must wait about 20 minutes with the key removed from the ignition and then the issue will be temporarily resolved until the next time. Research into this failure has shown that this failure is not able to be replicated by myself or any reliable service technicians through my research via the internet. Also - research into this failure has not shown a proven and final fix though many theoretical fixes are available. Should this failure cause a vehicle while in traffic to stall, death and injury may result inside and outside the vehicle, this issue needs a recall from GM!

- Midlothian, IL, USA

problem #5

Mar 062010

Impala

  • 124,000 miles
Starting with the 2000 Chevy Impala they have a windshield wiper problem, where if heavy snows slides off the roof onto the windshield, or if the wipers are frozen to the windshield when you operate the wipers, it bends a tab under the wiper mechanism and causes the wipers to park in the outwipe condition when turned off instead of out of the way of the drivers vision just under the front hood. They park straight up causing a dangerous obstruction in the drivers view. There have been hundreds of postings on the internet where Impala owners have had this problem specifically in the states that experience freezing weather and snow. Some have stated after paying from $75 to $300 to have it repaired the problem would return. Perhaps a very poor design on gms part but to this date GM has not instituted a recall. GM has acknowledged the problem and designed replacement kit for the bent tab at great expense for the owner to have it repaired.

- Antioch, IL, USA

problem #4

Apr 032006

Impala 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,200 miles
: the contact stated the material padding hooks were broken off of the side of the seat and placed in the mouth by the toddler. Although there was a risk of choking, the child did not sustain any injuries. After the incident, the seat was inspected by a child safety seat technician who suggested discarding the seat. The manufacturer was not alerted.

- Gatesville, TX, USA

problem #3

May 012004

Impala 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 5,000 miles
2002 Chevy Impala ls car stalls at highway speeds, often after hitting large bump, resulting loss of power brakes and power steering is dangerous. Full text of correspondence with GM, postings on line and search of tsb is available.

- Long Beach, NY, USA

problem #2

Nov 302004

Impala 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
This problem has occurred more than once, and has not been resolved. The consumer was concerned because this problem was not resolved, and the issues were still there. When the consumer turns on the heat or air a sour odor came in from the vent area. The consumer drove the vehicle to the dealer for inspection on numerous occasions. The consumer was pregnant at the time. The odor made the consumer sick. The dealer was aware of the problem, but a solution had not been determined.

- Smithton, IL, USA

problem #1

Mar 172002

Impala

  • miles
The top of the dash board on the passenger side is lifting away from the front of the dash board (you can see the glue). Interesting point to mention - the rental car we received was also an Impala and we noted the same thing was happening to the dash board on the rental vehicle. (can this affect air bag deployment?)

- Rochester, NY, USA