RoadVitals

2003 Chevrolet Impala Powertrain (other) Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Powertrain (other) reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Mar 4, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
2%
of 694 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Chevrolet Impala submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming powertrain

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EnginePowertrain (other)Steering
Filed Mar 4, 2020

THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE RUBS AGAINST SOME PART OF THE MOTOR AND RUB A HOLE IN POWER STEERING RETURN HOUSE

NHTSA ID
11316116
Incident
Jan 25, 2020
Mileage
196,897 mi
AirbagsPowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 7, 2019

ABS/TRACTION CONTROL.WHEN ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON MAKES GRINDING NOISE /BRAKES GRAB HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO HAVE ON THE ROAD. ONLY HAVE 125,950 MILES HAS BEEN CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR LAST 5,000 MILES. TOOK TO SHOP MECHANIC.COULD NOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. CAN NOT TURN TRACTION CONTROL OFF/ ON MANUALLY DOES IT ON ITS OWN. .HAS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. AS MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM THERE SHOULD BE A FACTORY RECALL BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE.THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS WHEN IN MOTION TURNING AND WHILE APPLYING BRAKE. CITY STREET AND HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ID
11287638
Incident
May 1, 2019
Mileage
120,000 mi
Body & structureDriver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Oct 25, 2019

TURN SIGNALS WORK INTERMITTENTLY FOR 6 YEARS. TRANSMISSION MAKES SQUEAK UPON STARTING FROM DEAD STOP AFTER CHANGING FLUID AND FILTER FOR 2ND TIME. ABS WENT OUT 6 YEARS AGO.

NHTSA ID
11270932
Incident
Oct 22, 2019
Mileage
195,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Apr 30, 2018

WHEN STEPPING ON GAS CAR HESITATES BEFORE ENGAGING INTO GEAR. IT IS INTERMITTENT AND SEEMS TO HAPPEN PERIODICALLY ESPECIALLY AFTER CAR WARMS UP. IT JERKS INTO GEAR FROM A DEAD STOP. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID SWITCH BUT WAS NOT COVERED. IT WOULD COST OVER $1000 TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR AND A HALF.

NHTSA ID
11091107
Incident
Jul 10, 2016
Mileage
98,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 18, 2016

APPROXIMATELY 75,0000 MILES, ABS AND THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM LIGHT KEPT APPEARING. I HAVE HAD 3 REPAIRS AND NOTHING HAS CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM. AT 89,000MILES, THE LIGHTS APPEAR AND THE CAR MAKES A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I TAKE OFF OR TURN SHARPELY. THE WEATHER HAS NO AFFECT ON THIS, DRY OR WET. I PUSH THE TRACTION OFF BUTTON AND IT STOPS. THEN REAPPEARS. THE SOUND SCARES ME MAKING ME THINK THE CAR IS GOING TO STOP. HAPPENS WHEN I TURN OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY ONTO THE STREET, TAKING OFF AT A RED LIGHT. NO ONE IS ABLE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM WITH 2003 IMPALA, HUNDREDS INFACT. I HAVE SPEND OVER A $1,000. ON REPAIRS. HELP PLEASE, SOMETHING IS WRONG THAT CAN'T BE REPAIRED. HAPPENING OVER A YEAR, 2015 TO 2016.

NHTSA ID
10927015
Incident
Nov 18, 2016
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 28, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE WOULD START TO SHAKE WITH A KNOCKING NOISE THEN IT STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION LEAK FLUID AND FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.

NHTSA ID
10816597
Incident
Dec 10, 2013
Mileage
149,000 mi
Driver assistancePowertrain (other)
Filed Dec 3, 2015

I FIRST STARTED HAVING THIS PROBLEM IN OCTOBER 2015. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JULY 2015. I TRUSTED THIS COMPANY BECAUSE I SEEN THEY HAD GREAT REVIEWS. I ACTUALLY TRADER MY PREVIOUS CAR IN BECAUSE IT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING AND ALSO SHUTTING OFF WHILE DRIVING. NOW MY CURRENT CAR IS HAVING PROBELMS STARTING. I HAD MY BATTERY, ALTERNATOR & STARTER CHECKED, AND IT WAS GOOD. THE COMPANY I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM PROVIDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET SERVICED IN THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER FOR AN ENGINE MOUNT REPLACEMENT. THEY REPLACED MY ENGINE MOUNTS AND FUEL PUMP. 2 DAYS AFTER THAT SERVICE I STARTED HAVING ISSUES STARTING THE CAR. WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY IN YOU USUALLY HEAR BEEPING NOISE AND I DIDN'T. THAN MY BATTERY LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, TRAC OFF LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON AND IN THE MESSAGE CENTER TRACKING SYSTEM LIGHT CAME UP. THIS WAS VERY INCONVENIENT DUE TO THE WEATHER AND HAVING TO GET 2 TODDLERS READY FOR SCHOOL IN THE AM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND HE REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. I DIDN'T TAKE IT BACK TO THE SAME PLACE BECAUSE EVERYTIME YOU TAKE IT FOR SERVICE MY DEDUCTIBLE IS $100. AFTER 2 WEEKS AFTER REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH THE PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. SO I CALLED MY WARRANTY SERVICE CENTER THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK BUT IF IT NEEDS FIXING I HAVE TO PAY AGAIN. (ALSO I AM PAYING A CAR NOTE OF $115 A WEEK). I REFUSE TO KEEP PAYING MONEY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN SO MANY WAYS. IT'S VERY FUSTRATING BECAUSE I TRADER MY PREVIOUS CAR (2000 BUICK REGAL) IN FOR THE SAME REASON. I'M NOT SURE IF IT'S A WIRING ISSUE, SENSOR ISSUE OR MAYBE WHEN THEY CHANGED MY ENGINE MOUNTS OR FUEL PUMP SOMETHING GOT DISCONNECTED. THIS PROBLEM DIDN'T START UNTIL THEY DID SERVICE ON MY VEHICLE. PLEASE I NEED SOME HELP ON WHAT TO DO. LITTLE MINOR ISSUES I DON'T MIND KEEPING UP WITH BUT SOMETHING LIKE THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED!

NHTSA ID
10808281
Incident
Oct 13, 2015
Mileage
46,000 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 12, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ACCELERATOR VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID
10654602
Incident
Jul 12, 2010
Mileage
140,000 mi
BrakesOther / unspecifiedPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 9, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE TRACTION AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE JERKED DURING ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON A DAILY BASIS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HUB SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE DAYS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,300.

NHTSA ID
10631958
Incident
Aug 20, 2014
Mileage
80,300 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Jun 17, 2014

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED WHENEVEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID
10599017
Incident
Mar 14, 2014
Mileage
40,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Apr 13, 2014

CAR WILL NOT START, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT IS HOT INSIDE THE CAR. NO LIGHTS GO ON - NOTHING. HAVE REPLACED KEY, KEY CYLINDER (TWICE), AND IGNITION SWITCH. NEXT STEP IS TO REPLACE BCM, BUT NOT SURE IF THAT WILL SOLVE ISSUE. IN RESEARCHING SIMILAR ISSUES PEOPLE HAVE BYPASSED THE SECURITY SYSTEM TO THE BCM SO CAR WILL START. WE HAVE NOT DONE THIS BYPASS. *JS

NHTSA ID
10579467
Incident
May 24, 2012
Mileage
108,000 mi
EnginePowertrain (other)Suspension
Filed Mar 27, 2014

THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE AND THEN STALL OUT. THE MOTOR WOULD VIBRATE LIKE IT WAS JUMPING. HARD TO START DIE AFTER PUTTING INTO DRIVE. HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND CONVERTER IN 2011, SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. THE CAR HAS BLOWN SENSORS A MONTH AFTER GETTING IT OUT OF THE SHOP. HAVE SPENT OVER 6000 DOLLARS TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR RUNNING AND THE SAME THING KEEPS HAPPENING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10575067
Incident
Jun 11, 2009
Powertrain (other)
Filed Mar 3, 2012

I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PAGE LIKE THIS FOR A FEW YEARS NOW, I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW I GOT TO THIS ONE. THIS 2003 IMPALA STARTED ACTING LIKE THIS BEFORE THE MILES I PLACE DOWN, BECAUSE I BOUGHT THIS CAR USE AND MY WARRANTY END, I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING (THE DEALER STATED) WHEN I COME TO A STOP AND THEN START WELL TRY TO START THE CAR HESITATE AND THEN A HARD KICK/PUNCH AND IT WOULD DO THIS ONLY AT RED LIGHTS, STOP SIGNS, OR REVERSE. SO ON 05/12/2010 I BOUGHT THIS CAR TO A AUTO REPAIR SHOP THEY PERFORM A TEST AND IT CHECK OUT TWO OF THE SHIFT SOLENOIDS FOR THE TRANSMISSION WERE BAD SO THEY REPLACE BOTH SHIFT SOLENOIDS, SIDE COVER GASKET AND TRANSMISSION FILTER. COST ME $1,120.56 WITH IN A WEEK IT WAS STILL ACTING LIKE IT WAS NEVER WORK ON. I STARTED ASKING OTHER OWNERS ABOUT THERE IMPALA THEY ALL SAID IT DID THE SAME TO THEM. NOW HERE IT IS 2012 AND MY CAR STILL KICK HARD AND I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ARE NO RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. I AM A LITTLE SHOCK MY MOTHER USE TO WORK FOR GM - *TR

NHTSA ID
10450141
Incident
Oct 16, 2009
Mileage
99,999 mi
Powertrain (other)
Filed Dec 7, 2011

I PURCHASED MY 2003 CHEVY IMPALA IN 2009. CAR RAN PERFECT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. AFTER 6 MONTHS THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. THAT IS NOT THE MAJOR ISSUE. THE MAJOR ISSUE IS THAT THE CAR DOES NOT START ALL THE TIME. CHANGED BATTERY AND IT STILL DOES NOT RUN. IT WILL START BUT ONLY RUNS UNTIL YOU PUT IT IN GEAR. IT THEN STALLS OUT! THIS CAR HAS BEEN GREAT BUT IS NOT UNRELIABLE.. *TR

NHTSA ID
10438887
Incident
Mar 7, 2011
Mileage
116,000 mi
ElectricalPowertrain (other)
Filed May 12, 2011

SECURITY LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMING ON. VEHICLE WILL NOT START FOR 10 MINUTES AFTER INITIAL ATTEMPT TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION KICKS TERRIBLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. BRAKE LIGHT, BATTERY LIGHT, AND AIRBAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY FLASH WHEN BRAKING. ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY CHECK FINE AT SERVICE. ALL SIGNS POINT TO BCM AND GAUGE CLUSTER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10400605
Incident
Feb 7, 2010
Mileage
80,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .