7.0

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
58,200 miles
Total Complaints:
24 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (18 reports)
  2. replaced lock assembly (3 reports)
  3. replace sensors (2 reports)
  4. replace lock actuator (1 reports)
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2008 Chevrolet Impala:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.

problem #24

Jan 102015

Impala V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 85,000 miles

It is a real pain not being able to trust that all doors lock when you hit the key fob. I must check each door to make sure they are all locked. When I need to get something out of my back seat, I must roll the back windows down to manually reach in and unlock the back doors since most of the time the doors do not unlock when you hit the fob or the manual front door drive side lock controls, that unlock the car doors.

- Robin L., Orient, OH, US

problem #23

Mar 012014

Impala 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 46,000 miles

When using my power door locks, my front doors will not always completely lock or unlock. This happens with both the remote and the interior lock button. It occurs randomly. It happens with unlock or lock functions, and I never know when it will happen. The back doors, which don't have the standing lock buttons, are never affected. They respond every time. Sometimes, the locks do not unlock all the way, for example when I shift from a moving gear into park. This is a significant problem, especially since the driver door is the only one with a key entry. I have to unlock my door, get in, and reach across to unlock the passenger. This is not very comfortable for me, or if it is raining heavily it is also a pain.

Since I have no warranty, I have been hesitant to look this over. It began happening at 40K miles, and I never figured out if it would have fallen under any other type of warranty coverage. I am now at 109K miles and it is still a pain in my butt.

- Alecia D., Stapleton, GA, US

problem #22

Nov 012012

Impala LS 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

I bought my 2008 Impala in 2011 it only had 13,000 miles on it. The passenger back door lock stopped working, maybe a year after I had it. And in 2015, the Driver side rear lock now only works sporadically. It sometimes works if you use the Driver main control. But most of the time it doesn't. So I'm constantly rolling down the back windows to unlock both doors. I have power locks for a reason, and I can't use them, and from many complaints I"m seeing, I don't understand how we have to pay to fix this problem. I have SEVERAL issues with this car, so be sure to look on this site, where I'll be posting about. The throttle body, & pedal sensor I've had to replace, and my driver side power seat.

- Dawn B., North Olmsted, OH, US

problem #21

Sep 092015

Impala

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles

Rear driver side door lock stopped working with the key fob or the buttons inside the car. You had to manually push the lock down or pull the lock up. Took it in to Robert Woodall Chevrloet in Danville and it cost $439.00 to replace the faulty lock actuator. RIPOFF. But I am so tired of not being able to put things in the back seat on the drivers side that I went ahead and had it fixed.

- Jt W., Danville, VA, US

problem #20

Aug 012010

Impala LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles

With only one key hole on the entire car you have to manually unlock driver side and reach to unlock other doors or roll down windows and walk around to unlock thru open windows

- Wendy C., North Augusta, SC, US

problem #19

Jun 152013

Impala LT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,000 miles

The automatic door locks on my 2008 impala do not work during warm/hot weather - which is much of the year in south Georgia. This started in the summer of 2013. When the weather turned cooler in the fall they started working again and worked thru most of the spring until the weather got warm again. When I called a local mechanic about fixing the problem he said it would generally cost around $300 per each door to replace the lock mechanism on each one?????!!! He acted like the weather couldn't possibly have anything to do with why they didn't work. I've seen other complaints online about this issue on several impala's - not all 2008 models - but I haven't seen how they've resolved the problem.

- Debra L., Leesburg, GA, US

problem #18

Oct 032013

Impala LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles

The locks are the most important part of the car if you want to keep it around while your still paying for it.

Maybe they should go back to manual unlock and lock again. It worked.

- Michael S., Casa Grande, AZ, US

problem #17

Dec 112012

Impala LTZ

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

Have to make sure that all the doors are locked, back doors.

- Janice M., Owensboro, KY, US

problem #16

Jan 112013

Impala LT 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

3 out 4 power door locks not working. Driver's door needs key to get in, back door have to roll down window so people can unlock door by hand to get in.

- markdan367, Cortland, OH, US

problem #15

May 012012

Impala LT 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

The locks do not work most of the time with the remote. It has to do with the heat. When it is cold I do not have issues but when it is hot they start having troubles.

- pparamo, Miami, FL, US

problem #14

Dec 172013

Impala LT 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles

Passenger side rear door won't unlock with the keyless entry remote or the unlock button on the drivers door. To unlock the door you manually have to pull of the lock.

- brandine, Valentine, NE, US

problem #13

Mar 152013

Impala LT 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 70,000 miles

We told the dealer about the automatic door lock not working on the left back door and all we were told was it would take about $285.00 to fix this problem We told them we would not fix it because it was too much money. The problem is very annoying and and unhandy as you cannot get in that side at all because it won't come unlocked.

- jerry c judy h, Greenville, IL, US

problem #12

Jan 062010

Impala SS 5.3L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 17,000 miles

The driver rear door lock quit working. GM replaced it.

- Brandon L., Wahiawa, HI, US

problem #11

Mar 012012

Impala LT 3.9L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 89,000 miles

Earlier this year my passanger rear door lock quit working a few months later my front drivers side door also quit working this is a pain in the ass to auto start my car, even if i lock both doors it still will not auto start. I asked a Chevy mechanic and suggested that i buy the harness which is the only way to fix this i guess, for $200.00 and that is not a guarantee. So if anybody has any solutions that would be great.

- hardwired, Gering, NE, US

problem #10

Sep 112012

Impala LTZ 3.9L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,675 miles

I have never encountered a sensor problem for door locks on any of the various cars that I've owned over the years i have had them. The dealer said they would cost $250.00 per door.Is this something others are experiencing too?

- Curt B., Columbus, OH, mexico

problem #9

Aug 112012

Impala LS 3.5L V6 Flexfuel

  • Automatic transmission
  • 52,222 miles

Typical GM problem. Passenger side door lock actuator has failed.

- missx2, Garfield, NJ, US

problem #8

Jan 042012

Impala LS 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 67,500 miles

I tried to get out of the driver's door and it wouldn't open. So here I am, having to climb out of the car across the passenger's seat to get out of the car at EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT! Not easy to say the least! After trying the remote, handle, etc, I was finally able to get into the back and pull up the door lock and as long as I keep the door unlocked (very frustrating to have to do this for fear of theft) I can open the door from outside or in. However, the lock no longer operates with the remote or interior switches and must be locked and unlocked manually. I haven't talked to a mechanic yet to find out how much more of a pain it will be when I get the bill.

- tygressjanie, St. Paul, NE, US

problem #7

Oct 162011

Impala LT 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,600 miles

When your habit is the auto locking its a pain to reset to using manual locks

- Pete G., Pittsburgh, PA, US

problem #6

Nov 032011

Impala LT

  • Automatic transmission
  • 32,000 miles

The rear door locks will not operate via the electrical. This I believe causes a hazard for a rear seat passenger especially an infant or young child. They could be trapped by the in-ability of the driver to activate the rear door locks to evacuate the rear seat passengers in an emergency.

- Michael S., Kalamazoo, MI, US

problem #5

Jun 012010

Impala LT 4-Door 3.5L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,000 miles

About a year ago (May/June 2010) every once in a while a door would not lock or unlock when using the keyless entry. This was sporadic. Since then, all 4 doors have this issue. It's a pain because to get into the back seat, I have to put key in ignition and turn on power, lower back door window and manually unlock.

One consistent thing about this issue is heat. I live in San Antonio, TX and in the morning the locks on the doors work fine (when temp is below 85 degrees). However, when I go to the car in the middle of the afternoon when it's 90+ and sitting in the sun, the keyless buttons don't work. This issue definitely has to do with outdoor heat. Just not sure why - other than it's another poorly built Chevy.

- Ron J., San Antonio, TX, US

Read the next 4 complaints »