Chevrolet Impala Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Chevrolet Impala options? We analyzed 10 model years (2011–2020) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Chevrolet Impala has 2,297 owner complaints and 23 safety recalls across model years 2011–2020. The most reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 2017 drew the most complaints; 2020 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Chevrolet
- Model
- Impala
- Model years analyzed
- 2011–2020 (10 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 2,297
- Safety recall campaigns
- 23
- Crash-related complaints
- 112
- Fire-related complaints
- 34
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2017 (116 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2020 (15 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Reliability signal
- Poor
By model year
Chevrolet Impala: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
PoorThe CHEVROLET IMPALA has 2,297 NHTSA complaints and 23 recalls on record. 112 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 2,297 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 23 federal recall campaigns
- 112 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Sep 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
23 recalls foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE
STRUCTURE
STRUCTURE
STEERING
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
AIR BAGS
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE-INACTIVE
AIR BAGS
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2011–2020. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 2,297 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
2,297 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
No one sits in the passenger seat 99% of the time. The passenger airbag warning light is illuminated, and I am uncertain about its proper deployment in a critical situation. The issue remains unverified by a dealership or any other individual. The component has not been subject to any inspection. I do not recall the specific warning message displayed on the dashboard.
2 of 3 Chevy Impala ac compressor has gone out. Auto part supplier confirmed I need the Design 2 compressor connector tab on the right. So far no supplier has it available. Compressor needs to be recalled
Airbags turn off when passenger is seated due to an issue with the sensor in the seat that rubs against the seat frame.
Transmission torque converter shuddered and did not stop after service. Had to replace entire transmission for $5870.68 repair bill.
Jerking while picking up speed, key fob keep saying not detected, Radio feature work but stuck to basic screen I guess electrical problem Brakes is very rough not sure
Blind spot detector is causing the driver interface to display false alarms
Read 14 more owner reports
Last summer I was experiencing intermittent issues where the vehicle seemed to have a mind of its own while I was cruising. The steering wheel would randomly lock up as if it was forcing me to go straight on a curved road for example. It would happen a couple of more times until one day I was trying to go home from work and I saw a message indicating something along the lines of “Service: Power steering” followed by the same symptoms. I was able to temporarily remedy this by power cycling the vehicle for a couple of days until it went out completely, uttering me unable to effectively control the steering. I brought it to 2 difference dealerships and they charged me several diagnostic fees to assess that I needed a replacement power steering rack as the one in my vehicle had inexplicably short circuited. 5000 dollars later I managed to get it replaced but I notice similar issues for other vehicles by the same manufacturer within a similar span of model years being recognized in a recall for the exact same issues I was experiencing. Ive already attempted to reach out to General Motors and was given no suitable response to my claims.
My car does not alert me of no or low coolant. Nor does the symbol comes on, on the dash.
While driving, the back of the car near the tire makes a clinking noise.
Several different instances I've had my parking brake release as soon as I go to move after being parked for a long period of time. (I never set my parking brake to begin with so I don't understand why it keeps telling me it's released) Once it tells me it's been released, it's followed by a rough jersey of the car and then I'm able to move. Ever since I bought the car, there was a small shake. The dealer had to cover the front strut assemblies that were going out at the time of purchase; but since then the shake is unbelievable. I've put tires on, checked all parts of the chassis, and don't see any visible defects that would cause the shake. They have no answers or ideas of how to fix it for me. The faux metal ring around the cupholders on the center console has been cracking since the date of purchase and it finally caught on a cup and broke and has cut myself and my child several times. I had to end up ripping the trim off just to be able to use the cupholders. Lastly, the car seems like it's not gaining enough power sometimes. I keep up on services and general maintenance, and nothing seems to help. It sounds like the exhaust is leaking, and again, there are no visible defects when looking under the car.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle, the message “Shift to Park” was displayed; however, the transmission was already shifted to park(P). The vehicle was unable to turn off. The contact disconnected the battery to turn off the vehicle and reconnected the battery to restart the vehicle. The failure occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was referred to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 104,170.
The compressor is not on the recall list but for a 2019 to have it failed requiring a new one not even close to the expected 10-12 year mark. This car part can lead to other safety concerns so I believe needs review for a potential recall.
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while turning left, the vehicle skidded before completing the turn. The contact also stated that there was a hole in the muffler. Additionally, the sway bar was fractured on the driver’s side. The bushing, actuator brake, and rotors were inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000. The VIN was not available.
Passenger side Blind Spot monitoring light consistently stays on even when no cars are next to me. Dangerous specially on the freeway. Took it to dealership said it wasnt covered. Notice the samething happening to alot of the Impala online. Please help.
It started raining and then I received a check engine light and reduced engine power light. I was unable to accelerate over 35 mph.
I WAS ON GARDEN STATE PARKWAY AND HIT A DEER , ALL THE SMOKE CAME OUT BUT MY AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND MY CAR WAS TOTALLED. I'M GETTING NO RESPONSE FROM DEALER OR ANYBODY.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RECENTLY CAME ON, CAR COMPLETELY LOST POWER AND TURNED OFF DURING AS I TURNED RIGHT AT A LIGHT, HAD ONSTAR RUN DIAGNOSTICS, CODE INVOLVED THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM, WAS ADVISED TO FILL UP WITH HIGH QUALITY FUEL, AND DRIVE WITH THE GAS CAP OFF TO CORRECT IT. I WAS TRAVELING ON A FAMILIAR HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH, FURTHER DOWN THE HIGHWAY I SEE DEER RUNNING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, THEY ARE COMMON IN THIS AREA, I TAPPED MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN FOR THEM TO CROSS AND IMMEDIATELY THE CHECK ENGINE, ANTILOCK BRAKES, POWER STEERING, STABILITY TRACK AND BATTERY SAVER INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE CAR WOULDN'T BRAKE AS IT SHOULD RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT THAT I HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME TO PREVENT AND COULD HAVE EASILY AVOIDED IF THE BRAKES WOULD HAVE PERFORMED NORMALLY. MAINTAINING MY VEHICLE AND KEEPING UP WITH ITS MAINTENANCE IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE BECAUSE NOT DOING SO CAN RESULT IN SAFETY ISSUES,I TRAVEL A LOT AND IF I HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE BRAKE RECALL OR NOTIFIED OF POSSIBLE OTHER RECALLS I WOULD HAVE FOLLOWED UP AND ALLOWED GM TO FIX IT!
MY 2019 IMPALA IS EQUIPPED WITH HEATED STEERING WHEEL, IN THE PAST WEEK IT STOPPED WORKING, ONLY TO DISCOVER IT HAD A BLOWN FUSE. I CHANGED THE FUSE ONLY TO HAVE IT BLOWN A SECOND TIME. AT THIS POINT I REALIZED SOMETHING MORE INVOLVED WAS WRONG, TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO HAVE CHECKED & REPAIRED. THEY REPAIRED/ REPLACED STEERING WHEEL HEATER MODULE & FUSE. WAS WORKING DAY I PICKED UP, THE FOLLOWING DAY WAS GOING OUT AN PROCEEDED TO GET COMFORTABLE IN CAR AN TO MY DISAPPOINTMENT HEATED WHEEL AGAIN WAS NOT WORKING , CHECKED AN FOUND FUSE WAS BLOWN YET AGAIN . WILL AGAIN CHECK WITH ADVISOR AN SCHEDULE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT ASAP TO HAVE PROBLEM LOOKED INTO FURTHER & CORRECTED. AS OF NOW THERE ARE NO OTHER ISSUES & CAR IS DRIVABLE.
MY CAR IS EQUIPPED W/A HEATED STEERING WHEEL. ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON ONE COLD MORNING ONLY TO DISCOVER IT WAS NOT WORKING. CHECKED THE MANUAL TO LOCATE FUSE BOX FOUND FUSE WAS BLOWN, REPLACED FUSE STARTED CAR UP TO CHECK HEATED STEERING WHEEL & NOTHING. AGAIN CHECKED FUSE...BLOWN AGAIN. NOW CONCERNED OF A POSSIBLE ELECTORAL PROBLEM. CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER AN SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE CHECKED OUT FURTHERED. NO OTHER ISSUES AT THIS TIME.
2019 IMPALA PREMIER AND THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT IS FULL OF CONDENSATION. ITS HAS NOT DRIED IN THE SUN OR DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON. IM TOLD THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT HOUSING WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $800. ITS CAUSING THAT LIGHT NOT TO ILLUMINATE AS BRIGHT AS THE DRIVER SIDE.
Showing 20 of 2,297 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Chevrolet Impala
These pages show model-year patterns across 10 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Chevrolet Impala, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Chevrolet Impala has 2,297 complaints on record across 10 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Chevrolet Impala has 23 recall campaigns in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 112 of the Chevrolet Impala's 2,297 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Poor) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Chevrolet Impala vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Chevrolet Impala vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Chevrolet Impala has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Chevrolet Impala by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Chevrolet Impala.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
Compare brands and categories, then check the exact car's history by VIN.
Chevrolet Impala reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Chevrolet Impala reliable?
Poor. The Chevrolet Impala has 2,297 NHTSA owner complaints and 23 recall campaigns across model years. A commonly reported issue area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Chevrolet Impala years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2017 (116 complaints), 2018 (59 complaints), 2019 (28 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Chevrolet Impala problems?
Top reported issues: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (589 complaints); ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) (430 complaints); STEERING (341 complaints).
Does the Chevrolet Impala have recalls?
Yes — 23 NHTSA recall campaigns have been issued for the Chevrolet Impala. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.