FaultScore

2005 Chevrolet Impala stability control problems

13 of the 811 complaints about the 2005 Chevrolet Impala are about the stability control — 2% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 123,000 miles.

A

13

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 9 69.2%
Traction Control System 4 30.8%

Stability & Traction Control across every Chevrolet Impala year

2001 23 2.4%
2002 31 3.2%
2003 28 2.9%
2004 25 2.6%
2005 13 1.3%
2006 19 2.0%
2007 28 2.9%
2008 78 8.1%
2009 154 16.0%
2010 95 9.9%
2011 150 15.6%
2012 58 6.0%
2013 125 13.0%
2014 107 11.1%
2015 20 2.1%
2016 10 1.0%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Washington, DC

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE INDICATORS IN THE FRONT PANEL NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL WORK INCONSISTENTLY. THE SPEEDOMETER, THE ODOMETER, GAS GAUGE, TURN SIGNALS,AND EMERGENCY BLINKER SIGNAL WORK SPORADICALLY. THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. SO IT IS DANGEROUS TO TRY TO TURN LEFT WHEN CARS ARE ADVANCING TOWARDS ME OR TO TURN RIGHT WHEN CARS ARE DRIVING BEHIND ME. THE YELLOW WARNING LIGHT FOR LOW GAS IS THE ONLY CONSISTENT WORKING SIGNAL. THIS CONDITION HAS EXISTED FOR TWO YEARS.

NHTSA complaint #10893598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 126,000 miles Phoenix, AZ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ALL GAUGES ON THE CAR STOPPED WORKING 4 YEARS AGO AROUND THE TIME THE PASS LOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN LOCKED OUT OF MY CAR MANY TIMES. THE VALVE COVER LEAKS OIL WHICH MIGHT RESULT IN A FIRE. DRIVING IT RESULTS IN THICK BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE VALVE COVER LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #10809909 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 150,000 miles Byron, GA

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

SECURITY LIGHT ON, WILL NOT START. WHILE DRIVING SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE TIME. IF IT STARTS FLASHING WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL NOT START WHEN CYCLED AGAIN. YOU HAVE TO WAIT ALMOST 3HRS BEFORE IT WILL START AGAIN. WE ARE REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH TO SEE IF THAT HELPS.

NHTSA complaint #10788194 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 149,000 miles Oxford, ME

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS TRACTION WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS INDICATOR NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE REPAIR WAS MADE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000. UPDATED 10/23/14*CN UPDATED 04/13/2015

NHTSA complaint #10632712 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 128,000 miles Washington, DC

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGES EVEN ON DRIVE EVEN SURFACES. ABS ALSO ENGAGE ON SMOOTH, EVEN AND DRY SURFACES.

NHTSA complaint #10609998 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 145,000 miles Lansing, MI

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

ESC AND ABS TURN ON AT LOW SPEED USUALLY COMING OUT OF STOPPING POSITION, OR DURING BRAKING. HAVE HAD FRONT WHEELBEARINGS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES TO NO EFFECT. WIRING CHECKS OUT. NO CODES THAT THE MECHANIC CAN DETERMINE WOULD BE CAUSING THIS ISSUE. EVENTUALLY TRACTION AND ABS TURN OFF AND SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHTS COME ON. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR WINTER DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #10608456 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Kendall PK., NJ

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY 2005 CHEVY IMPALA INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO START. IT WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING ABOUT 15-20 MINUTES. THIS IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM (POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE) I HAD WITH A PREVIOUSLY OWNED 2000 IMPALA, AND OTHER FRUSTRATED IMPALA OWNERS EXPRESS ONLINE. CERTIFIED TECHNICIANS ARE UNABLE TO PIN POINT THE CAUSE AND GM CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS NOT HELPFUL WHEN CONTACTED ON THE MATTER.

NHTSA complaint #10608245 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Oklahoma City, OK

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

MY IMPALA IS HAVING TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS ISSUES MAKING IT HARDER TO FEEL SAFE ON THE ROAD. ABS STARTS WORKING FOR NO REASON WHEN STOPPING LIGHTLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL ALSO STARTS WORKING WHEN TAKING OFF IN NORMAL CONDITIONS MAKING THE CAR HESITANT.

NHTSA complaint #10524272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 120,000 miles Oklahoma City, OK

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

MY IMPALA IS HAVING TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS ISSUES MAKING IT HARDER TO FEEL SAFE ON THE ROAD. ABS STARTS WORKING FOR NO REASON WHEN STOPPING LIGHTLY AND THE TRACTION CONTROL ALSO STARTS WORKING WHEN TAKING OFF IN NORMAL CONDITIONS MAKING THE CAR HESITANT.

NHTSA complaint #10524272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 130,000 miles Salem, OR

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

I PURCHASED VEHICLE OCT 2011,TRANSMISSION WENT BAD,STARTED STEERING HARD, HAD IT CHECKED BY DEALER (CHEV) PLACE. GAVE ME ESTIMATE OF $3000. TO REPLACE STEERING. I TALKED WITH RECALL PEOPLE THEY FINALLY LOWERED IT TO ME PAYING $700.. SAID THE VIN # DOES NOT MATCH THE RECALLS IMPALAS. THERE IS LARGE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MAKES CAR SHUT DOWN GOING DOWN ROAD. ALL OF THIS BEGIN 2 WEEKS AFTER MY PURCHASE. IM A SENIOR LIVING OFF SOCIAL SECURITY, CANNOT AFFORD EVEN THE SMALL AMOUNT OF FIXING THIS CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH IMPALA OWNERS, THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. IM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS PIECE OF JUNK. OWE $5000. BAD DECISION. DO HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME. THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10491682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,000 miles Scranton, PA

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

NO EVENTS APPEAR TO LEAD UP TO THE PROBLEM. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY WITHOUT WARNING, ESPECIALLY DURING BACKUP OPERATIONS. THE ABS SEEMS TO COME ON WHENEVER IT LIKES DURING BRAKING, CAUSING HEAVY LOSS IN STOPPING POWER. THIS CAN OCCUR REGARDLESS OF ROAD CONDITIONS OR SPEED. SIMILAR TO THIS, THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM APPEARS TO COME ON DURING ACCELERATION AT RANDOM TIMES, ESPECIALLY AT LOW SPEEDS OR IN REVERSE. THIS OCCURS ON DRY ROADS FREQUENTLY AND OCCASIONALLY CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO PULL HEAVILY TO ONE SIDE AS NEITHER SIDE IS ACTUALLY SLIPPING. AN ACCIDENT HAS NOT YET OCCURRED BUT CERTAINLY CAN GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE FAILURES. A TSB IS AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE ABS. THIS VEHICLE HAS A WHOPPING 75 TSBS! SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER : 4615 NHTSA ITEM NUMBER : 10023171

NHTSA complaint #10414642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 101,434 miles Tuttle, OK

TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM

"SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL" WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY DURING OPERATION OF VEHICLE EVEN IN PERFECT DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN THIS WARNING LIGHT APPEARS, THE BRAKES RESPOND BY BECOMING "SPONGY" OR "LESS REACTIVE" LIMITING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO BRAKE SAFELY. CAR WAS INSPECTED BY TWO DIFFERENT AUTO REPAIR TECHNICIANS AND THEY WERE ABLE TO RULE OUT TIRE/HUB/BRAKE ISSUES BUT WERE UNABLE TO PINPOINT A CAUSE FOR THE WARNING LIGHT TO APPEAR AND CAUSE THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED ABOVE. THEY SAID THEY RESET THE CAR'S COMPUTER AND THIS RESOLVED THE ISSUE FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS, THEN THE ISSUE RECURRED.

NHTSA complaint #10381686 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 97,000 miles Dunkerton, IA

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM HAS QUIT WORKING FOR THE 3RD TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR WINTER DRIVING. 1ST TWO OCCURENCES HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, 70,000 MILES LATER IT HAS HAPPEND AGAIN. IN ALL 3 OCCURENCES IT HAS HAPPENED IN BAD WEATHER: RAINY FOR THE 1ST TWO AND SNOW FOR THE THIRD.

NHTSA complaint #10376903 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2005 Chevrolet Impala problems

← Full 2005 Chevrolet Impala report