CSR

Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2012 Chevrolet Impala

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

258

Complaints

20

Crashes

5

Fires

16

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Chevrolet Impala have filed 258 safety complaints with NHTSA between December 2011 and March 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 58 of them (22%). The typical failure was reported at 48,500 miles, the median across the 204 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

14V355000 · June 23, 2014

The defect
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse, 2006-2011 Buick Lucerne, 2000-2005 Cadillac DeVille, 2006-2011 Cadillac DTS, 2006-2014 Chevrolet Impala, and 2006-2007 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the weight on the key ring and road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
The risk
If the key is not in the run position, the air bags may not deploy if the vehicle is involved in a crash, increasing the risk of injury. Additionally, a key knocked out of the run position will cause loss of engine power, power steering, and power braking, increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on September 23, 2014. Owners may contact General Motors customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), and 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14299.

General Motors LLC · up to 3,141,731 vehicles across all model years covered

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

12V377000 · August 3, 2012

The defect
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does not include non-police Chevrolet Impala vehicles.
The risk
A broken control arm can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace both front lower control arms, free of charge. The safety recall began on August 21, 2012. Owners may contact the Chevrolet owner center at 1-866-694-6546.

GENERAL MOTORS LLC · up to 36,413 vehicles across all model years covered

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

11V398000 · August 5, 2011

The defect
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2011, THROUGH JULY 29, 2011. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MISROUTED SO THAT IT CAN COME IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO AND/OR CONTACT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WITH THE ENGINE ON, HEAT FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER MAY MELT THE POWER STEERING HOSE.
The risk
POWER STEERING FLUID COULD FLOW ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, AND AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE COULD OCCUR.
The remedy
GM DEALERS WILL INSPECT TO ENSURE THAT THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE IS ROUTED CORRECTLY AND MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438.

GENERAL MOTORS LLC · up to 10,344 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 258.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 58 22%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 54 21%
STEERING 49 19%
ENGINE 40 16%
SERVICE BRAKES 32 12%
POWER TRAIN 27 10%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 23 9%
SUSPENSION 22 9%
AIR BAGS 20 8%
WHEELS 19 7%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 17 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 15 6%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2014 at 51.

2011 2014 2026
2011 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

STEERING

2 injured · crash · 33,500 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH. THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED A BROKEN THUMB AND A HEAD CONCUSSION. THE POLICE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED A TOW YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE WAS 33,500.

NHTSA complaint 10484464. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 22,000 miles

TRACTOR TRAILER HIT A 1/2 SCHOOL BUS WHICH HIT US ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, NO AIR BAGS WENT OFF. PASSENGERS HAD SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING NECK, ARMS, NERVE, HANDS, SHOULDER DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10586271. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE WAITING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint 10630600. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 50,000 miles

I WAS HIT BY ANOTHER CAR AT INTERSECTION NEAR REAR DOOR. MY CAR WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL (NOT WORTH FIXING), AND I WAS TAKEN TO ER HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE DUE TO SEVER NECK AND SHOULDER INJURIES. RELEASED WITH FRACTURE OF NECK AND FRACTURED RIGHT RIBS. NOT ONE AIR BAG IN FRONT OR BACK RELEASED IN COLLISION. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG!

NHTSA complaint 10864986. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
To be able to afford repairs and return it to release date price close to around 27,000 to 28,000 tire got needed air awhile and radiator and the reservoir or holder got replaced still not knowing how to repair the rest with getting the money to for safety standards or requirements wondering if program help getting it repaired and or a new vehicle same company or model not trying to have it be

NHTSA complaint 11722869. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING

201,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that the steering wheel seized and became difficult to turn. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 201,000.

NHTSA complaint 11717100. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I have about 08/1825 had the throttle body replaced on my vehicle which assisted with the problem temporarily. Then the problem started again 09/20/25 the car act like it’s stalling while driving and can’t see what hear the vehicle is in. The car is not getting any signal to the engine as I have been advised the TCM is faulty. There was a code of U0101.

NHTSA complaint 11689100. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Stability traction control I have had to fix it 3 times once was ball bearing and the other was a wire harness and it has to go in shop again for stability traction issues again also the door blending parts keep failing in my car I have had 3 replaced

NHTSA complaint 11628167. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
I have trouble codes that occasionally come up even after vehicle has been serviced. The vehicle used to drive fine. Now it started miss firing. I was told the problem was coming from the engine compartment/sensors. An OBDII diagnosis detects a problem with B Camshaft Position Timing Over Advanced or System Performance Bank 2 (p0024). I fear that without the fix, the miss firing can cause an accident. The engine light is illuminated when this happens.

NHTSA complaint 11588160. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STRUCTURE:BODY
The actuators in the air vents are faulty and I've had to have them repla ed multiple times now. They still continue to make clicking noise sounds and blow cold air in winter/hot air in summer. The trunk deck lid paint is bad. The clear coat has been coming off. Paint all over the car's clear coat has been coming off. There is also some spots where it's down to the metal showing rust/corrosion. Finally, and most seriously, is the car's Traction Control System. It goes off constantly and without warning! It's been doing this randomly, in all types of weather conditions, for some time now. It goes off under normal driving conditions. I barely pull out of a parking space, or make a slow turn,

NHTSA complaint 11568249, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Chevrolet Impala

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2019 28 1
2018 59 1
2017 116 0
2016 111 0
2015 300 3
2014 632 12
2013 270 1
2011 505 2
2010 441 4

Other 2012 Chevrolet models

Every Chevrolet on this site — 298 vehicles, 747 recall campaigns and 5 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst