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Chevrolet · NHTSA safety record

2018 Chevrolet Impala

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

Owners have filed 59 safety complaints about the 2018 Chevrolet Impala with the US government. Of those, 6 describe a crash, 2 people were injured and no death is recorded. One recall campaign is open against it, covering the hydraulic brakes.

The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 11 complaints, 19% of the total. The typical failure was reported at 40,400 miles, the median across the 31 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files · Covers November 2017 to June 2026 · How this is counted

What is on file

59 complaints on file

59

Complaints

6

Describe a crash

0

Mention fire

2

People injured

0

Deaths

A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.

A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free. Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a model year.

Which system owners named

Complaints naming each system
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16 · 27%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11 · 19%
POWER TRAIN 11 · 19%
ENGINE 7 · 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 · 12%
STEERING 7 · 12%
AIR BAGS 6 · 10%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 4 · 7%
SEATS 3 · 5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 2 · 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 2 · 3%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 2 · 3%
0 8 15

Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it. One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 59.

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 12.

16 12 8 4
17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure happened. The range runs from 2017 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program

NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2018 Chevrolet IMPALA, and it is a separate question from what owners report going wrong later.

Test 4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover 12.1%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard

A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.

Recall campaigns

1 on file

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

18V576000 · August 30, 2018

The defect
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
The risk
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.

General Motors LLC · up to 210,628 vehicles across all model years covered

In owners’ own words

Quoted from the complaint file

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

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed · 2,000 miles

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A DEER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT BODY SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,000.

NHTSA complaint 11123238. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

1 injured · crash · towed · 47,439 miles

OCTOBER 10TH, I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE I WAS LITERALLY AN ENTIRE CAR LENGTH BACK DRIVING WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT 50-55 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP ON THE FREEWAY. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES BUT MY CAR SLID STRAIGHT INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. IT FELT AS IF MY BRAKES WERE NOT STOPPING MY CAR. I NOTICED THIS HAPPENING BEFORE ON A MAIN STREET AND I WAS TRAVELLING AT 45 MPH BUT I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF IT AT THE TIME.

NHTSA complaint 11268273. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES

crash · towed · 53,000 miles

I WAS DRIVING AND LADY CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT RAIL ROAD TRACK AND I COULDN'T STOP I RAN INTO THE BACK OF HER

NHTSA complaint 11235345. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

crash · towed · 122,690 miles

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while reversing slowly, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed and continued rolling backwards. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to depress the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The contact stopped and shifted to drive(D), and with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle started to roll forward. The contact was not able to stop the vehicle. The contact steered the vehicle to the right to avoid crashing into the building. The contact stated that the vehicle jumped a curb and crashed into a signpost, preventing the vehicle from driving into the restaurant. The contact stated

NHTSA complaint 11678344, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
The transmission failed, shifting is no longer smooth. It hesitates and shakes the entire car, and the car slows down to almost a crawl uphill. I understand this is an issue with Chevrolet Impalas. So now I have an $8200 bill for a problem I was never told about, and that GM knew that it existed. So, yes, the issue has been identified, reproduced and confirmed by the dealer. The warning light came on when the issue happened, so it was already too late. The issue began with just over 65,000 miles. So I have a 2018 Impala in almost perfect condition in need of an $8200 before taxes, transmission replacement. I would like some help from the NHTSA, like requiring GM to pay for the repairs.

NHTSA complaint 11746623, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:EVAPORATIVE EMISSIONS:CANISTER

60,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while the A/C was activated during the summer of 2025, the A/C failed to function as intended. The contact stated that hot air was blowing through the vents. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with an EVAP leak. The leak was found on a corner near the evaporative canister. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where the EVAP leak was confirmed. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The vehicle was taken to a specialty shop for the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered to pay a

NHTSA complaint 11727989, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
I was driving and parked the car at the store. After checking out I went to the car got ready to leave and started backing out and the car would not turn to the left at all. I took it to the shop and was told they do not see anything wrong with my car but a steering message is coming up.

NHTSA complaint 11716610. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS
Passenger side front seat. When occupied, airbag sensor located inside the seat is malfunctioning. My husbands safety is at risk when he's in the car. He tries moving the seat up, back, etc. Sometimes works and the airbag sensor works. We are fearing that if there were any accident or need, that his life would be in danger if the airbag didn't deploy. This shouldn't be at the consumers expense as this is a safety issue. This has been ongoing for over 6 months.

NHTSA complaint 11687573. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

116,000 miles

The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that recently, the driver’s side air bag deployed while the vehicle was parked and unattended overnight. Prior to the failure, the air bag warning light had illuminated while driving. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

NHTSA complaint 11679042. 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 —
2017 116 0 —
2016 111 0 —
2015 300 3 —
2014 636 12 —
2013 272 1 —
2012 258 3 —
2011 505 2 —
2010 441 4 —

Other 2018 Chevrolet models

Malibu 698 Silverado 1500 520 Traverse 461 Equinox 408 Volt 225 Colorado 183 Cruze 109 Tahoe 104

Complaints on file, same model year.

Every Chevrolet on this site — 304 vehicles.

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. How many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.

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