5.4

fairly significant
Typical Repair Cost:
$300
Average Mileage:
84,800 miles
Total Complaints:
10 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace actuator (6 reports)
  2. not sure (3 reports)
  3. replace A/C blend door actuator (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Chevrolet dealer.

problem #10

Sep 012020

Impala

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

Annoying noise, if anything else. Cost of the actuator is $37. Labor cost for mechanic to change the part $180. Was it worth getting fixed to eliminated annoying noise?...... YES!

- Lori C., Euclid, US

problem #9

Aug 202018

Impala LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 139,000 miles

I have a 2012 Chevy Impala which I have replaced the air door actuator twice now in less than 4 months. Took the car to the mechanic mechanics which they told me it's going to cost me $900 cuz they were going to have to remove my whole dash. Come to find out the part only cost $15 and it takes less than 10 minutes to install, you can do it yourself. Chevy should be ashamed of itself for having a part that sucks, it's made out of plastic and it doesn't last more than four months. Chevy needs to step up and realize that this is a problem these mechanics are ripping people off for parts that only cost $15 and less than 10 minutes, but yet they will keep your car for two days and charge you $900 for something that's less than 10 minutes to fix. That is a joke. You guys are disgusting. Somebody needs to do something and make this part better than just a little plastic piece and that lasts more than just 4 months. I can't believe Chevy doesn't see that there's a problem with this. You are ripping people off. It's bad enough the cars are expensive to keep the maintenance and everything else up on it. Then we have these parts that are plastic and fall apart every few months. Really. Make a cars that really last, not ripping people off.

- Jamie B., Costa Mesa, CA, US

problem #8

Jun 012017

Impala LTZ V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

So, there I sat in the rubble of my possessions, almost everything I owned was either burned up or was significantly smoke-damaged. This house of mine had grown on me apparently, so much so I felt the loss of my 'home' when it burned up. I had been spoiling myself, driving my elderly mother's pretty nice 2010 Impala for almost a year at that point. That Impala was a total loss, having been parked in the garage near where the fire started. And I was thankful not to ever be forced to listen to the cacophony of clicking actuators ever again..

When the insurance adjuster gave me a rather significant check, it didn't take me long to buy a 2012 Chev Impala LTZ, same color and very very few differences from the 2010 Impala. For a few months, life was bearable because I had a nice ride with no dashboard symphonies, Then one day, click click click click 300 time. Then it stopped. This go-round the insurance man saw to it I had a few dollars on hand, so this time around I hired a mechanic to replace the two faulty actuators. That was a rare but nice feeling-- to promptly take car of an issue without regard to how pricey it actually was. But underneath the minor euphoria, my true self was really pissed off. Two Impalas? Same problem? Why hasn't this been recalled? Why hasn't Chevrolet redesigned the problem?

The mechanic told me the problem is the actuator has a plastic gear that inter meshes with a metal gear during normal operation; however, in short order the strength of metal over plastic becomes evident when the plastic actuator gear gets worn down. That plastic gear is unable to stop itself in a desired position because the gear is now so worn it doesn't 'catch'. Click. Click. Click. So, I paid over three hundred for peace and quiet this time. That was 14 months ago. Two days ago, I turned the temperature of the heater up, and changed it to blow on defrost. Click. Click. Click.

I am thinking this is crazy. Chevrolet doesn't care? I have only really spent maybe 20 minutes online and in that brief period, It is evident there are many many many other people having this repeated problem. Plus, I really don't think this problem's fix should be bankrolled by me. Is there a class action lawsuit anywhere? How does one apply pressure on GM to recall cars and fix them?

- Arthur K., Fort Smith, US

problem #7

Sep 122016

Impala LS V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150,000 miles

For the past 2 years I have replaced all actuators. It seems that as the years pass the problem is more frequent I purchased this vehicle used and under no warranty and still is paying for this vehicle. I love my Impala but hate the fact that I have to replace the actuators up to 3 times per year. This is very annoying and getting very expensive. I just wish that Chevy would do something about it.

- Fermin A., Modesto, US

problem #6

Aug 072018

Impala LT 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 95,000 miles

The noise is very irritating. I was told by dealer it would cost over 600 dollars and it is a ongoing problem. This car is only 6 years old and very well taken care of. Why are these parts falling apart so easily? You should have a recall on this. You have a recall on a key hole being to big but not on something that can cause bigger problems. GM I thought you were better than this.

- Terrie J., La Vergne, TN, US

problem #5

Apr 062013

Impala LX 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,500 miles

I went back to the dealership were they told me I was hearing things. Brought the car back a week later. The service manager opened my car door and the knocking noise was going off without the key or the engine on. I told him what the problem was and he told me that it would cost $600 dollars. I told him to stick the car up his ass.

I went in and talked to the dealership manager which called the service manager and told him the car was under warranty and to fix the problem. He told the manager that he didn't know what side the noise was on. I told him it was the drivers side and to replace that side. A year later the same sound happened again. I took the car to a different dealer and told them I already had the heater/air control replaced once. He told me until they hear the noise they can not fix it unless I pay for it. The car was still under warranty. He told me the part was not under the warranty and to come back when it doesn't turn off. Unbelievable. They don't care at all.

I moved from California to Nevada and I took it to the dealer there. He told me it would cost $800 to replace the control. I feel like I should get into a new car and rip the control out and put it in myself. I bought a Chevy because I already had 3 lemons from Ford. Well all I have to say is buy foreign cars. At less they have a 10 year warranty and will fix there problems. Recall this part. You know its been bad for a long time. Stop ripping off the customers.

- Cherie M., GARDNERVILLE, NV, US

problem #4

Aug 282017

Impala LT V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 100,000 miles

My engine went out at 90K miles. The car was still under warranty. After I had that fixed, the starter went out. They wanted approximately $800 to replace the starter. After I had that fixed, the knocking started. It is very annoying. I took it to the dealership and they wanted $500+ to replace the actuator. Well, the dashboard light came on concerning my brake service light, traction service & the ABS light. Well I have reached my limit. My nephew's car is experiencing the same thing. He lives in another state. Why are they not doing a recall on this irritating knocking noise. Now my niece has the same car but a different year. She r is experiencing the same knocking noise with her car. Please inform me if there has been a recall on the actuator that has malfunctioned out of control.

- Cynthia J., Fort Worth, US

problem #3

Feb 152017

Impala LT 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

This is the second actuator that has failed on this vehicle. My service rep at dealer says it is just annoying but will not create any damage. First was covered under warranty, this one will cost approx $220! I am told by my rep that this car has 4 of these and they most likely will all fail! This part makes it no use every time I open door on car and it has gotten to the point it just goes off by itself. This is total BS! GM should fix this problem, as much as the cars cost we should not be replacing cheap plastic parts every 20-30,000 miles.

- Walter M., Surprise, US

problem #2

Oct 042015

Impala LTZ 3.6L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 47,000 miles

On this day of October 7, 2015 my Chevy Impala LTZ started with a loud ticking noise under the dash around the glove box with the use of A/C or heat and switching A/C settings in the car when driving. As I do with all things that puzzle me I googled this symptom and found many people having the same complaint with the temperature actuator and DOOR BLEND ACTUATOR FAILING.

Complaints are from 2006 to current Impala models saying GM or Chevrolet dealers make their customer pay for the repair ranging from $300.00 to $500.00 depending on how many actuators fail. Some customers have repaired this problem more than once and and the dealerships want to charge them over and over even after saying this problem is a common issue. If this happens from 2006 - current year models, don't you think there a problem in defective parts....... I guess GM doesn't think so. So lets keep using the same crap year after year.

- Namit C., Lafayette, LA, US

problem #1

Sep 072014

Impala LS 3.2L

  • Manual transmission
  • 62,457 miles

Over 5 people have had the same complaint but Chevy hasn't said a word.

- Rosetta G., Fort Worth, TX, US