2009 Chevrolet Impala: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 1365 complaints
1365
Total Complaints
80,000mi
Median Mileage
AIR BAGS
Top Issue
89
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

49,000 25th Percentile
80,000 Median Mileage
110,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

AIR BAGS
228
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
215
ENGINE
179
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
123
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
108
POWER TRAIN
65
STEERING
55
TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM
46
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
44
SERVICE BRAKES
39

Severity Assessment

89
Crashes
15
Fires
83
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"GM'S USE OF REVERSE LIGHTS AS "PERIMETER LIGHTING" IS EXTREMELY POORLY THOUGHT OUT. REVERSE LIGHTS INDICATE THAT A VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE MOTION. THEY SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. USING THEM AS PERIMETER LIGHTING IS EXTREMELY CONFUSING TO OTHER MOTORISTS. PICTURE THIS. A VEHICLE PUL..."
"WE PURCHASED A 2009 CHEVY IMPALA IN APRIL . MY WIFE HAS A TAIL BONE MEDICAL ISSUE THAT NECESSITATES THAT SHE SIT ON A SPECIAL PILLOW WHILE RIDING IN A VEHICLE. THE SEAT DISPLACES HER WEIGHT EVENLY ACROSS THE SEAT. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR ON THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT DOESN'T RECOGNI..."
"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AT LEAST THREE TIMES, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HE OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND FLAMES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. ..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28