2005 Chevrolet Impala Powertrain (other) Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. 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 200,000.

NHTSA ID

11633118

Incident

Dec 30, 2024

Mileage

200,000 mi

Transmission shifts hard after engine warms up.

NHTSA ID

11592236

Incident

Jun 3, 2024

I WAS ON MY WAY TO WORK AND I WAS TRYING TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND I MADE IT ABOUT HALF WAY INTO THE PARKING LOT WHERE PART OF MY CAR WAS STI'LL IN THE ROAD WHEN MY CAR JUST SHIFTED DOWN INTO NEUTRAL AND WOULD NOT GO BACK INTO DRIVE SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO BE TOWED INTO THE PARKING LOT BY A YOUNG MAN THAT STOPPED TO HELP GI'VE ME A HAND TO GET MY CAR OUT OF THE ROAD I WAS ON A MAJOR STREET THAT GETS TRAVELSE ALOT AND IT WAS DRIVING JUST FINE UNTIL I WENT TO TURN INTO MY JOB AND IT JUST QUIT SHIFTING PERIOD

NHTSA ID

11398321

Incident

Feb 28, 2021

TRANSMISSION HAS HARD SHIFTING AFTER ENGINE WARMS UP, ONLY HAS 44,000 MILES ON IT. STOP AND GO TRAFFIC SEEMS TO START THE PROBLEM FASTER THAN HIGHWAY DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11374004

Incident

Oct 15, 2020

Mileage

44,000 mi

HI I PURCHASED MY IMPALA LAST YEAR USED AND FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 6 MONTHS IT RAN FINE...NOW ELECTRICAL PANEL GOES ON THE FRITZ DIMMING MY LIGHTS AND DASHBOARD...POWER WINDOWS AND MIRRORS NOT WORKING... ALSO ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION LIGHTS ON CONSISTENTLY...TRACTION RANDOMLY ACTIVATES AND CAR LIGHTERS JUST STOPPED WORKING. SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THIS SPECIFIC MODEL AND IT REALLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. ALSO TURN KEY TO START CAR AND THE CAR DOESN'T START SO I DO THIS 2-3 TIMES TO START CAR UP...REALLY NEEDS TO RECALL ALL 2005 IMPALAS

NHTSA ID

11191163

Incident

Oct 15, 2018

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKED INDEPENDENTLY, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE IT WAS RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE DROVE NORMALLY. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE GEAR WAS IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,745. **TR CONSUMER STATED THE CAR'S BATTERY DRAINS QUICKLY AND WHEN TURNING A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. UPDATED 11/19/18*JB

NHTSA ID

11122177

Incident

Aug 9, 2016

Mileage

140,745 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 196,000.

NHTSA ID

11019446

Incident

Aug 25, 2016

Mileage

196,000 mi

FROM STARTING POSITION TO SLOWING DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND OR JERKS INTO GEAR HEAVILY. FROM 1ST TO 2ND VERY NOTICEABLE.

NHTSA ID

10966702

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

FROM A STOPPED POSITION, TRYING TO TAKE OFF CAR ACTS AS IF I'M NEUTRAL AND THEN WILL SUDDENLY JERK INTO GEAR. THE AUTOMATIC HEAR SHIFTS ARE ROUGH AND DELAYED. THERE'S VERY LITTLE POWER OR STRUGGLE TO REGISTER WHEN APPLYING GAS. WHEN ON FWY ESPECIALLY WHEN IN SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC THERE IS A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SLIPPING, ROUGH GEAR SHIFTS BOTH UP AND DOWN. THEN THE SCARY PART IS WHEN DRIVING WITH MY 2 LITTLE GIRLS AND IN REGULAR OR HEAVY TRAFFIC AND MAKING TURNS, ESPECIALLY LEFT, I HAVE HAD THE CAR FREEZE UP ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS. WHEN I TRY AND ACCELERATE I'M STUCK AS IF I'M NEUTRAL AND HEAR THE ENGINE REVVING AND FINALLY WILL VIOLENTLY LIKE POP INTO GEAR. IT'S MADE ME HAVE A LOT OF SAFETY ISSUES FOR MYSELF AND CHILDREN. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING AND PROBLEMATIC. WITH ALL THESE THINGS HAPPENING THE TRANSMISSION NOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS APPEARED, THEREFORE MAKING IT TREMENDOUSLY DIFFICULT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HAVE IT PROPERLY DIAGNOSED USING SCANNER AND COMPUTER READER. EVERY REPAIR SHOP HAS GIVEN DIFFERENT "FINDINGS" AFTER ONLY A DRIVE AROUND THE BLOCK. IT'S A NIGHTMARE.

NHTSA ID

10904861

Incident

Sep 8, 2016

BOUGHT THE CAR USED 141,000 MILES DAY AFTER I BOUGHT IT THE TRANSMISSION JERKS REALLY HARD WHEN TAKING OFF. I HEARD IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT IT WILL COST $700 OR MORE TO FIX.

NHTSA ID

10786764

Incident

Aug 21, 2015

Mileage

141,000 mi

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AND JERKS UPON TAKE OFF INTERMITTENTLY.

NHTSA ID

10783097

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND SUDDENLY STARTED TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE AND DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO CHANGED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE FILTER. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V400000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

NHTSA ID

10689910

Incident

Jan 6, 2014

Mileage

59,000 mi

AS THE ORIGINAL AND ONLY OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE, THIS IS THE SECOND ITERATION OF A CRACKED FLEX PLATE. THE FIRST EVENT AND REPAIR FOR $661.69 HAPPENED WITH 48,929 MILES. THE CRACKS APPEAR TO BEGIN AT THE CRANKSHAFT MOUNTING BOLTS AND SPREAD OUT TO THE STAMPED STEEL CUTOUTS. IT IS A 3800 SERIES II V-6 DRIVEN IN NORMAL MANNER AND WELL MAINTAINED. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS HAPPENS...CHEAP FLEXPLATE?? *TR

NHTSA ID

10663399

Incident

Dec 10, 2014

Mileage

131,815 mi

FIRST, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. COULD HAVE BEEN THE STEERING KNUCKLE, DON'T KNOW. THEN, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT DUSK AND THE LOW BEAMS WENT DARK. THE CAR HAS AN AUTOMATIC SWITCH THAT MOVES THE HEADLIGHTS FROM DAYTIME MODE TO NIGHTTIME. LOCAL MECHANIC CALLED THE GM DEALER AND SPOKE WITH A GM MECHANIC. THE GM MECHANIC TOLD HIM THE TURNSTALK ASSEMBLY WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THEY FREQUENTLY REPLACED THEM ON IMPALAS. I PAID FOR BOTH REPAIRS OUT OF POCKET. THEN, THE HEATER WOULD ONLY WORK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE; HEATER BLEND DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WAS DEFECTIVE. RECENTLY, I HAD THE HEATER BLEND DOOR REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. THEN, I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT MY EXPENSE. GM WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH ANY OF THESE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH SERVICE BULLETINS EXISTED ON ALL OF THESE ISSUES. LOOKING AT ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARDS FOR THIS CAR I FOUND ALL OF THESE ISSUES WITH NUMEROUS OWNERS. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP WHEN GOING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR AND THEN BEGAN BUMPING IN OTHER OWNERS. WHAT A LEMON THIS CAR HAS BECOME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10661291

Incident

Sep 18, 2012

Mileage

95,000 mi

WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP, THE CAR JERKED INSTEAD OF TAKING OFF SMOOTHLY. THIS SEEMED TO HAPPEN AT LOW SPEEDS WHEN CAR IS SHIFTING FROM ONE GEAR TO ANOTHER EVEN THOUGH IT HAS AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE SAFETY RISK HERE IS THAT ACCELERATION IS NOT EFFECTED AND A CAR COULD POTENTIALLY HIT YOU FROM BEHIND ESPECIALLY AT A STOP SIGN/LIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10636950

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

OVER THE LAST 2 YEARS I HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS SHIFTING OF THE VEHICLE WHICH SHIFTS VERY HARD. THE SECOND PROBLEM WAS A LOT OF RUST AND NEEDING TO HAVE BODY WORK DONE. NOW WITH A LITTLE OVER 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR IT MIGHT NOT PASS INSPECTION NEXT YEAR BECAUSE THE BODY/FRAME IS SO RUSTED THAT IT WOULD COST MORE TO HAVE IT FIXED THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. THE CAR IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF SO IT IS NOT FOR LACK OF CARETAKING ON MY PART. THE THIRD PROBLEM IS IN THE LAST 2 MONTHS PERIODICALLY WE CAN SMELL GAS IN THE INSIDE OF THE CAR, NOT EXHAUST FUMES - GAS. IT'S AWFUL; NAUSEATING AND UNBEARABLE. THIS SMELL CAN ALSO BE DETECTED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I WORRY ABOUT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY IN THIS VEHICLE FOR THESE REASONS. ALSO, AT THIS POINT I AM AFRAID TO PARK THE CAR IN OUR ATTACHED GARAGE FOR FEAR IT COULD START A FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10618614

Incident

Aug 1, 2012

Mileage

55,000 mi

WHEN THE IMPALA IS AT NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THE ENGINE DIES WHEN YOU REMOVE YOUR FOOT OFF THE ACCELERATOR AS WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN . IF THE ENGINE HAS NOT REACHED NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE THIS DOES NOT OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576466

Incident

Nov 26, 2013

Mileage

119,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HEAD WIPERS ON WIPERS QUIT FOR NO REASON COME TO THE STOP SIGN TRIED TURNING IT OFF AND ON A FEW TIMES THEN ONCE YOU TAKE OFF THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE AND THEN LUNGED FORWARD AND HIT THE PERSON IN FRONT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574402

Incident

Mar 14, 2014

Mileage

159,345 mi

THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AT STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, TRANNY SHOP SAYS IT IS A SWITCH SOLENOID THAT IS DEFECTIVE IN THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF. IT IS COMMONLY REPORTED BY MANY CONSUMERS OF THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. SEEMS TO SHIFT FINE WHEN DRIVING ON LONGER DRIVES IE. INTERSTATE DRIVING. COULD CAUSE POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC FROM STOPPED POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565413

Incident

Feb 1, 2012

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHEN PRESSING GAS PEDAL FROM A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, I HEAR A GRINDING/ SLIPPING SOUND AND THEN A LOUD POP AND THE CAR JERKS INTO GEAR. THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM 2 WEEKS AGO GAVE ME A 30 DAY OR 1000 MILE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY, IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR THE PAST 2 DAYS .THEY KEEP TELLING ME THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE SYMPTOM. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND HUNDREDS OF ONLINE REPORTS OF THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS. PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVISE ON RECOURSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10511456

Incident

May 8, 2013

Mileage

63,330 mi

FROM STOP I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS, AND THE CAR WOULD SLAM INTO GEAR. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL CLUSTER REPLACED $300, AND THE FUEL CONTROL REPLACED (CAR ALWAYS SMELT LIKE GAS) NOW THEY THINK THIS SLAM IS THE TCC VALVE IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS ANYWHERE FROM $600-$900. ALSO THE STEERING KNUCKLE MAKES A LOUD NOISE ON SHARP TURNS. WHATS NEXT? ARE ANY OF THESE ISSUES RECALLS? *TR

NHTSA ID

10508694

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

90,000 mi

SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME. CAR WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING GOING DOWN ROAD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. AFTER PULLING OVER IT WILL START BACK UP. HAVE BEEN PLACED ON DIAGNOSTICS MACHINE AND NO CODES ARE TRIGGERED. WE HAVE REPLACED FUEL FILTER. HAD A TUNE UP DONE. NOTHING IS WORKING AND MECHANICS CANT FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG. VERY DANGEROUS. HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES. LAST TIME GOING DOWN MOUNTAIN ON A CURVE WITH NO WHERE TO PULL OVER. LUCKILY NO TRAFFIC AT THE TIME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10496100

Incident

Jan 27, 2012

Mileage

194,000 mi

FIRST... MY CAR ALL OF THE SUDDEN STARTED LEAKING LIKE AN OIL TANKER LAST JANUARY 2012, AND THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE CHEVY DEALERSHIP, AND HAD MAJOR REPAIR WORK DONE ON TRANSMISSION, AND ENGINE FOR LEAKS. SPENT $2100 AND WAS QUOTE $2600 TO REPLACE THE ABS/TRACTION CONTROL MODULATOR FOR MY ABS/TRACTION CONTROL TO WORK AGAIN. THE CODE THEY PULLED WAS C1218. NEEDLESS TO SAY IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. A MONTH AFTER SPENDING THIS MONEY, I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP, AND ALMOST A YEAR LATER I HAD TO REPLACE A PLASTIC ELBOW FROM THE WATER PUMP TO MY RADIATOR WHICH WAS ANOTHER $300. THEN THIS PAST DECEMBER 2012, MY TRANSMISSION ALL OF THE SUDDEN JERKED HARD FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND SO ON DURING LOCAL DRIVING. MAX SPEED LIMIT IS 40MPH LOCALLY. TOOK IT TO CHEVY AND WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION, SO I TOOK IT FOR A SECOND OPINION AND WAS TOLD CODE P1811 WAS CODED FOR A LONG SHIFT, BUT THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS A 1/2 QUART LOW SO THEY FILLED IT WITH TRANS ADDITIVE. THEY SUGGESTED I TRY A "TRANSMISSION SHOP" FOR THEM TO CHECK BECAUSE MAYBE MY TRANS SOLENOID WAS BAD, WHICH WOULD STILL COST QUITE A BIT FOR REPAIR, BUT NOT NEARLY AS MUCH AS A NEW TRANSMISSION. MY CAR HAS 122,000 LONG HIGHWAY MILES, NOT LOCAL; STOP & GO. I DO NOT FEEL MY ABS/TRACTION CONTROL, NOR MY TRANS SHOULD BE BAD. I MAINTAIN MY CAR, AND BASED ON MY INTERNET SEARCHES MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEMS WITH THESE CARS. I EMAILED CHEVY AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD THIS IS MY PROBLEM AND NO CONCESSION WAS OFFERED ON THEIR PART TO ASSIST ME WITH THESE REPAIRS. I HAVE BEEN LAID OFF FROM MY JOB, AND RETURNED TO SCHOOL SO NEEDLESS TO SAY CANNOT AFFORD A NEW CAR, BUT THIS CAR IS COSTING MORE THAN IT IS WORTH. CHEVY NEEDS TO QUIT IGNORING THESE PROBLEMS, AND TAKE CARE OF LOYAL CUSTOMERS BEFORE THEY LOSE THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10493323

Incident

Dec 21, 2012

Mileage

122,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10491682

Incident

Oct 31, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

I HAVE A CHEV. IMPALA LS 2005 IT RUNS GOOD BUT THE TRANSMISSION JERKS AND IS SHIFTING LONG. THE CHEVROLET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS AND I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO REPLACE IT AT FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE WHEN THEY MADE THEM THEY KNEW AND DID NOT TELL ANYBODY UNTIL PEOPLE START COMING IN COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484581

Incident

Nov 6, 2012

Mileage

109,545 mi